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College Radio As A Mechanism For Participatory Learning: Exploring The Scope For Online Radio Based Learning Among Undergraduates, Naveen Mishra, Bahaeldin Ibrahim Oct 2011

College Radio As A Mechanism For Participatory Learning: Exploring The Scope For Online Radio Based Learning Among Undergraduates, Naveen Mishra, Bahaeldin Ibrahim

Higher Learning Research Communications

This paper explores the prospects of online college radio at Sur College of Applied Sciences, its need among students and the possible scope of its contributions to student learning, engagement and community service. It explores the method of developing a holistic mechanism to capture the possibilities of maximizing learning experience by employing college radio as an educational tool to understand the micro-dynamics and localized necessities that deem it necessary or unnecessary. Through this, it attempts to locate an appropriate mechanism, and targeted use of the college radio in contributing to the learning outcomes and educational experience of the students. The …

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The Relationship Between Listening Proficiency And Speaking Improvement In Higher Education: Considerations In Assessing Speaking And Listening, Erickzon Dany Astorga Oct 2011

The Relationship Between Listening Proficiency And Speaking Improvement In Higher Education: Considerations In Assessing Speaking And Listening, Erickzon Dany Astorga

Higher Learning Research Communications

This study examines the outcomes of having recourse to listening skills as support to improve oral skills in English language teaching. In this context, data from 120 students at a specific higher education institution was analyzed; 60 of whom were provided with totally listening-focused instruction and activities, while a separate group of 60 students receiving normal institutional English teaching. A comparative analysis of pre- and post-test rubric labels and scores indicated a close link between listening proficiency and a slight improvement in functional and interactive oral sub-skills. The results of this study have implications for defining the foundations of future …

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Competence-Based Profile Of Undergraduate Students In Madrid’S Universities: Differences In Terms Of The Gender And Age, Oscar García, Sara Redondo, Gema Santiago, Francisco López, Ana Cruz Oct 2011

Competence-Based Profile Of Undergraduate Students In Madrid’S Universities: Differences In Terms Of The Gender And Age, Oscar García, Sara Redondo, Gema Santiago, Francisco López, Ana Cruz

Higher Learning Research Communications

The aim of this study is to corroborate whether the development of academic excellence is affected by the gender and age of students. A sample of 364 students from different universities in the Community of Madrid were administered COMPEUEM, a test that assesses the extent to which students possess eight academic competencies: communication, leadership, team work, adaptation to the changes, initiative, problem solving, decision making, organization, and planning. All students took the test on site, in the classrooms of the participating universities. The results show that older subjects score higher in the acquisition of skills than younger ones. On the …

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An Institutional Approach To Developing A Culture Of Student Persistence, Gary J Burkholder, Jim Lenio, Nicole Holland, Rebecca Jobe, Alan Seidman, Diane Seidman Neal, Jimmy Seidman Middlebrook Oct 2011

An Institutional Approach To Developing A Culture Of Student Persistence, Gary J Burkholder, Jim Lenio, Nicole Holland, Rebecca Jobe, Alan Seidman, Diane Seidman Neal, Jimmy Seidman Middlebrook

Higher Learning Research Communications

There continues to be increasing focus on college student retention and persistence. This focus is coming from the United States federal government, accrediting organizations, and from students, parents, and the public. Given the spiraling costs of education and the fact that retention rates have not improved over time, various stakeholders are concerned about the value of a higher education credential. The purpose of this manuscript is to describe the efforts of a for-profit, distance education institution to focus its resources, in an evidence-based manner, on retention and to develop a culture of retention and persistence throughout the institution. The literature …

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Motivation And Career-Development Training Programs: Use Of Regulatory Focus To Determine Program Effectiveness, Peter John Anthony, Jeffrey Weide Oct 2011

Motivation And Career-Development Training Programs: Use Of Regulatory Focus To Determine Program Effectiveness, Peter John Anthony, Jeffrey Weide

