Education Commons^™

An Examination Of The Role Of Fundraising In Divisions Of Student Affairs At Seven Four-Year Public Universities In The Midwest, Danielle Nicole Miller-Schuster

Theses and Dissertations

With higher accountability standards, divisions of student affairs must find alternative ways to balance the rising costs of college with the survival and growth of the programs and services expected. This study examined one such alternative, fundraising in student affairs, to further develop the profession's understanding of engaging in or growing development efforts. As more divisions become involved, it becomes important to learn from colleagues in the profession who are engaging in development activities. The purpose of this study was to examine the extent to which divisions of student affairs were involved in fundraising activities at seven 4-year public universities …

Innovation In Academic Libraries During A Time Of Crisis, Dane Michael Ward

Theses and Dissertations

During a period of rapid social and technological change, academic Academic libraries and librarianship are experiencing a period of great change, or crisis, influenced by multiple factors including emerging technologies, declining budgets, and changing information. More than a transitory historical phase, these changes represents a fundamental transition between paradigms (Kuhn, 1962). Academic libraries and librarianship are moving from a paradigm focused on collections and books to a paradigm focused on learning. Within this context, innovations are new processes, services and products that facilitate this transition to the new paradigm.

Beyond this definitional work, the work serves as an exploration of …

Undergraduate Students' Perceptions Of General Education: A Mixed Methods Approach, Rihab Saadeddine

Theses and Dissertations

Higher education institutions should offer students an enriching learning experience that fosters their academic competencies, professional skills, civic responsibility, and global preparedness (AACTE, 2010; AAC&U, 2007). Colleges and universities have been criticized for not adequately preparing students academically and professionally. They are urged to assess and improve their general education programs to provide quality education and meet the needs of 21st century students (AACTE, 2010; AAC&U, 2007; Boning, 2007; Rhodes, 2010). This study utilized a sequential explanatory mixed methods research design to indirectly assess the general education program through students' perceptions. It was designed to explore the differences in perceptions …

Generational Differences In Motivation To Attend College, John Michael Cote

Theses and Dissertations

The National Center for Education Statistics recently released a report indicating that the amount of full-time students attending college has increased by 45 percent over the past ten years. While many reasons assist in explaining this increase in college attendance, this study explored the differences in motivations for attending college amongst generations. This quantitative study used secondary data collected by the Cooperative Institutional Research Program (CIRP) Freshman survey to explore the differences in reasons for attending college amongst the Baby Boomer, Generation X, and Millennial generations and predict reasons that may be important to future generations of college students. These …

"The Constellations Were In A Different Place": Using Blogs To Understand Student Learning During Study Abroad, Leslie Pitman

Theses and Dissertations

While a great deal of research has been done on the pedagogical implications and uses of blogging, and even more research has been done on the effects of study abroad, few studies has investigated the use of blogging as a way that learning is processed during study abroad. This study sought to understand how students use blogs during a study abroad semester and the ways in which the blogs reveal evidence of learning. Eleven blogs, written by students at the University of South Carolina (USC) during their respective semesters abroad, were read, coded, and analyzed in order to answer the …