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The purpose of this study was to determine a student‟s computer knowledge upon course entry and if there was a difference in college students‟ improvement scores as measured by the difference in pretest and posttest scores of new or novice users, moderate users, and expert users at the end of a college-level introductory computing class. This study also determined whether there were differences in improvement scores by gender or age group. The results of this study were used to determine whether there was a difference in improvement scores among the 3 campus locations participating in this study. Four hundred sixty-nine students participated in this study at a community college located in Northeast Tennessee. A survey, pretest, and posttest were administered to students in a collegelevel introductory computing class. The survey consisted of demographic data that included gender, age category, location, Internet access, educational experience, and the self-rated user category, while the pretest and posttest explored the student‟s knowledge of computer terminology, hardware, the current operating system, Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, and Microsoft PowerPoint. The data analysis revealed significant differences in pretest scores between educational experience categories. In each instance, the pretest mean for first semester freshmen students was lower than second semester freshmen and sophomores. The study also reported significant differences between the self-rated user categories and pretest scores as well as differences in improvement scores (posttest scores minus pretest scores), which were higher for new or novice users. Of the 3 participating campus locations, students at Location 1 earned higher improvement scores than did students at Location 2. The results also indicated that there was a significant difference between the types of course delivery and course improvement scores (posttest scores minus pretest scores). The improvement scores for on ground delivery was 5 points higher than the hybrid course delivery. Finally, the gender and age categories as compared to the self-rated user categories revealed no significant differences in the study.

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Leadership in the health sector continues to be recognized as a key factor in improving healthcare and is considered part of professional competence in health professions. In dietetics, the Integrated Competencies of Dietetic Education and Practice, a document which informs dietetic education and professional development in Canada, was recently revised to include leadership as part of a new competency domain. But with limited research on dietetic leadership, it is challenging to develop and assess leadership skills in dietetic trainees and dietitians. My thesis addresses this gap by exploring how leadership is currently developed and used in practice through a three-phase qualitative design. The theoretical framework and conceptual model was pulled from complexity theory, leadership theory as well as feminist theory. The LEADS in a Caring Environment framework was used as the specific leadership framework. It is recognized as a comprehensive model for leadership in healthcare designed to embody the key skills, behaviours, abilities, and knowledge required to lead in all sectors and types of organizations. A multi-phase qualitative study was conducted, which included documentary analysis, one-on-one interviews with dietitians, and focus group interviews with dietetic educators. The methodology aligned with complexity science where interactions within and between the individual, micro-, meso-, and macro- levels were considered throughout the study. Furthermore, issues related to gender and other forms of diversity as crosscutting influences were considered. To inform this research, an expert committee comprised of dietitians from different practice areas was involved. Phase I included a documentary analysis of program documents and one focus group with dietetic educators to elaborate on their programs. In Phase II, using a multi-case study methodology, dietitians’ leadership skills development and use in practice were identified. Finally, Phase III focused on determining actions and implications of my research findings from Phases I and II through three focus groups with dietetic educators. The findings showed that dietitians tend to describe leadership in relation to having a formal management role. My study found that leadership skills have not been explicitly taught through dietetic education, but some are developed through transferrable skills that can be useful in leadership. The findings also demonstrated that dietitians use leadership skills in a variety of ways and contexts throughout their careers. All four cohorts provided personal examples of their leadership skills in practice that aligned with each of the LEADS domains and most of the capabilities. This might suggest that although dietitians were not formally taught leadership skills through their dietetic education, there is evidence that they possess and use leadership in their different practice areas throughout the career trajectory. This research furthers the scholarship on leadership development in dietetics and considers the complexities of leadership in a highly gendered system.

A study was conducted to determine the relationship between agribusiness self-efficacy and business related collegiate courses. One hundred eleven (N = 111) Mississippi and Tennessee secondary agricultural education teachers completed a researcher developed survey that measured agribusiness self-efficacy using 88 competencies from Mississippi and Tennessee secondary agribusiness courses. Participants rated their confidence to teach each competency using a 5 point scale with 1 as no confidence and 5 as very confident. The survey also assessed the types and number of collegiate-level business related courses completed by the participants as well as other demographic factors. Multiple linear regression, ANOVA, and Spearman's rho tests were used to assess relationships between the measured agribusiness self-efficacy and the various demographic factors. The mean agribusiness self-efficacy was 3.18 (SD = 0.788) indicating that teachers are only somewhat confident to teach agribusiness. Factor analysis divided the 88 competencies into nine themes. The overall competency and nine factor competency means were used as dependent variables. Marketing and introductory agribusiness courses loaded on most of the regression models. The number of collegiate business related courses is significantly related to participants agribusiness self-efficacy. Participants with a high GPA were found to have a significantly lower agribusiness self-efficacy as compare to lesser GPA groups. Teaching agribusiness courses increases agribusiness self-efficacy. Utilizing agribusiness textbooks and guest speakers also increases agribusiness self-efficacy. Owning a business was included in most of the agribusiness self-efficacy models. Nine of the ten regression models solely included state department of education facilitated agribusiness professional development. Years of experience was only significantly related to one of the ten dependent variables. No significant relationship was discovered between agribusiness self-efficacy and teacher age. No significant differences in agribusiness self-efficacy was discovered for education level, college major, certification type. It is recommended that universities include a marketing course along with an introductory to agribusiness course to prepare pre-service agricultural education teachers. It is also recommended that secondary agricultural education teachers maintain a professional library with agribusiness textbooks and to utilize guest speakers as needed to optimize agribusiness self-efficacy.

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