Over the past decade, the number of individuals being diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder has risen substantially. One byproduct of increased diagnosis is that more and more students with Autism Spectrum Disorder are applying and being accepted to colleges and universities (Graetz & Spampinato, 2008; Jones, 2012; Smith, 2007; Taylor, 2005; Zager, Alpern, McKeon, Maxam, & Mulvey, 2013; Longtin, 2013; Adreon & Durocher, 2007; Zager & Alpern, 2010). Research in the field of Autism and Higher Education is in its infancy, with a dearth of the research focusing on the challenges and struggles that degree-seeking students with ASD face within higher education. In an attempt to combat these challenges, many colleges and universities across the nation have begun to create post-secondary transition programs, but little is known from the perspective of the students participating in these programs (Adreon & Durocher, 2012). In this following study, Q Methodology was used to obtain information from 30 degree-seeking college students with Autism Spectrum Disorder on their best experiences within a higher education transition program.

Abstract Student-athletes are viewed as the epitome of health due to their physical appearance and talent set; however, it is their psychological health that needs significant attention (Etzel, 2006). Psychosocial stressors such as the pressures and demands of being a student and athlete as well as the demands and expectations of the coach have significant impact on the student-athlete’s mental health and well-being (Beauchemin, 2014; Cleary et al., 2011; Lafrenière et al., 2011; Mageau & Vallerand, 2003; Watson, 2005). The purpose of this research is to investigate any correlation between student-athletes’ perceptions of coaching leadership behaviors and the symptoms associated with disorders such as anxiety, depression, suicidality, and substance abuse. The Leadership Scale for Sport (Chelladurai & Saleh, 1980) and the Symptom Assessment Measure instruments are used in this study. An exploratory analysis determined the reliability and construct validity of the instruments. Thirty-three student-athletes from a non-football Division I university engaged in the study, with twenty-eight completing some or all portions of study. All participants are between the ages of eighteen and twenty-four. A linear regression analysis demonstrated no relation between the independent variable, student-athlete perception of coaching leadership behaviors and the dependent variable, symptoms associated with anxiety, depression, suicidal behavior, and substance abuse mental health disorders, (F=.52, p=.49, R2=.061, and Beta coefficient was -0.248). Gender differences is not determined due to the skewed sample consisting of eighty five percent female and fifteen percent male. Though the linear regression analysis indicates no relation between the dependent and independent variable, supplemental contextualization was given to additional questions asked on the Symptoms Assessment Measure. These findings provide evidence that student-athletes perceive that their coach’s leadership behaviors do have influence on their mental health. This reinforces reports that coaches do wield power over their athletes and their influence is related to student-athletes’ psychological well-being (Horn, 2008; Locke et al., 2012; Stebbings et al., 2012).

In this study, the perceptions of 42 teachers—from the Stann Creek District, Belize—regarding the implementation and use of Intercultural Bilingual Education (IBE) as a language preservation tool in their schools were examined. Intercultural Bilingual Education (IBE) is a teaching method that aims at promoting the preservation of indigenous languages by integrating an indigenous language and culture into the academic curriculum, such that students can develop a better appreciation of their history and traditional practices. To examine the perspectives of teachers regarding IBE, Q Methodology was used to examine the research question: What is the range of perspectives teachers hold regarding IBE as a language preservation tool? From participant interviews and responses to an open-ended prompt centered on the research questions, the researcher developed a 40-item Q sample comprising statements that represented distinct perspectives on the use of IBE as a language preservation tool. Forty-two participants then sorted these 40 statements within a forced distribution grid that ranged from “most like my perspective” (+4) to “least like my perspective” (-4). These 42 Q sorts were then correlated; the correlations were then analyzed and rotated using PQ method software. Four factors were extracted from this process and they were converted to factor arrays resembling the same initial forced distribution grid. Based on an interpretation of the holistic configuration of these factor arrays and descriptive comments from participants concerning their sorts, these factors were named as: Strongly Supported IBE (Factor 1), Strongly Opposed but Conflicted about IBE (Factor 2), Cautiously Optimistic about IBE (Factor 3), and Supported IBE for Intergenerational Language Transfer (Factor 4). Implications from this study for administrators of similar programs include the importance of understanding teacher beliefs regarding their preparedness to deliver an IBE curriculum as well as their perceptions regarding the usefulness of such an approach, particularly given the additional instructional time needed to deliver it.

