Adult and Continuing Education Commons^™

Chinese International Learners’ Acculturation At An American University, Zhuofeng Shen

Graduate Theses & Dissertations

In order to investigate the current status and challenges of Chinese international students studying and living in higher education institutions in the United States, and to explore strategies for integrating into the campus life in the United States, this study investigates the current status and challenges of Chinese students studying at a small, private, internationally focused university in the United States, in relation to cultural, linguistic, and academic adaptation. Data was collected through one-on-one interviews with students, faculty, and administrators, as well as observations both in daily courses and university-held social activities.

This study seeks to uncover the current perspectives …

Expanding The Conversation: The Value Proposition Of For-Profit Institutions For African-American Post-Secondary Students, Thomasina O. Lawson, Mario Jackson

Journal of Research Initiatives

This article presents a different discourse to promote access to and equity in higher education by re-examining the value of for-profit education and its attractiveness to African-American students underserved by traditional institutions. The authors suggest that for-profit institutions face similar challenges to traditional schools in the matriculation of African-American students but to a larger degree. Guided by the spirit of researchers Asa G. Hilliard and Barbara Sizemore, the article offers a progressive view of improving African-American students’ access to higher education. Additionally, the article suggests ways to engage in meaningful conversations on how to improve higher education by replacing traditional …

Implementing An Early Alert Workflow Process In Higher Education To Enhance Retention And Student Engagement, Joseph Huston, Kiara L. Sabina, M. Lisa Valentino, Lou L. Sabina

Journal of Applied Social Science Research and Practice

This case study examines the implementation of an early alert intervention system designed to enhance retention and student course engagement at a large suburban, public two-year degree-granting college. The focus of the study was to investigate the work-flow process and labor requirements for operationalizing the in-house intervention protocol, utilizing a Success Coach model. This paper documents the intervention procedures and reports findings pertaining to faculty time commitment and participation, frequency and prevalence of raised alert flags, and labor requirements for conducting student outreach. Cost efficiency and effectiveness are discussed, as are alternative approaches for implementation, including the use of automation …

Perceptions Of Assessment In Norwegian Occupational Therapy Students, Tore Bonsaksen, Astrid Gramstad, Gry Mørk, Susanne G. Johnson

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

In addition to securing minimum standards of learning among students, assessment is increasingly used as a tool to improve students’ learning. Assessment quality is measured as part of the Course Experience Questionnaire; however, the original ‘appropriate assessment’ scale has demonstrated ambiguous psychometric properties. The current study aimed to gain knowledge about occupational therapy students’ perceptions of assessment, and this was achieved by examining the factor structure and internal consistency of the six items on the ‘appropriate assessment’ scale. Students from six Norwegian universities (n = 187, response rate 61.3 %) completed the scale and reported demographic information. The factor …

The Short Assist Scales: Measurement Properties In A Sample Of Occupational Therapy Students In The Usa, Tore Bonsaksen, Adele Breen-Franklin

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Shortening measurement scales can improve the scales’ feasibility, but at the same time, their measurement properties can be affected. This study investigated psychometric properties of the short Approaches and Study Skills Inventory for Students (ASSIST) among occupational therapy students in the United States. The students (n = 120) completed the ASSIST and provided basic socio-demographic and education-related information. Scale structure was examined with Principal Components Analysis (PCA), while consistency between scale items was assessed with Cronbach’s α and inter-item correlations. Three factors were confirmed, but three items showed poor or ambiguous fit with the proposed scales. These items were …

An Uncommon Textbook: Review Of Common Sense Mathematics By Ethan Bolker And Maura Mast, Bernard Madison

Numeracy

Ethan D. Bolker and Maura B. Mast. 2016. Common Sense Mathematics.(Washington DC.: Mathematics Association of America) ISBN-13: 978-1-93951-210-9.

