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2006

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Higher education

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The Effect Of Student Self -Described Learning Styles Within Two Models Of Teaching In An Introductory Data Mining Course, Matthew A. North Dec 2006

The Effect Of Student Self -Described Learning Styles Within Two Models Of Teaching In An Introductory Data Mining Course, Matthew A. North

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

This dissertation examines the roles of learning styles and teaching methodologies within a data mining educational program designed for non-Computer Science undergraduate college students. The experimental design is framed by a discussion of the history and development of data mining and education, as well as a vision for its future.;Data mining is a relatively new discipline which has grown out of the fields of database management and data warehousing, statistics, logic, and decision sciences. Over the course of its approximately 15 year history, data mining has emerged from its genesis within the academic and commercial research and development arenas to …


Exploring High-Quality Student Affairs Learning Outcomes Assessment Practices At Three American Research Universities, Adam S. Green Dec 2006

Exploring High-Quality Student Affairs Learning Outcomes Assessment Practices At Three American Research Universities, Adam S. Green

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

This study was conducted because limited research has occurred in the area of co-curricular student learning outcomes assessment, which has resulted in confusion within the student affairs profession on how to develop and implement assessment plans. The purpose of this study was to examine high quality assessment practices of student affairs divisions at three different research institutions in order to advance the value, usefulness, and understanding of learning outcomes assessment within the student affairs profession, so more student affairs divisions may begin assessing the co-curricular. Those student affairs divisions selected for this study represented assessment models with significant experience in …


Relationship Between Self-Esteem And Academic Achievement Among College Undergraduates, Jennifer Lynn Geletko Dec 2006

Relationship Between Self-Esteem And Academic Achievement Among College Undergraduates, Jennifer Lynn Geletko

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

The author investigated the relationship between undergraduates' self-esteem, current cumulative grade point average, race, and gender. A sample of 160 undergraduate students from West Virginia University completed the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. In addition, the participants completed a demographic page, which included questions about their race, gender, and grade point average. The author assessed the relationship by performing a three way analysis of variance between the variables. In addition, Chi Square tests and correlations were run to test any further relationships. The results showed no correlation between self-esteem and grade point average. There were no significant main effects for gender or …


"A Lean Accounting Curriculum", Jake Lewis Dec 2006

"A Lean Accounting Curriculum", Jake Lewis

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

This paper is written as a part of my honors thesis. My objective for my thesis was to develop a curriculum to be used in the classroom here at Utah State University, on the subject of lean accounting. This curriculum includes a set of lecture slides, selection of an assigned textbook, a case study assignment, and a DVD. Also compiled were several other optional materials that may be used as supplements to the aforementioned set of materials or as a means to briefly cover lean accounting in another course if so desired. This paper contains a brief summary of lean …


Service-Learning Outcomes At A Faith-Based Institution Of Higher Education., Amy L. Doolittle Dec 2006

Service-Learning Outcomes At A Faith-Based Institution Of Higher Education., Amy L. Doolittle

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This quantitative dissertation examines outcomes of a required service-learning program at a faith-based institution. Two hundred and ten students completed a pre/post survey administered to a sophomore level class about background, educational processes, and twelve attitude and knowledge subscales related to service-learning. All subscales met standard reliability standards. Two dependent variables were used to measure critical thinking and students' perceptions of learning. While students entered the class with strong positive attitudes and knowledge on most subscales, four subscales Civic Attitudes, Civic Behavior, Civic Action, and Social Justice showed significant positive changes, and two subscales Motivation for Service and Personal Enrichment …


Cultural Identity, Voice, And Agency In Post-Secondary Graphic Design Education: A Collective Case Study, Larry Michael Stultz Sep 2006

Cultural Identity, Voice, And Agency In Post-Secondary Graphic Design Education: A Collective Case Study, Larry Michael Stultz

Educational Policy Studies Dissertations

ABSTRACT CULTURAL IDENTITY, VOICE, AND AGENCY IN POST-SECONDARY GRAPHIC DESIGN EDUCATION: A COLLECTIVE CASE STUDY by Larry M. Stultz This study investigates areas of conflict between students’ cultural identities and the educational environment established and maintained by their faculty and school. It analyzes the usefulness and value of personal creative expression in the classroom and how treatment of cultural identity and performance influences student persistence and success. Four theoretical frameworks ground this study and comprise the majority of the relevant literature. The inquiry is framed by theories in curriculum, performance, cultural difference, and symbolic interaction. Three purposely selected students participated …


The Effect Of Linkages On Science And Technology At Historically Black Colleges And Universities, Kathryn T. Brice Sep 2006

