Kindergarten teachers' evaluation: perceptions of the new Israeli multiple domains performance tool

2022 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yael Cohen-Azaria

Purpose In 2012, the Israeli Ministry of Education and its Testing and Evaluation Department introduced a new tool to evaluate the quality of kindergarten teachers’ work. This paper aims to identify how kindergarten teachers perceive the new multiple domains performance tool. Design/methodology/approach The study applied a qualitative paradigm of data collection and analysis. Data collection consisted of semi-structured in-depth interviews conducted with 36 kindergarten teachers. Findings Findings indicated that most kindergarten teachers perceive their work plan and the kindergarten climate as the most important evaluation domains, while perceiving involving parents as the least important and even an unnecessary domain. One-third of them indicated that an innovation domain should be added. Also, the kindergarten teachers perceived the use of the KT-MDPT as both positive and negative. Originality/value There is a clear dearth in scholarly literature dealing with the evaluation of the quality of kindergarten teachers’ work. This study is the first to reveal Israeli kindergarten teachers' attitudes regarding this new tool for work quality evaluation.

2019 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hamta Kazemi Koohbanani ◽  
Atefeh Zarei ◽  
Nasrolah Erfani

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to identify the librarians’ quality of working life (QWL) in the Iranian public libraries. Design/methodology/approach The present study is an applied research in terms of purpose and an analytical survey in terms of data collection and analysis method. The Walton standard questionnaire was used as the data collection tool. The statistical population of this research consists of librarians in the Iranian public libraries. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used in order to analyze the data. Findings The findings showed that the dimensions of organizational social integration, constitutionalism in the organization and the capacity for human development are at a good level; the dimensions of the environment opportunity for continued growth and security and safe and healthy work are at a moderate level. Finally, the dimensions of fair and adequate payment, social relevance of work life and total life space are at a weak level are shown. Originality/value The findings of the confirmed hypothesis indicated that the librarians at the Iranian public libraries have a desirable (high) QWL.


Author(s):  
Christopher D O’Connor ◽  
John Ng ◽  
Dallas Hill ◽  
Tyler Frederick

Policing is increasingly being shaped by data collection and analysis. However, we still know little about the quality of the data police services acquire and utilize. Drawing on a survey of analysts from across Canada, this article examines several data collection, analysis, and quality issues. We argue that as we move towards an era of big data policing it is imperative that police services pay more attention to the quality of the data they collect. We conclude by discussing the implications of ignoring data quality issues and the need to develop a more robust research culture in policing.


Author(s):  
Safiah Saeed Ali Alobaidan - Ali Alghazo

The current study aimed to explore the relationship between the well prepared school environment and the quality of schools activities that are directed to students' benefits. This study follows the mixed methods design that combines both quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis. The research tools that are used in this study is a closed-ended e-survey for school activity leaders and interviews with 5 supervisors. The non-random pilot of this research consists of (23) school activity leaders from elementary, intermediate and secondary schools and (5) supervisors in Qatif zone. The research findings pointed out the real effective well-prepared school environment role on the good quality outcomes of school activities in Qatif Area, and that most schools lack the application of quality in school activities. This research will shed light on how effective is the well prepared school environment to enrich the kinds and the effectiveness of school activities according to the quality standards of the Ministry. This emphasizes the role of the Ministry of Education to exert more efforts to prepare schools with required facilities and equipment to facilitate the quality of school activities.


2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 87
Author(s):  
Rully Khairul Anwar ◽  
Diah Sri Rejeki ◽  
Ute Lies Siti Khadijah ◽  
Sukaesih Sukaesih

Introduction. One of the librarians’ role is to improve the feeling of  optimistic through bibliotheraphy on patients.  This paper focuses on bibliotherapy to improve patients’ optimistic attitude. This study aims to understand the benefits of bibliotheraphy from patients’ health perspectives.  Data Collection Method: This research used a quasi-experimental approach. Data collection was conducted through patients observation, in-depth interviews and literature study. Our study population was patients in several hospital as well as involving academic experts in the field of bibliotheraphy. Analysis Data: The data was analysed based opn qualitative approach. Results and Discussions: There were 5 implementation stages of bibliotherapy to the patients: (1) Patients were motivated by the librarian with the games  involving patients with positive advice (2) The librarian asked the patients to read the prepared material (3) The librarian gaves patients some time to reflect on their reading materials (4) The librarian discussed  with patients about the reading materials (5) the librarian evaluated by listening to the patients. Conclusion: Bibliotherapy can be useful for health improvement, particularly to improve optimistic attitude of patients in dealing with their disease.


