The motivation of vocational students in a college setting /

This qualitative study explores the motivation of College Vocational Program (CVP) students at one campus of a large College of Applied Arts and Technology (CAAT a) in urban southern Ontario. The study is in response to my close involvement with the CVP students as an instructor for five years, and my observation that a greater understanding of the motivational influences affecting the students' involvement in the program would strengthen teaching and learning, and enhance the CVP educational experience for students and instructors. This study was limited to one CVP program, and a small sample of convenience of 9 CVP male and female students and 6 instructors selected from two classes. The students were chosen based on their verbal abilities to communicate their thoughts, feelings, and experiences in regard to answering the research questions posed. Through interviews with students, instructors, and ajob coach, this study addressed four main questions relevant to college vocational students and motivation: defining student success, encouragement, discouragement, and perceptions about academic and vocationalleaming. The interview questions for both students and instructors were designed by me and were based on themes derived from the literature and from my experience in the program. The findings identify that the students and instructors see success in the program in a slightly different way, the importance of relationships and structure, the hindering effect of disabilities and the importance of accommodation, and the strong aspiration of the students wanting to learn in a supportive accepting environment. The study concludes with implications for further research and theory development.

Narrative development and supported employment of persons with severe mental illness

Essai présenté à la Faculté des arts et des sciences en vue de l’obtention du grade de Doctorat en psychologie option psychologie clinique

Contemporary Approaches to Translation in the Classroom : A study of students' Attitudes and Strategies

The purpose of this study is to explore the strategies and attitudes of students towards translation in the context of language learning. The informants come from two different classes at an Upper Secondary vocational program. The study was born from the backdrop of discussions among some English teachers representing different theories on translation and language learning, meeting students endeavoring in language learning beyond the confinement of the classroom and personal experiences of translation in language learning. The curriculum and course plan for English at the vocational program emphasize two things of particular interest to our study; integration of the program outcomes and vocational language into the English course - so called meshed learning – and student awareness of their own learning processes. A background is presented of different contrasting methods in translation and language learning that is relevant to our discussion. However, focus is given to contemporary research on reforms within the Comparative Theory, as expressed in Translation in Language and Teaching (TILT), Contrastive Analysis and “The Third Space”. The results of the students’ reflections are presented as attempts to translate two different texts; one lyric and one technical vocational text. The results show a pragmatic attitude among the students toward tools like dictionaries or Google Translate, but also a critical awareness about their use and limits. They appear to prefer the use of first language to the target language when discussing the correct translation as they sought accuracy over meaning. Translation for them was a natural and problem-solving event worth a rightful place in language teaching.

Long-term effectiveness of supported employment: 5-year follow-up of a randomized controlled trial

Objective The individual placement and support model of supported employment has been shown to be more effective than other vocational approaches in improving competitive work over 1-2 years in persons with severe mental illness. The authors evaluated the longer-term effects of the model compared with traditional vocational rehabilitation over 5 years. Method A randomized controlled trial compared supported employment to traditional vocational rehabilitation in 100 unemployed persons with severe mental illness. Competitive work and hospital admissions were tracked for 5 years, and interviews were conducted at 2 and 5 years to assess recovery attitudes and quality of life. A cost-benefit analysis compared program and total treatment costs to earnings from competitive employment. Results The beneficial effects of supported employment on work at 2 years were sustained over the 5-year follow-up period. Participants in supported employment were more likely to obtain competitive work than those in traditional vocational rehabilitation (65% compared with 33%), worked more hours and weeks, earned more wages, and had longer job tenures. Reliance on supported employment services for retaining competitive work decreased from 2 years to 5 years for participants in supported employment. Participants were also significantly less likely to be hospitalized, had fewer psychiatric hospital admissions, and spent fewer days in the hospital. The social return on investment was higher for supported employment participants, whether calculated as the ratio of work earnings to vocational program costs or of work earnings to total vocational program and mental health treatment costs. Conclusions The results demonstrate that the greater effectiveness of supported employment in improving competitive work outcomes is sustained beyond 2 years and suggest that supported employment programs contribute to reduced hospitalizations and produce a higher social return on investment.

