National principal mentoring: does it achieve its purpose?

Author(s):  
Kathleen Sciarappa ◽  
Christine Y. Mason

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the perceived efficacy of a US-based national principal mentor training program. Design/methodology/approach – A sample of 370 protégés who received services from principal mentors in a national mentor internship program were invited to complete an electronic survey. Responses were obtained from 54 protégés. Findings – The 54 respondents rated the mentor program highly, indicating that mentors were well prepared, good listeners, and instrumental in strengthening their instructional leadership. Research limitations/implications – This study provides preliminary information on the perceived efficacy of the program. To more fully understand the needs of new principals and the value of varying mentor approaches, follow-up interviews, a research design that provides for data to be disaggregated by specific mentor trainers and dates/locations of training sessions, and comparative data from protégés supported by mentors prepared by other programs are needed. Practical implications – Protégés reported high job satisfaction and recommended the program to others. Originality/value – New principals reported that the principal mentoring was critical to their adjustment and success during their first year. This is the only known principal mentor program requiring a nine-month internship. The outcomes revealed the value of evaluating perceptions of protégés for continuous quality improvement.

2014 ◽  
Vol 120 (1) ◽  
pp. 167-172 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lauren H. Marasa ◽  
Thomas A. Pittman

Object Many factors affect an applicant's decision when selecting a residency program. While some issues are likely important to all applicants, others may be specific to, or weighed differently by, those applying to certain specialties. In an effort to better understand how applicants to neurosurgery programs make decisions about relative rank, the authors created a survey to identify the program characteristics thought most important by applicants. Methods An electronic survey was created and posted to the neurosurgery residency coordinator's forum. Coordinators throughout the country were asked to send the survey link to students who were scheduled to begin as first-year residents in July of 2012. A paper copy of the survey was also distributed at the Society of Neurological Surgeons intern boot camp in Atlanta, Georgia, in July of 2012. Results One hundred ninety-six students obtained a neurosurgical postgraduate year 1 position in the 2011–2012 match; 40 survey responses were received (response rate 20.4%). The factors cited as being most important in selecting a residency were the residents currently in the program, team camaraderie, and the number of operative cases performed. The interview day, specifically the opportunity to talk to the residents, was also thought to be important, as was the knowledge that the applicant would likely be ranked by the program. Conclusions Applicants for neurosurgical training choose a program for reasons similar to those given by applicants to other specialties. Neurosurgery applicants seem marginally more interested in an emphasis on academics and research and slightly less concerned with a program's location, but overall, the differences appear minimal. The interview process is very important, and contact by a representative after the interview also seems significant in applicants' decision making. By recognizing what applicants think is important in choosing a residency, programs can more effectively recruit residents and more efficiently use faculty time and department resources.


Author(s):  
Davide Celoria ◽  
David Hemphill

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the practice of new principal coaching in schools from the coaches’ perspective. Design/methodology/approach – Six coaches of new principals were interviewed over a one-year period. Through the use of a qualitative, constant-comparative approach, the participants’ voices were used to discover their views. Data analysis employed emergent coding (Creswell, 2008; Denzin, 2005; Glaser and Strauss, 1998; Spradley, 1979). The study took place in the San Francisco Bay Area, a linguistically and ethnically diverse area, in the state of California, USA. Findings – Thematic analysis of interview data from principal coaches revealed a process-oriented focus within principal coaching as a primary finding. Process-oriented coaching, rather than specific, skill-focussed content, was the main mechanism coaches used to support new principals. Research limitations/implications – Findings are limited to the sample of principal coaches used for this analysis, although there are potential applications to similar school settings in other locations. Researchers are encouraged to examine new principal coaching in other contexts. Practical implications – The results of this inquiry point to the importance of process skills in new principal coaching, suggest the need for new approaches in principal mentoring programs, and call for further research on specific process tools in coaching to promote reflection and inquiry. Originality/value – The paper identifies process-oriented coaching as a valuable support mechanism for new principals, particularly during their first year in the role.


2016 ◽  
Vol 35 (5) ◽  
pp. 574-591 ◽  
Author(s):  
Véronique Boulocher-Passet ◽  
Peter Daly ◽  
Isabelle Sequeira

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to encourage initiatives to train large cohorts of undergraduate students for creativity understanding. The authors describe a case study of a creativity exercise developed within a corporate setting that accommodates a large cohort and discuss the results of empirical research on this teaching experience at a French Business School. The authors reflect on the transferability of this exercise by other educators to similar educational contexts and the usefulness of training future managers to a structured creativity methodology to be exploited in the workplace. Design/methodology/approach – A case study explains the features of the exercise. Hard data on students’ perceptions and motivation/satisfaction prior to and after the creativity exercise was collected through an internet self-completed survey instrument. In total, 245 pairs of survey responses from first-year students were analysed using prototypical analysis, paired samples t-test and content analysis. Findings – The exercise proved an effective tool to help large cohorts of undergraduates to better understand that creativity is a managerial competence that can be trained. The authors particularly underlined the need for fluidity in the organisation of the exercise; use of a clear creativity process and methodology; the necessity to involve an external creativity consultant; and the importance of the chosen topic being non art related. In the workplace, this understanding of creativity methodologies will enable future managers to support, promote and manage creativity endeavours. Originality/value – This paper encourages initiatives and provides insights into the difficulties of training large cohorts of undergraduate students for understanding the concept of creativity.