Author(s):  
Bela Florenthal ◽  
Ashley Ismailovski

This chapter provides an overview of case study methodology and its applications in writing case studies. The reader is introduced to the specific procedures that are implemented when developing a case study for educational purposes. The methodology discussed here is comprised of three parts: secondary data analysis (external and internal sources), qualitative data collection and analysis (e.g., in-depth interviews and observation technique), and quantitative data collection and analysis (e.g., surveys and questionnaires). After describing each method, the authors provide specific examples from published business cases to cement reader's understanding of how to successfully develop that method.


Author(s):  
Caroline C Krejci

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present a conceptual framework for a hybrid simulation model that can be used to study the decision making and behaviors of humanitarian logistics actors to determine how/whether certain coordination mechanisms enable better relief chain efficiency and effectiveness over time. Design/methodology/approach – The agent-based portion of the model is used to represent human decision making and interactions in a more realistic way than has been done previously, and the discrete-event simulation (DES) portion of the model allows the movement of vehicles, materials, and information throughout a supply network to be represented in a way that allows for dynamic and stochastic behavior. Findings – Coordinated efforts by actors in humanitarian logistics operations involve complex interactions and adaptations over time, which can be capture and explored via hybrid agent-based model (ABM)-DES modeling. Research limitations/implications – This paper describes a framework for a hybrid ABM-DES model. The actual development and implementation of the model, including input data collection and analysis, model development, experimentation, and output data collection and analysis, will be the subject of future work. Practical implications – The hybrid model framework provides other researchers with a starting point for model development. Social implications – This paper provides a basis for future modeling and assessment of coordination in humanitarian logistics, an area that is in need of research. Originality/value – The hybrid simulation modeling framework presented in this paper is a novel application of a new modeling methodology to the problem of coordination in humanitarian logistics.


2015 ◽  
Vol 27 (8) ◽  
pp. 1839-1855 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ana Brochado ◽  
Paulo Rita ◽  
Carlos Gameiro

Purpose – The aim of this paper is to contribute to the understanding of backpackers’s evaluation of service quality provided by hostels by developing a battery of items to assess perceptions of the overall hostel experience. Design/methodology/approach – Scale development took a mixed approach that combines qualitative and quantitative research. First, the authors performed a content analysis of reviews provided by guests in hostel booking web sites, in-depth interviews with hostel managers and focus groups with guests, to develop a battery of items to assess the hostel experience from the guests’ perspective. Then, a quantitative survey (n = 222) was conducted, to explore the dimensionality of service quality in this sector. Lisbon hostels are the target of this study, as they received several awards based on the online reviews of backpackers. Findings – The results revealed that service quality is a multidimensional concept and includes six dimensions, namely, social atmosphere, location and city connection, staff, cleanliness, security and facilities. Regression results revealed that the social atmosphere appears to be a core service dimension crucial to create a sense of hostel guest’s overall quality. Originality/value – The findings suggest that service quality scales should incorporate the specific characteristics of the hotel industry. The quality of the staff and the social atmosphere are of utmost importance to enhance the hostel backpacker experience.