Self-esteem and job satisfaction of adults with mild mental retardation in sheltered workshops and supported employment programs

A sample of 200 adults with mild mental retardation were assessed on overall job satisfaction and self-esteem using the Vocational Program Evaluation Profile and the Coopersmith Self-esteem Inventory. The subjects worked either in a sheltered workshop or in a supported employment setting. Results indicated that there was a significant relationship between self-esteem and job satisfaction for both groups of subjects. In addition, subjects who worked in supported employment reported significantly higher levels of job satisfaction also. There was also an interaction between place of residence and place of employment when looking at self-esteem; those who live in a semi-independent home and work in supported employment reported the highest levels of self-esteem. These results are discussed in terms of the social validity of supported-employment for persons with mild mental retardation. ^

The effect of recalled previous work environment on return to work after a rehabilitation program including vocational aspects for trauma patients.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of the present study was to assess the association between remembered previous work place environment and return to work (RTW) after hospitalisation in a rehabilitation hospital. METHODS: A cohort of 291 orthopedic trauma patients discharged from hospital between 15 December 2004 and 31 December 2005 was included in a study addressing quality of life and work-related questions. Remembered previous work environment was measured by Karasek's 31-item Job Content Questionnaire (JCQ), given to the patients during hospitalisation. Post-hospitalisation work status was assessed 3 months, 1, and 2 years after discharge, using a questionnaire sent to the ex-patients. Logistic regression models were used to test the role of four JCQ variables on RTW at each time point while controlling for relevant confounders. RESULTS: Subjects perceiving a higher physical demand were less likely to return to work 1 year after hospital discharge. Social support at work was positively associated with RTW at all time points. A high job strain appeared to be positively associated with RTW 1 year after rehabilitation, with limitations due to large confidence intervals. CONCLUSIONS: Perceptions of previous work environment may influence the probability of RTW. In a rehabilitation setting, efforts should be made to assess those perceptions and, if needed, interventions to modify them should be applied.

An invitation to industry from your State Vending Stand Program for the blind and the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation, U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare.

Mode of access: Internet.

Department of Education : the Eisenhower Math and Science State Grant Program : report to the Chairman, Subcommittee on Elementary, Secondary, and Vocational Education, Committee on Education and Labor, House of Representatives /

"November 1992."

Future Farmers of America, the national organization for boys studying vocational agriculture, in Kentucky's program of vocational agriculture.

"The editing and arrangement of the bulletin was done by Mr. W.C. Montgomery ... and Mr. Lee Harris ..."--Foreword.

Program administration review of the social security disability insurance and the supplemental security income vocational rehabilitation programs.

Report year ends Sept. 30.

Handbook for vocational education program planning /

Bibliography: p. 125-131.

California Vocational Rehabilitation Cooperative School Program survey : a program appraisal by the program's professional staff /

"February 1968."

Vocational rehabilitation improves cognition and negative symptoms in schizophrenia

Several studies in schizophrenia found a positive association between cognitive performance and work status, and it has been reported that good cognitive performance at the outset does predict the success of vocational interventions. However little has been done to investigate whether vocational interventions itself benefit cognitive performance. To test this hypothesis we performed a randomized, placebo-controlled trial to investigate in remitted schizophrenic patients the effect of a 6-months vocational rehabilitation program on cognitive performance. We recruited 112 remitted and clinically stable schizophrenic patients who aimed to enter a vocational rehabilitation program. From these, 57 immediately entered a 6-months vocational rehabilitation program, whereas the remaining 55 were allocated to a waiting-list; the latter formed our control group, which received during the 6 months out-clinic follow-up treatment. Before and after the 6-months period we assessed changes in cognitive performance through a neuropsychological test battery, as well as changes in the psychopathological status and in quality of life. We found that vocational rehabilitation significantly improved patients` performance in cognitive measures that assess executive functions (concept formation, shifting ability, flexibility, inhibitory control, and judgment and critics abilities). Moreover, after 6 months the vocational group improved significantly in the negative symptoms and in quality of life, as compared to controls. Together with results from the literature, our findings reinforce the notion that the inclusion of vocational interventions may enhance the effectiveness of therapeutic strategies for schizophrenia patients. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Predictors of return to work after a knee injury in patients hospitalized in vocational rehabilitation

