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This paper discusses the lessons learned from applying a theoretical framework for the professional development of teachers. This framework draws three interrelated theoretical areas: constructivism, situated and distributed cognition, and communities of practice. We first present the theoretical ideas on which this framework is based and discuss two projects that were developed following the framework. We then discuss the lessons learned and present the implications for the design of online professional development. The values of commitment, innovation, assessment, evaluation, communication, and interaction that underpins successful online professional development projects are highlighted. It is argued that using technology by itself does not support professional development; however, using technology in ways that are consistent with constructivist learning, and recognizing that online professional communities of practice can contribute to professional growth is something worthwhile to explore.

Romantic dissolution is a common experience throughout the life course, particularly during emerging adulthood (ages 18–29). The purpose of this review was to summarize and critique theoretical approaches and empirical findings of the aftermath of dating relationship dissolution.

Article searches were conducted within PsycINFO. We utilized terms related to romantic relationship dissolution (i.e., breakup, romantic breakup, relationship termination, relationship dissolution, romantic dissolution, romantic termination, post-dissolution) in a search for key words. We narrowed the results further by limiting the search to include participants between the ages of 18 and 29.

Experiencing romantic dissolution can result in both positive and negative emotional reactions and behaviors, including personal growth and self-expansion as well as experiencing physical and emotional abuse from ex-partners. Furthermore, former romantic partners commonly form other types of friendships and casual sexual relationships after the termination of committed romantic relationships. Many theoretical frameworks are used to guide these investigations, and some articles lack a theoretical framework.

Developmental Systems Theory might be a theoretical framework that best shapes our investigations of romantic dissolution in dating relationships that occur in emerging adulthood.

Relationship education programs would be enhanced by discussing the developmental needs that are important for young people and the ways in which their romantic experiences can or cannot meet those needs. In addition to learning about how to have healthy romantic relationships, young people can also benefit from learning how to identify when romantic relationships should end, and how to end them successfully.

The United States of America is on the verge of a possible revolution in civil-military relations in an era marked by increased defensive alertness stemming from the attacks of 11 September 2001. As we anticipate the normalization of terror as a way of life, we are witnessing a paradigmatic shift from the use of violence towards some political end to the use of violence as an end in itself (Jenkins, 2001). 1 It is tempting to frame our analysis in terms of the broader notion of asymmetric warfare, since the arguments we make in this paper may be applied to a wide range of settings, including those in which vastly unequal forces are pitted against one another and one side may make use of irregular fighters employing unconventional tactics. However, this would serve only to shift the emphasis away from our central argument. Terrorism may be a form of asymmetric warfare, but what distinguishes it is the fact that it intentionally targets civilians, and that among civilians, it is indiscriminate in the devastation it wreaks. Terrorism is important because of the way in which it socializes danger, breaking down the barriers between combatant and noncombatant and subjecting all to the worst of harrowing and potentially lethal attacks. It is this socialization of danger produced by terrorism, in turn, that is critical in assessing whether and how civilian and military authorities elect to treat its use against their own societies not as a crime, but as an act of war. Bioterrorism in turn, as we argue below, has unique attributes that distinguish it from other forms of terrorism.1 And where, for most nations, homeland defense is the primary mission of the armed forces, the United States had to establish a new cabinet-level Department of Homeland Security due to the primarily expeditionary nature of American armed forces for the past half-century. The military has been a unique institution in modern societies. It has acted as the agent for the state’s possession of a monopoly on the means of large-scale organized violence and war-making. The establishment of a second executive agency responsible for homeland security makes the equation more complex. As a result, ever greater attention must be given to the balance of civil-military relations in American society.

This chapter reports how accounting professionals and students perceive the proficiency of their communication skills. We find that professionals perceive themselves as having higher interpersonal skills, writing skills, and speaking skills than do students. Despite decades of accounting curricula’s focus on communication skills, there remains a perception gap between students and professionals on the importance of these skills. Professionals not only perceive that they have stronger communication skills, but they also consider these skills as more important for career success than do students. Furthermore, we find that, even after controlling for the difference in perceived communication skill levels, this perception gap continues to exist between accounting professionals and students.

