Differential development and trainability of self-regulatory abilities among preschoolers

Self-regulation (SR) as well as self-regulated learning (SRL) show large interindividual variance in preschoolers. This variance may result in differential developmental trajectories. The present study aims to investigate whether a reduction in interindividual differences over time, which could previously be found for preschoolers' SR, is also present for SRL. Furthermore, the present study aims to explore whether preschool SRL training transfers to SR and whether training effects visible in SRL depend on initial performance. A sample of 94 preschoolers participated in this intervention study. Children were assigned to either a training group or to an active control group. Additionally, the sample was divided into high- and low-SRL preschoolers based on pretest SRL performance. Repeated measures ANCOVAs revealed that in the active control group, differences between high- and low-SRL preschoolers decreased over time. The training group showed a greater increase in SRL than the active control group. Training-induced increases did not vary between high- and low-SRL preschoolers. Additionally, increases in SR were identical for training and active control group. Further research on the transferability of preschool SRL training to SR is needed.

Intention to Transfer and Transfer Following eLearning in Spain

Understanding vocational learning and transfer is vital to European citizens. We need to understand how transfer works, which factors influence it, and how these factors affect employee behaviour. Research in online training specific to Southern Europe is needed to move the field forward. The Unified Model of Motivation for Training Transfer (MTT) was proposed to understand behaviour change after training. It conceives three phases: (1) forming transfer intentions, (2) actualizing implementation intentions for transfer, and (3) strengthening transfer commitment. We analysed initial transfer intention and transfer following online training in three Spanish organisations. We used an ex post facto prospective design with one group (n = 204). We applied the online version of the Initial Transfer Intention questionnaire (ITI) three days before the training, and the Transfer Questionnaire (TrQ) three to four months after the training. Training consisted of 22 online courses offered by the three participating organisations. A cluster analysis and post hoc analysis were performed. We identified three groups (k = 3), indicating that there were significant differences in the means between employees with low and high intention to transfer. Results showed a greater difference in the factor profile between participants with LowPT and HighPT. We identified common characteristics among people with low levels of transfer; this information can help understand what type of employee will transfer less and provide cues on how to prevent this from happening in future training activities. Limitations and recommendations for research and practice are discussed.

Measuring Post-training Activities Following a Veterinary Teaching Workshop in East Africa

A teaching workshop was delivered for faculty members of East African colleges of veterinary medicine to foster teaching development and reflection. The goal was for participants to use knowledge gained to improve teaching skills. The approach was to "train the trainer" so attendees could transfer new knowledge to colleagues at their institutions. Techniques were used to increase the likelihood that participants would apply the training. A culturally responsive survey was developed to assess training transfer 1 year later. Pilot survey results suggest that participants applied what they learned and shared with colleagues largely due to peer and supervisor support.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40670-021-01428-2.

Effective Home Visiting Training: Key Principles and Findings to Guide Training Developers and Evaluators

Purpose Home visiting programs have produced inconsistent outcomes. One challenge for the field is the design and implementation of effective training to support home visiting staff. In part due to a lack of formal training, most home visitors need to develop the majority of their skills on the job. Home visitors typically receive training in their agency's specific model (e.g., HFA, NFP) and, if applicable, curriculum. Increasingly, states and other home visiting systems are developing and/or coordinating more extensive training and support systems beyond model-specific and curricula trainings. To help guide these training efforts and future evaluations of them, this paper reviews research on effective training, particularly principles of training transfer and adult learning. Description Our review summarizes several meta-analyses, reviews, and more recent publications on training transfer and adult learning principles. Assessment Effective training involves not only the introduction and modeling of concepts and skills but also the practice of, evaluation of, and reflection upon these skills. Further, ongoing encouragement of, reward for, and reflection upon use of these skills, particularly by a home visitor's supervisor, are critical for the home visitor's continued use of these skills with families. Conclusion Application of principles of adult learning and training transfer to home visiting training will likely lead to greater transfer of skills from the training environment to work with families. The involvement of both home visitors and their supervisors in training is likely important for this transfer to occur.

Learning strategies scale: adaptation to Portuguese and factor structure

Since learning strategies seem to be an important set of variables to explain the effectiveness of training and e-learning in organizations is here to stay, this paper aimed to analyze the factor structure and psychometric properties of a Learning Strategies Scale (LSS) and its relationship with the training transfer in an e-learning corporate context. A total of 3600 employees of a Brazilian bank participated in this study by responding to the LSS after taking part in an online course. We measured training transfer with self-evaluation and hetero-evaluation scales. Internal consistency, confirmatory factor analysis, and multiple regressions were conducted. A four-factor structure and an acceptable level of fit for the model were found. All types of learning strategies were related to training transfer in self-evaluation, and the cognitive and help-seeking strategies contributed to explain training transfer in hetero-evaluation. As a reliable and valid measure that predicts the effectiveness of training and job performance, participants should be advised about the learning strategies that produce better performance results at the workplace. Future research should use it in different contexts and samples, analyzing its relationships with other workplace variables.

