Increasing the impact of management development programs

Purpose Reflective practice makes an important contribution to the ultimate success of any management development program. Greater emphasis on reflection demands that both program participants and action learning facilitators take appropriate responsibility needed to increase the overall effectiveness of the process. Design/methodology/approach This briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments and places the articles in context. Findings Reflective practice makes an important contribution to the ultimate success of any management development program. Greater emphasis on reflection demands that both program participants and action learning facilitators take appropriate responsibility needed to increase the overall effectiveness of the process. Originality/value The briefing saves busy executives and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and easy-to-digest format.

Thomas “Mukanya” Mapfumo and Songs of Protest in Colonial and Post-Independence Zimbabwe

This bibliography covers scholarship on selected protest songs of the musician Thomas “Mukanya” Mapfumo (b. 1945) that were written in colonial and postcolonial Zimbabwe. In keeping with the Marxist cultural theoretical orientation that is evident in research on this subject, the organization of these entries traces the sociopolitical engagement of Mapfumo’s songs that reflect praise and dissent during the Second and Third Chimurenga wars of political liberation, respectively. Discourse on Zimbabwe’s economic challenges has positive and negative interpretations. Mamdani 2005 and Bond and Manyanya 2002 (both cited under General Overview) state that the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) inherited an economy that had already suffered due to pre-independence policies. Dossa 2007 (under General Overview) argues that development is meant to perpetuate Western dominance. Manjengwa 2007 (under General Overview) blames the ruling party’s top-down approach in implementing development programs. The first section of the bibliography analyzes the songs “Pfumvu paruzevha,” “Kuyaura,” “Chiruzevha chapera,” and “Tumira vana kuhondo,” which Mukanya composed to express the experiences of Zimbabweans during colonialism. Zimbabweans’ way of life was disrupted and Mukanya mirrored this cultural upset through protest songs. The songs resonated well with the ideology of the ZANU-PF. Soon after independence, Mapfumo sang celebration songs (“Zimbabwe” and “Rakarira jongwe”). The second section examines protest songs penned after independence (“Varombo kuvarombo,” “Ndiani waparadza musha,” “Musatambe nenyika,” “Disaster,” “Corruption,” “Mamvemve,” “Maiti kurima hamubvire,” “Chauya chauya,” and “Ndangariro”). The scenario deteriorated due to alleged misgovernance by the ruling ZANU-PF elite, a situation that attracted Mukanya’s criticism. The bibliography traces how the transition of ZANU-PF from heroes to villains is portrayed through Mukanya’s music. During the armed struggle, Mapfumo sided with the liberation war movement. This changed after independence, and Mapfumo allegorically poses questions pointing at the empty promises ZANU-PF leaders made to uplift Zimbabweans’ standard of living. Mukanya sang about the contested land redistribution in Zimbabwe. Consequently, Mapfumo was stalked by state repressive agents until he fled to live in exile in the United States in 2000. He yearned for Ubuntu philosophy, nationalism, and unity. People may differ ideologically, but they ought to accept one another as a nation. This fosters positive peace, which Zimbabweans have yearned for over four decades. Mapfumo wants people to be economically empowered. He has been incarcerated before and he is fearless. Chimurenga music is a voice for the downtrodden masses. Mukanya’s songs that have explicit political messages were banned from airplay by the government. Mapfumo has remained united with the people he is fighting for despite living in exile. Mapfumo uses music to complain about the people’s suffering. He bears memories about Zimbabwe that remain engrained in Chimurenga music in the backdrop of ZANU-PF hegemony. He has called for free and fair elections because Zimbabweans have a right to choose leaders, but election results have been contested since 2000.

Reflexiones sobre la idea de comunicatividad para la clase de español como lengua extranjera en Noruega

This article is to be conceived as a reflection on communicative oriented foreign language teaching in Norwegian compulsory education. More specifically, the objective is to succinctly examine some key aspects in the implementation of a communicative approach in the Spanish as a foreign language classroom. Based on existing research on foreign language teaching in Norway, it can be affirmed that despite the communicative paradigm initiated half a century ago, the implementation of communicative oriented practices in lower secondary school is limited. This is due, among many other factors, to the strong impact that language teacher schooling beliefs exert on teaching practices over the theoretical principles upon which the curricular reform is based (Kunnskapsløftet-K06). Thus, the success of the recent curricular renovation (Fagfornyelsen-K20) lies in part on how language teacher development programs, both pre-service and in-service, convey the communicative oriented teaching principles to engage teachers in a critical reflexive process of cognition articulation. This reflection examines these principles and suggests an eventual approach for teacher development programs to facilitate the challenge that students face when establishing connections between theory and practice and the articulation of their cognitions. Keywords: teacher cognition, Spanish as a foreign language, curriculum reform, teacher development, communicative language teaching. RESUMEN Este artículo se concibe como una reflexión acerca de la idea central de comunicatividad en la enseñanza de lenguas extranjeras en la educación reglada noruega. Más concretamente, el objetivo es examinar sucintamente los aspectos clave en la implementación de un enfoque comunicativo en la clase de español como lengua extranjera (ELE). Desde la conjunta investigación en didáctica de lenguas extranjeras en Noruega, se constata que cinco décadas después del inicio del paradigma comunicativo, la enseñanza de lenguas en la escuela secundaria noruega muestra una limitada orientación comunicativa. Uno de los factores que explican este fenómeno es la fuerte influencia que ejercen las creencias de los profesores originadas en su periodo de escolarización por encima de los principios teóricos sobre los que se sustenta la reforma educativa vigente (Kunnskapsløftet-K06). El éxito de la nueva renovación educativa (Fagfornyelsen-K20) radica parcialmente en cómo los programas de desarrollo docente, tanto de manera inicial como continua, vehiculan los principios de la enseñanza comunicativa para que los profesores participen en procesos de reflexión crítica en la articulación de sus creencias. Esta reflexión examina estos principios y sugiere un eventual acercamiento en los programas de formación que facilite el reto al que se enfrentan los estudiantes de relacionar conceptos teóricos con su implementación práctica y la articulación de sus creencias.

