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Swosu One Hundred And Seventh Annual Spring Convocation, Southwestern Oklahoma State University

Graduation Programs

This is the program for the SWOSU One Hundred and Seventh Annual Spring Convocation Exercises, held at the Milam Stadium on Saturday, May 7, 2011, 10:00 am. Opening Remarks were presented by President Randy L. Beutler.

Life After Disability Diagnosis: The Impact Of Special Education Labeling In Higher Education, Nathan Joshua Camara

Educational Policy Studies Dissertations

There has been an increasing number of students with learning disabilities attending colleges and universities over the past two decades. As a result of federal legislation, institutions of higher education are required through an office of student support services to provide accommodations and modifications for students with disabilities in order to receive federal monies. This semi-structured interview-based qualitative study seeks to understand how four higher education students with disabilities make the choice to “come out” as possessing a learning disability in order to seek academic assistance from the office of student support services. The foundation for this inquiry emerges out …

A Research Framework For Evaluating The Effectiveness Of Implementations Of Social Media In Higher Education, Abbas Foroughi

Online Journal for Workforce Education and Development

Following the lead of today’s hi-tech businesses and industries, many college campuses have begun using Web.2.0 social media technologies like Facebook, blogs, Twitter, and YouTube to facilitate information sharing and collaboration among administrators, faculty, and students. An examination of research on campus social media initiatives revealed that universities are beginning to provide support and infrastructure to support social media initiatives, and that social media tools are being used as part of course content and delivery, where students can use them for collaboration and group decision making on real-world projects. However, much of the research to date was found to be …

Inciting Insight: Situating The Arts In Higher Education, Nancy Cantor

Chancellor's Collection

This morning, after two very lively days of discussion, I’m glad to have a chance to address the "nuts and bolts" of models and metrics for situating the arts in higher education. This matters profoundly because the arts already suffuse our society and culture as sources of connectedness, continuity and meaning. I think what Susan Sontag said of photography is true of all the arts, that they are the "arm of consciousness," and that they "make up and thicken the environment we recognize as modern."

Corporate, Political, And Academic Perspectives On Tennessee Higher Education Accountability Policy, Andrew Quentin Morse

Masters Theses

The purposes of the research are (1) to identify the similarities and differences among corporate, political, and academic leaders in Tennessee on postsecondary education accountability policy and (2) to investigate ways for improving accountability policy as evidenced by the various stakeholders. The two following research questions will be adapted from the larger, ongoing study by Bogue et al. (2009) on accountability:

· What differences and similarities exist among corporate, political, and academic stakeholders on the issues of collegiate mission and issues of accountability definition and evidence?

· What are the most important steps that institutions of higher education can take …

Motivation To Pursue Higher Education, David W. Knutsen

Ed.D. Dissertations

Non-traditional college students now comprise an ever increasing portion of the overall number of college students but little is known about the factors that motivate one to pursue higher education. The purpose of this study was to explore the motivating factors, both extrinsic and intrinsic, that lead U.S. workers to pursue higher education. This research was conducted using 200 students of Robert Morris University and the data were collected using a survey instrument that measures the extent to which various factors influenced one’s motivation to pursue higher education. Analysis of the data revealed that overall the most important extrinsic factor …

Effectiveness Of Online Learning Program: A Case Study Of A Higher Education Institution, Hongjiang Xu, Omamerhi Ebojoh

Hongjiang Xu

Online learning has become a popular tool in addition to traditional learning methods. This study emphasizes on how assessment and delivery methods employed can influence the effectiveness of online program, as well as the benefits and constrains experienced in e-learning. The research project was conducted at a Higher Educational Institution for a period of three months. A case study methodology was employed to investigate the opinions and experiences of faculty and students involved in online programs. Various factors that affect the effectiveness of online programs were studied in order to provide insights on the major challenges, benefits and limitations faced. …

Scholarship In Action: Remapping Higher Education, Nancy Cantor

Chancellor's Collection

I‘m very happy to be invited to speak with you on this beautiful campus at a time of year when all things seem possible. Warmer days and graduation are just ahead, and the air is full of promise. It‘s a good moment to applaud the Wellesley ―Women Who Will‖ make a difference in the world. It‘s also a chance to consider how our institutions themselves---Wellesley College and Syracuse University---can make a difference, because all colleges and universities---public or private, large or small, urban or rural---have a mandate to be a public good.