Higher Learning Research Communications

The purpose of this study was to focus on the relationship between career-development training programs and the motivation of employees. The study used a qualitative method and a phenomenological design using semistructured interviews conducted with a script of open-ended questions. Two main components of the research design were the modified van Kaam method for exploration of experiences and the purposive selection of the participants. The 20 participants in the sample were project managers and consultants from south-central Texas, all of whom had experience with governmental projects. Based on interview responses, the findings of this study highlighted a concern from the …

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Undergraduate Students’ Perceptions Of Their Advisors: Sociocommunicative Style And Perceptions Of Relational Satisfaction, Narissra Punyanunt-Carter, Stacy Carter Oct 2011

Undergraduate Students’ Perceptions Of Their Advisors: Sociocommunicative Style And Perceptions Of Relational Satisfaction, Narissra Punyanunt-Carter, Stacy Carter

Higher Learning Research Communications

This study examined the specific interpersonal communication styles and behaviors of advisors and the expectations they have on their advisee’s level of satisfaction, as well as what characteristics lead to higher relational satisfaction in the advisor-advisee relationship. A combination of convenience and snowball sampling were utilized to obtain participants for this study. Three hundred and ninety-seven college students voluntarily completed a survey on their current advisor. The instruments used relied on the Sociocommunicative Style Scale created by Richmond and McCroskey (1985), and on the Relational Satisfaction Scale created by Beatty and Dobos (1992). Results revealed that there is a significant …

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Perceived Self-Efficacy Of Licensed Counselors To Provide Substance Abuse Counseling, Nichelle Chandler, Michelle Perepiczka, Richard S. Balken Oct 2011

Perceived Self-Efficacy Of Licensed Counselors To Provide Substance Abuse Counseling, Nichelle Chandler, Michelle Perepiczka, Richard S. Balken

Walden Faculty and Staff Publications

This nationwide, quantitative study documented licensed counselors' perceived self-efficacy of adequately providing substance abuse services. Despite their lack of substance abuse training, counselors were highly confident in their ability to provide quality substance abuse services. Counselor training implications are discussed.

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Using Eportfolios To Encourage Responsible Feedback, Lucia Morales, Amparo Soler Dominguez Sep 2011

Using Eportfolios To Encourage Responsible Feedback, Lucia Morales, Amparo Soler Dominguez

Higher Learning Research Communications

This article aims to look at the value that ePortfolios can add to business studies, specifically in the financial field. In order to answer the question, Do ePortfolios contribute to the development and enhancement of responsible feedback in the classroom?, the study analyzed the work done by postgraduate students pursuing a Master’s degree in finance. A total of 151 ePortfolios were reviewed and analyzed, and a selection of comments from students is presented in order to support the main findings of the literature review. The authors considered this approach to be appropriate in order to offer an objective analysis on …

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Students' Gender Bias In Teaching Evaluations, Narissra Punyanunt-Carter, Stacy L Carter Sep 2011

Students' Gender Bias In Teaching Evaluations, Narissra Punyanunt-Carter, Stacy L Carter

Higher Learning Research Communications

The goal of this study was to investigate if there is gender bias in student evaluations. Researchers administered a modified version of the teacher evaluation forms to 58 students (male=30; female=28) in a basic introductory communications class. Half the class was instructed to fill out the survey about a male professor, and the other half a female professor. Researchers broke down the evaluation results question by question in order to give a detailed account of the findings. Results revealed that there is certainly some gender bias at work when students evaluate their instructors. It was also found that gender bias …

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Linguistic Outcomes Of English Medium Instruction Programmes In Higher Education: A Study On Economics Undergraduates At A Catalan University, Jennifer Rose Ament, Carmen Pérez-Vidal Sep 2011

Linguistic Outcomes Of English Medium Instruction Programmes In Higher Education: A Study On Economics Undergraduates At A Catalan University, Jennifer Rose Ament, Carmen Pérez-Vidal

