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Time to doctoral degree has increased consistently in American universities since 1967, in some fields by as much as two years. At the same time, rates of completion have decreased. It is predicted that this pattern will persist, resulting in a diminished supply of highly trained workers in the future. The present research was designed to analyze time to doctoral degree and completion rates by academic department, and to identify departmental factors that positively or negatively affect these outcomes at one land-grant, research institution. This topic is significant to all aspects of higher education: students, departments, and universities. For students, increased time and lower completion rates diminish their competitiveness in the job market, morale tends to decline, and the tendency to not finish increases over time. For the department and the university, attractiveness to other students is decreased, and the number of new students who can be accepted may be reduced. A reduction in the pool of applicants due to the increased time to degree and lower completion rates may create both a supply and demand problem, and an inability for higher education to meet the demand. Given the high costs associated with graduate education, the current national climate of diminishing resources for higher education, and increased competition for these resources between undergraduate and graduate programs, it is critical to further examine the outcomes of graduate study. This research employed quantitative and qualitative methods. It was conducted in two phases. The first phase focused on calculations of time to degree and completion rates by academic department for students who began a program leading to the doctor of philosophy degree between the fall, 1986 and spring, 1990 semesters. Data were analyzed through the end of the fall, 1995 semester. The second phase of the study involved interviews with graduate students and faculty from selected departments to identify departmental factors affecting time to degree and completion rates, and to explore whether faculty opinions differ from those of students, and whether faculty and students opinions differ among departments. Results of this study allowed the researcher to identify variables that explain achievements and failures within the graduate education process, and provide evidence for designing and re-designing graduate programs and policies. Results may contribute to a better understanding of the factors affecting graduate education outcomes at this particular institution, and may guide university administrators in implementing strategies to improve graduate student success. / Ph. D.

The purpose of this study was to determine if the Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA) Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) reading and math assessments are a valid predictor of performance on the language arts and mathematics Mississippi Curriculum Test, 2 nd Edition (MCT2). Additionally, the researcher sought to determine whether student characteristics of gender, ethnicity, and economically disadvantaged status added statistically to the prediction of MCT2 scores. The researcher used a correlational research design to answer the research questions that guide this study. Regression analyses were performed using IBM Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), version 22. Data were collected from a Southern Mississippi school district. Scores from 676 6 th grade students and 659 8 th grade students were used in this study. The results of simple linear regression indicate that NWEA-MAP reading and mathematics assessments are a valid predictor of language arts and mathematics MCT2 scale scores for 6 th and 8 th grade students. Results of multiple regression indicate that the linear combination of fall reading NWEA-MAP RIT scores, spring reading NWEA-MAP RIT scores, student characteristics of gender, ethnicity, and economically disadvantaged status was significantly related to MCT2 language arts scale scores for sixth grade students; likewise, the linear combination of fall reading NWEA-MAP RIT scores, spring reading NWEA-MAP RIT scores, student characteristics of gender, ethnicity, and economically disadvantaged status was significantly related to MCT2 language arts scale scores for eighth grade students. Similarly, multiple regression analyses indicate that the linear combination of fall mathematics NWEA-MAP RIT scores, spring mathematics NWEA-MAP RIT scores, student characteristics of gender, ethnicity, and economically disadvantaged status was significantly related to MCT2 mathematics scale scores for sixth grade students; similarly, the linear combination of fall mathematics NWEA-MAP RIT scores, spring mathematics NWEA-MAP RIT scores, student characteristics of gender, ethnicity, and economically disadvantaged status was significantly related to MCT2 mathematics scale scores for eighth grade students.

The purpose of this study was to identify a set of determinants of quality for public two-year colleges. To identify specific measures of quality for public two-year colleges, 61 variables of quality were selected from recent research on quality in higher education and consolidated on the Inventory of Determinants of Quality (IDQ). This instrument was mailed to a random sample of two-year college presidents, two-year college faculty members, four-year college deans, and community business leaders. Of the 476 surveys mailed, 315 were returned. The ANOVA procedure identified 24 IDQ items which the four study groups agreed were important to determining quality at public two-year colleges and 6 IDQ items which were less important. The study groups differed significantly in rating the remaining 31 IDQ items as determinants of quality for public two-year colleges. The majority of items found to be important to determining quality at public two-year colleges were related to student outcomes and academic standards. Items related to faculty characteristics, such as research productivity, were found to be less important. Four-year college deans differed significantly from the other three study groups on 13 IDQ items. The major differences were on items related specifically to two-year colleges such as diverse instructional delivery systems and the relationship between the two-year college and its local community. The results of the study led to two major conclusions regarding the determination of quality of public two—year colleges. First, a different set of criteria must be used for measuring quality at two-year colleges. Second, outcome measures must be an integral part of any two-year college evaluation system. Further research is recommended to determine the degree to which the items identified as determinants of quality for two-year colleges should be measured.