Despite banking being a female‐dominated industry, women are still under‐represented in management and senior management. Thus, the present study examined the relative importance of individual, interpersonal, and organisational variables for women’s advancement in management in banking in Australia. Data gathered via a survey of 848 women in banking were used in the analyses. The results indicate that women’s advancement is principally linked to some individual factors. In particular, training and development and years of work experience were most important to advancement, followed by work hours, occupation type, company changes, education, and career opportunities. In addition, although marital status and children were unrelated to women’s managerial advancement, the help they had with dependents and house responsibilities was related. Practical implications for banks and for women are discussed.

Distance education (DE) is neither a new concept nor process. Learning through postal correspondence can be traced back to more than 150 years. The avenues of DE have evolved from postal correspondence, videotaped lessons, electronic communications, to distance teaching higher education institutes. Up until the start of 2020, DE was an educational process of choice or preference. However, when WHO declared COVID-19 as a pandemic in March 2020, DE was no longer an option but rather the only choice and educational avenue for the majority of the universities worldwide; Lebanon is no exception. This chapter considered the case study of DE at Phoenicia University, Lebanon, studying instructors’ attitudes and perceptions about some of the quality attributes of DE such as interactivity, inclusiveness, and immediacy prior to and after their first online semester. A mixed methods approach was adopted, where pre- and post-test surveys were administered with 54 instructors in Spring 2020. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 instructors toward the end of that semester. This study found that the participants held a more positive stance when it came to instructor immediacy following their first online semester. On the contrary, instructors’ attitudes and perceptions toward interactivity and inclusiveness did not significantly change between the pre- and post-test results, maintaining a less favorable stance of DE for these particular attributes in comparison to physical classroom education. The study concluded that overall, participants perceived DE as an efficient approach given the unprecedented crisis; nonetheless, the effectiveness of such an approach was challenged by many obstacles and limitations due to internet connection issues and the unreliable power infrastructure.

Distance learning has proliferated significantly in the last 20 years. This chapter considers some of the issues and implications when teaching and learning moves from an in-person to a distance mode. It begins with a brief history of distance learning, considering both the technologies used and the dominant pedagogical approaches employed. This is followed by a survey of the impact of Michael Moore's theory of transactional distance, which considered the consequences of separating the learner from peers and instructor. Contemporary work on Moore's contribution includes transaction and participation, activity theory, and transactional presence. A second major aspect of distance learning has been the attempt to introduce social presence into learning environments. The history of social presence is explored, as are its levels and consequences for the learner. Contemporary aspects of social presence reviewed include communities of inquiry. While Web 2.0 has spectacularly resulted in connectivity, it remains unclear as to whether this automatically resulted in more strongly connected learners. Connectivist approaches are considered and distinctions made between technological connectivity and pedagogical engagement. It is argued that the full and exciting potential of Web 2.0 in distance learning requires a commitment to the distanced learner, balancing learner autonomy and teacher presence, promoting meaningful social engagement, and meeting the specific needs of the distance learner.

International studies indicate that offenders have higher rates of infectious diseases, chronic diseases, and physical disorders relative to the general population. Although social determinants of health have been found to affect the mental health of a population, less information is available regarding the impact of social determinants on physical health, especially among offenders. The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between social determinants and the physical health status of federal Canadian offenders.

The study included all men admitted to federal institutions between 1 April 2012 and 30 September 2012 (n=2,273) who consented to the intake health assessment. Logistic regression analyses were used to explore whether age group, Aboriginal ancestry, and each of the individual social determinants significantly predicted a variety of health conditions.

The majority of men reported having a physical health condition and had experienced social determinants associated with adverse health outcomes, especially men of Aboriginal ancestry. Two social determinants factors in particular were consistently related to the health of offenders, a history of childhood abuse, and the use of social assistance.

The study is limited to the use of self-report data. Additionally, the measures of social determinants of health were indicators taken from assessments that provided only rough estimates of the constructs rather than from established measures.

A better understanding of how these factors affect offenders can inform strategies to address correctional health issues and reduce the impact of chronic conditions through targeted correctional education and intervention programmes.

This case study aims to investigate the forces and barriers to learners’ motivation in a blended learning environment. This study uses an online forum as a vehicle for useful interaction among learners and as an extension of traditional classroom face-to-face meetings. 48 first-year students in a UAE university participated in this study. A series of data were obtained through questionnaires and feedback from the students, which were subsequently analyzed and compared to the existing literature. The results revealed that online interaction can enhance learners’ motivation and engagement in the learning process.