Common Sense Mathematics is an integrative quantitative reasoning (QR) textbook that is built around scores of exercises derived from authentic circumstances from public media and other public sources. The exercises elicit responses from students requiring extensive communication and analyses and distinguish the book from ones typically encountered in a mathematics or science course. Responses to exercises often require one-half page or more of writing and can occupy considerable class time in discussion. The book has material for a one- or two-semester …

The Impact Of Transfer Shock In A Dental Hygiene Program At A Four-Year Health-Sciences University, Claire Sallee Tucker

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In order for a student to be successful in dental hygiene education, the student must gain the required knowledge and skills necessary to perform as a hygienist and possess the ability to utilize critical thinking to apply these attributes while in the program and on the National Board of Dental Hygiene Examination (NBDHE) (Alzahrani, Thompson, & Bauman, 2007; Fried, Maxey, Battani, Gurenlian, Byrd, & Brunick, 2017). Dental hygiene students who attend a medical university have the option to take required pre-requisite courses at a community college or a four-year university. All dental hygiene students transfer from another institution and all …

Non-Traditional Students At Public Regional Universities: A Case Study, Lizabeth Zack

Teacher-Scholar: The Journal of the State Comprehensive University

This paper investigates the topic of non-traditional students enrolled at four-year public regional universities and addresses questions about who they are, what makes them non-traditional and how they experience college life. The analysis is based on survey data collected from 187 undergraduates at one regional public college in the southeastern United States. The study found a higher portion of non-traditional students than expected and that the non-traditional students tended to break down into two types, a younger worker-student and an older adult student, rather than conforming to a single profile. While the findings highlight other similarities with the broader population …

Community College Discipline Faculty Perceptions Of Role As Literacy Educators, Kristen H. Gregory, Monique Colclough

Inquiry: The Journal of the Virginia Community Colleges

Approximately a quarter of community college students are entering college-level courses underprepared for the literacy and critical thinking skills required to be successful in discipline courses (National Center for Educational Statistics, 2013). Discipline faculty are considered experts in their content area and are often not trained in pedagogy and literacy instruction, yet they are faced with meeting the diverse literacy needs of their students while still maintaining high content-focused expectations within their courses. This phenomenological case study investigated community college discipline faculty’s perceptions and practices regarding integrating literacy instruction within their disciplines. Data were collected from community college faculty through …

The Initial Planning Process Of An International Service-Learning Pilot Initiative Under Development, Denise P. Krohn

Theses & Dissertations

This research explored the initial planning process of an international service-learning (ISL) initiative under development that involved a collaboration among a south-central Texas private university, a ministry of Catholic Sisters in Peru, a U.S. non-profit organization, and a Peruvian optometry school. Three collaborators were founded by the same religious order. An overlapping in mission and values influenced the context. By delving into the expectations of higher education and its pedagogical practices, ISL’s history and conceptualizations, and concepts of program planning and designing related to the fields of ISL and adult learning, this study presented significant program development aspects. Furthermore, the …

Ensuring Academic Success Of Student-Athletes: Research On The Relationship Of Academic Measures Of Success And Graduation Rates, Jessica Chrabaszcz, Leslie Cordie, Michael Wooten

Journal of Global Education and Research

The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has implemented metrics to track the academic success of student-athletes in higher education. This study was designed to evaluate the relationship between three metrics used by the NCAA as part of it monitoring and compliance program for academic achievement by student-athletics. Our study examined the relationships between Academic Progress Rate (APR), Graduation Success Rate (GSR), and Federal Graduation Rate (FGR). The data set consisted of 720 total APR, GSR, and FGR scores for the years 2003-2006 obtained from 14 Southeastern Conference (SEC) programs. A subset of six sports with samples sizes of 20 or …

In Pursuit Of Transformative Learning: Exploring The Stimulation Of Curiosity Through Critical Reflection In The College Classroom, Bo Y. Bae

Dissertations

Educators in higher education are faced with growing pressures to shift pedagogical practices in order to accommodate the growing population of learners and improve student learning outcomes. While the acquisition of knowledge and skills are important to the learning process, they are insufficient in preparing students to function in rapidly changing environments. Curiosity is a vital component in the learning process that, when stimulated, has the potential to increase students’ capacity to think critically. Implementing teaching practices that intentionally focus on how curiosity can be stimulated and enhanced develops students’ abilities to access higher levels of thinking that are essential …

The Experiential Journey Of Teacher-Scholars: “If You’Re Not A Teacher, You Just Don’T Get It”, Ashleigh L. Pelafigue

