Siy Helen T., Foundation for Upgrading the Standard of Education

Ibe Milagros Dimal, Miriam College

This paper traces the development of a foundation’s commitment to quality education. The Foundation for Upgrading the Standard of Education (FUSE) has in its 12 years of existence been developing instructional packages for in-service teacher education in an effort to reach out to teachers of Science, Mathematics and English.

FUSE started funding summer training workshops for teachers of English as early as 1994. In 1997 it subsidized the reproduction of forty episodes VHS tapes for teaching Elementary Science, Physics and Chemistry. In the two years that followed the Foundation funded the production of 45 episodes for teaching English. Unlike the earlier episodes, these were aimed primarily to develop skills of teachers of English. In 2001 FUSE funded the production of episodes for High School Mathematics.

When it became apparent that by themselves, the episodes are not adequate to help the teachers maximally — especially in terms of content knowledge — the Foundation commissioned a group from among its members to write Print Support Materials (PSMs) to accompany the video episodes, which by now have been transformed to compact discs (CDs), which were distributed to schools, free of charge.

Supplementarily, starting in 2003 FUSE began conducting 2-day trainings for teachers on how the CDs and PSMs can be effectively used. FUSE members — on their own — carried out the training after they themselves underwent a 3-day familiarization program. The teacher training programs — again offered free of charge became a hit. Soon requests for similar teacher-training and training-the-trainors workshops were received from regions outside Manila.

In Summer 2005 and 2006 the FUSE training committee, along with selected trainors it has trained, went to at least 5 of the country’s 16 regions to touch base with teachers who otherwise do not benefit from upgrading seminars and workshops. FUSE is now into producing video episodes in DVD format for the teaching of Mathematics, Reading and Literature, subjects which teachers hard to teach.

The principles the Foundation is anchored are learning by doing, high fidelity information, hands-on experience and modeling correct values for the training participants. The training programs include teaching demonstrations by the participants. These are made possible by the instructional materials, a cadré of committed trainors and a very supportive Foundation.

Jarernvongrayab Anu, Srinakharinwirot University

Songtheing Rewadee, Srinakarinwirot University

The purposes of this research were: to examine the reciprocal effects between self-directed learning variable and lifelong learning variable, and to compare these effects according to gender.

A total of 1,186 undergraduate students from Srinakarinwirot University were selected by stratified random sampling to participate in this study. 53% was female and 47% was male. Questionnaire was used to collect 2 constructs: self-directed learning and lifelong learning. Self-directed learning comprises three indicators: self-managing, self-monitoring, and self-modifying. Lifelong learning comprises six indicators: knowledge usage, strategies application, information usage, learning facilities usage, self-learning evaluation, and identifying learning objectives.

The results were as follows:

1.The coefficient predicting of self-directed learning on lifelong learning was statistically significant and the size was strong (B=0.63). Although, the reverse coefficient was not statistically significant.

2.The coefficient predicting of self-directed learning on lifelong learning was not different across genders. Although, the reverse coefficient differed across genders. The result indicated that the reverse coefficient was statistically significant but the size was weak (B=0.15) in females. Although, this coefficient was not statistically significant in males.

3.In addition, all of three indicators: self-managing, self-monitoring, and self-modifying were equally important indicators of self-directed learning. Although, from six indicators of lifelong learning, two indicators (knowledge usage, and strategies application) were important indicators but the others four indicators were moderate effects on lifelong learning.

Cheung K.S., The Hong Kong Baptist University

Continuing education conventionally means the education provided for people after they left the formal education system. In Hong Kong, continuing education evolved in 1950s as remedial education for people who missed the chance to receive basic formal education. Along the whole development history, the period from 1998 to 2004 is critical; Not only was there significant growth in the field, the government also assumed a more proactive role and formulated a number of policies. This paper serves to review these policies in three perspectives. First, these policies are reviewed with respect to the problems and community needs. Second, these policies are reviewed with respect to the policy solutions. Third, I would analyse the policy formulation and implementation process.