The Effect Of Linkages On Science And Technology At Historically Black Colleges And Universities, Kathryn T. Brice

Public Management and Policy Dissertations

Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) face the 21st century with questions about change and adaptation to an increasingly science and technology oriented society. They face the challenge of finding a strategy by which they can utilize current resources and energy to maximize their science and technology development. Using a mixed methods research design, this study conducted an analysis of science and technology at HBCUs. The primary objective was to determine what theories (when implemented they are termed strategies) account for the development of science and technology at successful research oriented HBCUs. This was accomplished through a secondary objective – …


Reconsidering Academic Dishonesty: A Critical Examination Of A Complex Organizational Problem, Tricia Bertram Gallant Phd Aug 2006

Reconsidering Academic Dishonesty: A Critical Examination Of A Complex Organizational Problem, Tricia Bertram Gallant Phd

Dissertations

Academic dishonesty, traditionally framed as a problem of student agency, plagues higher education institutions. In order to facilitate leadership toward the resolution of the problem, this study reconsiders academic dishonesty as a symptom of the complex interplay among agency, structure, and culture. The theoretical framework utilized, which I call Systemic Interactionism, builds on existing sociological, leadership, and organizational theories to provide a more robust explanation of academic dishonesty and other complex organizational problems. This reconsideration of academic dishonesty occurs in the context of three American higher education institutions. I employed a variety of field methods (interviews, observations, and document analysis) …


Connecting Art And Science: An Interdisciplinary Strategy And Its Impact On The Affective Domain Of Community College Human Anatomy Students, Kevin Petti Phd Aug 2006

Connecting Art And Science: An Interdisciplinary Strategy And Its Impact On The Affective Domain Of Community College Human Anatomy Students, Kevin Petti Phd

Dissertations

Educational objectives are often described within the framework of a three-domain taxonomy: cognitive, affective and psychomotor. While most of the research on educational objectives has focused on the cognitive domain, the research that has been conducted on the affective domain, which speaks to emotions, attitudes, and values, has identified a number of positive outcomes. One approach to enhancing the affective domain is that of interdisciplinary education. Science education research in the realm of interdisciplinary education and affective outcomes is limited; especially research conducted on community college students of human anatomy. This project investigated the relationship between an interdisciplinary teaching strategy …


The Appointment Of Untenured Department Chairs In Two- And Four-Year Colleges In A Western State: Problems And Potentials, Forrest G. Williams Jun 2006

The Appointment Of Untenured Department Chairs In Two- And Four-Year Colleges In A Western State: Problems And Potentials, Forrest G. Williams

Theses and Dissertations

This research study explored the appointment of untenured faculty as department chairs in three two- and four-year colleges in one Western state's system of higher education. Eleven untenured faculty serving as untenured department chairs were interviewed using the qualitative methodology of grounded theory to analyze the data collected in the form of interview transcripts. At the two- and four-year colleges studied, an untenured faculty member's potential of achieving tenure does not appear to be negatively affected by serving as department chair before receiving tenure. A central finding in this research study is the presentation of an explanatory model that provides …


Study Of The Ethical Values Of College Students, Victor Mercader Jun 2006

Study Of The Ethical Values Of College Students, Victor Mercader

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study focuses on five main purposes, all of them interrelated and each focused on ethical values, virtues, or character values. The five purposes are: a) Investigate college students' perceptions of ethical values, including their importance, application, usefulness, origin, benefits, need for education, and courses proposed to be included in the curricula; b) Review literature in areas related to ethical values, virtues or character values of college students; c) Develop and pilot an instrument to assess the ethical values of college students; d) Improve and use the developed instrument to describe the status of college students' ethical values; and e) …


The Relationship Between Emotional Intelligence And Satisfaction With Life After Controlling For Self-Esteem, Depression, And Locus Of Control Among Community College Students, Kevin T. Murphy Jun 2006

The Relationship Between Emotional Intelligence And Satisfaction With Life After Controlling For Self-Esteem, Depression, And Locus Of Control Among Community College Students, Kevin T. Murphy

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the relationship between Emotional Intelligence (EI) and Satisfaction with Life (SWL) among community college students. Some researchers suggest a relationship exists between EI and important outcome variables (e.g., occupational success & satisfaction with life). However, other researchers suggest measures of EI may simply assess personality variables known to predict these variables. I used the Mayer, Salovey, and Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test (MSCEIT) to investigate how much additional variance in SWL, EI predicts after three personality variables (self-esteem,depression, and locus of control). A convenience sample of 200 Central Florida Community College Students completed the following instruments: 1) MSCEIT(Mayer, …