Higher Learning Research Communications

Globalisation and international mobility in the 21st century has led to the internationalisation of the English language (Crystal, 2003). Research regarding linguistic gains at university levels is however extremely scarce. This study aims to address this gap of knowledge and provide some answers as to how much linguistic gain can be expected after one year of English medium instruction. Two groups of undergraduate students enrolled in different levels of English medium instruction (EMI) were given a pre and post-test over a 1 year period. Results were analysed statistically; significant gains were found only in the semi- immersion group in the …

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Realizing Internationalization At Home Through English-Medium Courses At A Japanese University: Strategies To Maximize Student Learning, Yukiko Ishikura Sep 2011

Realizing Internationalization At Home Through English-Medium Courses At A Japanese University: Strategies To Maximize Student Learning, Yukiko Ishikura

Higher Learning Research Communications

In 2009, the Japanese government launched the Global 30 (G30) Project, a new initiative to internationalize universities. Selected universities had to create English-medium degree programs at undergraduate level in order to stimulate “internationalization at home.” The G30 Project represented a major shift in the focus of internationalization efforts from quantitative to qualitative outcomes. Using a case study approach, this paper investigates one G30 program and the attempts made to open up English-medium course offerings to the wider student body. It explores two related issues: level setting and student attrition. A mixed methods approach was used with data gathered from students …

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Making The Match Between Content And Foreign Language: A Case Study On University Students’ Opinions Towards Clil, M. Teresa Martín De Lama Sep 2011

Making The Match Between Content And Foreign Language: A Case Study On University Students’ Opinions Towards Clil, M. Teresa Martín De Lama

Higher Learning Research Communications

The present article intends to show the positive evaluation of post-graduate university students at a Spanish university after the curricular integration experience and the application of CLIL scaffolding techniques. It also aims to identify areas of methodological improvements and recommendations in the application of CLIL in the referred programme as well as in higher education contexts. The researchers used a cross-sectional study to survey the students’ opinion on ICL after the integration of the syllabus of one foreign language subject and another content subject in a post-graduate degree at a private Spanish university in Madrid (Spain). The results point to …

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Faculty Perspective On Competency Development In Higher Education: An International Study, Paloma Julia Velasco, Begoña Learreta, Claudia Kober, Irene Tan Sep 2011

Faculty Perspective On Competency Development In Higher Education: An International Study, Paloma Julia Velasco, Begoña Learreta, Claudia Kober, Irene Tan

Higher Learning Research Communications

The purpose of this research is to establish common ground on how faculty development should be instituted and the needs it should address on an international level, with its major focus being the development of competencies. A survey was developed and distributed to a sample of 764 university teaching professionals. Results show that 90% find that it is either important or very important to develop competencies in higher education, and that 73% find they are well or very well trained in developing and assessing competencies, particularly with regard to applying theoretical knowledge in practice, teamwork, and oral and written communication …

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Instructional Design And Facilitation Approaches That Promote Critical Thinking In Asynchronous Online Discussions: A Review Of The Literature, Laura A. Schindler, Gary J. Burkholder Sep 2011

Instructional Design And Facilitation Approaches That Promote Critical Thinking In Asynchronous Online Discussions: A Review Of The Literature, Laura A. Schindler, Gary J. Burkholder

Higher Learning Research Communications

Asynchronous online discussions (AODs) are often used to promote critical thinking in online courses; however, recent research suggests that levels of critical thinking in discussions remain low. Furthermore, there is a lack of consensus in the literature about the definition of critical thinking and many of the existing studies focus on one specific cognitive construct. Therefore, it is unknown which instructional approaches have the strongest empirical support for promoting critical thinking across multiple cognitive constructs. The purpose of this article is to present a review of the literature related to instructional design and facilitation approaches that promote critical thinking in …

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Enhancing Faculty Performance Through Coaching: Targeted, Individualized Support, Laurie Bedford, Melissa Mcdowell, Lyda Ditommaso Downs Sep 2011

Enhancing Faculty Performance Through Coaching: Targeted, Individualized Support, Laurie Bedford, Melissa Mcdowell, Lyda Ditommaso Downs

