Kris Magnusson

The Teaching and Learning Transaction in Higher Education: a study of excellent professors and their students

Abstract The purpose of this study was to examine teaching excellence in higher education by evaluating students’ approaches to learning, and investigating the relationship between professors’ approaches to teaching and students’ approaches to learning. The findings from this study suggest that excellent professors prefer a deep or meaningful approach to teaching rather than a surface or reproducing approach to teaching. Moreover, excellent professors tend to engage in instructional processes that are congruent with their preferred approach, and have values, beliefs and characteristics that are considered foundational to a deep approach to teaching. However, the results of this study indicate an incongruence between the professors’ approach to teaching and their students’ approach to learning. Although each professor in this study preferred a deep approach to teaching many of their students adopted a surface rather than deep approach to learning. Although the reasons for adopting different approaches to l...

Junior High School Students' Career Plans for the Future: A Canadian Perspective.

This study uses the Comprehensive Career Needs Survey to assess the career plans of junior high school students in Southern Alberta, Canada. Junior high students are asked (a) what they plan to do after they leave high school; (b) their confidence in finding an occupation they enjoy, obtaining training or education, and finding work in their chosen occupation; (c) how important it is to work in their community; and (d) where they anticipate working. Results indicate that junior high students intend to pursue further education and work and are optimistic about achieving their career goals. Students would like to find employment in their community but are considering working provincially, nationally, or internationally. Results suggest that career planning programs need to begin at the junior high level and that junior high students need to be involved in career program planning and future needs assessments.

Transitions to work: A model for program development

Interventions designed to assist the unemployed make the transition to employment have typically focused on the development of specific skills. In this paper, the author argues that such approaches are insufficient for counselors to assist individuals attempting to make the transition to employment. A brief background to the unemployment problem is presented, followed by a summary of some of the major problems with traditional employment programs. The author then presents a comprehensive model for program development that incorporates seven levels of intervention, and five components of effective transition programs. Implications for counseling are discussed.

New Technologies and Leadership Challenges for Teacher Education

If one job of public education is to prepare young people for the future, then the rate of change in today’s society makes that task daunting, especially when we insist on following static models of education. Recently, Forbes magazine (Casserly, 2012) published a list of jobs that did not exist 10 years ago; the list included “market research data miner,” “social media manager,” and “chief listening officer.”

The implications of Holland's constructs in the prediction of employment: A cautionary note

John Hollands model of vocational choice has been used for both individual and group career counselling, in a variety of social and cultural contexts. Typically, it is used to help people to make career decisions; however, Holland has also proposed that his model could be used for predicting the manner in which individuals would cope with unemployment and/or job change. In this paper, the authors present the results of a study assessing the validity of Hollands claims with respect to the efficacy of his theory in the prediction of job search success. The results of the study provided, at best, limited support for Hollands claims; most predictor/criteria combinations were found to have little or no relationship to each other. The authors conclude that the Holland model is of limited value for predicting job search success, and suggest the use of other data collection techniques for such purposes. The authors also recommend further research regarding the operationalization of Hollands constructs.

The ACDE Accords: A Case Study in Democratic Leadership

This chapter provides an insider view of the development and impact of the Accords of the Association of Canadian Deans of Education (ACDE). The authors, drawing on their years of experience with the Association, outline the complex process of writing accords that are agreed to and supported by 62 ACDE members. The Accords articulate a set of shared beliefs and principles around issues of concern in the education community. In addition, the Accords inform stakeholders about the ACDE’s approach to these issues, and provide reference points for developing and enabling public policy. The authors examine the development of two of the Accords in detail, as case studies focusing on democratic and inclusive approaches to leadership. Results and impact of the Accords are also presented.