Comparison of running and cycling economy in runners, cyclists, and triathletes

PURPOSE

Exercise economy is one of the main physiological factors determining performance in endurance sports. Running economy (RE) can be improved with running-specific training, while the improvement of cycling economy (CE) with cycling-specific training is controversial. We investigated whether exercise economy reflects sport-specific skills/adaptations or is determined by overall physiological factors.

METHODS

We compared RE and CE in 10 runners, 9 cyclists and 9 triathletes for running at 12 km/h and cycling at 200 W. Gross rates of oxygen consumption and carbon dioxide production were collected and used to calculate gross metabolic rate in watts for both running and cycling.

RESULTS

Runners had better RE than cyclists (917 ± 107 W vs. 1111 ± 159 W) (p < 0.01). Triathletes had intermediate RE values (1004 ± 98 W) not different from runners or cyclists. CE was not different (p = 0.20) between the three groups (runners: 945 ± 60 W; cyclists: 982 ± 44 W; triathletes: 979 ± 54 W).

CONCLUSION

RE can be enhanced with running-specific training, but CE is independent of cycling-specific training.

Factors influencing training transfer in nursing profession: a qualitative study

Background

There is a growing recognition that training is not translated into performance and the ‘transfer problem’ exists in organization training today. Although factors contributing to training transfer have been identified in business and industry, the factors influencing training transfer in nursing profession remain less clear.

Methods

A qualitative descriptive study was undertaken in two tertiary referral hospitals in China from February 2013 to September 2013. Purposeful sampling of 24 nursing staffs were interviewed about the factors influencing training transfer.

Results

Seven themes evolved from the analysis, categorized in 4 main domains, which described the factors influencing training transfer in nursing profession in trainee characteristics, training design, work environment and profession domain. The trainee characteristics domain included attitude and ability. The training design domain included training content and instruction method. The work environment domain included supports as facilitators and opposition as hindrance. The theme pertaining to the profession domain was professional development.

Conclusions

Health care managers need to understand the factors influencing training transfer for maximizing the benefits of training. The right beliefs and values about training, the rigorous employee selection for training, the relevance of training content, training instructions facilitating learning and transfer, supports from peer, supervisors and the organization, organizational culture such as change, sharing, learning and support, and professional development are key to successful training transfer. Furthermore, managers should be aware of the opposition from co-workers and find ways to prevent it.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12909-018-1149-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Development and validation of a questionnaire to evaluate the factors influencing training transfer among nursing professionals

Background

Most organizations invest in people for training to improve human capital and maximize profitability. Yet it is reported in industry and nursing as well that training effectiveness is constrained because of inadequate transfer of training and the underlying reasons for the transfer problem remain unknown. And there is lack of tool to measure transfer problem.

Methods

The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a questionnaire to evaluate the scores of factors influencing training transfer (FITT) among nursing professionals. The questionnaire was developed by item generation through interview with nurses and literature review. The FITT was validated in terms of content validity through expert reviews. Psychometric properties of the final instrument were assessed in a sample of 960 nurses with training experiences.

Results

The content validity of the instrument were as follows: the IR was 0.8095. 51 items on the 63-item scale had I-CVIs of 1.0 and the remaining 12 items had I-CVIs of 0.88. The S-CVI/UA was 0.976 and the S-CVI/Ave was 0.977. For the exploratory step, principal axis factoring (PAF) was selected for this study. Parallel analysis was used to decide the number of factors to extract and oblimin rotation method was used. Exploratory factor analysis identified a five-factor solution including 53 items, accounting for 68.23% of the total variance. The confirmatory factor analysis showed some support for this five-factor model. The findings demonstrate high internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha = .965).

Conclusions

This study indicates that the FITT is a valid and reliable instrument for assessing the factors influencing training transfer among nursing professionals. The FITT can be used to assess individual perceptions of catalysts and barriers to the transfer of training among nursing professionals, which can help promote training transfer and training effectiveness in the workplace.

Self-perceived long-term transfer of learning after postpartum hemorrhage simulation training

OBJECTIVE

To explore long-term transfer (application of acquired knowledge and skills on the job) after postpartum hemorrhage simulation training based on either instructional design (ID) principles or conventional best practice.

METHODS

In this qualitative study, semi-structured interviews with obstetrics and gynecology healthcare practitioners were conducted between August 7 and September 26, 2015, in Recife, Brazil. The participants were randomly selected from each of two postpartum hemorrhage simulations attended 2 years earlier (one ID and one conventional best practice). Thematic analysis was used to explore (1) residents' perceptions of long-term transfer of learning, (2) ID elements influencing the perceived long-term transfer, and (3) differences in the participants' perceptions according to the type of simulation attended.