It is found that the recent continuing education policies in Hong Kong aim to strengthen the workforce with knowledge and skills in order to prepare themselves for the advent of a knowledge-based economy after economic restructuring. These policies mainly rely on short-term inducements as the policy instruments. As the recipients of inducements vary in their differing capacities, preferences and objectives, there exist problems of variability. The policies place their primary focus on the short-term performance so the long-term needs are rather undermined. Moreover, as the policies evolve without an overall plan, there exist areas of inconsistency and duplication, thus leading to counter-effectiveness in policy administration. All these will be investigated in this paper.

Thaisit Pansak, King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi

Jitgarun Kalayanee, King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi

Purpose of this research was to study advantages and disadvantages of m-Learning. Sampling group chosen for this study consisted of 36 Ramkhamhaeng University students. Tool for data collection was a questionnaire. Data were analyzed by using frequency, percentage, mean (X), standard deviation (S.D.), and content analysis. Results of this study were that most respondents were male and 20-25 years of age. They used mobile phone and WAP function to learn the following subjects: Thai and English language, statistics, accounting principles, production management, geological sciences and Thailand geology. The strengths of m-Learning were as follows: Its application of the data received in their real life, the ability to distribute m-Learning in groups, and the interaction between learners and learners as well as learners and instructors. Moreover, the respondents found that the effect of m-Learning instruc-tional system on the learners was at a high level. As for the disadvantages of m-Learning, it was found that there was no efficient evaluation of activity participation, and learners had to take their time and change their habit of how to use m-Learning. Besides, there was less information on how to use m-Learning.

Kwok King Yu, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

In the workplace, occupational health and safety is under the control of health and safety practitioners. The prominent figure among the practitioners is the health and safety officer. Formal education for health and safety officers in Hong Kong only started several decades ago. The education thus provided is usually catered for obtaining the academic qualification for registration of Safety Officer with the Labour Department of Hong Kong, that is, obtaining the statutory status of registered safety officer. Apart from academic requirement, there is a need for practical work experience in order to fulfil the registration requirements. The health and safety officers practising in Hong Kong come from a variety of background before they join the study in health and safety. Nowadays, the kind of education for the health and safety officers can range from a certificate level programme to university degree one. The programmes are, in majority, part-time basis while there is only one fulltime. The fulltime one is a bachelor degree programme. As a consequence, there is a great variation in terms of competency in the health and safety personnel thus produced. It is uncommon for employers criticising that they have employed health and safety officers who are not competent enough in writing and communication skills for daily work practice. This article looks at the basic professional education system for health and safety officers in Hong Kong, that is, a review on different education programmes recognised by the Labour Department as the academic requirement for registration as registered safety officers. Health and safety education is a practical subject. There is a need for health and safety officers to make adjustment on the work, without compromising the basic principles in health and safety, in the course of their work. Therefore, a comment will be made on the need for improvement in course design in order to have a better curriculum tailored for the work requirement of health and safety officers in Hong Kong.

Dixon Helen, The University of Auckland

Haigh Mavis, The University of Auckland

Established in 2003, The Teaching and Learning Research Initiative (TLRI) is a contestable research fund available to all those working in the various sectors that constitute the New Zealand education system. Sponsored by the Ministry of Education, the initiative has sought to build knowledge about teaching and learning with the expressed intention of improving outcomes for learners. Significantly, to fulfil the eligibility criteria, applicants to the fund are required to demonstrate the existence of a research partnership between practitioners and researchers and to show how a proposed project will build teachers’ research capability. To date, the initiative has financed a number of projects, with the majority running for either one or two years. Our research collaboration, established between the University of Auckland and four large, diverse secondary schools in the Auckland area, was fortunate to receive funding in 2005 to undertake a two-year research project investigating teachers’ and students’ conceptions of assessment and feedback. During the first year of the project a key task for the teacher–researchers was to develop and implement a data collection tool or an instructional activity that could provide them with greater insight into their students’ conceptions of assessment and feedback. This paper reports on how the teacher-researchers were supported in an ongoing manner to achieve this task and documents their journeys into the realms of teacher-research. An examination of specific cases is used to illustrate the notion that teacher-research impacts on teachers as learners, cognitively, socially and emotionally. Further, it is argued that teacher-research, even when supported, is complex and problematic.