Higher Learning Research Communications

Coaching in higher education is a relatively new field; although, it has been taking place in educational institutions for some time, even if it was not labeled as such. This paper describes the faculty development filosophies of a US-based higher education institution with a strong culture of supporting faculty and promoting social change. A coaching model was implemented as a means for professional development. It was designed to be facilitated through a peer relationship and it offers problem-focused, contextualized opportunities for faculty to collaborate, thus making the experience and outcome more meaningful. The coaching model is individualized, confidential, non-evaluative, and …

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Motivational Issues Of Faculty In Saudi Arabia, Peter John Anthony, Akram Abdulcader Sep 2011

Motivational Issues Of Faculty In Saudi Arabia, Peter John Anthony, Akram Abdulcader

Higher Learning Research Communications

This study focused on the factors that affect motivation of faculty in Saudi Arabia. It included two surveys and open-ended queries to a focus group of five academic managers and 25 faculty members of varying nationalities, rank, and institutes in Saudi Arabia. The research showed that the faculties in Saudi Arabia’s higher education industry feel disconnected from the program development. The faculty members did not feel motivated to participate in the development and improvement of the academic program due to: (a) lack of monetary and non-monetary incentives, (b) management not involving faculty in decision-making, and (c) lack of recognition and …

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Communicative Differences Between Domestic And Foreign Instructors, Narissra Punyanunt-Carter, Jason Wrench, Stacy L Carter, Daniel Linden Sep 2011

Communicative Differences Between Domestic And Foreign Instructors, Narissra Punyanunt-Carter, Jason Wrench, Stacy L Carter, Daniel Linden

Higher Learning Research Communications

The objective of this study was to investigate college students’ perceptions of their foreign and domestic classroom instructors. Two hundred and eleven college students participated in the study. The potential participants were approached and offered extra credit to participate, and all needed to have at least one domestic instructor and one international instructor during the semester of the research study. Participants filled out a series of measures first examining their personal levels of individualism/collectivism and ethnocentrism, followed by a set of questions related to the participants’ perceptions of their international instructor and then about their domestic instructor. To ensure that …

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Blended Language Learning: An Effective Solution But Not Without Its Challenges, Christopher Johnson, Debra Marsh Sep 2011

Blended Language Learning: An Effective Solution But Not Without Its Challenges, Christopher Johnson, Debra Marsh

Higher Learning Research Communications

The study discussed in this investigation is part of a larger collaborative initiative between Laureate Education and Cambridge University Press (LEP-CUP collaboration). This second phase of the research, completed in 2013, aimed to further explore the conclusions from phase 1 and set out to identify effective and appropriate best practice blended learning models within the network. A study was set up with 36 teachers, all experienced ELT teachers with differing levels of experience in blended language teaching, who took part in extended focus groups discussions sessions prompted by a series of questions. Responses from these groups of teachers indicated that …

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Comparing Student Perceptions Of The Classroom Climate Created By U.S. American And International Teaching Assistants, Kevin R. Meyer, Yuping Mao Sep 2011

Comparing Student Perceptions Of The Classroom Climate Created By U.S. American And International Teaching Assistants, Kevin R. Meyer, Yuping Mao

Higher Learning Research Communications

Previous studies have revealed that American undergraduate students complain about International Teaching Assistants’ (ITAs) lack of English proficiency and rate ITAs lower than American Teaching Assistants (ATAs) on teaching evaluations. This study investigates student perceptions of classroom climate to discover how ITAs might overcome students’ ethnocentric preconceptions. Survey results from 485 undergraduate students found that student perceptions of classroom climate differed significantly with ITAs as compared to ATAs. Student perceptions of classroom climate also differed significantly by the biological sex of the student. The biological sex of the TA did not have a significant impact on student perceptions of classroom …

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The International Baccalaureate (Ib) Programme: An International Gateway To Higher Education And Beyond, Susan E. Saxton, Ian Hill Sep 2011

The International Baccalaureate (Ib) Programme: An International Gateway To Higher Education And Beyond, Susan E. Saxton, Ian Hill

