<p> Academic advising has been touted as a key to student success and retention. Today's academic advising delivery models vary considerably and little is known about the efficiency and effectiveness of these models. The purpose of this study was to determine if there is a relationship between how academic advising is delivered to first-year students at a four-year public, high research activity university located on the west coast and the students' satisfaction with advising, advising learning outcomes, and retention. In the study, responses of 628 first-year students to a survey which asked them about their attitudes toward and experiences with academic advising were examined. Results indicated statistically significant relationships between student satisfaction ratings and advising learning outcomes and how advising is delivered, specifically, who advises students, where students are advised, how frequently students are required to see an advisor, how frequently students choose to see an advisor, and how "mandatory" advising is implemented. Furthermore results showed that student retention was related to who advises students and how "mandatory" advising is implemented with peer-led advising processes showing higher student attrition rates than other processes. The overall advising delivery variable effect size was small. Implications for practice and suggestions for future research are discussed.</p>

<p> This study examined the experiences of first-generation, economically disadvantaged, and disabled students&rsquo; utilization of TRIO Student Support Services and their perceptions related to factors associated with the services. The populace studied were Mexican-Americans, a subgroup of the Latin@ population as it is the fastest growing racial/ethnic minority group in the United States totaling approximately 12.5% of the nation and expected to almost double to 24% by 2050 (U.S. Census Bureau, 2000). Due to the abundance of Latin@s enrolling at community colleges (Fry, 2002; Tierney, 2005), it is important to do individualized studies on student experiences on their perspective of college interventions as a means to find ways to retain higher numbers of students, leading to higher graduation and transfer rates. </p><p> Using a qualitative, multiple case study approach, the researcher explored a border, rural community college. Social capital was used as the theoretical framework. Six, Mexican-American students served as the participants. The data collection methods were through semi-structured interviews over the course of the summer semester of 2013 at a Hispanic-Serving institution. The expected results were that students&rsquo; perceptions would validate the necessity for programs such as TRIO Student Support Services to serve as a tool for retention and completion at the two-year college or transferring to a university and completing.</p>

<p> The relatively little amount of time that some college students spend reading their textbooks outside of lectures presents a significant threat to their academic success. One possible solution to this problem is the use of digital games as an alternative to outside-of-class textbook reading, but a review of previous research did not reveal much information on their efficacy when compared to traditional textbooks. Using Astin's theory of student engagement as a framework, the purpose of this quantitative causal-comparative study was to determine whether a significant difference in engagement, as indicated by mental effort and time on task, existed for college students who used a digital game-based textbook versus students who used a traditional print-based textbook. The 54 undergraduate college students in this convenience sample were randomly assigned to one of the two textbook types and completed an activity session at an individual workstation. Time on task was measured with a stopwatch and mental effort with the Mental Effort Scale. The results showed a statistically significant difference in engagement between participants in the digital game-based and traditional print-based textbook groups, Hotelling's <i> T</i>²(2, 52) = 25.11, <i>p </i>&lt; .001, D²=1.86. In the post hoc analyses, the digital game-based group had significantly higher time on task scores than the traditional print-based textbook group (<i>t</i> = 34.61, <i>p</i> &lt; .001). The mental effort difference was not significant, although the mean mental effort score was higher for the digital game-based group. These results provide evidence of a digital game-based textbook's utility, and may inform college educators in their efforts to support a more diverse group of learners.</p>

