Digital Commons Network^™

More Than Simply "Hanging Out": The Nature Of Participant Observation And Research Relationships, Julie Frances Simpson

Doctoral Dissertations

Participant observation is a research activity used in qualitative inquiry, particularly ethnography, where the aim is to understand the meanings and experiences of social actors. Researchers employing this activity take part in people's lives as a way of learning about them and their culture, and to gain understanding of social life processes. Often these activities in the field are referred to as "hanging out": that is, interacting with participants in an uncontrived fashion as they go about their daily lives.

Participation observation is multifaceted: participant observation is conducted within the framework of scientists' own and others' life worlds; participant observers …

Instructor Efficacy And Student Consumerism, Bethany Burge

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

Students who endorse the culture of student consumerism do not presume higher education to involve effort, challenge or negative evaluation, but rather expect to be given high grades for being tuition-payers and class attendees. I hypothesize that the interplay between students’ perceptions of teacher effectiveness and their individual pupil performance is influenced by student consumerism and reinforced to promote or dissuade student achievement. Depending on the degree to which the student endorses student consumerism, this interplay can also impact the actual grades the students earn.

Breaking The Rule Of Discipline In Interdisciplinarity: Redefining Professors, Students, And Staff As Faculty, Alison Cook-Sather, Elliott Shore

Education Program Faculty Research and Scholarship

In this article we attempt to complicate traditional--and, we argue, limited and exclusionary--definitions of interdisciplinarity as the bringing into dialogue of established disciplines without questioning the parameters and practices of those disciplines. We propose that interdisciplinarity instead might mean teaching and learning among, between, and in the midst of those of innate or learned capacities--not only college faculty but also students and staff. To illustrate this more radical iteration of interdisciplinarity, we draw on a range of definitions of the key terms, “discipline” and “faculty,” and we offer a case study of a workshop we co-facilitated in which we brought …

Play And Technology For Children Aged 4-12, Stella Downey, Noirin Hayes, Brian O'Neill

Reports

Research study commissioned by the Office of the Minister for Children, Government of Ireland, 2007.

Assessing The Multiple Disadvantages Of Mayan Girls: The Effects Of Gender, Ethnicity, Poverty, And Residence On Education In Guatemala, Kelly Hallman, Sara Peracca, Jennifer Catino, Marta Julia Ruiz

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

Although access to primary education in Guatemala has increased in recent years, particularly in rural areas, rates of primary-school completion and literacy for young people remain among the lowest in Latin America, and problems such as late entry, grade repetition, and early dropout persist. Adult literacy is estimated to be 85 percent in Latin America as a whole, compared with 70 percent in Guatemala. Although indigenous peoples in Latin America generally have less schooling than nonindigenous peoples, ethnic differences are greatest in Guatemala, where indigenous (Mayan) adults have less than half the level of schooling of nonindigenous (Ladino) adults. Recent …

Evaluación De Las Múltiples Desventajas De Las Niñas Mayas: Efectos Del Género, El Origen Étnico, La Pobreza Y El Lugar De Residencia Sobre La Educación En Guatemala, Kelly Hallman, Sara Peracca, Jennifer Catino, Marta Julia Ruiz

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

Aunque el acceso a la educación primaria en Guatemala se incrementó en los últimos años, especialmente en las áreas rurales, los índices de finalización de escuela primaria y de alfabetismo corespondeientes a personas jóvenes continúan estando entre los más bajos de Latinoamérica, y persisten otros problemas como el ingreso tardío, la repetición de cursos y el abandono temprano. Se estima que el índice de alfabetismo entre adultos es del 85 por ciento en Latinoamérica en general, comparado con sólo un 70 por ciento en Guatemala. Aunque los pueblos indígenas en Latinoamérica por lo general tienen menos escolaridad que los no …

The Diffusion Of Distance Learning Technologies: Its Perceived Effectiveness And Use Among Faculty And Instructors At Minority Serving Institutions, Faye M. Bradshaw