Higher Learning Research Communications

The aim of this article is to present the International Baccalaureate (IB) Programme and briefly outline its core components, followed by a review of what authoritative reports identify as skills for the future, esteemed by universities and the job market. There is a striking match between these skills and IB outcomes; thus, DP graduates perform well in higher education and add to the reputation of those institutions. After a review of the literature, the authors found the IB Diploma Programme has been studied in many countries by both consultants and educational agencies, and also by a wide array of universities …

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Common Ground: Addressing Attrition Across Diverse Institutions In Higher Education, Rebecca L. Jobe, Jim Lenio Sep 2011

Common Ground: Addressing Attrition Across Diverse Institutions In Higher Education, Rebecca L. Jobe, Jim Lenio

Higher Learning Research Communications

Student attrition is an ongoing concern in American higher education, where institutions are being increasingly held accountable for the success of the students they admit. While differences across diverse institutions exist, research suggests that there are many similarities regarding issues related to student persistence and success. In fact, this common ground presents an opportunity for common solutions. The variety of higher education institutions utilizing knowledge gained through institutional initiatives continues to identify new, better ways of serving students. This article sheds light on the known differences between institution types while recognizing the common goals of improving student persistence. The article …

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Best Practices In Doctoral Retention: Mentoring, Judie L. Brill, Karen K. Balcanoff, Denise Land, Maurice Gogarty, Freda Turner Sep 2011

Best Practices In Doctoral Retention: Mentoring, Judie L. Brill, Karen K. Balcanoff, Denise Land, Maurice Gogarty, Freda Turner

Higher Learning Research Communications

The aim of this critical literature review is to outline best practices in doctoral retention and the successful approach of one university to improve graduation success by providing effective mentorship for faculty and students alike. The focus of this literature review is on distance learning relationships between faculty and doctoral students, regarding retention, persistence, and mentoring models. Key phrases and words used in the search and focusing on mentoring resulted in over 20,000 sources. The search was narrowed to include only doctoral study and mentoring. Research questions of interest were: Why do high attrition rates exist for doctoral students? What …

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Research Skills Development In Higher Education Students, Tiziana Priede Bergamini, Cristina López-Cózar Navarro Aug 2011

Research Skills Development In Higher Education Students, Tiziana Priede Bergamini, Cristina López-Cózar Navarro

Higher Learning Research Communications

This case study presents the development of a research project in a third-year undergraduate course, Family Business Administration. The research project aimed at promoting research skills in students. The authors formed working groups of no more than six students, and each group had to select an original research topic after conducting a literature review. Students were guided by the teachers and provided with initial reading materials, as well as an activity rubric specifying the minimum requirements of a scientific paper. The activity evaluation consisted of two parts, a written article (group assessment) and an oral presentation (individual assessment). After the …

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Engaging Disenfranchised Urban Youth In Science Learning, Luis Alberto D'Elia, Diane Wishart Aug 2011

Engaging Disenfranchised Urban Youth In Science Learning, Luis Alberto D'Elia, Diane Wishart

Higher Learning Research Communications

The purpose of this work was to elicit the perceptions of science educators regarding enhancing opportunities to retain disenfranchised students in secondary schools. The article shows selective international perspectives on how teachers, university professors, and researchers in teacher education programs strive to support school completion for disenfranchised students. Interviews were conducted in Canada and Spain. Selective sampling was used in order to focus interviews on individuals with particular expertise on the topic and individuals who work in cooperation with colleagues engaged in similar work. Anecdotes, comments, and opinions from the interviews support the basic contentions in the article. The authors …

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E-Learning For Expanding Distance Education In Tertiary Level In Bangladesh: Problems And Progress, Md. Abdullah Al-Masum, Saiful Islam Chowdhury Aug 2011

E-Learning For Expanding Distance Education In Tertiary Level In Bangladesh: Problems And Progress, Md. Abdullah Al-Masum, Saiful Islam Chowdhury