Hung Humphry, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

In general, scholars tend to agree that continuous education and training (CET) plays a critical role in increasing workers' adaptability and flexibility. Empirical studies show that the motivation to attend CET programs by employees can be affected by the intentional or unintentional cues or signals of the management actions and as such, employees are more motivated when they are assigned to attend these CET programs by management. However, studies on CET focus mainly on the relationship between the motivation to participate in relevant CET and its corresponding employer endorsement. The inter-relationship among employer endorsement, and the actual performance and satisfaction arising from taking up CET has received little attention. Our study attempts to fill this literature gap by positing that if the employers show support to their staff by endorsing their CET, these employees will be more satisfied and can perform better not only in their studies but also in their jobs. We contribute to the literature by providing a perspective in analyzing the linkage between work and study lives of employees through the effect of employer endorsement of CET. To better understand the significance of the contribution of the endorsement of employers, it is necessary to understand its relationship with the satisfaction and performance in both work and study lives. We use the employer endorsement of continuous education and training (EECET) as the dependent variable and we investigate its relationship with six independent variables, which are employees’ CET performance, motivation to learn, learner satisfaction, perceived organizational support, job performance and job satisfaction. By using 276 part-time post-graduate students as our samples, our research results indicate that all independent variables are positively related to EECET.

Gandhi Julia, Ngee Ann Polytechnic

Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) is an international set of regulations, which require that manufacturers, processors, and packagers of drugs, medical devices, some food, and blood take proactive steps to ensure that their products are safe, pure, and effective. Through the strict enforcement of quality control measures in manufacturing, companies ensure that instances of contamination, mix-ups and errors are minimized if not eliminated. GMP covers all aspects of production; from the starting materials, premises and equipment to the training and personal hygiene of staff. Detailed, written procedures are essential for each process that could potentially affect the quality of the finished product.

Traditionally, training in GMP is usually conducted in a classroom environment using a lecture mode along with examples of non-compliances. What is sometimes overlooked is that Good Manufacturing Practice is about drugs and that drugs whether they are for therapeutic or recreational use often invite curiosity and are of great interest to people. This paper will describe how this fascination with drugs is combined with problem-based-learning to teach the significance of Good Manufacturing Practice and the applications of drug regulations in the pharmaceutical industry. Through the utilization of this approach, students and participants are given the opportunity to fulfill their healthy curiosity about pharmaceutically active compounds whilst learning about the principles of GMP. They will also understand issues involved in manufacturing and testing of products even as information is transferred and an educational process occurs that is difficult to achieve in any other application-oriented program.

Mita Kaoru, Jissen Women's Junior College

This study introduces a female EFL learner, who had lived in a monolingual and monocultural society ( Japan), had a chance to stay in a target society ( Toronto, Canada) for a year at the age of 70. Parts of the findings are:

1) Re-examination of learning strategies: She finds in the target society that what she did in the EFL environment was of little use, and was not converted into intake: she did 'comprehensible input' in low anxiety situations, accompanied by extremely little output experiences. She has changed her learning strategies to output-based ones after settling in the target society, i.e., she attends as many ESL classes and community activities as possible, speaks English even with her family, and writes a lot of English essays to be corrected by others. All of the activities she could not do in Japan because of frustration and embarrassment involved. Her own re-examination and revised learning are presented based on the results of semi-structured interviews, passages of her own essays and journals.

