The demand for Community College Baccalaureate (CCB) degrees is rising due to increasing costs of educational obtainment resulting in decreased access. Also, universities are not always accessible geographically or academically to many students. Many students are limited in time and financial resources, and have family and job responsibilities, limiting their ability to relocate to a university. The focus of this study was to explore the perceptions of students regarding the need for the CCB, the effectiveness of the CCB, reasons why students would choose the CCB, and the fields of CCB degrees students would choose. Specifically, this study compared the results among student survey respondents based on their primary campus attended, age, gender, race/ethnicity, number of dependents, and employment status as well as their need for the CCB. All full-time and part-time students from a rural community college in Northeast Mississippi were asked to participate in the survey. Approximately 30% of respondents indicated that their only realistic option to obtain a bachelor’s degree would be through their local community college. A majority of respondents perceived the CCB to be effective. And, respondents indicated that the factors that influenced their choice of the CCB were cost, location, work responsibilities, family responsibilities, admiration for current school, and familiarity for current school. The specific degree fields that respondents indicated they would choose if they were to obtain a CCB, from greatest interest to least, were: health professions, business, education, public administration/social work, “other”, liberal arts and sciences, and psychology. When testing the differences in perception of effectiveness of the CCB between demographic groups, the CCB was perceived to be more effective by respondents who were older, had 1 dependent or 5 or more dependents, and who saw the CCB as their only option. When testing the differences in perceptions of reasons to choose the CCB, respondents who were older indicated more reasons for choosing the CCB.

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The purpose of this study was to examine GED students’ perceptions of the ABE/GED program at a rural Mississippi community college. There were 64 GED students who participated in this study. A survey containing 15 questions was administered to the participants. Likert-scale response type questions were used to provide information particularly on students’ perceptions of the ABE/GED program. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Chi-square tests were run to determine if differences existed among students’ perceptions based on age, race, and gender. The findings of the study showed that overall the students had a positive perception of the ABE/GED program. Additionally, the study found that differences did not exist among students’ perceptions based on gender and race, but a difference was found for two items based on age.

The Fitnessgram is a battery of fitness tests designed for children and adolescents. These tests include aerobic capacity, body composition, muscle strength and endurance, and flexibility. Students are not compared to each other, rather to health fitness standards, specific to age and gender, which indicate good health. The purpose of this study was to identify student perceptions of the Fitnessgram fitness test. This study used surveys (N=82), and follow-up focus-group interviews (N=16) to identify student perceptions of the Fitnessgram fitness test. Results using the constant comparative method revealed three major categories: (1) students' perceptions of the purpose of fitness testing, (2) motivation, and (3) test administration. Findings indicated that students clearly understood the purpose of fitness testing, female students were success oriented while the males expressed an attitude of learned helplessness in the category of motivation, and that students preferred the PACER over the mile run, enjoyed partner-based stations, but did not care for the body-fat assessment.

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to obtain information from adolescent siblings of children with Down syndrome (CWDS) regarding their perceptions of living with a child who has Down syndrome (DS). Twenty-three adolescents between 12 and 19 years of age who lived with a child who had DS and additional health problems including cardiac, endocrine, gastrointestinal, hematological, neurological, and behavioral conditions were interviewed individually. After examining the tape recorded interviews, major themes revealed both positive and negative aspects of living with a child with DS who has major health problems. However, overall the adolescents reflected more positive experiences than negative experiences. In addition, most adolescents interviewed said they would not change anything about their experience. One interesting finding was that most participants did not believe the child with DS would ever live independently, perhaps because of the additional health problems these CWDS have. Information gained from this study provides information for nurses and families to help better understand adolescent sibling perceptions about living with a CWDS so more appropriate and individualized nursing interventions can be provided for siblings and their families. This information can assist nurses in supporting similar families gain better coping skills, learn more about the impact of DS on families, and provide information on stress management and nursing interventions to support family growth and development especially for adolescents who have the added responsibility of caring for and living with a CWDS.

This study explores the perceptions toward immigrant criminality in Utah of four distinct social groups: state legislators, immigrants, law enforcement personnel, and incarcerated immigrants. Each group was examined separately and found to have a variety of perceptions among their members. Themes emerged that provided insight into the overlap and complexity of these differences across social groups. Legislators appeared the most dichotomous: some believed immigration and crime to be positively correlated, especially for undocumented immigrants, while others perceived no such connection. Among immigrants, perceptions were extremely diverse, but generally represented by reference to an unsubstantiated stereotype that immigrants committed crime at a higher rate than non-immigrants, though there were wide gaps in other areas within this group. For law enforcement, perceptions varied according to social distance and the degree of interaction with immigrants: those officers who dealt more intimately with immigrants had more sympathetic and nuanced perceptions. Incarcerated immigrants represented a diversity of perceptions with complexities similar to those manifested in the immigrant group; but overall, most did not consider themselves to be criminal. Future research is suggested and recommended.

Currently, there is a lack of research on the use of digital audio from the perspective of music educators in higher education. Researchers [for example: James Mason and Jared Wiercinski (2009), Jean E. Ferguson (2004), Richard Griscom (2003), Scott R. Phinney (2005) and Kathryn Sullivan, John J. Stafford, and Cindy Badilla-Melendez (2004)] have, however, studied streaming audio in relation to university students and libraries. Knowing the perceptions of instructors is important, because according to Oblinger & Oblinger (2005), they may not have the same perceptions as the students. Additionally, Moseley (2010) recommended further qualitative studies concerning the perceptions of faculty regarding technology utilization to allow more in-depth information to be discovered on the topic. The purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to analyze music educators' perceptions and usage of the use of digital audio (e-reserves and streamed databases) in higher education. This research explained how and why these educators utilize (or do not utilize) streaming audio via e-reserves and databases. The research questions used for this study were: (a) How is streaming audio - in the form of e-reserves and subscription-based databases (Naxos and Classical Music Library - being utilized by college/university level educators at the two studied institutions?; (b) What are the perceptions of the participating music department faculty members on the subject of streaming audio?; and (c) What factors, regarding the use of streaming audio, are considered by the participating instructors to be important? Results of this research revealed participant instructors did utilize digital audio recordings, but not all of the instructors utilized streaming audio. The results of this study also revealed possible reasons for the lack of use of available streaming audio resources.

As previous research has indicated, it is not a common societal norm that sex offenders generally have a negative connotation associated with them. These types of perceptions are held without considering the varying types of sexual offenders and sexual offenses. The legislation concerning sex offenders is broad, and therefore encompasses a lot of different offenses and people. Notification of these types of offenders varies by state, but all states require sex offenders to register. A number of colleges also require sex offenders to register before attending classes. This research focuses on student's perception of sex offenders on college campuses. That is, it questions how a student's awareness of sex offender legislation and presence affect their attitudes and perceptions about sex offenders. This thesis was intended to research the UCF student's awareness of sex offenders (legislation and presence) in relation how it effects their perception of sex offenders. Students were surveyed and asked questions based on their knowledge, awareness, and opinion of sex offenders in general and at the college level. Results collected suggested that informing students does make them more aware of sex offenders. However, the heightened awareness does not improve the negative perception student's held about sex offenders. After conducting the study, it is my hope that it will aid in better understanding student perceptions of sex offenders in terms of how effective notification and awareness are.

This research assessed wildfire mitigation and risk perceptions in two neighborhood in Colorado Springs, CO. Semi-structured interviews were used during transect walks with participants. The research compared residents' perspectives to fire personnel's knowledge.