This study explored the impact a professional development program (Online Professor Certificate Program, OPCP) had on teaching online in higher education— specifically, the impact on faculty members’ teaching presence. The conceptual and theoretical model utilized the community of inquiry framework and both critical theory and transformational learning theory. This case study used data from various sources, including questionnaires, content analysis, and interviews. The overall results indicate that the OPCP had some impact on teaching presence, but not as much as anticipated. The study found that faculty who completed the OPCP were more engaged in their online classes than those who had not participated in the OPCP, as measured by the number of discussion posts. No statistically significant difference in teaching presence was found between participants’ retrospective pre- and post-OPCP responses. Participants mentioned mentoring and andragogy as the two most important parts of the OPCP. Educational leaders have an economic interest in this issue, as online enrollments increased significantly over the past decade, and the trend will likely continue. These increased online enrollments have impacted online teaching, creating a growing need for high-quality online teaching. Faculty need professional development programs to help them become more effective online teachers. The professional development programs need to be evaluated for effectiveness beyond the satisfaction level, with a focus on program outcomes.

This study examined the effect of a visual arts, family-focused school readiness intervention on the parental efficacy and level of family involvement of low-income families. A second, primary focus of the study was to test the potential of academically focused experiences in the visual arts to increase the basic concept development of young children. To increase accessibility, the intervention was conducted in a neighborhood library. The research design for this descriptive study included qualitative and quantitative components. Data collection consisted of a non-randomized one group pre-test/posttest design from students on a standardized instrument and from primary caregivers using self-report questionnaires. Other data collection sources included field notes documenting observations made during implementation collected by the investigator, parent home engagement data in the form of a weekly survey filled out by adult participants and weekly phone calls monitoring any issues or questions regarding the completion of take-home activities. The results of this relatively small sample using the visual arts to build basic concept knowledge indicate that, given a larger sample, this approach may prove to be a promising strategy to use with young children and their families. The average raw score gain on the student basic concept scale was 8 points at the end of the seven-week intervention. The parent surveys indicated that almost all books sent home were read each week and an average of three home learning activities per book were completed between sessions. The majority of parents commented at least once on the At-Home Surveys about increases in positive interaction with their children while engaged in the home learning activities. Enhancing the parent-child relationship begins with the sharing of positive experiences. Comments made by adult participants indicated that parents felt empowered to better support their child's learning by participating in this experience.

The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of participation in a family coaching program on perceptions of parental self-efficacy, families' use of encouragement, and reinforcement behaviors. A second purpose of the study was to ascertain the lasting effect on families participating in a family involvement intervention that included coaching. Families with prekindergarten and/or kindergarten children attending school in a low-income neighborhood and neighboring child care centers were recruited for the study. The Family Coaching Institute, the family involvement intervention for this study, consisted of three 5-week, 2-hour biweekly sessions. Attendance ranged from 3 to 15 sessions. Child care, dinner, learning activities, materials, books and supplies were provided. Participants were encouraged to use the activities at home with their children between sessions. Pre-intervention and post-intervention interviews were conducted with the participants using scales designed to measure parental self-efficacy, encouragement, and reinforcement behaviors. Family members also participated in a focus group and completed the Family Involvement Learning Survey 6 months after the intervention. Results of the study indicated there were no statistically significant differences in responses from the beginning to the end of the intervention on the scales designed to measure parental self-efficacy, encouragement, and reinforcement behaviors. These findings are discussed in the context of a response shift bias. In contrast, ratings on the Family Involvement Learning Survey indicated participation in the intervention had a strong impact on family behaviors.

The field of student affairs administration could benefit from research on how student affairs administrators perceive their duties, responsibilities, and obligations, as well as how such an understanding could contribute to organizational theory, practice, and policy. The purpose of this study was to examine how administrators in student affairs perceive their role in public higher education institutions in the United States. This study examined SAAs’ duties, obligations, and responsibilities (role) using Q methodology. Although there are perception studies using Q methodology in higher education, there are fewer empirical studies on how SAAs’ perceive their roles. Consequently, this study recruited forty professionals in student affairs from 12 public institutions of higher education. On a continuum from “least important” (-4) to “most important” (+4), they sorted 37 statements that represented their views on SAAs’ duties and responsibilities. The 40 sorts were then factor analyzed with PQMethod 2.33 a, freeware program. Four factors emerged that represent distinct viewpoints on the role of student affairs administrators in public tertiary institutions—Connective Leadership, Instructive Leadership, Supportive Leadership, and Constructive Leadership. These four factors—details of which are presented in the study—indicate that student affairs administrators view their roles through four different leadership lenses, but that each lens is modulated or modified by four major theories—self-perception theory, organizational role theory, and, more importantly, student development theory.

