Browsing by Subject "Competency"
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Item A Case Study of the Early Stages of Texas A&M AgriLife Haiti: Identifying Competencies for International Agricultural Development Graduate Students(2015-01-22) Cherry, Audie LynnSome non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are viewed as beneficial to agricultural and extension education in ways that government organizations are not (Mwangi, Agugnga, & Garforth, 2003). The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Texas A&M University is partnering with NGOs in Haiti (Texas A&M AgriLife Haiti) to improve agricultural and rural development. Texas A&M AgriLife Haiti, which utilizes graduate researchers, sent the first pair of students in the spring semester of 2014. This thesis comprises two individual studies in article format. The objectives for the first study were to 1) determine the desired competencies of graduate students who participate in international agricultural development programs based on expert program coordinators of Texas A&M AgriLife Haiti and 2) describe a competency framework for graduate students in international agricultural development from the collected data. To accomplish these objectives this study used qualitative methods including semi-structured interviews with Texas A&M AgriLife Haiti program coordinators. The study resulted in a descriptive and succinct list of competencies for graduate students in international agricultural development. These competencies were a) Contextual Knowledge and Understanding, b) Social Sciences, c) Technical/Agricultural Sciences, d) Character, e) Realism, f) Resource Management, g) Critical Thinking, h) Communication, i) Leadership, and j) Research Methods and Tools. From this list a framework was developed that depicted the interconnectivity among competencies and with the individual. Using qualitative case study research methods with an embedded design, the second sought to accomplish the following objectives: 1) describe the steps taken by Texas A&M University and a partnering NGO in Haiti in preparing AgriLife Haiti to incorporate graduate student researchers, 2) describe the steps taken by Texas A&M University in preparing graduate students to take part in AgriLife Haiti, and 3) identify challenges faced by Texas A&M AgriLife Haiti. This study gathered data via observations, communication records, and semi-structured interviews in order to meet the objectives. Three key components emerged in the study. They were 1) program preparation by the partnering entities of the program, 2) student preparation by Texas A&M University, and 3) challenges faced in the program.Item An evaluation of heritage tourism interpretation services in taiwan(Texas Tech University, 2005-05) Cheng, Shu-yun; Wu, Chih-Kang; Felstehausen, Ginny; Couch, Sue; Taylor, LesleeThe purposes of this study were to (a) establish conceivable indexes for professional competencies of heritage interpreters, (b) evaluate the existing training curriculum of heritage interpreters, and (c) examine the impacts of interpretation services on tourists¡¦ satisfaction at a tourist destination. Based on these specific objectives, three distinct studies were conducted. The first study aimed to identify interpreters¡¦ competencies through a self-reported survey obtained from the groups of heritage interpreters, hospitality educator, students, and tourists at the heritage sites. The second study summarized the opinions of interpreters and hospitality educators concerning an active interpretation-training curriculum. The third study examined the differences in satisfaction levels regarding tourists who received interpretation services (personal and nonpersonal interpretation services) at a popular tourist destination in Taiwan. Major findings include: (a) ¡§work attitude¡¨, ¡§basic employability skills¡¨, ¡§theories of interpretation education¡¨, ¡§field work of interpretation knowledge¡¨, ¡§preparation and planning of interpretation¡¨, ¡§skills and training of interpretation¡¨, ¡§research ability¡¨, and ¡§handling emergency situation¡¨ were recognized as the important competency categories for a competent heritage interpreter, (b) training courses identified by heritage interpreters and hospitality educators could be categorized into the following categories: professional knowledge, interpretation techniques, related regulations, safety and emergency handling, on-site training, and (c) tourists had positive responses to both personal and non-personal interpretive services; however, as the availability of the personal interpretive services were limited, tourists selected non-personal interpretive services while they visited the site to obtain the information. The findings of the studies may contribute to interpreters¡¦ training and to the tourism industry in general. The outcomes of the study identified competencies that would serve as the basis toward developing an effective interpretation training curriculum that can improve heritage interpreters¡¦ training in Taiwan. In addition, the findings may motivate interpreters to seek professional development opportunities in the future. Tourists would benefit from the quality interpretation services offered by the interpreters who have received competency-based training programs derivate from this study. Managerial implications and suggestions for future research directions were included.Item An evaluation of heritage tourism interpretation services in Taiwan(Texas Tech University, 2006-09) Cheng, Shu-yun; Felstehausen, Ginny; Wu, Chih-Kang; Couch, Sue; Taylor, LesleeThe purposes of this study were to (a) establish conceivable indexes for professional competencies of heritage interpreters, (b) evaluate the existing training curriculum of heritage interpreters, and (c) examine the impacts of interpretation services on tourists' satisfaction at a tourist destination. Based on these specific objectives, three distinct studies were conducted. The first study aimed to identify interpreters' competencies through a self-reported survey obtained from the groups of heritage interpreters, hospitality educator, students, and tourists at the heritage sites. The second study summarized the opinions of interpreters and hospitality educators concerning an active interpretation-training curriculum. The third study examined the differences in satisfaction levels regarding tourists who received interpretation services (personal and nonpersonal interpretation services) at a popular tourist destination in Taiwan. Major findings include: (a) "work attitude", "basic employability skills", "theories of interpretation education", "field work of interpretation knowledge", "preparation and planning of interpretation", "skills and training of interpretation", "research ability", and "handling emergency situation" were recognized as the important competency categories for a competent heritage interpreter, (b) training courses identified by heritage interpreters and hospitality educators could be categorized into the following categories: professional knowledge, interpretation techniques, related regulations, safety and emergency handling, on-site training, and (c) tourists had positive responses to both personal and non-personal interpretive services; however, as the availability of the personal interpretive services were limited, tourists selected non-personal interpretive services while they visited the site to obtain the