RESULTS

There were 12 interview participants. After either simulation format, residents perceived long-term transfer effects. Training design factors influencing transfer were, in their opinion, related to trainees' characteristics, simulation design, and workplace environment. Trainees who participated in the ID-based simulation perceived better communication skills and better overall situational awareness: "I didn't do that before."

CONCLUSION

All residents perceived long-term transfer after simulation training for postpartum hemorrhage. Those who attended the ID format additionally perceived improvements in communication skills and situational awareness, which are fundamental factors in the management of postpartum hemorrhage.

Using a computer simulation for teaching communication skills: A blinded multisite mixed methods randomized controlled trial

OBJECTIVES

To assess advanced communication skills among second-year medical students exposed either to a computer simulation (MPathic-VR) featuring virtual humans, or to a multimedia computer-based learning module, and to understand each group's experiences and learning preferences.

METHODS

A single-blinded, mixed methods, randomized, multisite trial compared MPathic-VR (N=210) to computer-based learning (N=211). Primary outcomes: communication scores during repeat interactions with MPathic-VR's intercultural and interprofessional communication scenarios and scores on a subsequent advanced communication skills objective structured clinical examination (OSCE). Multivariate analysis of variance was used to compare outcomes.

SECONDARY OUTCOMES

student attitude surveys and qualitative assessments of their experiences with MPathic-VR or computer-based learning.

RESULTS

MPathic-VR-trained students improved their intercultural and interprofessional communication performance between their first and second interactions with each scenario. They also achieved significantly higher composite scores on the OSCE than computer-based learning-trained students. Attitudes and experiences were more positive among students trained with MPathic-VR, who valued its providing immediate feedback, teaching nonverbal communication skills, and preparing them for emotion-charged patient encounters.

CONCLUSIONS

MPathic-VR was effective in training advanced communication skills and in enabling knowledge transfer into a more realistic clinical situation.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

MPathic-VR's virtual human simulation offers an effective and engaging means of advanced communication training.

Factors predicting training transfer in health professionals participating in quality improvement educational interventions

BACKGROUND

Predictors of quality improvement (QI) training transfer are needed. This study aimed to identify these predictors among health professionals who participated in a QI training program held at a large hospital in the United States between 2005 and 2014. It also aimed to determine how these predictive factors facilitated or impeded QI training transfer.

METHODS

Following the Success Case Method, we used a screening survey to identify trainees with high and low levels of training transfer. We then conducted semistructured interviews with a sample of the survey respondents to document how training transfer was achieved and how lack of training transfer could be explained. The survey's response rate was 43%, with a Cronbach alpha of 0.89. We then conducted a thematic analysis of the interview transcripts of 16 physicians.

RESULTS

The analysis revealed 3 categories of factors influencing the transfer of QI training: trainee characteristics, training course, and work environment. Relevant trainee characteristics included attitude toward change, motivation, mental processing skills, interpersonal skills, and the personality characteristics curiosity, humility, conscientiousness, resilience, wisdom, and positivity. The training project, team-based learning, and lectures were identified as relevant aspects of the training course. Work culture, work relationships, and resources were subthemes of the work environment category.

CONCLUSIONS

We identified several QI training transfer predictors in our cohort of physicians. We hypothesize that some of these predictors may be more relevant to QI training transfer. Our results will help organizational leaders select trainees who are most likely to transfer QI training and to ensure that their work environments are conducive to QI training transfer.

The Transfer of Cognitive Speed of Processing Training to Older Adults' Driving Mobility Across 5 Years

OBJECTIVES

Multilevel models assessed the effects of cognitive speed of processing training (SPT) on older adults' self-reported driving using intention-to-treat (ITT, randomization to training or control conditions) and dosage (treatment-received via number of training sessions) analyses across 5 years.

METHOD

Participants randomized to SPT (n = 598) were compared with those randomized to either the no-contact control (n = 598) or memory training, which served as an active control (n = 610). Driving mobility (frequency, exposure, and space) was assessed over time.

RESULTS

No significant effects were found within the ITT analyses. However, number of SPT sessions did affect driving mobility outcomes. In the full sample (N = 1,806), higher SPT doses were associated with maintained driving frequency as compared with both control groups, but no effects were found for driving exposure or space. Subsample analyses (n = 315) revealed that persons at-risk for mobility declines (i.e., poor initial processing speed) who received additional booster SPT sessions reported greater maintenance of both driving frequency and exposure over time as compared with the no-contact and active control groups.

DISCUSSION

These results and prior research indicate that cognitive SPT transfers to prolonged driving mobility among older adults. Future research should investigate the mechanisms behind transfer effects to real-world activities, such as driving.