2019 ◽  
Vol 33 (2) ◽  
pp. 417-445 ◽  
Author(s):  
Muhammad Bilal Farooq ◽  
Charl de Villiers

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine how sustainability assurance providers’ (SAPs) promotion of sustainability assurance influences the scope of engagements, its implications for professional and managerial capture and the ability of sustainability assurance to promote credible reporting. Design/methodology/approach The authors conducted in-depth interviews with sustainability reporting managers (SRMs) and SAPs in Australia and New Zealand, using an institutional work lens to focus the analysis. Findings At the start of a new assurance engagement, SAPs offer pre-assurance and flexible assurance scopes, allowing them to recruit clients on narrow-scoped engagements. These narrow-scoped engagements focus on disclosed content and limit SAPs’ ability to add value and enhance credibility. During assurance engagements, SAPs educate managers and encourage changing the norms underlying sustainability reporting. At the end of the assurance engagement, SAPs provide a management report demonstrating added-value of assurance and encouraging clients broader-scoped engagements. However, with each assurance engagement, the recommendations offer diminishing returns, often leading managers to question the value of broad-scoped engagements and to consider narrowing the scope to realize savings. Under these conditions, client pressure (potentially managerial capture) along with practitioners’ desires to grow assurance income (potentially professional capture) can affect SAPs’ independence and the quality of their assurance work. Practical implications The study implies that regulation mandating the scope of engagements may be called for. Originality/value The authors contribute to the research literature in several ways. First, the findings show how professional and managerial capture occurs before, during and at the end of the assurance process. The authors highlight how perceived value addition from sustainability assurance diminishes over time and how this impacts the scope of engagements (with implications for SAPs independence and the quality of assurance work). The authors show these findings in a table, clarifying the complicated interrelationships. Second, the authors contribute to theory by identifying a new form of institutional work. Third, unlike previous studies focused on SAPs, the authors provide insights from the perspectives of both SAPs and SRMs.


2015 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 200-214 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adrian Devine ◽  
Frances Devine

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine how the structure of government-funded event agencies affected the development of the events industry in Northern Ireland. The institutional arrangements for two agencies which operated at different times in Northern Ireland were analysed. Design/methodology/approach – A total of 62 in-depth interviews were conducted with event organisers and public officials who had worked directly with these two organisations. Findings – The standalone National Events Agency which began operating in 1999 was found to be more hands-on and worked closely with event organisers to develop the quality of their event. As a quango it worked at arms length from government. Unfortunately it abused this freedom and used public monies to manage its own events, highlighting the need for transparency and accountability when managing this type of agency. In 2008 it was replaced by an Events Unit which was set up within the National Tourism Organisation. Under this structure event tourism and not event development was the priority. For the events industry this created development issues and reduced its clout at government level. Originality/value – This paper addressed a gap in the literature and found that the institutional arrangements did affect how a government-funded events agency operated and what it regarded as a strategic priority. This in turn had repercussions for the development of the events industry.


2018 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
pp. 63-76 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edoghogho Ogbeifun ◽  
Charles Mbohwa ◽  
Jan-Harm Christiaan Pretorius

Purpose All built facility begins to show signs of deterioration immediately after the facility is completed and put to use, thus necessitating routine maintenance. Increase in defects due to age, usage, and other factors, requires extensive maintenance activities known as renovation. The data used for a typical renovation plan can be collected using the condition assessment (CA) tool which depends on physical inspection of the defects or through a facility condition index which hinges on harnessing and analyzing the information in the operational history of the facility. The purpose of this paper is to examine the quality of a typical renovation plan using both tools. Design/methodology/approach The single case study of qualitative research was adopted. The data were collected through the principle of semi-structured questionnaire complemented with interviews and document analysis. The documents include periodic operational reports and a CA report used for planned renovation exercise of the Facilities Management (FM) Unit in a higher education institution in South Africa. Findings The findings revealed that although the FM Unit produces periodic reports, but there was no evidence of detailed analysis of the reports. Therefore, the programmed renovation exercises are based purely on the information from a CA. Research limitations/implications This research is a single site case study of qualitative research; the data collected are limited and not sufficient for generalization of the results. Furthermore, the lack of record of the analysis of the operational history in the periodic reports negatively affected the computation of facilities condition index (FCI). Thus it was not possible to demonstrate the strength of FCI over CA from empirical information. Originality/value The quality of a typical renovation plan is influenced by the tool used for data collection. Although the CA tool is commonly used, experience shows that the renovation exercise developed from such records is prone to many execution setbacks, such as frequent scope changes and the associated cost and time overruns. These setbacks can be minimized if the FCI is used as the tool for data collection.


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