Identification of Factors Influencing Student Choices of Secondary Vocational Educational Teaching as a Career

The purpose of this study was to identify factors influentia1 in student choices of secondary vocational teaching as a career. The population for the study consisted of students entering vocational teacher education programs in public postsecondary institutions in Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska. Vocational areas included agriculture, business education, health occupations, home economics, industrial education (including industrial arts) and marketing and distributive education. Questions investigated included the degree of influence of particular persons, preparationa1 experiences, and intrinsic and extrinsic vocational teaching-related factors on student decisions to enter vocational teacher education. Questions relating to the time at which students made the decisions to enter vocational teacher education and whether completion of high school vocational classes was influential on student decisions to enter vocational teacher education were also included in the study. From a total population of 585, a random sample of 369 students, stratified by vocational area, was drawn. Questionnaires were mailed individually to all students in the sample. A total of 254 usable questionnaires (69 percent) was returned. Data collected were submitted to statistical tests and procedures including analysis of variance, cross tabulation, chi-square, and the Tukey-HSD procedure. Conclusions drawn from the findings reported in the study were:(1) Some persons are more influential than others on student decisions to enter vocational teacher education programs; this influence varies significantly among vocational areas. Top ranking influential persons for all vocational areas included high school vocational teachers, parents, and friends (peers). (2) Certain preoperational experiences are more influential than others on student decisions to enter vocational teacher education; this influence varies significantly among vocational areas. The most influential preoperational experiences for all vocational areas combined included (a) senior high vocational classwork and (b) participation in vocational youth groups. (3) Student decisions to enter vocational teacher education programs are influenced by both intrinsic and extrinsic vocational teaching-related factors. The influence of the intrinsic factors varies significantly among vocational areas. The most influential intrinsic factors on vocational student decisions were (a) interest in working with people and (b) interest in the subject matter to be taught. The most influential extrinsic factors were (a) the practical aspects of the subject matter and (b) the challenge and variety Offered by teaching. (4) The point within the educational experiences of students at which the decision was made to enter vocational teacher education varies significantly among vocational areas. Most frequent responses to the question of when the decision was made were (a) while in high school and (b) after entry into college. (5) High school vocational courses in a vocational area are influential in student decisions to enter vocational teacher education in that area; this influence varies significantly among vocational areas

Asked & Answered: Student Edition Video_April 15, 2020

Video of University of Maine President Joan Ferrini-Mundy\u27s informal virtual town hall session for UMaine and UMM students. Joining President Ferrini-Mundy were Interim Provost Faye Gilbert; Head of Campus Daniel Qualls; Vice Presidents Robert Dana and Kody Varahramyan; UMaine Athletic Director Ken Ralph; Senior Associate Provost Jeff St. John; Associate Vice President for Graduate Studies and Senior Associate Dean Scott Delcourt; UMM Dean of Students and Admissions Marnie Kaler; and UMaine and UMM Student Government Leaders: Bentley Simpson, President UMSG, Inc, Avery Davis, President UMM Student Government, and UMaine Graduate Student Association President Lacey Darling. Also, includes screenshot of webpage regarding the town hall

Comparison of 2 weight-loss diets of different protein content on bone health: a randomized trial

BackgroundIt has been hypothesized that hip-fracture rates are higher in developed than in developing countries because high-protein (HP) Western diets induce metabolic acidosis and hypercalciuria. Confounders include interactions between dietary protein and calcium, sodium, and potassium.ObjectiveWe determined whether an HP or a high-normal-protein (HNP) weight-loss diet caused greater loss in bone mineral density (BMD) over 24 mo.DesignThe Weight Loss, Protein and Bone Density Study was conducted from 2008 to 2011 in 323 overweight [body mass index (BMI; in kg/m(2)) >27] postmenopausal women, with a total hip BMD t score less than -2.0. Subjects were randomly assigned to receive an isocaloric calcium-replete HP (≥90 g protein/d) or HNP (ResultsBiomarkers confirmed a difference in protein intake of 16 and 13.1 g at 12 and 24 mo, respectively. Mean (±SE) weight loss was equal; HP subjects lost 7.9 ± 0.9 kg and HNP subjects lost 8.9 ± 0.9 kg at 24 mo. Subjects lost 1-2% BMD annually at lumbar spine vertebrae 2-4, the forearm, the femoral neck, and hip. ANCOVA showed no effect of the HP or HNP diet (P > 0.05 for diet and diet-time interactions). A diet-by-time analysis showed that the HNP diet increased C-terminal telopeptide and osteocalcin (P ≤ 0.001 for each) despite hypercalciuria (P = 0.029).ConclusionHigh dietary protein intake during weight loss has no clinically significant effect on bone density but slows bone turnover. This trial was registered at the Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (http://www.anzctr.org.au) as ACTRN12608000229370.David Jesudason, BE Christopher Nordin, Jennifer Keogh, and Peter Clifto