This study looks at the problems facing students in their University careers and considers how they may be helped and supported at this time. A University Nightline telephone befriending service (LUA-Linha da Universidade de Aveiro) was established in Portugal (where no such provision previously existed) in order to provide a research vehicle for examining these issues, as well as to meet students' needs. The primary focus of the research was on the experiences of the Student Helpers who staffed the Nightline and on the issues presented by their clients. The research method was one of co-operative inquiry.Through the training of Student Helpers and implementation of this service, insight was gained into the nature of students' problems. Consequently, it was possible to produce a taxonomy of student needs. A distinction was drawn between problems relating to 'inter-individual' (individual and academic) life and 'intra-personal' (personal and academic) life, with a course of action relating to each problem area being described as short or long-term. This taxonomy was used to analyse the calls received by the Nightline. Results indicate that most clients were seeking short term solutions to problems relating to 'intra-personal - personal life'. The experiences and problems of Students Helpers were assessed predominantly through the use of questionnaires and focus groups. An unexpected and pleasing outcome from this research was that in providing a peer counselling service, Student Helpers had facilitated their own personal growth. In most respects, their needs paralleled those of the clients they were trying to help.A central tenet of this thesis is that the provision of academic support alone is not sufficient to ensure academic success. The research suggests that greater consideration should be given to opportunities for personal development programs as part of the curriculum in higher education.

The overall aim of the Project was to investigate teachers' pedagogical subject knowledge, in particular, through examination of the co-ordination and utilisation of teacher and pupil knowledge in the complex environments of reception classrooms. Phase One and Two (orientation and overview) concerned the design, piloting and revision of criterion-referenced instruments to assess children's informal mathematical knowledge and included preliminary interviews with four reception teachers to consider their pedagogical thinking and decisionmaking.Phase Three and Four (focused exploration) aimed to capture teachers' pedagogical subject knowledge, exemplified in teacher-pupil interactions, as it moved in varied, yet planned and structured ways towards specific goals. Background biographical information obtained from teacher interview and measures of children's mathematical knowledge allowed consideration of the relationship of teachers' subject knowledge and knowledge of their pupils' competence to teaching goals and classroom processes. It was concluded that at the heart of teachers' pedagogical subject knowledge lies subject content knowledge and knowledge of their pupils' conceptions. The observed diversity in practice among the different teachers and their apparent lack of awareness of the rich informal knowledge brought into school - of counting, recognition of numerals, representation of quantity, addition,subtraction and social sharing, appropriate language of measurement and selection of criteria to sort objects - raises some questions with respect to the adequacy of teachers' subject knowledge. The interaction between the processes of assessment of children's prior knowledge and instruction, however, was demonstrated by the way teachers presented tasks and were able to assess the extent to which children could answer questions about content and apply knowledge strategically. This finding poses some challenge to the notion of assessment as a single event or the stable notion of match.Complex views about children's learning were not necessarily translated into practice suggesting that without clear subject content knowledge neither sophisticated theories concerning children's learning nor scaffolded approaches will necessarily lead to effective teaching. Building up a case knowledge concerning teaching processes which this Project has stimulated may be one way to increase our understanding of subject knowledge for teaching and the development of professional practice. Furthermore the interest already generated in the documentation of children's rich informal mathematical knowledge suggests that providing teachers with increased knowledge of children's mathematical thinking may offer another means to enhance their pedagogical subject knowledge.