Introduction.- Knee injuries are frequent in a young and active population. Most of the patients resume their professional activity but few studies were interested in factors that predict a return to work. The aim of this study is to identify these predictors from a large panel of bio-psychosocial variables. We postulated that the return to work 3 months and 2 years after discharge is mostly predicted by psychosocial variables.Patients and methods.- Prospective study, patients hospitalized for a knee injury. Variables measured: the abbreviated injury score (AIS) for the gravity of the injuries, analog visual scale for the intensity of pain, INTERMED for the bio-psychosocial complexity, SF-36 for the quality of life, HADs for the anxiety/depression symptoms and IKDC score for the knee function. Univariate logistic regressions, adjusted for age and gender, were performed in order to predict return to work.Results.- One hundred and twenty-six patients hospitalized during 8 months after the accident were included into this prospective study. A total of 73 (58%) and 75 (59%) questionnaires were available after 3 months and 2 years, respectively. The SF-36 pain was the sole predictor of return to work at 3 months (odds Ratio 1.06 [1.02-1.10], P = 0.01; for a one point increase) and 2 years (odds Ratio 1.06 [1.02-1.10], P = 0.01). At three months, other factors are SF-36 (physic sub-scale), IKDC score, the presence of a work contract and the presence of litigation. The bio-psychosocial complexity, the presence of depressive symptoms predicts the return to work at two years.Discussion.- Our working hypothesis was partially confirmed: some psychosocial factors (i.e. depressive symptoms, work contract, litigation, INTERMED) predict the return to work but the physical health and the knee function, perceived by the patient, are also correlated. Pain is the sole factor isolated at both times (i.e. 3 months and 2 years) and, consequently, appears a key element in the prediction of the return to work. Some factors are accessible to the rehabilitation program but only if an interdisciplinary approach is performed.

Degree projects improving co-operation between the teacher education program and schools : - Swedish experiences

In 1977, when teacher education inSwedenwas incorporated into the university system, the main reason was to transform it into an academic tradition. Now, nearly 30 years later, there is still tension between the academic and the vocational tradition; they show up as different and separated elements in a program that is meant to prepare students for a career as a teacher and for a possible future career as a researcher in this field. This tension gives rise to a risk of allowing parallel “tracks” to develop and of isolating the degree thesis work from other courses. On the teacher-training program in which we are involved, close co-operation with partner-schools, where the practical part of the program takes place, has been established. Here, the students´ degree theses are an important factor in making this co-operation work on a concrete level. Accordingly, the purpose of the degree thesis is both to reflect problems in schools and contribute to better teaching in the individual school, but also to offer relevant educational subject matter to the students, which may be adapted as an element in the university’s research environments. From these points of view, the degree thesis is an important part of teacher education and rather more than just a single course. The degree thesis should be an element that gives the students an opportunity to show that they have reached central goals in the teacher education program. It should also be an integral part in the development of critical and scholarly thinking, deepening pedagogical and didactic knowledge and giving the students an opportunity to apply research methods. We will here use two minor case studies: one that compares teacher education programs in five Swedish universities and one minor study at one of those universities, in order to elaborate on the questions: - What purpose has a degree thesis and what role does it play in teacher education? - What criteria are relevant to assessing a degree thesis and what qualities do the degree theses have? - Is it possible to assess a degree thesis fairly and what happens to students who do not pass? - How could the degree thesis be used to improve the contact between the teacher education program and its partner schools in order to contribute to the development of the individual school?