2019 ◽  
Vol 47 (4) ◽  
pp. 556-569 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claire Calderwood Veach

Purpose This paper aims to outline the conceptualization, design and implementation process of an escape room-style game for first-year student orientation sessions hosted by a combined academic unit including a university library, archives and museum. The game can be customized and adapted for a variety of learning environments and purposes. Design/methodology/approach Breakout EDU kits have been used to create escape room-style games to teach curricular content in new and engaging ways. This orientation session was designed to teach new students how to find and use essential collections and resources on each of the unit’s websites by using a fun, collaborative and engaging game. Findings According to post-orientation survey responses, an average of nearly 80% of all new students felt that the Breakout EDU orientation game was either “Moderately Effective” or “Very Effective” in preparing them for their first day of classes. Documented observational assessments further suggest that students had fun playing the game and appreciated the hands-on approach to library orientation. Originality/value Although the use of both digital and non-digital games in library orientations are heavily documented, there has been very little research conducted on the use of escape rooms in this context, and almost no research has been conducted on the use of Breakout EDU kits for library orientations. This paper provides a practical example of how academic libraries can incorporate a customizable and highly engaging escape room-style game into first-year orientation sessions of nearly all sizes.


2015 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 269-281 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth A. Gregg ◽  
David A. Pierce ◽  
Kristi M. Sweeney ◽  
Jason W. Lee

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore factors affecting participant awareness, attraction, and attachment to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society’s (NMSS) MS 150 PGA Tour Cycle to the Shore charitable bike ride utilizing the Psychological Continuum Model (PCM) developed by Funk and James. In addition, the authors sought to outline variables sport organizations can use to predict donor behavior. Design/methodology/approach – Data for this project were derived from an electronic survey distributed to race participants and was analyzed in SPSS® software. Regression analysis was employed. Findings – The findings support previous research employing the PCM; wherein social situational variables have the greatest influence on the relational significance of hedonic and dispositional needs in attraction and attachment to sporting events. The work supports the inclusion of communities as an additional attachment outcome. Practical implications – In all, 92 percent of riders were informed about the event through word of mouth (WOM) marketing, highlighting the importance this promotional technique in the awareness stage of the PCM. NMSS would be well served by capitalizing on the power of WOM. Originality/value – The research provides insight into predictors of fundraising efficacy. In terms of fundraising effectiveness, participants with four or more years of participation were six times more likely than first-year riders to raise $1,000 or more.


2015 ◽  
Vol 53 (9) ◽  
pp. 2977-2982 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebekah W. Moehring ◽  
Kevin C. Hazen ◽  
Myra R. Hawkins ◽  
Richard H. Drew ◽  
Daniel J. Sexton ◽  
...  

Knowledge of local antimicrobial resistance is critical for management of infectious diseases. Community hospitals' compliance with Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) guidance for creation of cumulative antibiograms is uncertain. This descriptive cohort study of antibiogram reporting practices included community hospitals enrolled in the Duke Infection Control Outreach Network. Cumulative antibiograms from 2012 were reviewed for criteria on reporting practices and compliance with CLSI guidelines. Microbiology personnel were sent a voluntary, electronic survey on antibiogram preparation practices. Data were compiled using descriptive statistics. Thirty-two of 37 (86%) hospitals provided antibiograms; 26 of 37 (70%) also provided survey responses. Twelve (38%) antibiograms specified methods used for compiling data and exclusion of duplicates. Eight (25%) reported only species with >30 isolates. Of the 24 that did not follow the 30-isolate rule, 3 (13%) included footnotes to indicate impaired statistical validity. Twenty (63%) reported at least 1 pathogen-drug combination not recommended for primary or supplemental testing per CLSI. Thirteen (41%) separately reported methicillin-resistant and -susceptibleStaphylococcus aureus. Complete compliance with CLSI guidelines was observed in only 3 (9%) antibiograms. Survey respondents' self-assessment of full or partial compliance with CLSI guidelines was 50% and 15%, respectively; 33% reported uncertainty with CLSI guidelines. Full adherence to CLSI guidelines for hospital antibiograms was uncommon. Uncertainty about CLSI guidelines was common. Alternate strategies, such as regional antibiograms using pooled data and educational outreach efforts, are needed to provide reliable and appropriate susceptibility estimates for community hospitals.