Redemptive Leadership, C. William Pollard

C. William Pollard Papers

Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary hosted its "Salting the Workplace - How?" seminar in 2011. For his speech at the workshop, Pollard chose the topic of redemptive leadership, which he understands as being fundamentally concerned with the development of the human person. This type of leadership can never be divorced from the ultimate questions, i.e. those pertaining to God and faith.

The Virtue Of Profit (Boston), C. William Pollard

C. William Pollard Papers

Speaking at a ministry conference hosted by Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary (Boston, MA), Pollard contends that profit can be considered virtuous when it allows servant leaders to invest in employees, thereby contributing to the moral and spiritual formation of human beings.

Giving Voice To Student And Alumnae Opposition During The Transition To Coeducation By A College For Women, Rebecca Grandstaff Clarke

Theses and Dissertations

GIVING VOICE TO STUDENT AND ALUMNAE OPPOSITION DURING THE TRANSITION TO COEDUCTION BY A COLLEGE FOR WOMEN By Rebecca Jean Grandstaff Clarke, Ph.D. A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at Virginia Commonwealth University. Virginia Commonwealth University, 2011. Co-Director: Mary Hermann, J.D., Ph.D. Associate Professor, Department of Counselor Education School of Education Co-Director: Teresa J. Carter, Ed.D. Assistant Professor and Adult Learning Program Coordinator, Teaching and Learning Department School of Education This dissertation provides insight into students‘ and alumnae‘s experiences during the transition and legal proceedings as their former college for …

Catapulting The Walls Of Higher Education, John R. Kilbourne

John R. Kilbourne

As we move further into the twenty-first century administrators and faculty members of colleges and universities must rethink their approach to valuing and sharing the research and scholarship that is created at their respective institutions. The fences and walls must not only be catapulted over, they must be removed. The fences and walls can be removed by valuing research and scholarship when it is presented via the popular press and, by teaching faculty members the steps they can take to move their research and scholarship to a wider audience. Our collective well-being can only be enhanced by such movement.

Incorporating Accreditation Into Strategic Planning In Academic Libraries: A Look At Nine Libraries In Washington State, Daniel Canncasciato

Library Scholarship

Accreditation for universities and colleges is a milestone achievement. Failing an accreditation review can have a dire impact on an institution. A successful accreditation process should be a major goal of all involved at the institution, as it brings with it a validation of that institution. The academic library is included in accreditation reviews, so library personnel should plan to succeed in the process. The purpose of this article is to investigate whether such planning is evident or explicit in the mission and planning documents of nine academic libraries in Washington State.

“Illegal” Alien Or “Latina” Alien: Latina-Based Sorority Members’ Perception And Expectations Of Anti-Immigration Law, Tegra M. Straight

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The purpose of this study is to determine the perceptions that Latina-based sorority members have on anti-immigration law. Specifically, this study addresses what changes to experience Latina-based sorority members anticipate, their perceptions on anti-immigration law, as well as what they think the university’s response should be to such initiatives. Interviews with five Latina-based sorority members, four undergraduate and one graduate, served as the primary form of data. Interviews centered on Latina-based sorority members’ perception of Legislative Bill 1070 from Arizona and Ordinance No. 5165 from Fremont Nebraska.

The findings indicate that Latina-based sorority members perceived anti-immigration law to be anti-Latino …

“One Nation, Indivisible”: The Value Of Diversity In Higher Education, Nancy Cantor

Chancellor's Collection

For many of us, certainly for me, it seems particularly appropriate to be reflecting today on the value of diversity in higher education from a podium at the University of Michigan. This is a place where many of us crafted a defense of diversity as a critical element of educational excellence in the Supreme Court cases of Gratz and Grutter. The State of Michigan is also a place that has now turned its legislative back on affirmative action to achieve diversity in higher education. Indeed, with the passage of Proposal 2, the State of Michigan joined with many other …

Investors, Not Donors, C. William Pollard

C. William Pollard Papers

This speech was delivered at the Council of Christian Colleges and Universities Conference on Marco Island, FL, in 2011. In it Pollard encourages Christian institutions of higher education to consider donors as stewards investing in the long-term well-being of these organizations.