Many official papers and research studies suggest that the low academic performance of science students in Sultan Qaboos University (SQU) in Oman may be due to their being taught in a foreign language, namely English. This belief has prompted the researcher to embark on the present endeavour. Since it would be impractical to investigate within a study of this scale all possible factors relating to the problem, three factors highlighted by previous studies, namely, attitudes, motivation and academic self-concept, were chosen as the focus for this work.This study is a modest attempt to explore the intricacies of the multidimensional nature of attitudes, self-concept and motivation and their relationship to academic performance. Sex, level of education (first and fourth year stages), and also the main subject differences, were also investigated in relation to the above variables.Thus,this study attempts to fulfil the following objectives:1- ascertaining what relationships, if any, exist between attitude, academic self-concept and motivation of students learning science in English.2- finding out to what extent the above variables are mutually influential.3- proposing recommendations.The study is limited to the SQU science students, with the sample taken from the five relevant colleges in the university. Three questionnaires were developed and administered to 565 students of both sexes, drawn from the first and fourth years. 39 lecturers were also interviewed.The study is divided into seven chapters, ending with the appendices to the study, and an introductory chapter which deals with relevant contemporary issues.The principal conclusions reached are:1- A significant correlation was found between students' academic performance and their attitude, self-concept and motivation towards learning science in English.2- A significant difference was found between male and female students in their academic self-concept towards learning science in English, but no significant differences regarding their attitude and motivation in learning science through English.3-Significant differences were found among students of different colleges in their attitudes and academic self-concept towards learning science in English,but not in their motivation towards learning science in English.4- A significant difference exists in attitude academic self-concept and motivation of first and fourth year students. Fourth year students had more positive attitudes and higher academic self-concept than those of the first year, but lower motivation.Recommendations proposed include:1- Building a good relationship between the teaching staff and the students;establishing a counselling body and friendly ecology in the colleges; and providing more positive feedback, which might all help to improve students' academic performance.2- The university administration and lecturers must begin to create an atmosphere more encouraging of female students' attitudes, motivation and academic self-concept.3- Closer ties should be forged with the female students, and more attention paid to them and their problems, as well as developing extra-curricula activities.

<p> College tuition costs have risen 33% in the past ten years (NCES, 2016a), forcing college administrators to refocus their efforts on student retention in order to stay competitive (Alarcon &amp; Edwards, 2012; Sanders, Daly, &amp; Fitzgerald, 2016; Tinto, 2006). Although universities have implemented support programs to help students in these areas, students are still failing. </p><p> Students with low self-efficacy lack motivation and lack self-regulation skills, putting them at a higher risk of discontinuing. Self-efficacy not only impacts academic performance (Bandura, 1982, 1997; Budescu &amp; Silverman, 2016, Gallagher, Marques, &amp; Lopez, 2016), but it also influences how students handle challenges (Al-Harthy &amp; Was, 2013; Han, Farruggia, &amp; Moss, 2017), impacts their level of self-discipline (Komarraju &amp; Nadler, 2013), and their self-regulation strategies (Chemers, Hu, &amp; Garcia, 2001). </p><p> This quantitative study investigated student perceptions of academic self-efficacy after having experienced academic challenges, defined by academic probation, suspension, or dismissal, during their first year. The relationship between academic probation types was studied in comparison with academic variables: cumulative GPA, academic cohort, and type of academic challenge. </p><p> The sample included undergraduate students from a mid-size, private institution in New England. Participants (<i>N</i> = 724) were emailed a link to a questionnaire consisting of self-rated statements created by the researcher and derived from the General Self-Efficacy Scale (Schwarzer &amp; Jerusalem, 1995). Respondent data (<i>N</i> = 59) was exported to Excel and then SPSS&reg; for analysis. Descriptive statistics, Cronbach&rsquo;s Alpha, a <i>t</i>-test, and one-way ANOVA were conducted. </p><p> Results showed that students who were once academically at-risk demonstrated higher self-efficacy in managing difficult problems, learning new material, feeling motivated to succeed in courses, and havingconfidence in their academic abilities. These students also demonstrated lower academic self-efficacy in their ability to understand difficult course material and choosing to complete optional assignments even if it did not guarantee them a good grade. There was no significant relationship between cohort and academic self-efficacy score. Although not statistically significant, results showed a trend indicating that the higher the cumulative GPA, the higher the academic self-efficacy score. </p><p> These findings may help administrators better understand student academic self-efficacy and tailor support services to help this population.</p><p>