2) Influences of the target society: The dynamic aspects of her motivation were mostly triggered by the “awareness of inclusion in the society”. Once accepted in several specific communities, she is highly motivated to improve her English into advanced level, though being aware in the back of her mind that she cannot reach the level. Since graduating a college, her motivation of EFL for 50 years has always been integrative, to introduce her interests and activities to people abroad and to communicate with them. The strenuous output since settling in the society has boosted up her intrinsic motivation as well. The fluctuation of motivation is demonstrated using the theoretical framework of Vygotskian Activity Theory, which is analyzed in tandem with aspects of her speech production such as fluency, complexity, and accuracy.

Harvey Pamela Joyce, Wesley Institute

Although there is a proliferation of research and literature on the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) of teachers there is a scarcity of literature on postgraduate study as a form of CPD for teachers. Few studies have been conducted to investigate why teachers undertake postgraduate study and consequently little is known about the motivations teachers have to engage or not engage in postgraduate study.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the various motivations that influence educators’ participation in postgraduate study. Participants in the study were 20 educators (15 teachers and five principals) from five schools located in the south eastern region of Queensland, Australia. Of the participants taking part in the study approximately 50% were enrolled in postgraduate study or had previously undertaken postgraduate study. The study was conducted during 2005.

A semi-structured interview was conducted with each participant. Data from the interviews were analysed using open coding and subsequent axial coding and in the style of grounded theory resultant categories which included motivators and demotivators emerged from the data. The motivators included updating pedagogical knowledge and skills, social contact with peers and other professionals, knowledge of current trends in education, in-depth study and career advancement. The demotivators included time commitment and financial cost.

The results have implications for tertiary institutions in the delivery and type of postgraduate courses offered and also the designing of courses that better meet the professional development needs of teachers and principals. In addition school boards and educational systems should find the study helpful in understanding how they can better support and encourage their principals and teachers to engage in postgraduate study. Finally there are implications for educators, themselves, in recognising the advantages of postgraduate study and addressing the factors which may demotivate them from engaging in such study.

Willment Jo-Anne, University of Calgary

This session explores the emerging field of workplace learning through the eyes of an experienced faculty member responsible for teaching and researching midlife learners in Canada over the last decade. The session will examine four influences: (1) the impact of adult learner demographics in the Canadian population (Foote, 2004); (2) past and present trends identified from adult graduate learners employed in a workplace while completing a Master’s degree through the Workplace and Adult Learning Program at the Faculty of Education, University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada; (3) influences that graduate study has upon part-time learners, workplace and universities; and, (4) a Canadian model which is emerging for university-workplace learning opportunities in Canada. The session will be of interest to those in educational research and policy development, faculty committed to innovative graduate programming and potential learners. Handouts will be available and questions will be welcomed from the audience.

Misola Nehema Kilayko, Western Visayas College of Science and Technology

Suemoto Makoto, Kobe University

Lifelong learning is the optimum development of human potentials to empower people to continuously acquire the knowledge, skills, understanding and training throughout their lives, so that they are completely aware of themselves, thereby enriching values in life while properly being accounted for as human resource capability in nation building. As such, lifelong learning encompasses all types of learning to include non-formal learning, as constituted in other organized educational institutions such as work based training centers, vocational training institutes and adult education centers.

This descriptive survey used a researcher-made questionnaire that focuses on adult learners in Japan and the Philippines. The samples have an age range between 21-49 years old, both sexes are represented, 100% of the samples completed formal schooling, currently employed and are undergoing learning activities in the non-formal learning institutes in May 2006, for business and vocational training, personal development and skills upgrading. The samples were taken through purposive sampling. Simple statistical tools used are averages, means, median, mode, standard deviation, frequency counts, ranking and t-tests. Despite the many support systems both governments have initiated and implemented, findings revealed that there are still gaps and issues within the system. A self perception with a 4 point scale level of satisfaction in the quality of life, using indicators to include: values, goals, orientation, satisfaction and anxiety, daily interest and social relationships revealed that there are similarities as well as differences among the respondents. For learning and career values, pressing gaps and issues in lifelong learning, the choices made also differ.

Our world today demands for a multifaceted human development across all types of learning and thus governments should effectively and substantially put reforms, policies and trusts in placed in support for every human fulfillment in this century.