The problem of this study was the status of higher education in Haiti. The purposes were to analyze the organization, administration, and contributions of higher education to national development from 1958 to 1988 and to provide background information from foreign literature which might assist in the improvement Haiti's system of higher education. In an effort to locate information necessary to achieve these purposes, a computer search was conducted. A survey of available literature in French, Creole, and English and personal and telephone interviews were also conducted. The results of this study reveal that, in the past three decades, higher education in Haiti has merely functioned as a symbol of social prestige. Haiti's system of higher education exhibits no apparent direction, purpose, of long-term goals. With more than 90 percent of its professors part-time and ill-prepared, its curriculum unrelated to the needs of Haitian society, and its student body in revolt for the past three years, higher education in Haiti is urgently in need of radical reform. Any contribution made to national development by the system of higher education is weak at best. The small but oppressive elite group that dominates the economic and political realms in Haiti has proved to be a stumbling block to educational reform. The prospect of the establishment of an adequate system of education depends heavily on the establishment of a democratic government. The State University, which is the prominent instrument for higher education, must be reorganized and strengthened so that it can meet the basic academic standards of a university. This reorganization must include the redesign of the curriculum and the retraining of current professors. It is urgent that the qualitative aspects of higher education be given attention. Higher education should also develop a working relationship with industry in order to prepare individuals who are qualified to fulfill the country's technical needs.

The purpose of this study was to teach middle school students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) academic, grade level science term definitions. Three students with ASD who were served in a self-contained classroom for students with moderate and severe disabilities participated in the study. A multiple probe (days) across behaviors research design was used to evaluate the effectiveness of a model-lead-test procedure delivered using a computer software program to teach three sets of five science term definitions from the general education academic standards. Generalization probes were conducted in the general education setting by giving each student terms that they learned during intervention in the context of the classroom lesson and asking them to respond by giving the definition to the term. The results indicate that students were able to learn and maintain science term definitions when using teacher created e-books with an embedded model-lead-test procedure.

In this episode, we take a quick walkthrough of the specific Tennessee Academic Standards for Social Studies as they relate to social studies teaching and learning in grades K-5. We discuss where you can find the standards, how they are organized, the role of the SSP (Social Studies Practices) standards for K-2 & 3-5, and explore topics and content standards progressively found in each grade level. / https://dc.etsu.edu/social-studies-education-oer/1002/thumbnail.jpg