information. The findings of the studies may contribute to interpreters' training and to the tourism industry in general. The outcomes of the study identified competencies that would serve as the basis toward developing an effective interpretation training curriculum that can improve heritage interpreters' training in Taiwan. In addition, the findings may motivate interpreters to seek professional development opportunities in the future. Tourists would benefit from the quality interpretation services offered by the interpreters who have received competency-based training programs derivate from this study. Managerial implications and suggestions for future research directions were included.Item Bridging hospitality education and the industry in Taiwan: competency assessment for entry-level lodging managerial trainees(Texas Tech University, 2004-12) Tsai, Chao-JenThe focus of this study was to determine the essential competencies needed by entry level lodging managers in Taiwan, ROC. Input was gathered from lodging industry professionals and hospitality academic educators. In Phase I, an expert panel consisting of 13 lodging industry professionals and 10 hospitality management academic educators was assembled for a modified three-round Delphi study. The results of this study were 60 agreed-upon competency statements that were then prioritized based on the perceptions of the expert panel. These statements reflected the essential competencies for entry-level lodging management trainees. Utilizing the results and competencies from Phase I, Phase 11 investigated the gaps that existed between lodging management personnel's perceptions and those of hospitality management academic educators regarding the competencies of entry-level lodging managerial trainees. A five-point Likert scale was used in weighting the competency statements. All the competency statements were prioritized and reported. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was employed to test relationship between two different respondent groups. The instrument's reliability was reported at alpha = .963. There was consensus on 44 of the competencies with significant differences occurring between the remaining 16 competencies. Further discussion between industry and academic representatives will allow the development of a complete and meaningful competency foundation for the hospitality management programs in Taiwan.Item Case-based drilling curricula using integrated HIL simulator and remote collaboration center(2016-12) Hoss, Ashton Ashkan; Van Oort, Eric; Pryor, Mitchell WayneThe university educational system has raised many concerns in recent years regarding the effectiveness of its curricula and implementation. The focus on course-based training in engineering programs does not provide students sufficient opportunities to apply the attained knowledge and skills to demonstrate their competency. To address this deficiency of academia, industry spends millions of dollars building development programs and on-the-job training. This creates an opportunity for the universities to address this deficiency and increase their students’ marketability, while also addressing problem solving in their curricula. Inspired by a successful program developed and offered at Harvard Business School, the advantages and disadvantages of the case-based method was investigated. It was concluded that the students can benefit the most from a combination of existing educational and case-based curricula elements. Further research expressed the engineering students’ interest and positive feedbacks towards utilization of this method supported by statistical analysis. The aviation industry experienced a great training cost reduction and eliminated the on-the-training accidents after adopting simulators to train their workforce. This encouraged the Drilling & Automation team at University of Texas at Austin to develop the existing surface simulator further and utilize it as a tool to train the next generation of engineers to carry out the appropriate performance at the time of failure and emergencies. By considering various effective skills development methods such as Triadic method and Kolb’s Four-Stage Learning Cycle, ten case-based laboratories were designed and proposed. These open-ended student-led laboratories provide the opportunity for students to experience life-like challenges associated with drilling operations using a realistic up-to-date virtual drilling simulator. Students are divided in teams and assigned to different roles (drilling engineer, remote supervising engineer, etc.) where they are required to make decisions and communicate with one another. This creates a realistic work environment where depending on difficulty of each case, different amounts of stress are experienced. To implement the proposed laboratories, down-hole physics models were identified and developed. These mathematical models were then simulated in MATLAB programing language and integrated with one another to form the down-hole simulator. An Application Program Interface, API, was developed to access the surface simulator data and to connect the surface and the down-hole simulators. The integrated developed simulator has potential for future research including automated rig design.Item Defining a competency framework to shape the professional education of national security master strategists: a web-based Delphi study(Texas A&M University, 2006-04-12) Clark, Thomas GeorgeThe purpose of this study was to develop a competency framework to shape development of a professional education program for master strategists in national security. The research problem focused on the absence of a competency framework to guide professional education of strategists who must be capable of conceptualization and innovation master strategists. The outcome of this study was a set of the most important components that constitute a professional education framework for master strategists. This Web-based study followed a RAND Delphi heuristic model that is qualitative in nature. Instrumentation for the first round consisted of a short vignette that placed panelists in a unique situation of being able to engage a "time traveler" from 20 years in the future. The time traveler represented a source of perfect knowledge, but could provide only a "yes" or "no" response to panel member questions concerning master strategist professional education needs in the year 2022. In the subsequent two Delphi rounds, the instruments consisted of panel member questions from the previous round. The panel of experts consisted of 12 professional strategists in the field of national security strategy. The results of the study provided support to the description of master strategists as strategic leaders, strategic theoreticians, and strategic practitioners. Panelists highlighted four content domains of personal attributes, security framework, theorybased knowledge, and culture and values that encompass the range of competencies for a master strategist professional education framework. Panel members detailed a need for master strategists to have a higher order temporal perspective to conceive time as epochs and ages, defined as shifts in development punctuated by events and prominent periods in progress, respectively. Panelists described a master strategist professional education framework that mirrored the theory of profound knowledge with meta-competencies as the basic building blocks.