Many countries suffer from teacher shortages. One possible solution to this problem is to recruit second-career teachers. These second-career teachers form an intriguing group. They bring an abundance of previous experiences into a new, professional domain. The purpose of this study is to identify pedagogical principles that support the training…

The marketplace continues to move working adults toward completing their college degrees at an expeditious rate. Prior learning assessment has been shown to aid retention efforts. As with any assessment tool, reliability and validity are key to quality assurance. Given the student-centered nature of prior learning assessment, evaluators have…

This article seeks to identify and examine the reasons for the complexity and tensions underlying the skills recognition, accreditation and certification scheme (SRAC) that has been in place in Portugal since 2001. Empirical data were collected through semi-directive interviews with staff in three Centros Novas Oportunidades [CNOs] [New…

Emily Dickinson wrote, "I dwell in Possibility--A fairer House than Prose--More Numerous of Windows--Superior--for Doors" (p. 657). Dickinson's simple yet profound reference to the expansive nature of poetry over prose may be taken as a metaphor for the possibilities of information and communication technologies (ICTs) over written modes…

In February 2009, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported that the cholera epidemic in Zimbabwe had claimed 3,300 lives and infected 66,000 people--greater than the toll of that disease in the whole of Africa in most years. How is it possible that a disease such as cholera can have such a devastating effect in modern times? How should one…

The study explores the intersection between cyberinfrastructure and models of teacher education and professional development in Singapore. A case study explores how a pre-service and an in-service workshop in a virtual environment support efforts to understand and enlist constructivist pedagogies for classroom learning and to foster continuous…

Long gone are the days when being an alumnus with great connections and leadership skills meant that one would get the job as the senior alumni relations professional at one's alma mater. Institutions are now seeking alumni relations leaders armed with operational and leadership experience and an understanding of advancement methodology and best…

Personal or practical experience is often touted as a uniquely valuable source of knowledge in academia, as in everyday life. Assumptions about the necessity, superiority, or insightfulness of "first-hand familiarity" with a phenomenon (such as working as a police officer or suffering discrimination) can shape hiring decisions, influence how…

Margaret J. Wheatley, the organizational consultant who wrote the 1999 classic, "Leadership and the New Science: Discovering Order in a Chaotic World," laments about the rigid structures and processes that often strangle organizations rendering them incapable of change. Wheatley asserts that organizations lack faith that their purpose…

Experiential education is a well documented approach to engaging student learners. This manuscript presents findings from a qualitative inquiry, specifically focus group discussions, investigating the perceptions of 28 student participants in a learning opportunity provided to a kinesiology class involving structured group exercise (marathon…

This article discusses the key features of the common European framework for work-based learning (WBL) of the "Developing European Work Based Learning Approaches and Methods" (DEWBLAM) project (2003-2006). It examines the context of recent European initiatives and comments on the potential implications for policy, practice and theory,…

Few students in pursuit of baccalaureate business degrees seem to have spent significant time in organisations of the kind studied and discussed in the courses that typify such degrees. This paper questions the extent to which the students' lack of business exposure is perceived by teachers as a barrier to effective learning and teaching. It…

Upon graduation from University Without Walls (UWW), Robin said, "During first semester you told us that if we allowed it to, this experience [writing a prior learning portfolio] would change us. I was so angry with you for saying that because I liked who I was and didn't want to change. But you were right. And I'm glad." For the past 39…

Students with learning disabilities (LDs) often need additional supports and structure in inquiry classrooms. The authors describe three ways teachers can enhance the achievement of these students: (1) focusing on big ideas; (2) using graphic organizers; and (3) providing mnemonic strategies. Struggling students with LD will benefit greatly from…

This paper focuses on the state of the art for recognition of prior experiential learning in European universities. Although recognition of prior learning and prior experiential learning have been officially stated as being important aims by national ministers of education in their Bologna Process communiques, implementation in the majority of…