Examining the Experiences of Adult Learners in Higher Education

In the last decade, there has been a shift of more non-traditional adult learners returning to pursue undergraduate education. Though traditional age students are in the majority, a rising population of adult learners has been steadily increasing. They are typically students who are 25 years and older, attend part-time, work full-time, and tend to juggle family or dependent demands with schoolwork. Studies show that these adult learners are at high-risk for academic underachievement and dropping out. However, educational institutions still operate with the same traditional learning paradigm that they previously used (without acknowledging the wealth of life experiences that adult learners bring), leading us to the question of how adult learners perceive their academic learning experiences. In this study, 171 adult learners (students aged 25 and older at the time of matriculation) at a regional college in Atlanta, participated in an online survey that examined their academic experiences, specifically meaningfulness of coursework, course delivery approaches, and the advantages as well as disadvantages of being an adult learner. Majority were females (83%), and the ethnic breakdown was as follows: White (41%), African American (26%), Hispanic (12%), and 22% reported other. Results of this study indicate that academic institutions need to pay attention to the learning experiences of this burgeoning student population. Understanding their perspectives on their academic experiences hold major implications for long-term meaningful change in academia.

The Applied Requirements to the Professional Training of Transfessionals as Network Specialists in The System of Professional Education

The lack of practice-oriented scientific publications on the problem of “transfessionalism” of the teaching staff of large colleges and educational complexes (OK) is an urgent interdisciplinary problem. The socio-professional order for the training of such network specialists-transfessionals in the PDF system has already been formed and there is a demand for them, both in the network (digital) Russian economy and in the conditions of “network-centric combat and non-combat operations” of the Russian army. The practice-oriented results of the interdisciplinary research were obtained in the laboratory of Vocational Education of the Institute of Educational Development Strategy of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation under the state task “Scientific and methodological foundations for creating a sectoral strategy for the development of education (secondary vocational education) and mechanisms for its implementation”, project No. 073 – 00086 – 1901 for the planning period 2020–2021. Introduction. Statement of the problem. According to Russian and foreign researchers, there is still no common understanding of the categories “transprofessionalism” and “transfession”. There are no comprehensive studies devoted to the study of the content components of network competencies in various professional groups of employees of the SPO system. Russian researchers E. M. Dorozhkin, V. S. Efimov, E. F. Zeer, A. G. Kislov, D. V. Maltseva, M. V. Romm, T. A. Romm, E. E. Simanyuk, and others. based on the network approach, the following areas of such research can be identified: a) definition of the content components of the scientific novelty of transfessionalism as a condition for the professional success of employees of the network (digital) economy; b) the specifics of the concept of “network-centric wars as a ratio of military and non-military types of struggle” and the space of interfacing professional communications of civil and military specialties; c) management model and transfessional competencies of a team of network specialists of a large college-OK (“educational program designer”, “tutor”, “network consultant for choosing a professional career”, “network methodologist”, “network lawyer”). Purpose of the article. Transfessionalism and the network approach focus their analysis on the readiness of transfessionals, as network specialists of the college, to form stable connections and relationships with the new realities of the Russian multicultural economy and society. Thus, they design the space of the future, which allows to realize the educational and educational needs of all subjects of such relations. The interdisciplinary understanding of the phenomenon of transfessionalism is presented; the actual conceptual apparatus is defined; the management model of the implementation of the team potential of the network specialists of the college is developed, which is adequate to the innovative potential of the Russian educational platform “SFERUM”. Methodology and methods of research: this article is based on the theoretical and methodological constructs characteristic of the current stage of development of the network approach in the Russian system of professional education, which requires transfessionalism as the readiness of network specialists of the college to perform a wide range of specialized types of professional activities. Their core is soft skills as flexible social and professional competencies. The research methods: theoretical (development and critical analysis of the categories of transfessionalism, clarification of the conceptual apparatus, critical analysis of the management model of the team of network specialists of the college for the implementation of the educational potential of the Russian platform “SPHERUM”); empirical (observations and critical analysis of the pilot practice of large Russian regional colleges). The results of the study, discussion. Transfessionalism and the network approach focus their analysis on the readiness of transfessionals, as network specialists of the college, to form stable connections and relationships with the new realities of the Russian multicultural economy and society. Thus, they design the space of the future, which allows to realize the educational and educational needs of all subjects of such relations. The interdisciplinary understanding of the phenomenon of transfessionalism is presented; the actual conceptual apparatus is defined; a management model for implementing the team potential of the college’s network specialists has been developed, which is adequate to the innovative potential of the Russian educational platform “SFERUM”. The interim materials of our research correlate with the Proposals of the general meeting of the RAO (dated 28.05.21) “On priority directions for the development of research in the field of educational sciences”: “4. Resources for the transition of vocational education to an innovative path of development. Professional career in the conditions of network interaction; 8.4. The influence of the educational environment and the social situation of development on a person in the conditions of using digital resources and digitalization of the educational process”. Conclusion. An important condition for the success of the professional activity of network specialists-trafessionals of a large regional college-educational complex should be the clarification of the list of criteria and requirements for the implementation of professional tasks: general (cognitive-professional); value (applied values as ethical standards of professional activity); special (network competencies); managerial, innovative, communicative and creative. The subjects of further critical discussion should be: the development of tools for scientific and methodological support of the network potential of a large regional college-OK in line with the educational resources of the Russian platform “SPHERUM”. A steady trend towards a real increase in the demand of young people of 9-11 grades for vocational training programs (2015–2021) and an increase in the requirements of Russian employers for the development of new practices in the learning process will already require the operational development of the potential of transprofessionalism and a network approach by the full-time staff of the college.