An Evaluation Of A Pedagogical Reform Designed For College Chemistry Teaching With Large Classes, Scott Edwin Lewis Jun 2006

An Evaluation Of A Pedagogical Reform Designed For College Chemistry Teaching With Large Classes, Scott Edwin Lewis

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This work presents an evaluation of a reform teaching practice, known as peer-led guided inquiry, that combines guided inquiry and cooperative learning for college chemistry teaching. Integral to implementing the reform in a large class (greater than 100 students) was the role of peer leaders, undergraduate students who have successfully completed the target course. These peer leaders facilitated cooperative learning groups during weekly guided inquiry activities in general chemistry. The evaluation, using data collected over a 3-year period, had two main foci: effective teaching and promotion of equity in the classroom. Both of these aims were evaluated using hierarchical linear …


The Characteristics Of Donors And Non-Donors Among Alumni Of Mississippi State University: A Descriptive Study, Dennis Allen Prescott May 2006

The Characteristics Of Donors And Non-Donors Among Alumni Of Mississippi State University: A Descriptive Study, Dennis Allen Prescott

Theses and Dissertations

Alumni associations and offices of development play fundamental roles in American higher education, typically having missions which include the generation of financial support for the institution. Alumni associations must develop strategies to encourage alumni to donate money and enable them to build long-term relationships between alumni organizations and the university. The foundation of any fund raising program is the annual fund. Not only does the annual fund represent a significant percentage of funds raised for most charities, it often comes with the fewest strings attached. If development professionals have a clear understanding of the issues and factors that influence donors …


Instructors' Self -Perceived Pedagogical Principle Implementation In The Online Environment, Jinsong Zhang May 2006

Instructors' Self -Perceived Pedagogical Principle Implementation In The Online Environment, Jinsong Zhang

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

The purpose of this study was to explore and describe the experience of undergraduate faculty members who participated in the practice of online distance instruction. This study explored instructor's perception of their implementation of pedagogical principles in the online environment, identified factors that influenced their implementation of the principles, and explored the relationship between the influencing factors and the online implementation of the Seven Principles.;Research shows that the implementation the Seven Principles for Good Practice in Undergraduate Education (Chickering & Gamson, 1987) varied significantly from one principle to another. Overall the least endorsed of the Seven Principles were Encourage Cooperation …


The Dilemma Of Disclosure For College Students With Attention Deficit Disorder, Teresa L. Spoulos Edd May 2006

The Dilemma Of Disclosure For College Students With Attention Deficit Disorder, Teresa L. Spoulos Edd

Dissertations

Many college campuses are striving to recruit and retain a diverse student population, and one population making its presence known are students with disabilities. As a result of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, students with disabilities are ensured equal access to education through the removal of architectural barriers and the provision of reasonable accommodations. Despite the existence of these laws, however, many students with attention deficit disorder (ADD) choose not to request classroom accommodations from professors. Students choose not to disclose out of fear of having inaccurate labels placed on them, being …


A Delphi Study To Identify Teaching Competencies Of Teacher Education Faculty In 2015, Sonhwa Na May 2006

A Delphi Study To Identify Teaching Competencies Of Teacher Education Faculty In 2015, Sonhwa Na

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

The purpose of this study was to reach consensus on future course delivery modes and recommended teaching competencies that would be required for teacher education faculty in future course delivery environments. A three-round, online modified Delphi study was used to answer the following research questions (RQs): (a) RQ1: What course delivery modes will teacher education faculty of traditional colleges and universities be using in 2015?, and (b) RQ2: What competencies will teacher education faculty of traditional colleges and universities need to teach using these delivery modes? Course delivery modes and general teaching competencies were determined as a result of consensus …


Gender Influences In The Graduate Classroom: An Investigation Of Female And Male Student Perceptions, Gerald B. Blanton Edd May 2006

Gender Influences In The Graduate Classroom: An Investigation Of Female And Male Student Perceptions, Gerald B. Blanton Edd

Dissertations

Defined by Mary Rowe (1977) as micro inequities, seemingly insignificant gender bias behaviors create an inequitable academic environment and marginalize groups and individuals in the American classroom. Popularized by Hall and Sandler's 1982 report on the "chilly" classroom, gender bias is subtle and differs from the more obvious behaviors associated with sexual harassment. However, gender bias research appears incomplete. Study findings contradict each other, few studies explore gender bias in the graduate classroom, and fewer yet compare the perceptions of women and men concerning gender influences in the graduate classroom. This dissertation investigates perceptions of the influence of gender in …