Higher Learning Research Communications

E-learning has broadly become an important enabler to promote distance education (DE) and lifelong learning in most of the developed countries, but in Bangladesh it is still a new successful progressive system for the learning communities. Distance education is thought to be introduced as an effective way of educating people of all sections in Bangladesh. Bangladesh Open University (BOU), the only distance education provider in Bangladesh, has been trying to adopt the use of various e-learning materials for its distance delivery. This paper has tried to describe the current progress of quality e-learning for expanding distance education, identifying the major …

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The Use Of Internet-Based Social Media As A Tool In Enhancing Student’S Learning Experiences In Biological Sciences, Maribel Beltran Cruz, Shannen Belle B. Cruz Aug 2011

The Use Of Internet-Based Social Media As A Tool In Enhancing Student’S Learning Experiences In Biological Sciences, Maribel Beltran Cruz, Shannen Belle B. Cruz

Higher Learning Research Communications

This study explored the use of social media as a tool in enhancing student’s learning experiences, by using online instruction as a supplement to a face-to-face general education course, such as biological sciences. Survey data were collected from 186 students who were enrolled in a Biological Sciences course. The course was taught in a blended format using Facebook and Edmodo online social networks. A four point Likert scale was used to interpret the data collected. Findings indicated that, when traditional face-to-face instruction was combined with online components, students’ learning was enhanced. Findings from this study indicate that students had better …

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Reasons To Rethink The Use Of Audio And Video Lectures In Online Courses, Thomas A. Stetz, Antonina A. Bauman Aug 2011

Reasons To Rethink The Use Of Audio And Video Lectures In Online Courses, Thomas A. Stetz, Antonina A. Bauman

Higher Learning Research Communications

Recent technological developments allow any instructor to create audio and video lectures for the use in online classes. However, it is questionable if it is worth the time and effort that faculty put into preparing those lectures. This paper presents thirteen factors that should be considered before preparing and using audio and video lectures in online classes. In addition, recommendations for when and how to use lectures in online classes are presented. DOI: 10.18870/hlrc.v3i4.168

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Students’ Perception Of Diversity In An International Classroom, Loïse Jeannin Aug 2011

Students’ Perception Of Diversity In An International Classroom, Loïse Jeannin

Higher Learning Research Communications

This paper presents students’ perception of diversity in an international classroom in one international university in Thailand. The aim of this exploratory study is to better understand students’ perception of diversity to better meet their learning needs. By conducting a survey among students enrolled in bachelor’s and master’s international programs, this study explores how students perceive their classmates’ diversity, such as, but not limited to, cultural, language, and knowledge differences. How does diversity affect students’ learning in an international setting? What kind of diversity is the most disturbing for learners? Some recommendations grounded in the conceptual framework of cultural responsive …

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Editorial, The Editors Aug 2011

Editorial, The Editors

Higher Learning Research Communications

In this issue of Higher Learning Research Communications (HLRC), our guest author, Dr. Ned Strong, explains why Harvard University opened the David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies in Santiago, Chile and how this center contributes positively to Harvard’s goal for international engagement. Strong illustrates how the center has established collaborations with universities and other organizations in the region (which includes Argentina, Chile, Bolivia, Peru, and Uruguay) expanding academic and research opportunities for faculty and students through the establishment of programs and funding opportunities.Also, in this issue, we have the great pleasure of introducing research conducted by international faculty, university …

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The Relationship Between Psychological Well-Being And Perceived Wellness In Graduate-Level Counseling Students, Magy Martin, Michel Harris, Don Martin Aug 2011

The Relationship Between Psychological Well-Being And Perceived Wellness In Graduate-Level Counseling Students, Magy Martin, Michel Harris, Don Martin

Higher Learning Research Communications

Research has established that individuals who provide personal therapy to others should have stable personal and professional lives, and possess a keen and accurate perception of wellness. Unfortunately, sometimes students pursuing careers in counseling and psychotherapy have unresolved psychological issues that, if unresolved, could later affect them in their professional lives. Thus, the purpose of the study was to understand psychological well-being and perceived wellness in a sample of graduate students (N = 97) preparing to become counselors in a CACREP-accredited counseling program at a state university in Pennsylvania. It measured the participants' psychological well- being by the Scales of …

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