An investigation into the challenges associated with vendor performance and the commissioning of professional development: an Abu Dhabi case

Professional development is an important factor in developing teacher and leadership professional practice. Well considered contracting of professional development results in improvements in participants’ performance. Effective professional development provision comes from analysing training needs to identify deficiencies in performance. Ineffective contracting processes, which do not analyse need accurately, result in provision that does not target the required performance. This research project considered the commissioning of professional development and reasons for poor vendor performance. After setting the scene for the project I looked at the extant research surrounding the issue of professional development and performance improvement. Then I considered the research methodology used in this research and applied that research methodology to my workplace practice to analyse the issue of poor vendor performance. Next I considered all of the research to arrive at findings and recommendations for professional development for principals and wider school workforces. Next I recommended models for principals, wider school workforces and the commissioning of professional development, before finally reflecting on my learning and professional practice. My first research question asked ‘What are the reasons for poor vendor performance in the context of professional development for principals and vice principals and what strategies can I put in place to prevent their re-occurrence?’ My research findings indicated a weakness in the contracting process, particularly a lack of specificity in occupational skill standards. My findings showed that training needs’ analysis was not performed against a set standard but against curriculum needs. As a result, vendors’ professional development reflected content rather than the performance criteria required for competent performance. My second research question asked ‘Are there models of professional development that can effectively deliver professional development in the context of school improvement? Why and how they might transform learning into practice?’ My findings showed that professional development based on training needs produced approaches to professional development that were more effective in meeting those needs and improving performance. To establish the reasons for poor vendor performance, extensive research, using Soft System Methodology (SSM) was used to consider the worldview of existing professional development. Models of professional development developed in an abstract context were compared to the real world to consider the most feasible and desirable models. This study concluded by producing nine best practice models of professional development for each of the wider school workforce positions. My third research question asked ‘With what consequence can researching poor vendor performance and models of professional development enhance my learning and professional practice?’ I arrived at three sets of recommendations, one each for principals, wider school workforces and the commissioning of professional development. The latter is the most useful for my work role in commissioning professional development for nine wider school workforce positions being introduced into schools. My findings indicated that professional development models that were specific, customised and targeted performance that met standards, were the most effective, particularly when delivered in the learning environment. This report is written from the practitioner/researcher point of view, written in the first person and completed as a doctoral project that is also designed to inform my work and my professional learning. This report reflects my project work and my resultant learning

Notes on the Life Histories of \u3ci\u3eAcrosternum Hilare\u3c/i\u3e and \u3ci\u3eCosmopepla Bimaculata\u3c/i\u3e (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) in Southern Illinois

The life histories of Acrosternum hilare and Cosmopepla bimaculata were studied in southern Illinois from May 1972 to September 1974 and from September 1992 to June 1995. Both species were bivoltine, overwintered as adults, and became active in early spring. The subsequent generations were characterized by marked overlapping of the nymphal instars. No active adults were found after early November

Resurvey of the Pentatomoidea (Heteroptera) of the La Rue-Pine Hills Research Natural Area in Union County, Illinois

A resurvey of the Pentatomoidea of the La Rue-Pine Hills Research Natural Area was conducted from September 1992 to June 1995 and the results compared with those of an earlier survey by McPherson and Mohlenbrock (1976). Sampling during the resurvey was limited to the 17 collecting sites of the earlier survey, thus permitting comparisons of the flora and fauna in the two studies. Notes were taken on the times of occurrence of adult and immature stages and on the food plants. Of the 49 pentatomoid species and subspecies included in the original survey, 36 were collected during the resurvey. Of the 13 not collected, 12 were rare and one, Holcostethus limbolarius (Stål), was relatively common during the original survey. Two additional species, Galgupha ovalis Hussey and Corimelaena obscura McPherson and Sailer, were added to the list, the latter because it was described as new subsequent to the original survey. The most noticeable change in the vegetation that accounted for differences in pentatomoid diversity and abundance was the marked reduction in abundance of common mullein, Verbascum thapsus L. The resurvey showed that 11 of the 17 sites had changed in character and plant composition, seven because of woody invasion and four because of the influence of exotic and invasive species; the remaining six had changed little. Exotic plant species have become an increasingly prominent component of the vegetative communities

An Annotated List of Phytophagous Insects Collected on Immature Black Walnut Trees in Southern Illinois

An annotated list of phytophagous insects on immature black walnut in southern Illinois was compiled between 26 April, 1974, and 9 October, 1975. Approximately 300 species, in 10 orders, were collected by hand-picking and sweeping. Notes taken on the various species included types of feeding damage, instars present, predators and parasites, and distribution in southern Illinois. Lepidoptera (about 80 species collected) were responsible for the majority of damage observed

Descriptions of Nymphal Instars of \u3ci\u3eAbedus Breviceps\u3c/i\u3e (Hemiptera: Belostomatidae)

The 1st-5th instars of Abedus breviceps Still, collected from a Texas population, are described and illustrated. They can be separated most easily by overall body length and width, and by the length of the mesonotal wing pads

Material technology

Advanced high pressure O2/H2 propulsion systems as exemplified by the Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME) create challenging operating environments for materials. Many components operate in either hydrogen or hydrogen-steam environments which may significantly degrade the performance of common alloys. The objective of the materials technology projects is to develop and evaluate candidate materials for application in advanced high pressure O2/H2 propulsion systems. These new and improved materials are to improve the durability or performance of the SSME or derivative engine. The program includes projects on the following topics: (1) Hydrogen Resistant Alloys; (2) High Pressure O2 Ignition and Burning; (3) Improved Turbine Blades; (4) Improved Turbine Disk Material; (5) Impact Reactivity in High Pressure O2; and Fiber Reinforced Superalloys

Obesity and cancer: existing and new hypotheses for a causal connection

Existing explanations of obesity-associated cancer emphasise direct mutagenic effects of dietary components or hormonal imbalance. Some of these hypotheses are reviewed briefly, but recent evidence suggests a major role for chronic inflammation in cancer risk, possibly involving dietary content. These ideas include the inflammation-induced activation of the kynurenine pathway and its role in feeding and metabolism by activation of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) and by modulating synaptic transmission in the brain. Evidence for a role of the kynurenine pathway in carcinogenesis then provides a potentially major link between obesity and cancer. A second new hypothesis is based on evidence that serine proteases can deplete cells of the tumour suppressors Deleted in Colorectal Cancer (DCC) and neogenin. These enzymes include mammalian chymotryptic proteases released by pro-inflammatory neutrophils and macrophages. Blood levels of chymotrypsin itself increase in parallel with food intake. The mechanistically similar bacterial enzyme subtilisin is widespread in the environment, animal probiotics, meat processing and cleaning products. Simple public health schemes in these areas, with selective serine protease inhibitors and AHR antagonists and could prevent a range of intestinal and other cancers

Are Hospital Pharmacies More Efficient if They Employ Nurses?

This paper assesses the efficiency of utilizing nurses in Washington State hospital pharmacies. We take the perspective of a pharmacy department manager and model an input oriented hospital pharmacy production process. Data envelopment analysis (DEA) is used to examine both scale efficiency and technical efficiency, and differences across hospital pharmacies that use and do not use nurse staffing are analyzed using cross-tabulations and nonparametric hypothesis tests. The results indicate that the use of nurse staffing does not significantly impact either scale or technical efficiency. Thus, permitting nurses to play a greater role in hospital pharmacies does not adversely affect efficiency. This paper has important policy implications for hospital administrators and pharmacists.