Formative education as a traditional value and relevant social practice

В статье рассматривается понятие «воспитание», выделяются его ключевые признаки, анализируются факторы, влияющие на процесс воспитания и затрудняющие воспитательные практики в образовательных учреждениях, актуализируются провозглашенные государством цели и задачи образования и воспитания как его составной части, представляются общие компетенции ФГОС СПО с позиции воспитательных результатов. Теоретическая часть работы посвящена осмыслению воспитания как явления, а также особенностям формулирования данного понятия в законе «Об образовании в Российской Федерации» и отражения в стандартах СПО. В практической части статьи приводятся результаты проведенного на базе Свердловского областного музыкально-эстетического колледжа исследования ценностных ориентиров будущих педагогов, которое позволяет видеть последствия влияния факторов на современную молодежь. Проанализировав результаты анкетирования, авторы публикации предложили пути создания воспитывающей среды в образовательном учреждении. Работа адресована профессионально-педагогическому и научному сообществу системы среднего профессионального образования, а также заместителям директоров по воспитательной работе и педагогам общеобразовательных организаций. The authors of the article consider the concept of “upbringing” and highlight its key features, analyze the factors that affect the upbringing process and complicate educational practices in educational institutions. They actualize the state-proclaimed goals and objectives of education in general and upbringing as its component and present the general competencies of the FSES SPE from the standpoint of educational results. The theoretical part of the work focuses on comprehending the concept of “education” as a whole and the specifics of its formulation in the law “On Education in the Russian Federation” and in vocational education standards. The practical part of the article is related to the study of the value orientations of future teachers, carried out on the basis of the Sverdlovsk Regional College of Music and Aesthetics, which makes it possible to see the consequences of the influence of the factors on modern youth. Based on the findings of the survey, the authors of the publication propose ways to create an educational environment in an educational institution. The work is addressed to the professional-pedagogical and scientific community of the secondary vocational education system, as well as to deputy directors for educational work and teachers of general educational organizations.

EXISTING PROBLEMS IN COLLEGE SPORTS COMPETITION ANALYSIS AND SOLUTION PATH RESEARCH

College sports activities can enrich the amateur life of college students and enhance their life. This study combined with the author's practical experience in competition management many times, using the literature method and interview method, to explore the existing problems in regional college sports competitions, found that the current regional college sports competitions in the pre-match publicity, registration, arrangement, safety in the game and post-match results registration and maintenance problems need to be solved, and combined with the problem put forward related solutions: the establishment of a complete event website, the construction of a sound event publicity channel, the structure of low error rate of the registration system website, The upgraded order book produces templates, improves the training quality of the event staff, develops the results registration website that conforms to the characteristics of the event and does a good job in the summary of the event, hoping to help the regional college sports competition activities improve the quality, better realize the original intention of holding the competition activities, reflect the function of the university events.