Thesis (MCur)--University of Stellenbosch, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Nursing education, including the individual nurse educator, has a responsibility to society and to students for providing quality education, for maintaining the highest academic standards, for the proficient use of teaching strategies and for ensuring adequate support to learners. These standards were threatened at a particular college in the Western Cape which instigated this study. This study aimed at investigating the academic factors that influenced learning at a particular nursing college in the Western Cape. The objectives included the following possible factors that may have contributed towards the unsatisfactory, academic performances of students: • Nursing as a career choice; • Selection criteria; • Approaches to learning; • Motivation and learning; • Language barrier to learning; and • Factors affecting the learning environment. A non-experimental, descriptive research design was applied with a quantitative approach. The target population (N = 963) consisted of nursing students following the course leading to registration as a professional nurse, according to the South African Nursing Council’s regulation 425, as promulgated by the Nursing Act 50 of 1978, as amended (Nursing Act 33 of 2005). Probability, stratified sampling was used to select the sample of participants (n = 174). A structured questionnaire, consisting of predominantly closed questions, was used for the collection of data. Ethical approval was obtained from Stellenbosch University to conduct this study. Permission to conduct the research was also obtained beforehand from the management of the nursing college being studied, whilst prior informed consent was obtained from each participant. Reliability and validity of the study were assured by means of a pilot study and through the use of experts in nursing research, methodology and statistics. Data was collected and captured by the researcher personally. The data was analysed with the support of a statistician and was expressed as frequencies and in tables and histograms. Descriptive statistics and post-hoc analyses, including tests for statistical associations, were performed. The outcomes from this study showed that third year students (n = 49/23%) spent the most time studying, whilst first years (n = 74/43%) and second years (n = 40/23%) only spent 2.3 hours studying per day. Academic support classes, when offered, were always attended by (n = 64/37%) and most times by (n = 72/42%). The majority of the participants were able to cope with the workload most of the time (n = 107/61%), whilst (n = 51/30%) and (n = 6/3%) of the participants indicated coping seldom and never, respectively. A significant relationship between the ages of participants and being able to cope with the workload (Spearman p-value = 0.02) existed. Results indicated that (n = 83/48%) of the participants received support with language problems, whilst (n = 75/43%) indicated that they did not receive support with language problems. The Afrikaans speaking participants coped the best with the workload (mean score = 1.72), followed by the English speaking students (mean score = 1.68), and lastly the Isi- Xhosa speaking learners (mean score = 1.65). Recommendations made by participants included the following: • Strict adherence to the selection criteria, which should help decrease the attrition rate. • English as a subject / module during the first year was proposed. • The promotion of the proficiency in English, through interaction between English speaking learners and students with English as second language, should be encouraged. • Regular updates of the contents of the curriculum. • The importance of identifying ‘at risk’ students and pro-actively introducing a mentorship programme. • Information technology needed to be improved in many aspects, such as accessibility of Web based communication. Results from the open ended questions showed that participants regarded the teaching strategies as boring. Large classrooms were also mentioned as a problem. Smaller classes were requested to enable more interaction in the class. In conclusion, this study showed that specific academic factors were influencing learning at the nursing college being investigated in the Western Cape. Therefore, recommendations were made in this study, which, if implemented, should result in an improvement in the overall academic performances of students. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Verpleegkundige onderrig, insluitende die individuele verpleegkundige opvoeder, het 'n verantwoordelikheid teenoor die samelewing en teenoor studente om kwaliteit onderrig te verskaf, om die hoogste akademiese standaarde te handhaaf, om die effektiewe gebruik van onderrigstrategieë te bied en om die begeleiding van leerders te verseker. Hierdie standarde was gedreig by ′n seker verpleeg kollege in die Wes Kaap en dus was die studie geinisieër. Hierdie studie het ten doel gehad om die akademiese faktore, wat moontlik leer by 'n bepaalde verpleegkollege in die Wes-Kaap beïnvloed, te ondersoek. Die doelwitte het faktore, wat moontlik die akademiese prestasie van studente kon beïnvloed het, ingesluit: • Verpleging as 'n loopbaankeuse; • Keuringskriteria; • Benaderings tot leer; • Motivering en leer; • Taalhindernis; en • Faktore wat die leeromgewing affekteer. 