<p> The purpose of this study is to identify student characteristics and academic program factors, which influence the student's ability to persist through degree completion within healthcare-related, associate degree programs within four urban, community colleges. To achieve this outcome, the Bean and Metzner (1985) model of non-traditional student attrition was adapted to analyze academic and demographic variables which may lead to degree completion within healthcare programs of study. Records of 3,237 students from four urban, community colleges, with healthcare-related programs of study and prerequisites of English, anatomy and physiology, and mathematics, were analyzed to determine predictors leading to program completion. The study employed a quantitative, <i> ex post facto</i> design using descriptive statistics, correlation, and logistic regression models to analyze the sample of 552 students. Out of the twelve independent variables for the six programs of study (diagnostic medical sonography, echocardiology technology, invasive cardiovascular technology, nursing, radiologic sciences, and respiratory care programs), cumulative and program grade point averages were found to be significant predictors of program completion. Recommendations included adding shorter certificate options within the programs of study, consider reducing the length of associate degree programs, assessing licensure success and length of programs in the healthcare sector, applying similar studies in university or rural settings, assessment of financial aid and completion in healthcare programs, and establishing pre-advising opportunities to determine the best program fit for students within the healthcare sector, thus increasing the student's ability to persist to program completion or graduation.</p>

<p> The purpose of this research study was to better understand the learning process related to experiential learning that occurs for early childhood education students in the early childhood education capstone course. Limited research exists on the nature of learning that occurs in the early childhood education capstone experience. A basic interpretive qualitative design was used for this investigation. Seven students enrolled in an early childhood capstone course at a community college were interviewed for the study. Qualitative methods were used to collect data from the students via interviews. Each participant engaged in three interviews, resulting in a total of 21 interviews. Each participant was interviewed by phone and digitally recorded for accuracy. </p><p> An analysis of the data revealed that the nature of learning that occurs during the early childhood capstone course is experiential. The theoretical framework for this study was derived from the research on teacher education, early childhood education, and adult learning. The three concepts that emerged from this study are (a) influence on students' learning, (b) perception of students' learning, and (c) the nature of learning. </p>

<p> <b>Purpose.</b> The investigation sought to determine the significance and or the effects of an ex post facto staffing intervention involving the addition of a Regional (mid-tier) team of instructional leaders as a viable and sustainable solution for increased operational effectiveness year over year, and, if there could be implications on employment outcomes. Furthermore, to determine whether this staffing intervention of adding a Regional (mid-tier) team of instructional leaders affected the primary Andragogical factors used for instructional effectiveness and did the change create a conducive condition for learning for Career Services Leaders from the perspective of Andragogy. </p><p> <b>Design/Methodology/Approach.</b> Mixed-method research utilizing the Modified Instructional Perspectives Inventory (MIPI) originally designed by Henschke (1989), modified appropriately. This study will compare the gap between the Regional Director (RD) and the Director (D) scores on the MIPI to measure possible contributions to employment placement outcomes and determine primary Andragogical factors used for instructional effectiveness for Career Services Leaders. </p><p> <b>Findings.</b> Regarding the influence of Andragogy on placement outcomes for 2011 compared to 2012, the conclusions were as follows: There was no significant relationship of note, however, observably, the wider the gap, the lower the placement rate for 2011. However, the 2012 Employment Rate (ER) indicated that there was a moderate, negative relationship between the gap in Andragogical instructional perspectives and employment rates. The leader learners were operationally effective as a result of the instruction they received from the instructional leaders. The research results support this point, since 2012 employment rates related to the Andragogical gap indicating trust, and both 2011 and 2012 employment rates were dependent upon the region from which they were generated. </p><p> <b>Practical Implications.</b> In higher education for-profit environments involving leadership development, instructional leadership staffing paradigms form the rationale for increased performance and operational effectiveness. </p><p> <b>Originality/Value.</b> The results of this study provided empirical validation for the decision to restructure the Career Services leadership model for continued implementation and sustainability in higher education leadership settings. </p><p> <b>Keywords.</b> Andragogy, Leadership, Career Services, Instructional Leadership, Adult Learning, Trust in Leadership, Regional Directors, Middle Management.</p>

