"This book is a landmark in two fields. It is a practical guide to the reform of professional education. It is also a beacon to theoretical thinking about human organizations, about their interdepAndence with the social structure of the professions, and about theory in practice." -- Journal of Higher Education
This book is essential for anyone who needs to understand how organizations work, evolve, and learn. In this new edition, Argyris discusses vital topics of current management research, such as tacit knowledge and management, so reflecting the evolving field of organizational learning. Brings together the thinking of one of the world's leading management thinkers: especially in the area of action learning.
This engaging text takes an evenhanded approach to major theoretical paradigms in evaluation and builds a bridge from them to evaluation practice. Featuring helpful checklists, procedural steps, provocative questions that invite readers to explore their own theoretical assumptions, and practical exercises, the book provides concrete guidance for conducting large- and small-scale evaluations. Numerous sample studies—many with reflective commentary from the evaluators—reveal the process through which an evaluator incorporates a paradigm into an actual research project. The book shows how theory informs methodological choices (the specifics of planning, implementing, and using evaluations). It offers balanced coverage of quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods approaches. Useful pedagogical features include: *Examples of large- and small-scale evaluations from multiple disciplines. *Beginning-of-chapter reflection questions that set the stage for the material covered. *"Extending your thinking" questions and practical activities that help readers apply particular theoretical paradigms in their own evaluation projects. *Relevant Web links, including pathways to more details about sampling, data collection, and analysis. *Boxes offering a closer look at key evaluation concepts and additional studies. *Checklists for readers to determine if they have followed recommended practice. *A companion website with resources for further learning.
"This book is a landmark in two fields. It is a practical guide tothe reform of professional education. It is also a beacon totheoretical thinking about human organizations, about theirinterdepAndence with the social structure of the professions, andabout theory in practice." -- Journal of Higher Education
There is considerable and growing interest in professionals learning across their working lives. The growth in this interest is likely premised upon the increasing percentage of those who are being employed under the designation as professi- als or para-professional workers in advanced industrial economies. Part of being designated in this way is a requirement to be able to work autonomously and in a relatively self-regulated manner. Of course, many other kinds of employment also demand such behaviours. However, there is particular attention being given to the ongoing development of workers who are seen to make crucial decisions and take actions about health, legal and ?nancial matters. Part of this attention derives from expectations within the community that those who are granted relative autonomy and are often paid handsomely should be current and informed in their decisi- making. Then, like all other workers, professionals are required to maintain their competence in the face of changing requirements for work. Consequently, a volume that seeks to inform how best this ongoing learning can be understood, supported and assisted is most timely and welcomed. This volume seeks to elaborate professional learning through a consideration of the concept of authentic professional learning. What is proposed here is that, in contrast to programmatic approaches towards professional development, the process of continuing professional learning is a personal, complex and diverse process that does not lend itself to easy prescription or the realisation of others’ intents.
"Neither an academic tome nor a prescriptive 'how to' guide, The Theory and Practice of Online Learning is an illuminating collection of essays by practitioners and scholars active in the complex field of distance education. Distance education has evolved significantly in its 150 years of existence. For most of this time, it was an individual pursuit defined by infrequent postal communication. But recently, three more developmental generations have emerged, supported by television and radio, teleconferencing, and computer conferencing. The early 21st century has produced a fifth generation, based on autonomous agents and intelligent, database-assisted learning, that has been referred to as Web 2.0. The second edition of "The Theory and Practice of Online Learning" features updates in each chapter, plus four new chapters on current distance education issues such as connectivism and social software innovations."--BOOK JACKET.
"It offers a more critical perspective of existing health promotion theories and challenges the student to create new theoretical frameworks for understanding human health and wellbeing. This unique text guides the reader to reflect on the process of thinking theoretically and provides practical strategies for applying theory to research and practice. The author employs a narrative perspective and writes in an informal, first-person style."--[Source inconnue].
Health Promotion Programs introduces the theory of health promotion and presents an overview of current best practices from a wide variety of settings that include schools, health care organizations, workplace, and community. The 43 contributors to Health Promotion Programs focus on students and professionals interested in planning, implementing, and evaluating programs that promote health equity. In addition to the focus on best practices, each chapter contains information on: Identifying health promotion programs Eliminating health disparities Defining and applying health promotion theories and models Assessing the needs of program participants Creating and supporting evidence-based programs Implementing health promotion programs: Tools, program staff, and budgets Advocacy Communicating health information effectively Developing and increasing program funding Evaluating, improving, and sustaining health promotion programs Health promotion challenges and opportunities Health promotion resources and career links "The authors have clearly connected the dots among planning, theory, evaluation, health disparity, and advocacy, and have created a user-friendly toolbox for health promotion empowerment." Ronald L. Braithwaite, PhD, professor, Morehouse School of Medicine, Departments of Community Health and Preventive Medicine, Family Medicine, and Psychiatry "The most comprehensive program planning text to date, this book examines all facets of planning and implementation across four key work environments where health educators function." Mal Goldsmith, PhD, CHES, professor and coordinator of Health Education, Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville "Health Promotion Programs . . . . explores the thinking of some of our field's leaders and confirms its well-deserved place in the field and in our personal collections." Susan M. Radius, PhD, CHES, professor and program director, Health Science Department, Towson University
A critical characteristic of human service organizations is their capacity to learn from experience and to adapt continuously to changing external conditions such as downward pressure on resources, constant reconfiguration of the welfare state and rapidly changing patterns of social need. This invaluable, groundbreaking volume discusses in detail the concept of the learning organization, in particular its relevance to social work and social services. Contributors join together from across Europe, North America and Australia to explore the development of the learning organization within social work contexts and its use as a strategic tool for meeting problems of continuous learning, supervision and change. The volume addresses a range of important topics, from strategies for embedding learning and critical reflection in the social work learning organization, to the implications of the learning organization for the new community-based health and social care agenda.