Learning And Developing Professional Behaviors As Part Of An Entry-Level Physical Therapy Education: A Survey Of Students And Practicing Clinicians, D. Scott Davis May 2006

Learning And Developing Professional Behaviors As Part Of An Entry-Level Physical Therapy Education: A Survey Of Students And Practicing Clinicians, D. Scott Davis

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

The purpose of this dissertation was to examine the state of professionalism in the physical therapy profession. The literature suggests that professionalism is a concern in many professions including medicine, law, nursing, audiology, and physical therapy. Two separate but parallel surveys were used to identify the opinions and experiences of physical therapy students and licensed physical therapists. The student survey consisted of a four-page paper and pencil survey that was mailed to 20 randomly selected CAPTE accredited physical therapy programs. Of the 1,525 available students, 336 (22%) physical therapy students participated in the investigation. The clinician survey consisted of a …


Assessing Student Learning Outcomes In Health Professions Service -Learning Courses, Tracey K. Anderson May 2006

Assessing Student Learning Outcomes In Health Professions Service -Learning Courses, Tracey K. Anderson

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Service learning is a pedagogical method that is currently on the rise in health professions schools as a method of meeting Healthy People 2010 objectives (Narsavage, Lindell, Chen, Savin & Duffy, 2002). The intended result for participating students is an increased awareness of health care issues, civic responsibility, and course content in this learning experience. However, there is no clear assessment documentation that shows health professions students are meeting the intended learning outcomes. Eyler (2000) indicates that outcomes in service learning have not been "well studied and relatively little attention has been given to defining learning outcomes that would be …


Lifelong Learners Study In Virginia, Dianne Quinn Kurec Jan 2006

Lifelong Learners Study In Virginia, Dianne Quinn Kurec

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to identify the current baseline for lifelong learners (age 50 and better) focused on post-secondary education in the Commonwealth of Virginia (VA), the resulting academic services and public policy implications. While the aging research to date is overwhelmingly focused upon health issues, financial security, legislative initiatives, care-giving, and assisted living, etc., fewer studies or data are available on the increasing post-secondary continuing education that lifelong learners will likely expect to be made available to them. The educational level of the growing aging population will continue to increase. Research has repeatedly proven higher education to …


Lineamientos Curriculares Que Promueven La Formación De Profesionales Reflexivos, Yenny Rocio Perez Bernate, Mariela Rodríguez Acosta, Martha Cecilia Triana Restrepo Jan 2006

Lineamientos Curriculares Que Promueven La Formación De Profesionales Reflexivos, Yenny Rocio Perez Bernate, Mariela Rodríguez Acosta, Martha Cecilia Triana Restrepo

Maestría en Docencia

El final del siglo XX y el despertar del siglo XXI trajo consigo una revisión y análisis del sistema educativo en Colombia frente a los grandes desafíos en el ámbito global en las áreas sociopolíticas, económicas, científicas y tecnológicas que el mundo contemporáneo impone; este nuevo orden mundial ha generado que la educación, como bien público, sé recontextualice frente a su quehacer pedagógico comprendiendo que los procesos de formación han de generar reflexión y recontextualización con el fin, de formar profesionales cada vez más comprometidos para comprender, juzgar, transformar e intervenir en su comunidad, de una manera responsable, justa, solidaria …


Career Path Influences And Identification Of College And University Presidents: A Study Of The Presidents Of The Member Institutions Of The Virginia Foundations For Independent Colleges, Carolyn Elizabeth Whittier Jan 2006

Career Path Influences And Identification Of College And University Presidents: A Study Of The Presidents Of The Member Institutions Of The Virginia Foundations For Independent Colleges, Carolyn Elizabeth Whittier

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to learn how men and women who do not have an initial career goal of becoming a college or university president end up in such a position.The study was to gather information on the internal and external influences on that career path, and how each participant fits within presidential career patterns presented by Wessel (1991).A qualitative case study method was used for this study. The participants were chosen based on their institutions' membership in the Virginia Foundation forIndependent Colleges (VFIC), thus all participants were from private institutions in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Twelve of …


Thinking Style Differences Of Female College And University Presidents: A National Study, Melanie S. Jones Jan 2006

Thinking Style Differences Of Female College And University Presidents: A National Study, Melanie S. Jones

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The purpose of this study was to identify thinking style preferences of female college and university presidents and determine if differences in thinking style exist with regard to the independent variables of Carnegie classification, institutional control, highest academic degree earned, academic background/specialty, age, and total years of presidential experience. The Inquiry Mode Questionnaire (InQ) and a demographic data form were distributed to all 595 female presidents with institutions classified as Associate’s or higher by the Carnegie system. Responses were received from 369 (62.02%), with 328 (55.13%) utilized for data analysis. Descriptive statistics, MANOVA and ANOVA tests were used to address …