.......................................................................................................................................... 2 Abstract The number of students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) attending postsecondary education has steadily increased in recent years. A need has been identified for campus administrators to better understand the needs of students with ASD (Becker & Palladino, 2016; Oswald, Winder-Patel, Ruder, Xing, Stahmer, & Solomon, 2017). In order to gain insight about students with ASD, research providing a foundation of understanding the unique characteristics and needs of this growing population must take place. By recognizing the need for further education and training, campus administrators may have opportunities to develop professional development trainings that could provide insight into understanding a growing population of students and their needs (Zeedyk, Tipton, & Blacher, 2016). The purpose of this study was to explore the knowledge of self-determination within college students with ASD. Quantitative methodology was selected in order to provide an exploratory approach to provide a foundation of understanding of self-determination skills for students with ASD. This study included 53 students with ASD registered with the Disability Services Offices (DSO) attending university as well as 41 students registered with the campus DSO without a diagnosis of ASD. A modified version of the American Institute of Research (AIR) was used to measure self-determination skills with the two participant groups. Three major findings were identified from this study. Students with ASD scored much lower than students without ASD on the open-ended response portion of the survey. However, students with ASD scored higher than students without ASD in identifying resources on campus. Finally, students with ASD identified mentors as primary resources of support on campus. The findings from this study confirms more data are needed in order for campus administrators to better understand the needs of a growing population of students. Future research could include topics of professional development for campus faculty and staff, strategic instruction on self-determination skills for students with ASD, and the impact of self-determined leadership in higher education. Key words: autism spectrum disorders, self-determination, postsecondary education

The present study posed two research questions. Because of limited research regarding leadership in arts and culture organizations, the background question to contextualize the study was: How do nonprofit arts and culture leaders in the Jacksonville, Florida, metropolitan area perceive their roles within their organizations? The foreground question was: How do leaders of nonprofit arts and culture organizations in the Jacksonville, Florida, metropolitan area understand their roles in providing underserved K-12 students access to and opportunity for arts education? The research questions warranted a qualitative research design using semi-structured, in-depth interviews. The review of the literature documented the importance of arts education for all and how school policy mandates have led to a reduction in access to and opportunity for arts education, especially in schools with high poverty rates and students of color. Interview data were collected from 11 leaders of nonprofit arts and culture organizations. Data analysis involved identifying five typologies that organized the description and interpretation dimensions of Eisner’s process of educational criticism (1998): arts education, programs, and services; advocacy and engagement for the arts; challenges to providing access to and opportunities for arts education; the role of partnerships; and nonprofit arts and culture organizational development. Data analysis corroborated that the problems of inequitable arts education is still pervasive in K-12 education. The participants perceived their missions as focused on arts education for all and as contributing to filling the gap in providing equitable access to and opportunities for arts education for underserved K-12 students. The present study concluded that nonprofit arts and culture organizations can provide a unique set of contributions, such as programs for K-12 students, arts leadership development, and partnerships with schools and with each other in delivering equitable access to and opportunities for arts education for underserved K-12 students.

Organizational culture substantially impacts employee motivation, employee behavior, and employee participation in professional development activities. In the field of Student Affairs, it is critical for employees to regularly participate in professional development activities to stay up-to-date with understanding today’s students’ needs and meeting federal and state demands. This study examined what individual and organizational culture factors predict participation in professional development activities among student affairs professionals at higher education institutions. For this study, 354 participants from various public and private institutions were emailed an anonymous web-based survey. Field theory served as the theoretical foundation giving perspective as to how external and internal factors contribute to behavioral changes. Human capital theory and empirical research provided the framework for the organizational culture factors investigated. The results of this study informs practice and policy concerning supervision models; performance evaluation methods; the allocation of resources dedicated to developing and training staff members; professional development plans; higher education curriculum; policies and regulations associated with training and development (T&D); accreditation implications; and the logistics associated with T&D opportunities offered by professional organizations.