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to identify those key factors which influence the diffusion of distance learning technologies into teaching and learning activities at minority serving institutions. The type of research employed in this research was both descriptive and correlational. The research utilized a web-based survey ( Faculty Survey of Instructional Technology ). The survey consisted of four sub-scales: General Information, Perceived Attributes, Perceived Barriers, and Adopter Categories/Technology Proficiency. The results showed that there was a relationship between participant characteristics and perceived attributes and barriers which may mitigate the adoption and use of distance learning technologies. All results are …

The Effects Of Study Abroad Experience On Student Cognitive And Affective Outcomes Of College, Jennifer L. Graban

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Most educators agree that the global challenges of the 21 st century require that college students obtain anEducation with broad economic, cultural, and technological knowledge about the world and its people. Additionally, contemporary college students will require wide-ranging skills in critical thinking, analysis, problem solving, and communication for a successful future. One way that colleges and universities are meeting the challenge of educating global citizens is through study abroad programs. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a study abroad experience on student cognitive and affective learning. Using a mixed method design, this study investigated quantitatively …

A Psychoeducational Group Designed For The Social Supporters Of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Parents, Tara Jordan

Master's Theses and Capstones

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) claims 5,000 to 7,000 infant lives each year. The deaths undoubtedly cause a sense of guilt, depression and hopelessness among survivors; specifically the parents. Many people supporting SIDS parents tend to feel uncomfortable around them and thus avoid the grieving family altogether. Many SIDS parents state that while their friends and family are trying to be helpful and supportive, many of their attempts actually are hurtful. A psychoeducational group was developed for the social supporters of SIDS parents, allowing its members to become better equipped to help support the grieving parents and to give them …

The Influence Of Neighborhood, Family, School, And Student Dimensions Of Social Capital On Academic Achievement: An Integrated Theoretical Framework, Floy O. Scott

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Current federal education law places the responsibility of the academic achievement of students with schools while ignoring other social factors that might influence the educational outcomes of students. Students are part of a complex social system that both enable and constrain their development and behavior. If we are to look at ways to improve academic programs, it is imperative we examine the different social systems to which students are exposed, including neighborhood, family, peer groups, and educational systems, in order to understand their role in assessing school accountability efforts. This study uses an integrated framework of social disorganization theory and …

The Effects Of Concerted Cultivation On Academic Achievement, Jeremy Brandon Redford

Theses and Dissertations

Anne Lareau (2003) argues that parents' child-rearing practices have a profound effect on academic and later occupational success for children, even holding constant such important factors as gender, race and school effects. She says that social class impacts these child-rearing practices and that middle-class families use a specific type of practice called concerted cultivation. Concerted cultivation involves parents organizing children's daily activities, using reasoning skills in talking with children, and teaching them how to interact with the institutions around them. Using the National Education Longitudinal Study (NELS) of 1988, the current study tests the theoretical validity of concerted cultivation. Results …

Perceptions And Needs Of Rural Young People In The South-West Of Western Australia : Implications For Pedagogy, Rhonda Oliver, Lynelle Watts, Joan Strikwerda-Brown, David Hodgson, Marilyn Palmer

Research outputs pre 2011

The original purpose of this study was to investigate youth needs, specifically in the south western region (the 'South West') of Western Australia, and then to explore how these needs might be addressed in terms of current curriculum and teaching practices. The following research questions guided our investigation:

- What are the educational and occupational aspirations of young people from the South West of Western Australia?

- What do young people identify as influences on their educational and occupational aspirations and attainment?