<p> This research examined the effectiveness of the use of two different type of electronic dictionary: monolingual and bilingual dictionaries in the reading comprehension, production, and vocabulary acquisition by Chinese international students. A total of 141 Chinese international students with different English levels were involved in the study, and 139 of them finally completed the experiment. Sixty eight ofthem were assigned to use a monolingual dictionary during the test while the rest to use a bilingual dictionary. The exact same exam which was called verbal reasoning, measured in three times, contained 25 questions that examined participants' ability to analyze vocabulary and evaluate information from written material. Thirteen of the participants were interviewed twice about their perceptions of vocabulary acquisition, their view about using electronic dictionaries in reading comprehension. In spite of that most researchers tend to believe that the use the monolingual electronic dictionary would lead better outcomes and promote incidental vocabulary acquisition, the result of the experiment showed there was no significant difference among Chinese international students who used the monolingual or bilingual dictionary in verbal reasoning exams.</p>

<p> Recent changes surrounding the profession of pharmacy resulted in a growing number of new pharmacy programs as well as expansion of existing class sizes. This extreme growth, coupled with changes to accreditation standards which require volunteer licensed pharmacists to supervise student interns for a minimum of thirty percent of the Doctor of Pharmacy curriculum, have created a great burden amongst higher education administrators to meet these requirements, specifically in terms of recruiting, training, and retaining a qualified and committed pool of preceptors. </p><p> The purpose of this study was to identify what strategies the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy Experiential Education Section members utilize to recruit, train, retain, and acknowledge volunteer pharmacist preceptors. The following research questions were answered in this study: 1) What are the strategies utilized by American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) schools to: a) recruit, b) train, c) retain, and d) acknowledge volunteer pharmacist preceptors? 2) What are some of the practices associated with ways AACP Experiential Education Section members handle the supply and demand issues associated with training future pharmacists? 3) What are the characteristics of respondents in terms of institutional demographics (geographic location, three- versus four-year programs, private versus public, class size, teaching or research focus, etc.)? </p><p> An extensive review and report of the literature (AACP, 2004; AAMC, 2008; ACPE, 2007; ACPE 2011; Bandura, 1977; Brown, 2010; Cotter, 2010; Dewey, 1938; Dziedzic, 2010; Freire, 1970; James, 1907; Kolb, 1984; Knowles, 2005; Lewin, 1951; Lillibridge, 2007; NABP, 2012; Rogers, 1961; Zlatic, 2001) preceded design of the survey instrument utilized in the study. Experiential education theoretical frameworks highlighted adult learning theories which showed how hands-on, learning in real world settings promoted meaningful learning experiences. The history of pharmacy education, changes in the profession, and updated accreditation guidelines, including standards which required increased intern hours to be completed under the supervision of a licensed pharmacist preceptor emphasized the necessity for a strong group of volunteer preceptors to successfully fulfill the needs of the Pharm.D. curriculum. Additional literature (ACCP, 2012; Bird, Duong, Hagemann, Burton, Britton, &amp; St. Cyr, 2012; Bock, Duong, &amp; Williams, 2008; Brown, Barner, &amp; Shepherd, 2004; DiFrancesco, 2011; Flaherty, 2011; Hill &amp; Kirkwood, 2005; McDonough &amp; Bennett, 2006; Mersfelder &amp; Bonthillier, 2012; O'Neil &amp; Berdine, 2007; Popovich, Katz, &amp; Peverly, 2010; Rodis, Legg &amp; Casper, 2009; Yorra, 2012) highlighted how such practice opportunities benefited students, preceptors, and positively impacted patient care. Coupled with the positives of such experiences were the realities of the challenges to recruitment, training, and retention faced by higher education administrators. Barriers (Assemi et al., 2011; Cerulli &amp; Briceland, 2004; Crill, 2009; Duncan-Hewitt, 2005; Gulseth et al., 2006; Karimi et al., 2011; Lee et al., 2006; Lillibridge, 2007; Marrs &amp; Rackham, 2010; Marriott et al., 2006; McBane &amp; Karr, 2012; McKauge &amp; Coombes, 2005; Medina, 2008; Reid et al., 2007; Scarvell &amp; Stone, 2010; Snyder et al., 2010; Sonthisombat, 2008; Talley, 2006; Verstraten et al., 2006; Warren &amp; Denham, 2010; Wuller, 2008; Zarembski et al., 2004) to effective precepting listed in the literature included lack of training, insufficient resources and personnel, lack of confidence, workload and time stressors, handling difficult students, and balancing resident, clinician, and student roles. Practices in related fields of international pharmacy, nursing, and medicine provided studies of best practices in regards to preceptor recruitment, training, acknowledgement, and retention. </p><p> This study utilized a survey design methodology with thirteen quantitative survey items as well as eight open-ended commentaries allowing for qualitative analysis to address the research questions. Active members of the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy Experiential Education Section were voluntarily surveyed and 233 participants answered using online survey collection in the summer of 2013. Data was analyzed and reported in descriptive statistics. Results identified current strategies utilized by Doctor of Pharmacy programs who are members of the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy Experiential Education Special Interest Group to recruit, train, retain, and acknowledge volunteer pharmacist preceptors. Additionally, the study provided information related to the practices associated with supply and demand issues associated with training future pharmacists. </p><p> Findings of this study are useful for those involved in academia in the health professions, specifically higher education administrators looking to fulfill accreditation guidelines for experiential education in a Doctor of Pharmacy curriculum. Conclusions and recommendations revealed opportunity for growth and development in the areas of experiential education especially as related to preceptor recruitment, training, retention, and acknowledgement, as well as for future research.</p>