Structured Faculty Mentoring In Higher Education: A Descriptive Analysis Of The Perceptions Of Junior And Senior Faculty, Jennifer J. Smith-Slabaugh Jan 2006

Structured Faculty Mentoring In Higher Education: A Descriptive Analysis Of The Perceptions Of Junior And Senior Faculty, Jennifer J. Smith-Slabaugh

Theses and Dissertations

Studies have shown that mentoring is a viable form of professional development.Faced with large numbers of retirements and a projected increase in student enrollment, the issues of recruitment, retention and revitalization of current faculty are at the core of this study. There is little empirical research on the phenomenon of structured or formal mentoring in higher education from the perspective of both the mentee and the mentor.The purpose of this study was to identify, describe, and analyze the perceived benefits that both senior or more experienced faculty mentors and junior or new-to-the institution faculty mentees at a large urban research …


Factors Leading To Successful Attainment Of Doctoral Degrees In Education By African American Women, Antoinette Michelle Rogers Jan 2006

Factors Leading To Successful Attainment Of Doctoral Degrees In Education By African American Women, Antoinette Michelle Rogers

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative research study determined what factors influenced or hindered the successes of eight African American women who earned doctorates in the field of Education within the past 10 years. The researcher gathered and shared the stories of African American women doctoral degree completers in their own words. Interviews were conducted using the Polycom H.323 videoconferencing system in the School ofEducation at Virginia Commonwealth University.The participants in this study collectively attributed more than 15 factors to helping them complete a doctoral program. Some of the success factors cited include self-determination, knowledge of self and purpose for earning a doctorate, spirituality, …


Leadership Orientations Of Senior Administrators At American Metropolitan Universities, Diane Trees Jan 2006

Leadership Orientations Of Senior Administrators At American Metropolitan Universities, Diane Trees

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Universities in the United States continue to evolve far beyond traditional concepts. While problems of an academic, economic, governmental, and educational nature beset any university, the metropolitan institution must grapple with these issues not as an individual entity but as a partner in a group of many players. Educational leadership for the American metropolitan university necessitates distinct and unique skills. This study sought to explore leadership behaviors of senior administrators at American metropolitan universities as conceptualized by Bolman and Deal's Four-Frame Model of Leadership (1991). Using Bolman and Deal's (1990) Leadership Orientations Survey (Self) instrument with an additional Respondent Information …


The Role Of Social Capital In Higher Education: What Variables Of Social Capital Have An Impact On The Successful Completion Of College For Low-Income Students And Students Of Color, Lynn Marie Mertz Jan 2006

The Role Of Social Capital In Higher Education: What Variables Of Social Capital Have An Impact On The Successful Completion Of College For Low-Income Students And Students Of Color, Lynn Marie Mertz

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

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They Who Persist: A Longitudinal Quantitative Case Study Of A University Student Cohort, Kenneth J. Marra Phd Jan 2006

They Who Persist: A Longitudinal Quantitative Case Study Of A University Student Cohort, Kenneth J. Marra Phd

Dissertations

Since the first published work on student persistence in 1929 by Edgerton and Toups, there have been literally thousands of studies that have attempted to unravel the mystery of why some higher education students persist through to graduation while others do not. Many of these studies have been qualitative in nature, restricting their generalizability, while those that have used the few existing national databases to quantitatively study persistence have been restricted to looking within a single year at multiple institutions. What is clearly missing from the literature are methodologically sound, year-to-year persistence studies conducted at individual institutions. This deficiency in …


An Examination Of The Service-Learning Program At A Comprehensive University Through The Lenses Of Program Theory And Institutional Theory, Cathy Duff Jan 2006

An Examination Of The Service-Learning Program At A Comprehensive University Through The Lenses Of Program Theory And Institutional Theory, Cathy Duff

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Case study design, employing qualitative research methods, was used to document and examine a mandatory service-learning program at a new, comprehensive, public university. The study examined service-learning from multiple perspectives. Institutional theory provided a framework for examining the influence of the environment on the conceptualization, adoption, and implementation of service-learning. Program theory was used to identify and analyze the program's conceptual underpinnings, including goals and objectives, intended outcomes for students, and program processes. Knowledge of how a program is supposed to work is useful for developing assessment questions, evaluating institutional effectiveness, and improving program performance. The study included a review …