Author(s):  
Thomas J. Holt ◽  
Shelly Clevenger ◽  
Jordana Navarro

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the extent to which line officers in police agencies can identify digital evidence at crime scenes, also known as the binary artifacts stored on computers, mobile devices, tablets and the internet, through an analysis of survey responses of line staff in a Midwestern state police agency. Design/methodology/approach An electronic survey was completed by 258 respondents using a scenario-based vignette asking them to identify where such evidence may be located during a fictitious call for service. Findings Most all respondents identified appropriate devices and locations where digital evidence may be stored on suspects and victims in a scenario call for service. There were significant differences in responses on the basis of recent field experience with digital evidence. Research limitations/implications The findings demonstrate the importance of experiential learning and training for line staff in police agencies to prepare them for basic digital evidence handling in the field. This sample is, however, based on a single state police agency and may not be reflective of other similarly sized agencies. Future research is needed to replicate this study and expand the generalizability of these findings. Originality/value First responders should be able to identify and secure all appropriate forms of evidence at crime scenes, regardless of crime type, while awaiting specialized investigators. This study is one of the first to consider when and how police are able to recognize digital evidence at crime scenes.


2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 215-230
Author(s):  
Allyson Flaster ◽  
Kristen M. Glasener ◽  
John A. Gonzalez

Purpose The purpose of this study is to examine whether there are differences in beginning doctoral students’ perceptions of the disciplinary knowledge required to be successful in doctoral education and identify pre-doctoral characteristics and experiences that explain these differences. Design/methodology/approach This study relied on survey data of first-year PhD students enrolled at a large, research-intensive university. Survey responses were matched to institutional information, missing data were imputed and responses were weighted to account for groups’ differential probabilities of being included in the analytical sample. The authors used regression analysis to examine the relationship between students’ background characteristics, anticipatory socialization experiences, academic performance and perceived levels of disciplinary knowledge. Findings The study findings indicated significant differences in doctoral students’ perceived levels of disciplinary knowledge. Students who identify as female or URM had significantly lower levels of perceived disciplinary knowledge than students who identify as male or non-URM. Moreover, several anticipatory socialization experiences were significantly and positively related to perceived disciplinary knowledge. Originality/value While there is evidence that doctoral students start graduate school with varying identities and experiences, little is known about how students perceive their abilities and knowledge. This study reported that students differ in their self-assessment of disciplinary knowledge as they embark on doctoral work with implications for academic identity development and student success.


2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Helen C. Salvosa ◽  
Maria Regina M. Hechanova

PurposeThis study examined generational differences in traits and desired schemas of leaders among Filipino workers using the lens of the generational cohort theory.Design/methodology/approachThis study utilized a sequential exploratory mixed-method approach. Phase One of the study utilized a qualitative approach in eliciting perceived characteristics and leadership schemas. Phase Two utilized a quantitative approach utilizing a survey to test generational differences.FindingsCluster analysis of survey responses of 341 Filipino workers showed two generation cohorts – the political and technological generation. Respondents from the political generation characterized themselves as being work-centered, family-oriented, traditional, seasoned, decisive and multi-tasking. The political generation also believes that an ideal leader is someone who cares about people's welfare, delegates, and is able to control others. On the other hand, the technology generation described themselves as being tech-savvy, carefree, laid-back, proud, individualistic, self-centered, arrogant, energetic and adventurous. The technological generation views an ideal leader as someone who is responsible, provides clear instructions, listens, and recognizes people.Research limitations/implicationsThe study focuses on Filipino workers and more studies in other countries are needed to establish generational differences in schemas.Practical implicationsThe results have implications on the way that leaders are selected and developed especially in an increasingly diverse workforce.Social implicationsThe results highlight the role of political, sociocultural events and technological trends that shape the traits and schemas of workers.Originality/valueThe study contributes to both generational studies as well as implicit leadership literature. The study highlights the value of examining the intersection of both culture and generation in the context of leadership.


2016 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 23-48 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dinesh Rathi ◽  
Lisa M. Given ◽  
Eric Forcier

Purpose – This paper aims to present findings from a study of non-profit organizations (NPOs), including a model of knowledge needs that can be applied by practitioners and scholars to further develop the NPO sector. Design/methodology/approach – A survey was conducted with NPOs operating in Canada and Australia. An analysis of survey responses identified the different types of knowledge essential for each organization. Respondents identified the importance of three pre-determined themes (quantitative data) related to knowledge needs, as well as a fourth option, which was a free text box (qualitative data). The quantitative and qualitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistical analyses and a grounded theory approach, respectively. Findings – Analysis of the quantitative data indicates that NPOs ' needs are comparable in both countries. Analysis of qualitative data identified five major categories and multiple sub-categories representing the types of knowledge needs of NPOs. Major categories are knowledge about management and organizational practices, knowledge about resources, community knowledge, sectoral knowledge and situated knowledge. The paper discusses the results using semantic proximity and presents an emergent, evidence-based knowledge management (KM)-NPO model. Originality/value – The findings contribute to the growing body of literature in the KM domain, and in the understudied research domain related to the knowledge needs and experiences of NPOs. NPOs will find the identified categories and sub-categories useful to undertake KM initiatives within their individual organizations. The study is also unique, as it includes data from two countries, Canada and Australia.


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