<p> This study addresses the problem of low college completion rates among students formerly involved in foster care systems. This qualitative research study identified the knowledge, motivational, and organizational factors that supported college completion among eight college graduates formerly placed in foster care. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect data and six Storyboard online videos were also reviewed for thematic content addressing the factors that contributed to college success among the former foster youth. The resulting data will be used to create an Emerging Adult Peer Specialists curriculum to former foster youth to support other students transitioning from foster care to college. Knowledge factors contributing to successful college completion included specific knowledge on financial aid, housing, health, and academic resources, and how to access these resources, as well as self-awareness to promote self-regulation. Motivational factors that promoted self-efficacious behavior and intrinsic motivation included seeking out and identifying mentors, attitudes supportive of educational goals and behaviors, and finding ways to combat stigma were identified motivational factors supporting college completing. Programs for students with foster care histories, the safety and predictability of college campuses, and the need for increased academic preparation in independent living skills programs were identified and important organizational factors promoting college completion. The data was used to create an implementation and evaluation plan for the Emerging Adult Peer Specialist program, which is summarized at the end of the study. </p><p>

<p> The current research was used to examine Adult Learners, who are between the ages of 25 and 34 and have not earned an associate&rsquo;s or bachelor&rsquo;s degree, but who consider investing in a college education, from a consumer behavior lens. The first purpose for conducting the current research was to understand the relationship between Adult Learners with a chronic prevention regulatory focus and risk propensity in the decision domain of investment in a college education. A chronic prevention motivation is negatively associated with risk-seeking in other decision domains. Based on the current research, the prediction that chronic prevention motivation had an inverse relationship with risk propensity in the investment in a college decision domain was not supported. However, the positive association of promotion motivation with risk-taking in the investment in a college education decision domain was supported. In the psychological risk/return model, where an increase in risk perception decreased risk-taking and an increase in expected benefits increased risk-taking, expected benefits were the most influential predictor variable of risk-taking for the Adult Learner participants involved in Research Study 1. The current research indicated the possibility of the influence of prevention motivation and risk perception with future research using a larger sample population. Additionally, gender difference was a significant variable, with females self-reporting higher risk-taking in the investment of a college education decision domain than males. The second purpose for the current research was to understand the influence of regulatory focus theory and construal level theory when Adult Learners, who have life circumstances that shift them into a loss of security state, evaluated a persuasive message about a specific college brand. The researcher queried how Adult Learners, motivated by situational context, evaluated a specific college brand construed in a persuasive message, so that it resulted in a more favorable evaluation. Research Study 2 was used to examine whether Adult Learners accessing a prevention motivation developed a more positive brand attitude toward a college represented based on a website message that addressed high-level benefits of a college degree and why the benefits of a college degree from the college was desirable or toward a college represented in a website message that addressed low-level features and the feasibility of how the features of that college fit the individual&rsquo;s life circumstances and learning environment needs at the time. Findings from Research Study 2 indicated that the only significant effect of increasing a favorable brand attitude toward a college was construal level. Whether Adult Learners were in an induced prevention/loss state or an induced promotion/gain state, adult learner participants evaluated the university more favorably with the web page for the university construed with low-level features and the feasibility of how the college fit into their life circumstances and learning environment needs more favorably. The findings from Research Study 2 had several possible interpretations, because the research method lacked pretests of the induced gain/loss states and the high-low construal of the web message, as well within survey tests for processing mode and processing-fit-effect. A recommendation for future research was to retest the hypotheses for Research Study 2 incorporating pretests, processing mode, and processing-fit-effects. </p><p>