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

The Center of Graduate Schools (2015) published a report detailing applications, enrollment, and trends in graduate schools across the nation showing that approximately one third of all first-time graduate school applicants in master’s degree programs utilizing the GRE assessment identify their career path in either business or teacher education. The purpose of this study was to examine the lived experiences of classroom teachers who concurrently pursued graduate studies to earn a master’s degree in education and to understand how adult learning provided opportunities for personal growth and the attainment of professional goals. Individual interviews and two focus groups were conducted …

Superando Barreras: Exploring Barriers Mexican-American Women Overcame As They Pursued A Higher Education, Emma Santa Maria

Theses & Dissertations

Academic achievement in school is a promise for a better future and provides stability for a family. With a growing Mexican-American population in the United States, the need for more research on academic achievement for this demographic is evident. The purpose of this constructivist grounded theory qualitative research was to explore the perceived barriers 13 Mexican-American women overcame as they pursued a higher education. In addition, the sub-question focused on resources used to overcome perceived barriers. Participants were Mexican-American women who completed their terminal or professional degree between 2010–2015. The research design was exploratory and was conducted via an inductive …

The How And Why Of Starting A Faculty Book Club, Scott Moncrieff, Anneris Coria-Navia

Faculty Publications

"FBCs are a type of Faculty Learning Community (FLC). The research on the effects of FLCs has been overwhelmingly positive. They create connections and networks for isolated teachers, foster multidisciplinary curricula, and help construct community in higher education. In addition, FLCs are an effective process by which educators gain insight into their practices and grow in their teaching ability, faculty cohesion, student retention, and satisfaction."

Mlearning: Powerful Learning Tools For Eap In Higher Education, Rania M Rafik Khalil

English Language and Literature

In many of today’s private higher education institutions, it is difficult to find students without a mobile phone, a PC tablet, or an ipad. At the same time, it is even more difficult to find students in higher education who use their mobile devices for academic purposes. Research indicates that English language instructors in higher education are not necessarily advocates of mobile use in the teaching classroom (Dashtesatani, 2016; Ally, 2013; Stockwell, 2012). However, in recent, years, higher education institutions are advocating the use of mobile learning for English language learning and promoting it as a “powerful learning aid” (Chen …

Not “One China,” Not “One Culture”: Multicultural Exploration Of Differences And Similarities Between Mainland China And Taiwan, Philip J. Ward, Michelle Loo

ECTESOL Review

This study focuses on the outwardly similar cultures of Taiwan and mainland China and the subtle differences within them. The study was conducted as part of the requirements of doctoral program in Instructional Design and Development at a public university in the southeastern United States. Using a qualitative case study approach, the study demonstrates that there are cultural similarities between mainland China and Taiwan, however instructors should also be aware of the differences when developing relationships with students and developing course content. A mini-workshop was developed for the study to help teach instructors about the two cultures. However, the mini-workshop …

“The Accountability And Transparency Agenda: Emerging Issues In The Global Era, Ellen Hazelkorn, Andrew Gibson

Other resources

When global rankings first appeared in 2003, rankings in general were little known despite the fact that collecting statistical information on individual academic institutions had begun by the U.S. Bureau of Education in the late 19th century (Snyder, 1993). This was followed by various attempts to measure and compare the performance of faculty members and correspondingly their institutions by focusing on the schooling and characteristics of birth of such “Geniuses” or “Great Men”. This early focus on "distinguished persons" dominated rankings to the 1950s but effectively excluded most public universities, such as Land Grant universities, because they were newer institutions …

Public Goods And Public Policy: What Is Public Good, And Who And What Decides?, Ellen Hazelkorn, Andrew Gibson

Articles

Higher education is usually seen as serving the public good, especially when funded directly by the state, and because of the ‘social benefit efficiency gains and potential equity effects on opportunity and reduced inequality’ (McMahon, 2009, p. 255). Calhoun (2006, p. 19) argues that public support for higher education is only given and maintained according to its capacity, capability, and willingness, to ‘educate citizens in general, to share knowledge, to distribute it as widely as possible in accord with publically articulated purposes’.