Practice-oriented model of forming abnotivity in students of the college of arts

The article discusses a current issue of college of arts students' readiness for the professional work with gifted children. The article outlines a range of problems of gifted students in the field of music education, including difficulties in adapting to traditional teaching methods, emotional vulnerability, difficulties in communication and mutual understanding of the child with peers, and other peculiarities of the psyche. The author highlights the concept of "abnotivity" as a necessary quality of the teacher’s personality, motivated to work with gifted children, able to arrange special conditions for this and achieve productive results: to educate the personality of a musician with strong subjectivity, creativity, and uniqueness. The structure of the teacher’s abnotivity is defined. It contains motivational, cognitive, and reflexive components, as well as such complex psychological formations as empathy, social intelligence, actual creativity, and supra-situational activity. The advantages of various practice-oriented learning models used in colleges are revealed. The author presents a practice-oriented model of forming abnotivity in students of the college of arts. A brief description of the proposed model components (target, diagnostic, procedural and performance-evaluation blocks), the features of its implementation in Saratov Regional College of Arts, and the results obtained during the experimental study are given.

Analysis of the economic impact on a sporting event. Nea regional college games. 2019 edition

This work is a contribution to the economics field of sport, considering the objective main application of the input-output model to the assessment of economic impact of a sporting events, taking as a case study "Regional University Games NEA 2019". In addition, it is proposed to study the different dimensions of the event's legacy, directly associated with the concept of impact. Thus, this model makes it possible to evaluate the impact of a specific public policy or private demand to stimulate economic activity through a specific sector, sport in this case. To do so, they employ the multipliers of the Argentinian input product matrix and surveys to reveal the consumption of the organizers and participants of the event. All this, with the intention of adding rationality criteria to the decisions made by both public and private sports organizations. It is important to mention that this study joins the lines of research widely studied by Salgado Barandela, Barajas and Sánchez Fernández (2017) on the subject developed mainly in Europe and the United States, not having found academic references in Argentina or Latin America on the subject. The results indicate that these games have generated an additional boost to the demand for goods and services of the host city and the generation of both economic and social legacy has been verified.

Effect of voice fold length on voice range in novice vocalists

The aim of the study was to determine the effect of vocal cord length on vocal range in aspiring vocalists. On the basis of the Frederic Chopin Irkutsk Regional College of Music. 141 student vocalists (18 ± 3.6 years, 122 girls) underwent indirect laryngoscopy, the length of the vocal folds was measured using an ultrasound scan of the larynx using an Aloka SSD 500 apparatus with a 5 MHz sensor during breathing and during phonation of the lowest and highest tones, measured weight and height, the voice range in Hz and the number of semitones were assessed. Spearman’s correlation coefficient was calculated, the significance of differences according to the U-Mann – Whitney and Wilcoxon criteria was calculated using the Statistica 10.0 software (reliable data at p <0.05*). Results. Spearman’s correlation coefficient was: between the length of the vocal folds and weight + 0.52*, height + 0.43*, gender + 0.45* (female 1, male 2), the lowest tone –0.34*, between height and the lowest tone is –0.23*. The range of the voice in arbitrary units and Hz correlated weakly with the length of the folds during breathing (-0.18/–0.24*, respectively), with the lowest pitch (+ 0.42/+ 0.59 *), but there was a high correlation with the highest (+ 0.88/+ 0.99*). The latter depended on: the length of the vocal folds at rest (–0.32*), weight (–0.25*), gender (–0.45*), the length of the folds during high-pitched phonation (–0.6*). Differences in the length of the vocal folds during breathing in female vocalists with different vocal ranges were not significant, while in males and females (soprano) they were significant. The length of the fold during phonation in all types of voices was shorter than during breathing. The voice range of novice vocalists was increased mainly by high tones in parallel with the shortening of folds during phonation, which could be measured using ultrasound scanning and which is achieved by training.

Addressing the shortage of pathologists in Africa: Creation of a MMed Programme in Pathology in Zambia

Background: With approximately one pathologist for one million people compared to ratios of approximately 1 to 25 000 in the United States and United Kingdom, there is a severe shortage of pathologists in much of Africa. The situation is particularly severe in Zambia, where, in 2009, the ratio was 1 to 1.4 million.Objective: To address this, a postgraduate Master of Medicine (MMed) training programme was launched in Lusaka in 2011.Methods: The process and most significant challenges and lessons learned were documented, as they may be of value to other countries facing similar challenges.Results: Since 2011, four Zambian pathologists have graduated, doubling the number of indigenous pathologists in the country. Currently 10 students are in training. The most significant problem was issues arising from the split responsibilities of the Ministries of Health and of Education and the most important lesson learned was the crucial need for broad local ownership and commitment.Conclusion: Successfully addressing the shortage of local pathologists by creating country-specific, postgraduate MMed training programmes, even in situations of restricted resources, is feasible. However, having access to and support from the shared resources, expertise and knowledge of a regional College of Pathologists would be a major advantage.