Atlas Program Profile Analysis Framework Data From: Adult Transitions Longitudinal Study, Laura Gluck

Master's Capstone Projects

This paper explores the theoretical basis and past research exploring what helps adults to learn effectively in the Adult Basic Education (ABE) setting. Information on eleven ABE-to-college transition programs was compiled through the Adult Transitions Longitudinal Study (ATLAS) data collection. Statistical analyses of the resulting program-level variables were conducted to examine their effect on transition course participants’ college outcomes. Four of the twelve variables analyzed were found to significantly impact the likelihood of participants enrolling in college and successfully earning at least three credits: 1) whether the program uses grades versus pass/fail marks; 2) whether the program has a documented …

Winning The Values Debate And The Future Of Higher Education, Eric Bain-Selbo

Eric Bain-Selbo

No abstract provided.

Values Education And The Future Of Our Colleges And Universities, Eric Bain-Selbo

Eric Bain-Selbo

No abstract provided.

A Cultural-Historical Activity Theory Analysis Of Factors Affecting Technology Adoption By Higher Education Program Faculty, Rolando Jose Marquez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background: Researchers have revealed that among the reasons provided as barriers to the adoption of technology are: lack of technology resources, time, professional development and support (National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education, 1997; Parker, 1996; Sheldon & Jones, 1996; Sheldon & Jones, 1996; NCATE, 1997; Shelly, Gunter & Gunter, 2010, U.S. Congress, 1995). Several models used to explain the usage of technology within education such as the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) have been somewhat ineffective in explaining or providing a holistic view of the factors that come into play when examining technology infusion and diffusion as they …

Benchmarks For Transition: Do St. Louis High Schools Promote Graduates That Can Make The Transition To Higher Education?, Kevin Harrman

Master's Theses

Are St. Louis area high schools designed to create graduates that are prepared to enter schools of higher education, or are their graduation requirements structured such that graduates even qualify for entrance to higher education institutions? This study is geared towards answering this question and will do so by comparing two lines of inquiry. First this study will analyze four sets of three randomly picked area high schools (three sets designated by per capita income and one set of private catholic schools). Information will be gathered concerning graduation requirements and how many Advanced Placement and/or International Baccalaureate courses are available. …

Examining The African American Male Undergraduate Students' Perceptions Of Barriers And Factors For Success, Christopher James Hogan

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research study was to examine the barriers African American males face in higher education and the factors that promote academic success. This study focused on African American males who attended a large Midwestern public university.Their perceptions were collected through multiple interviews. The interviews were transcribed and coded for themes. In examining the perceptions of African American males it was found that the barriers they face (academic preparedness, transition into the instructional environment and identity development) and the factors that promote academic success (peer group influence, student involvement and mentoring relationships) at the research institution are similar …

Developing Strategies At The Pre-Service Level To Address Critical Teacher Attraction And Retention Issues In Australian Rural, Regional And Remote Schools, Sue Trinidad, Elaine Sharplin, Graeme Lock, Sue Ledger, Don Boyd, Emmy Terry

Research outputs 2011

This ALTC project is a collaborative endeavour between the four public universities involved in teacher education in Western Australia (Curtin University, Edith Cowan University, Murdoch University and The University of Western Australia), focussed on improving the quality of preparation of pre-service teachers for rural, regional and remote appointments. The project, building on the work of other recent Australian rural education research projects (conducted through the ARC funded Renewing Rural Teacher Education: Sustaining Schooling for Sustainable Futures [TERRAnova] and the Renewing Rural and Regional Teacher Education ALTC Curriculum projects), will create a nexus between the theory and practice of teaching and …