As the data collection progressed, it was evident to all those involved that, whilst there were expressed needs, …

Athletic Classrooms: Attitudes Of Participants Toward The Developmental Value Of Athletics And The Evolution Of Interscholastic Sport In High Schools, Michael Lynn Blackburn

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the manner in which interscholastic athletics became a part of the extra-curricular offering of the schools and the political and social forces that impacted the implementation, as well as to provide the perceptions of athletic participants regarding theirEducational experience, personal character development and community impact. The research questions that guided this study where: (1) Would the development of interscholastic athletics in high schools display the fostering of beneficial lifelong attributes among participants, contribute positively to theEducational process and have a favorable impact on communities? (2) Would athletic participation help develop strong moral, …

Espoused Curriculum And Philosophy And Curriculum And Philosophy-In-Use In A K-12 Public Charter School System, Elizabeth G. Polito

Doctoral Dissertations

unavailable

Educating For Sustainability: Creating A Comprehensive, Coherent And Compelling Approach - Guidelines For Sustainability Standards And Resource Materials, Kevin Griffin

Reports / Surveys

In 2007, Fáilte Ireland's Environment Unit, in collaboration with the Education Policy Section,commissioned a review of sustainability content in tourism education and training programmes at NQAI levels 4-8 throughout the State with a view to recommending improvements where necessary.

The review, carried out on Fáilte Ireland's behalf by the Tourism Research Centre of the Technological University Dublin, was - in terms of breadth and depth - the first of its kind to be undertaken at a national level, not only in Ireland but in any of the other countries surveyed during the course of the review.

Life As A Student At An Independent Day School, Diana R. Torres

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study explores the interconnectedness of social class, education, and cultural capital. Considered academically elite, the independent school is be an ideal environment to find increased instances and opportunities for the acquisition and reproduction of elite, or "dominant" cultural capital. By implementing an ethnographic approach within an independent school setting, this study attempts to illuminate the student experience through adolescents' eyes. Past cultural capital studies focus on the relationship between cultural capital and academic achievement and/or social reproduction; instead, this study focuses on the everyday student experiences as they point to potential indicators of cultural capital. Results suggest that students' …

Role Theory And Caregiving Attributes In Adult Child Caregiver's Role Strain, Colleen M. Fairbanks

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examined caregiver strain in relation to caregiving demands from a role theory perspective. Goode (1960) introduced the concept of role strain, defined as felt difficulty in the fulfillment of role obligations. From this view, role strain is seen as a normal and even inevitable part of an individual's constant struggle to balance multiple obligations. Participants were 109 adults who currently provide care for a parent with Alzheimer's disease. Participants completed a questionnaire using the Internet that included the Global Role Strain Scale, the Revised Memory and Behavior Problems Checklist, the Mutuality Scale, the Role Demand Overload Scale, and …

The Professional Development Experiences Of African American Women: The Ace Fellows Program, Waltrina E. Defrantz-Dufor

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study focused on the experiences of five African American women senior administrators employed at five predominantly White institutions in the Midwest and the Northeast. There are few African American women in senior and chief executive administrative positions. These African American women were chosen as research subjects because they completed the American Council onEducation (ACE) Fellows Program and currently serve as senior and chief executive administrators of higherEducation institutions. The goals of this study were to explore how mentoring and leadership development, specifically the ACE Fellows program, impacted the careers of the African American women. Additionally, this study examined if, …

Perception Of Educational Experiences By At-Risk African-American Students In An Undergraduate Teacher Education Program, Sharman Pride-Mcrae

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore individual perceptions of African-American at-risk students in an undergraduate teacher education program, specifically continuing students or community college transfer students in a four-year urban university College of Education (COE) program. Specific areas of interest included: (a) demographic characteristics profiling the study participants; (b) emotional and motivational factors as they affected the students; and (c) the personal thoughts and effect of institutional and environmental variables and administrative factors. Ten females volunteered to participate in a semi-structured interview. The 22 semi-structured interview questions were developed by the researcher. The questions captured the individual personal …

Comparison Of Student Outcomes In Distance Learning Internships Versus Traditional Dietetic Internships, Lauri Y. Wright

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

One way in which higher education is responding to technology advances, demographics changes, and economic pressures is through the development of distance learning. Distance learning represents one of the most prominent trends in higher education today. Understanding the impact of this technologically driven change on student outcomes is unmistakably important. One example of this trend in higher education is the distance learning internship in dietetic training programs. The purpose of this study was to compare student outcomes in distance learning dietetic internships to student outcomes in traditional dietetic internships. The pass rate of the registration exam for dietitians, levels of …

International Education Week 2006

Diversity Programs

Lectures during International Education Week, November 2006.