<p> The aim of this research was to investigate the transformational experience of teachers who had training and experience with traditional education and then moved to an experiential teaching method as found in the One Earth School, Bali, Indonesia. The researcher conducted interviews with eight teachers and made observations of the teachers&rsquo; practices in the One Earth School. This study sought to answer the main research question: What was the transformative experience of teachers who moved from traditional to experiential forms of education? This primary research question was expanded to include sub-research questions that explored: How did an experiential educational method influence teacher practice, what were the barriers in transitioning to an education in experiential learning, how did the teachers address those barriers? The primary researcher used a multiple case study method. Six key themes emerged from this analysis, which were a sense of purpose, transformation of educational beliefs, experiences of transformative learning, sense of community, sense of intimacy, and self-transformation. The findings of this study provided data to support the theories and practices of transformative experiences for teachers who converted to this method. The experiences of teaching in the OES provided teachers impactful learning experiences that facilitated their transformation. The findings will provide a model for articulating and disseminating the transformative practices of educators as co-learners.</p><p>

<p> The aim of this study was is to uncover the interdependence between self-transformation and community participation through analyzing the self-reports of participants in a 30-day community-based transformative educational program called the True School, organized by the Konohana Family in Fujinomiya, Japan. This research explored the question: What conscious phenomena, in terms of self-awareness, were experienced through participating in a 30-day community-based transformative educational program called the True School? The Konohana Family is an intentional community located in Fujinomiya, Japan, whose cultural belief system is based on transcending ego. Daily journals and a critical hermeneutic conversation were used to explicate the conscious phenomena experienced. Some experiences that the participants aspired for were later felt, and some experiences that participants felt were later aspired for. The researcher found that, prior to the True School, participants experienced emotional conflicts and repressed their personal desires. They desired acceptance, personal ownership, transformation, and wisdom. They aspired to feel autonomy, confidence, creative expression, fulfillment, and vulnerability. During the True School, participants wanted to feel confidence, creative expression, and vulnerability. They experienced compassion, embodiment, empowerment, gratitude, intuition, joy, vulnerability, will, and wisdom. After the True School, participants felt acceptance, faith, joy, non-attachment, and wisdom. More so, locus of control (LoC), the belief in a source of control as internal or external, was found to modulate self-construal and worldview. LoC was considered to be synonymous with ego, as the belief in a separate self. When ego is intended to be acknowledged and suspended or transcended, harmony is experienced and community forms. This research addresses the significance for further applications of community-based learning environments, specifically with the intention of transcending ego. </p><p>

<p> The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to examine if and to what extent a relationship existed between teacher-perceived emotional intelligence (EI) of immediate supervisors and teachers&rsquo; level of job satisfaction. It was not known how these two variables related to each other, which was identified as a small piece of a much larger concern nationwide &ndash; special education (SpEd) teacher attrition. This study was built upon the foundation of two theoretical models: Salovey and Mayer&rsquo;s (1990) EI ability model and Locke&rsquo;s (1968) model of job satisfaction. Both of these models have been utilized and refined through multiple research studies and were used to define the variables in the current study. Study participants were recruited from the National Association of Special Education Teachers as well as snowball sampling techniques. Overall, 102 SpEd teachers participated in the study, which was carried out through an online survey. The primary research question asked if there was a statistically significant relationship between SpEd teacher-perceived EI of immediate supervisor and SpEd teacher job satisfaction. A Pearson correlation coefficient demonstrated a strong positive correlation between SpEd teacher-perceived EI of immediate supervisors and SpEd teacher job satisfaction, <i>r</i>(100) = .605, <i> p</i> &lt; .01. Therefore, it is recommended that educational organizations critically evaluate EI when hiring and promoting individuals into a supervisory position.</p><p>

<p> This study investigates the association between athletes&rsquo; emotional intelligence and age, gender, academics, and sport performance. Participants in this study consisted of 181 NCAA Division II athletes from one faith-based university. Results indicate that no relationship between emotional intelligence and age, academics, and sport performance exist. A significant relationship was found when comparing gender to emotional intelligence. Male athletes scored higher than females in overall EI, self-management, and self-awareness. Furthermore, the study found gender was a predictor of GPA. Females had a slightly higher GPA than males. Descriptive statistics are included to show several trends depicted in tables and bar graphs that are identifiable by viewing the tendencies of the means.</p>