Maximising Universities’ Civic Contribution : A Policy Paper., Ellen Hazelkorn, John Goddard

Other resources

Civic engagement is widely used but often lacks a common understanding. This report provides clarity and context for civic mission in Welsh higher education. • The concept of “the public good” underpins Welsh public policy; actions to strengthen universities’ civic mission builds upon that commitment. • Universities’ potential for civic engagement in Wales is shaped by several factors: institutional origin and subsequent development, the Welsh, and UK, higher education policy context and the globalisation of higher education and the economy at large. • Within Wales, the Wellbeing of Future Generations Act has an important role to play in shaping civic …

The Impact And Influence Of Rankings On The Quality, Performance And Accountability Agenda, Ellen Hazelkorn, Andrew Gibson

Other resources

When global rankings first appeared in 2003, rankings in general were little known despite the fact that collecting statistical information on individual academic institutions had begun by the U.S. Bureau of Education in the late 19th century (Snyder, 1993). This was followed by various attempts to measure and compare the performance of faculty members and correspondingly their institutions by focusing on the schooling and characteristics of birth of such “Geniuses” or “Great Men”. This early focus on "distinguished persons" dominated rankings to the 1950s but effectively excluded most public universities, such as Land Grant universities, because they were newer institutions …

Retention In A Bachelor Of Education (Early Childhood Studies) Course: Students Say Why They Stay And Others Leave, Gillian Kirk

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

The literature suggests that student attrition at the university level has been of growing concern in many countries. Student attrition has a number of implications for universities, chief amongst them are losses to revenue and investment in higher education. While many studies have examined causes for attrition from an institutional perspective, this study examines how the Bachelor of Education (Early childhood studies) that sits within the School of Education can support the retention of students from the students’ perspectives. Using a qualitative methodology that recorded up to 40 hours of interviews with 20 students provided insights into why they stay …

Roundtable – Teaching Human Rights: Challenges And Best Practices, Shayna Plaut, Kristi Kenyon, Joel Pruce, William Simmons

Biennial Conference: The Social Practice of Human Rights

Over the past 20 years, courses addressing human rights have grown dramatically at both the undergraduate and graduate levels worldwide. Many of these courses are housed in specific disciplines, focus on specific issues, and require practical experience in the form of internships/practicums. Amid this growth there is a need to reflect on teaching human rights including the challenges, fears, and best practices.

Recognizing that education takes place inside and outside a classroom, this roundtable brings together scholars teaching human rights in a variety of settings to examine the current state of university human rights education. This includes a discussion of …

Professional Development Of Staff In Assessment & Feedback: A National Approach, Roisin Donnelly

Other resources

No abstract provided.

Professional Development Celebration., Roisin Donnelly

Other resources

No abstract provided.

Exploring The Relevance Of The Pdf For Library Professionals., Roisin Donnelly

Other resources

No abstract provided.

Making Digital Badging Work: Lessons From An Irish He Context, Roisin Donnelly, Colin Lowry, Terry Maguire

Other resources

No abstract provided.

College Student & Parenting: How Many Hours Does This Take?, Kristi Lynn Riggs

Electronic Theses & Dissertations

Nontraditional students with children are a growing population within the college and university environment (Ross-Gordon, Jovita 2011). Many questions about the struggles these students endure to achieve a degree have yet to be discovered. The aim of this exploratory descriptive study is to examine the relationships between the average study times of nontraditional students with children, versus students without children who attend Pittsburg State University (PSU) in the Spring 2017 semester. Data for this study was collected through a survey instrument which was administered through Survey Monkey^tm. The instrument was delivered via the PSU Mr.Bulke email system to …

Overview Of Professional Development Framework For All Staff Who Teach In Higher Education & What Is Being Learnt From The Initial Implementation., Roisin Donnelly

Other resources

No abstract provided.

Full Issue: Journal On Empowering Teaching Excellence, Volume 1, Issue 1

Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence

For our inaugural issue, we reviewed the feedback from our 2016 ETE faculty conference—an event for USU faculty hosted every August on the USU main campus. We identified several of the presenters who received high marks in post-session surveys and invited them to submit a proceedings paper for their presentation. Many responded, and their papers now comprise the majority of this issue. Because most of the articles began as stand-up presentations for a conference, several adopt a first-person narrative style in which the authors share examples of things they have tried in their teaching that have worked. In the process …