William H. Young

Mentoring in the virtual organization: keys to building successful schools and businesses

Mentoring can take on a whole new perspective when people have a common goal but are in different physical locations. The benefits of virtual mentoring, in other words, mentoring when the mentor and mentee are not geographically co‐located, and which occurs mainly by electronic communication, can be substantial. They include lowered costs, increased access to mentors, and no limitations on space, time, and location. There are also disadvantages to virtual mentoring. Notable among these is the lack of face‐to‐face communication, something that adds another dimension to understanding the tone and attitude of messages between mentors and mentees. This article not only defines and analyzes the concept of mentoring as performed in the virtual organization but also deals with phases of mentoring and types of mentors used in this relatively new work environment. The synthesis of the literature and the authors’ experience results in a list of keys to successful mentoring in the virtual organization. These are: trust, self‐motivation, flexibility, communication skills, and technological skills. In addition, implications for worldwide mentoring are discussed.

Age-Related Differences in Technology Usage among Community College Faculty.

This study focused on technology usage among community college faculty. Overall technology use among older faculty was slightly less than younger faculty; older faculty were no less likely than younger respondents to use technology. Both age groups used similar technologies and reported equivalent degrees of perceived skill with those technologies. Despite similarities in perceived technology use, older faculty considered technology a minor source of stress. A 120-item questionnaire was mailed to full-time faculty at five Florida community colleges. Respondents included 246 full-time faculty members; older faculty (age 55 and over) comprised 40.7% of the population sample. Descriptive and inferential statistical procedures were employed for data analysis.

Graduate-level Non-Degree Seeking Students: A Growing Audience

Abstract Described as “ripe for the picking,” non-degree seeking (NDS) students in graduate education are creating an accelerated awareness of how little is known by institutional, state, and federal stakeholders about this population. Recognition of the unidentified learning objectives, limited student services, and ambivalence within the university towards graduate-level NDS students prompted an exploratory case study at the University of South Florida. The purpose of the study was to identify who these students are, what value they have at multiple levels within the University, and what is being done to support their learning objectives. Findings revealed significant methodological challenges, with minimal research and limited record keeping illuminating why this “hidden college” exists. The study took on immediate import at the University and highlighted the obvious application to improve services for this population. Multiple suggestions for NDS graduate student services are outlined.

Employment of Adult Continuing Education Graduates: A Case Study.

odays economic and academic environments create some difficult questions for those offering graduate programs in adult continuing education. Faculty, students, and prospecti\ne students are concerned with the employability of adult continuing education degree graduates. The institutions of higher education that offer such instruction are demanding concRte &dem of program and student success, such as market demand for graduates and student satisfacton, as criteria for program survival and enhancement. In an attempt to answer those queshons and gain an understanding of the employability of graduates as indicators of program success, a survey was conducted of all adult continuing education masters and doctoral degree graduates from the inception of both programs at Northem Illinois University. The survey results showed that while adult educators are employed by diverse organizations and pelfonn disparate roles, a strong commitment to helping people unifies the mpondents.

Member Profile Differences Between Florida and National OLLI Institutes

The purpose of this study was to identify selected characteristics of current Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) members in Florida and then compare the results between Florida and non-Florida institutes. This study was primarily quantitative and employed the Demographic and Behavioral Trends Survey (DBTS) with the addition of four open-ended response options. The data resulting from this comparison indicated that demographic factors, technology use, and time related to relocation after retirement were significantly different between a national sample and a sample of Florida OLLI members. These findings suggest that it is important for adult education field educators, administrators, and OLLI instructors to recognize the growing diversity and technical proficiency of current retirees to continue to promote effective lifelong learning practice.

Predictors of success on the American Board for Certification's prosthetics certification examination.

Background: Many factors can potentially impact pass or fail performance of a certification examination. While studies regarding predictors of success have been conducted in other professions, no such studies have been conducted in prosthetics and orthotics. Objectives: Determine whether there are significant differences in prosthetics certification examination success or failure based on gender, Carnegie ranking of the institution from where the candidate received the degree, and whether the candidate is extending credential from orthotics to include prosthetics. Study design: Retrospective study. Methods: Data of candidates who completed prosthetics residency in 2011 and 2012 were evaluated for relationships with the dependent variables. Results: Only credential extension showed a statistically significant relationship with written multiple choice (p = 0.000), written simulation (p = 0.006), and clinical patient management examinations (p = 0.005) as well as with success or failure in obtaining prosthetics certification (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Currently available data for analysis regarding predictors of success are limited. Collection of additional variables (i.e. pre-requisite grade point average) in the future will permit analysis of more robust information. Presently available data reveal that candidates seeking to extend credential are more successful in obtaining certified prosthetist status compared with those testing for the first time. Clinical relevance Understanding factors contributing to attaining licensure is important as the prosthetic/orthotic practitioner population ages. This is the first study to investigate this dimension of prosthetics and orthotics training, which upholds professional standards and protects patients. It helps the profession develop best educational and clinical practices in managing patients who utilize prosthetic technologies.

Book Review: Hansen, Carol D. & Lee, Yih-teen (Eds.). (2009). The Cultural Context of Human Resource Development. New York, NY: Palgrave Macmillan. 280 pp.

(p. 61), to David A. Kolb’s four sensibilities of experiential learning to suggest that this immersive Internet promotes “engaged, embodied, interaction” (p. 58), to a degree that cannot be achieved in traditional classroom learning where PowerPoint slides appear to be the most common tool. The suggestion in this text is that learners value learning through doing and that the act of doing encourages retention of information and the ability to focus on tasks that will most benefit individuals in the workplace. The reader may find himself or herself somewhat challenged when the authors detail the amount of time and human and financial resources that are required to design curriculum that builds on the 3D technology. Some educators might be concerned that although the fundamental principles are tied to traditional strategies for curriculum design, the additional commitments are intense. The authors’ failure to provide strong empirical research to indicate that the use of 3DLEs in training and professional development is truly imminent and in demand by a majority of adult learners leaves the reader wondering if the adult educator’s success in his or her profession is truly threatened enough that she or he should be a revolutionary. Survey data, organization performance data, or specific data from students in higher education may have assisted the writers in the achievement of their primary objective, which is to get more organizations to develop new ways of teaching that force collaboration and learning through a virtual environment. Should the reader desire to move forward in the implementation and design of a 3DLE, the authors provide examples, vignettes, and case studies of situations where various strategies and archetypes were used by other revolutionaries to build their models. This is the primary strength of this text. The reader can obtain suggestions on the selection of vendors, directions on the order of activities that are necessary to achieve specific outcomes and levels of engagement of the learner, and specific questions that should be asked to ascertain the overall scope of the project as ways to get them engaged in the world of 3D. If the reader chooses to brave the new frontier, the authors promise success, sustained knowledge, and more effective job performance across industries, and specifically in the field of adult learning.