<p> Adult Hispanic ESL students in rural San Luis, Arizona, face a challenging situation. Since San Luis lies on the southwestern tip of Arizona and borders with Mexico, Spanish is the predominant language. English, on the other hand, is mostly heard in classrooms. This can be a predicament for adult Hispanics who need to be proficient in English in order to excel at college or university. What can be done to assist these students? The literature states that one becomes a better reader by reading extensively (Krashen, 1999; Grabe, 2009). How does one get ESL students to read extensively if they are stymied by their limited vocabulary? A solution is graded readers. These are books written specifically for second/foreign language learners and consist of seven to eight levels. According to the literature, as individuals read through the different levels, their vocabulary and reading comprehension will increase (Nation and Wang, 1999; The Extensive Reading Foundation, 2011). Eventually, they will be able to comprehend text written specifically for native English speakers (Waring, 1997). </p><p> A mixed-methods study was conducted to assess the effect that graded readers vis-&aacute;-vis Scaffolded Silent Reading (ScSR) had on adult Hispanic ESL students at a community college on the U.S.-Mexico border. The areas examined were vocabulary growth, reading comprehension, and reading attitude. The findings were promising and showed some growth in vocabulary and reading comprehension for both the treatment and control groups. Furthermore, participants of the treatment group had a positive attitude towards reading graded readers through Scaffolded Silent Reading. </p><p> There is the need for further studies of a longer duration with adult Hispanic ESL students who live on or near the U.S.-Mexico border. The findings could build on this preliminary study. Furthermore, they contribute to the literature on extensive reading in general and graded readers through Scaffolded Silent Reading, specifically. .</p>

The literature supports the use of parent training as a viable treatment for children with behavioral problems. Compared to other outpatient interventions for children with acting out behaviors, parent training has been shown to be the most effective treatment and also the most completely evaluated one. One issue related to the existing parent training programs is the use of individual or small group format, making them less cost-effective than a large group model. Another issue is that positive effects achieved in-home as a result of parent training rarely generalize to the school setting. The present study investigated Glasser's parent training program which was designed to decrease identified behaviors in the home as well as in the school. In addition, this program employs a large group format relative to other prominent parent training programs. A quasi-experimental, two group (i.e., treatment and comparison) pretest-posttest design was used for this study. Mothers with children ages 5 to 12 comprised the groups. Multivariate analyses of variances were conducted to examine the pre-post changes for the two groups with respect to child and parent functioning. Relative to the subjects in the comparison group, those involved in Glasser's parent training program demonstrated significant changes in parent functioning and child functioning (in-home, but not in the school setting).