Impact of Training & Development and Career Planning on Employee Involvement

The purpose of this research is to investigate the impact of training and development as well as career planning in Nepalese service sector organizations. Data for this study were gathered from service organizations such as banks, insurance companies, telecommunications companies, hospitals, and colleges. In total, 502 questionnaires were distributed, and 82.97 percent of the copies that were filled out and returned were used in the study. Descriptive statistics, correlation, and multiple regression were used to analyze the data. Organizational training and development and career planning, according to the study's findings, have a significant impact on employee involvement in their jobs and performance. As a result, Nepalese service sector organizations must make provisions of the budget for additional employee training and development programs. Similarly, it is necessary to provide employees with career development opportunities so that they can stay with the company for an extended period.

Scientific societies fostering inclusivity in the life sciences through engagement of undergraduate scientists

Scientific societies serve as communities of practice in which scientists develop many of the skills and connections required for the progression of their careers. For example, scientific societies offer a range of opportunities to attend career development programs, gain experience in communicating science, and receive recognition for achievements within their discipline. Programming for undergraduate student members has recently been increasing, both in prevalence and in its range of offerings. The Alliance to Catalyze Change for Equity in STEM Success, ACCESS, a meta-organization seeking equity and inclusivity in life sciences fields, has examined programs and opportunities focused on undergraduates across its member scientific societies to identify common themes, promising practices and challenges. In this article, we share and discuss our findings.

Coordination in Planning and Implementing Professional Development Programs for Teachers: A Much-needed Component in Rural Areas

Coordination among stakeholders has been considered as a significant influential factor in providing teachers with quality Professional Development (PD) opportunities. The importance of coordination intensifies when a variety of PD providers work on the capacity building of teachers in the same region such as in some rural areas of Pakistan. The current research explored the nature of coordination among various stakeholders while designing and implementing PD programs for teachers in rural Pakistan. To achieve this aim, qualitative case study approach was used and data were generated through focused group interviews from PD providers, education managers, school leaders, and teachers. The results indicated a limited coordination among the stakeholders leading to a variety of issues such as overlapping programs, conflicting expectations from teachers, and selection of irrelevant teachers for PD. Drawing on the experience of the stakeholders who participated in this research, the paper suggests a model of coordination which the educational reformers, especially the PD providers and education managers, should consider while designing and implementing the capacity building programs for teachers.

Hybrid and Virtual Educational Simulation Games (vESGs) for the Remote Learning Era

Virtual educational simulation games (vESGs) promote unique combinations of learning interactions and affordances to create environments with which students can engage to effectively learn about complex phenomena and processes in multiple domains. Using the GlobalEd vESG as an example case throughout the chapter, the authors discuss (1) the key functions and experiences that vESGs provide to learners; (2) the types of valuable student interactions that can be expected when playing a vESG and strategies for maximizing these interactions for learning; (3) strategies for teacher implementation and adaptation of vESGs, as well as professional development programs to support their use of vESGs in classrooms; and (4) observed benefits of using vESGs as evidenced from over a decade of implementation of the GlobalEd vESG in authentic classroom settings.

Career orientation, development and evolution based on personal skills and aptitudes

This paper aims to bring forward the importance of the implementation of personal development and evolution programs within the educational systems. Combined with coaching techniques that help establish emotional balance and achieve positive changes with long-term effects, these programs are meant to bring together the educational offer and demand and match them with the labor market requirements. In the context of aligning educational policies at European level, an innovative and future-oriented approach is needed, reflecting current trends without sacrificing traditional values, which focus on classical teaching methods, but combining them with modern educational techniques. The proposed theme meets the current needs of the younger generations by identifying through the Holland Test skills and attitudes that allow lifelong learning and by creating learning contexts tailored to the needs of students, connected to the ever-changing world. The aim of the research is to identify programs that lead to the activation of a person’s potential to maximize their performance through various coaching techniques and professional development programs carried out in internships, as well as in customized programs carried out in several stages, which combines traditional teaching techniques with modern ones (online school, new technologies, skills development).