A Decade Of Reflection: Early Childhood Care And Education In Ireland 1996-2006, Noirin Hayes, Siobhan Bradley

Conference Papers

You are welcome to the first seminar in a CSER series intended to consider aspects of early childhood education and care1 [ECEC] from a policy, research and practice perspective and promote discussion and debate. In this introduction to the seminar I want to outline some of the thinking behind the topic for today and present - with limited elaboration - a personal reflection to add to the discussion and debate. In choosing to reflect on the development and impact of early childhood education and care policy in Ireland it is no surprise that the decade 1996 - 2006 should act …

Many Hands Can Lift The Heaviest Of Burdens: A Guide And Resource Book To Assist In Teaching And Learning About Africa In The Unites States - Revised Version #1, Prexy Nesbitt

Rozell 'Prexy' Nesbitt Writings and Speeches

Prexy Nesbitt, a Chicago-based anti-apartheid activist and educator, authored this draft version of a book designed to assist in the teaching of Africa in the United States. 17 pages.

Undergraduate Catalog, 2006-2007, Anderson University - South Carolina

Catalogs

The 2006-2007 undergraduate academic catalog and introduction to the university.

Secondary Education Form B: Objectives And Requirements 09/15/2006, Curriculum Committee

Curriculum Committee Reports

No abstract provided.

Education Policy Analysis Archives 14/23 , Arizona State University, University Of South Florida

College of Education Publications

NCLB : local implementation and impact in southwest Washington state / Linda Mabry [and] Jason Margolis.

The Quality Movement Discourse In The Higher Education Sector: A General Review, Aidan Kenny

Articles

This paper – the first of a series of three – describes some of the macro milestones in the evolution of the Quality Movement in the industrial environment. The emphasis then shifts to reviewing the discourse relating to quality in the higher education sector in the UK. Attention is given to Quality Assessment, Quality Assurance and Quality Enhancement models. The interface or tension lines between quality as a controlling mechanism or as a tool for development are outlined. Predominant concerns and issues as expressed by academics are clustered into macro questions, the answers to which will require further longitudinal research.

Striving For Freedom: An Incarcerated Existence, Rosini R. Russell

Regis University Student Publications (comprehensive collection)

Presented in this project is a detailed study of the effects of long term incarceration on inmates and society. This researcher examined the life of a fictitious inmate, through the form of a novella, as he endured long term incarceration. His innermost thoughts and feelings shed light into the criminal lifestyle through the careful examination of his experiences related to: (a) childhood, (b) family dysfunction, (c) socioeconomic status, (c) peer relations, and (d) education. The purpose of long term incarceration prevention should be focused on: (a) prevention, in order to stop at risk individuals from becoming institutionalized; (b) intervention, to …

Academic Capabilities And Disadvantaged Students: The Role Of Institutions, William Elliott Iii, Margaret Sherrard Sherraden

Center for Social Development Research

Notwithstanding the far reaching intellectual and practical contributions of Bandura’s theory of self-efficacy, researchers have suggested that it may not adequately address the role of institutions. This paper suggests that traditional measures of self-efficacy underemphasize institutional factors. This may have important implications, especially for considering the circumstances of disadvantaged groups. It may be productive to think of self-efficacy as a multidimensional construct that includes personal and institutional dimensions. Using an interdisciplinary approach, we examine how self-efficacy theory can be expanded to account for the social and economic realities of disadvantaged groups and lead to empirical work that can inform policy …

Understanding Student Self-Disclosure Typology Through Blogging, Vernon B. Harper, Erika J. Harper

The Qualitative Report

Significant research indicates that student self-disclosure plays an important role in the learning experience and producing positive learning outcomes. Blogging is an increasingly popular web tool that can potentially aid educators by encouraging student self-disclosure. Both content analysis and focus groups were used to assess whether student self-disclosure reveals in descriptive, topical, and evaluative categories. The results indicate that blogging encourages student self-disclosure, and the implications of these findings are also discussed.