Factors That Shape The Crisis Management Styles Of Former And Current Senior Level Student Affairs Administrators At The University Of Mississippi, Shannon Baker Richardson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Campus crisis intervention and management are hot topics among student affairs professionals and the world of higher education. Policies and protocols surrounding crisis preparation and response have received much publicity through research studies and peer-reviearticles. However, little material has been published regarding the factors that contribute to the crisis management styles of student affairs administrators—leaders that are on the front lines when a crisis occurs. This dissertation is a phenomenological study of seven past and present senior-level student affairs administrators at The University of Mississippi. These seven administrators were intervieand asked questions about their crisis experiences, crisis training, institutional culture, …

Perceptions On Collaborative Learning: A Case Study Of Female Community College Instructors, Marilyn Christine Armstrong

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In the 1980s, academic assessments called for "the ability of individuals and groups to talk, listen judge, and act on issues of common interest" (Morse, 1989, p. 30). More recently, corporate research findings, Are They Ready to Work? Employers' Perspectives on the Basic Knowledge and Applied Skills of New Entrants to the 21st Century U.S. Workforce (The Conference Board, Inc., Partnership for 21st Century Skills, The Corporate Voices for Working Families, & Society for Human Resource Management, 2006), report the workplace is seeking college graduates with skill in collaboration (e.g. build diverse relationships, negotiate, manage conflict). While the interest in …

A National Survey Of Instructional Strategies Used To Teach Information Systems Courses: An Exploratory Investigation, Yenni Merlin Djajalaksana

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Many universities and colleges have placed increased emphasis on teaching excellence in higher education. Efforts to promote teaching excellence vary from the development of alternative new pedagogies as well as research exploring strategies to improve existing teaching practices. Logically, different disciplines employ different instructional strategies to prepare their graduates with specific skills, knowledge, and attitudes. This study examined the instructional strategies used most frequently in the information systems discipline and was inspired by Shulman's (2005) concept of signature pedagogies - the unique but pervasive ways of teaching within a discipline or profession.

This dissertation reports a national survey of instructional …

Negotiating Social Mobility And Critical Citizenship: Institutions At A Crossroads, Michelle D. Deardorff, Angela Mae Kupenda

Journal Articles

A Black law professor who teaches at a predominantly White law school and a White public law professor who teaches at a historically Black university in the same southern, urban community are co-authors of this Article. Here, in this piece, we explore the tension between the goals of our institutions and many other institutions to improve the socioeconomic status of our students with our personal goals of preparing students to challenge societal injustice and to be critical citizens who are willing to challenge a government that engages in abusive actions or is exploitative of its citizenry.

Persisting To Graduation: A Grounded Theory Exploration Of Nontraditional Undergraduate Women's Enrollment, Danielle Ferioli Sulick

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

While women maintain a numerical majority in undergraduate college enrollments and degrees earned, they also represent the numerical majority among students over 29 years old, students of color, students who are in the lowest income category, students who are single parents, and students who attend college part-time (Peter & Horn, 2005; Planty, et al., 2008). The National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES) has identified seven characteristics that place students at risk of not completing an undergraduate degree; (a) delayed enrollment between high school and college, (b) part-time enrollment, (c) financial independence, (d) students with dependents, (e) students who are single …

Do Methods Matter In Global Leadership Development? A Mixed-Methods Study Of A U.S.-Based International Mba Program, Jennie L. Walker

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As world communication, technology, and trade become increasingly integrated through globalization, multinational corporations seek employees with global leadership experience and skills. However, the demand for these skills currently outweighs the supply. Given the rarity of globally ready leaders, global competency development should be emphasized in higher education programs. The reality, however, is that university graduate programs are often outdated and focus mostly on cognitive learning. Global leadership competence requires moving beyond the cognitive domain of learning to create socially responsible and culturally connected global leaders. This requires attention to development methods; however, limited research in global leadership development methods has …

Successful African American Community College Students Perceptions On Sense Of Belonging In Three California Community College Districts, Nicole Yvette Wise

Doctoral Dissertations

Roach (2009) indicates that "only 31 percent of public community college students go on to complete either an associate or bachelor's degree in six years" according to U.S. Education Department data (p. 14). In California the gap is even wider and the statistics more scarce for students of color. Whereas only 15 percent of African American students compared, to 26 percent of white students, complete their degree in six years of enrolling in a California Community College (Roach, 2009, p. 14). College retention as it pertains to success is a challenging issue in the United States, and the California Community …