'n Nie-eksperimentele, beskrywende navorsingsontwerp is toegepas, deur van ′n kwantitatiewe benadering gebruik te maak. Die teikenbevolking (N = 963) het uit verpleegkunde studente bestaan wat die kursus gevolg het wat tot registrasie as 'n professionele verpleegkundige lei, in ooreenstemming met die Suid-Afrikaanse Raad op Verpleging se regulasie 425, soos gepromalgeer deur die aangepaste Wet op Verpleging 50 van 1978 (Wet op Verpleging 33 van 2005). Daar is van waarskynlikheid-gestratifiseerde steekproefneming gebruik gemaak om die deelnemers te kies (n = 174). 'n Gestruktureerde vraelys, bestaande uit hoofsaaklik geslote vrae, is vir die invordering van data gebruik. Etiese goedkeuring is vooraf van die Universiteit van Stellenbosch verkry om hierdie studie uit te voer. Toestemming om die navorsing te doen is ook vooraf vanaf die bestuur van die verpleegkollege wat ondersoek is verkry, terwyl elke deelnemer sy/haar ingeligte toestemming verleen het. Betroubaarheid en geldigheid is deur middel van 'n loodsstudie verseker, tesame met die gebruik van kundiges in verpleegnavorsing, metodologie en statistiek. Data is deur die navorser persoonlik versamel en vasgelê. Die data is met die hulp van ‘n statistikus ontleed en is as frekwensies en in tabelle en histogramme illustreer. Beskrywende statistiek en post-hoc analises, insluitende toetse vir statistiese assosiasies, is uitgevoer. Die bevindings uit hierdie studie het daarop gedui dat derdejaarstudente (n = 49/23%) die meeste tyd aan hul studies bestee het, terwyl die eerste- (n = 74/43%) en tweedejaarstudente (n = 40/23%) daagliks slegs 2.3 ure aan hul studies spandeer het. Waar akademiese ondersteuningsklasse aanbieding is, is dit altyd deur (n = 64/37%) bygewoon en die meeste kere deur (n = 72/42%). Die meerderheid van deelnemers was meestal in staat om die werkslading te hanteer (n = 107/61%), terwyl (n = 51/30%) en (n = 6/3%) van die deelnemers, onderskeidelik, aangedui het dat hulle selde of ooit die lading kon baasraak. 'n Beduidende verwantskap tussen die ouderdomme van die deelnemers en hul vermoë om met die werkslading te kon volhou (Spearman p-waarde = 0,02), het bestaan. Resultate het daarop gedui dat (n = 83/48%) van die deelnemers steun met taalprobleme ontvang het, terwyl (n = 75/43%) aangedui het dat hulle nie steun ontvang het nie. Die Afrikaanssprekende deelnemers het die werkslading die beste hanteer (gemiddelde telling = 1.72), gevolg deur die Engelssprekendes (gemiddelde telling = 1.68) en laastens die Isi-Xhosasprekende deelnemers (gemiddelde telling = 1.65). Aanbevelings deur deelnemers het die volgende ingesluit: • Die streng nakoming van die keuringskriteria behoort die afname in die uitvloeitempo te help bevorder. • Engels as 'n vak / module gedurende die eerste jaar is voorgestel. • Die bevordering van Engels as spreektaal, deur die interaksie tussen studente met Engels as Moedertaal en Engels as tweede taal, behoort aangemoedig te word. • Gereelde opdatering van die die kurrikuluminhoud. Die belangrikheid om "hoë risiko" studente te identifiseer en ’n pro-aktiewe mentorskapsprogram daar te stel. • Inligtingstegnologie behoort in baie aspekte verbeter te word, soos bv toeganklikheid tot Web-gebaseerde kommunikasie. Die resultate tov die oop vrae het getoon dat deelnemers die onderrigstrategieë as vervelig beskou het. Groot klaskamers is ook as 'n probleem geïdentifiseer. Daar was versoeke vir kleiner klasse, ten einde beter interaksie tussen leerders en dosente te bevorder. Ter afsluiting het die studie getoon dat spesifieke akademiese faktore leer by die Wes- Kaapse verpleegkollege, wat ondersoek is, beïnvloed het. Dus is aanbevelings in hierdie studie gemaak, wat, indien geïmplementeer, 'n verbetering in die algehele akademiese prestasie van studente behoort te help bewerkstellig.

This study examined differences in retention, graduation, and dropout between students in grades 9-12 in special education and regular education in the state of Texas for school years 1992-93 through 1995-96. The purpose was to gather information regarding the possible adverse effects of increased academic standards and mandatory testing on students with disabilities. The results indicate that when compared to students in regular education, students with disabilities are significantly more likely to be retained and are not experiencing the same decline in dropout rates as regular students. There is no indication that students with disabilities have been adversely affected by school reform but the size of the school district may play a significant role in whether or not students with disabilities dropout of school.

This qualitative study sought to identify the common behaviors and practices of principals in high achieving standards-based schools. Three schools were examined in the study. These schools were selected from a ten county area and had demonstrated consistent and unusual growth on the Academic Performance Index (API). The practices of principals were identified through a phenomenological study of the experiences of successfully implementing a standards-based instructional system. Principals were interviewed individually, and focus groups of teachers were interviewed separately. Both groups were asked about the principal behaviors and practices that led the school to achieve academic success. Principals and teachers across the three sites identified similar practices including high expectations of students and staff, planning and goal setting based on student achievement data, frequent monitoring of student achievement, teacher collaboration, principal classroom visits, principal visibility on campus, principal accessibility, and a school culture that promoted trust and team work.