The problem with which this study is concerned is the investigation of certain selected elements of technological change upon certain selected elements of psychosocial change and the relationship of such changes upon modern man's ability to adjust to these changes. The necessity for psychosocial change and, consequently, adjustment, has risen dramatically in the past few decades as a result of rapid technological and scientific advances for which modern man has been ill-prepared.

This study compared the perceptions of members of the Virginia Senate to those of Virginia community college presidents concerning the importance of state funding of 14 community college goal areas clustered from 31 activity statements. The study sought to determine what differences existed between the two groups concerning these goals and the priorities of the two groups for funding the goals. The study also examined the effects of the urban/rural nature of a respondent’s district or service region, the length of time as a legislator or president, the geographic location of a senator’s district, political affiliation of a senator, and the size of a president’s institution on the degree of importance for funding the goals. The study found that presidents rated all goal areas higher than did senators. Both senators and presidents agreed that 13 of the 14 goal areas were important for funding. Of these 13, however, there were statistically significant differences for 7 goal areas. Senators and presidents both disagreed that the remaining goal area was important for state funding; the difference was statistically significant. Only 2 of the goal areas showed significant differences between urban and rural respondents. Of the 31 activity statements, presidents and senators both agreed that 24 were important for state funding. On 5 of the activities senators disagreed with the importance for state funding while presidents agreed. Both senators and presidents disagreed with the importance of funding two activities. Other variables showed little effect on the responses. The rankings of goal areas and activity statements by senators and presidents showed a high positive correlation indicating congruence between the priorities for funding of the two groups. The study concluded that there is much agreement and congruence between senators and presidents concerning goals for Virginia’s community colleges, with greatest support for occupational/technical, developmental studies, and transfer programs. / Ed. D.

Thesis (MPhil (School of Public Management and Planning))--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / Some aspects of South African higher education transformation have been bleak, indicating that the trajectory of innovative teaching and affordability requires attention for the foreseeable future. At CIDA we have seen a different picture of this, in other institutions there may be other milestones yet to reveal other gains of transformation. Briefly, this paper tells the CIDA transformation story; other institutions of higher learning in South Africa can learn from its approach and share in the remarkable sense of determination and commitment demonstrated by CIDA. The purpose of this work is to reflect on CIDA’s pattern breaking that can aid better student equity transformation in the South African higher education system. A limitation of the study is that we examine only one factor at a time and it may not adequately account for what happens when all the factors interact at the same time. It emerged from the discussion that CIDA innovative teaching involves awareness of students’ educational needs, views and emphasis on the physical experience of emotions and reasoning. Students are encouraged to be self-confident and feel good about themselves and others through participation and opportunities for spirituality and diversity.

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Based on a number of comprehensive international studies conducted in the past three decades as well as various other national surveys and reports, it is reasonable to argue that a focus on mere academic disciplinary knowledge is not sufficient to meet employers’ and students’ expectations about higher education studies. These studies support arguments of preparing students for today’s rapidly changing and highly competitive labour markets, for periods of unemployment in terms of economic downturn, and for lifelong learning. Moreover, the literature suggests that the so-called discrepancy between the needs of the world of work and those offered by higher education could possibly be addressed by placing a more pertinent focus on the development of graduate attributes. Despite the fact that graduate attributes have been the centre of discussion in many countries over a number of decades, literature indicates that the notion of graduate attributes is a complex concept that relates to issues such as employability, lifewide and lifelong learning, social responsibility and good citizenship, as well as others related to environmental consciousness and technological adeptness. This study is located within a constructivist-interprevist paradigm using a phenomenographic approach to investigate the qualitatively different ways in which academic staff members in five undergraduate Applied Design programmes at a University of Technology experience, conceptualise, perceive and understand the phenomenon of graduate attributes in the subjects they teach. The conceptual framework used in the study is based on the three domains of higher learning of the engaged curriculum model of Barnett and Coate (2005). For this study qualitative data was collected using multiple data collection methods, including curriculum document analysis, focus-group sessions and semi-structured interviews. The data analysis process consisted of seven stages of defining the categories of description that emerged from the qualitative data available to the researcher. This was an iterative process of discovery of which the categories of description were not based on predetermined classifications. A set of a limited number of hierarchically related categories of description emerged from this analysis. These categories of description, in conjunction with the relationships among the categories, constitute the outcome space of phenomenography. Based on the findings from the literature perspectives on graduate attributes and the empirical findings of the phenomenographic study a number of important issues can be highlighted. These include academics’ misconceptions of what is meant by graduate attributes as well as the interactions between their conceptions of graduate attributes and how they approach the development of graduate attributes through their teaching practice. The phenomenographic analysis indicates that if academics view graduate attributes as discrete, isolated units of learning that can be attached to an existing curriculum as a ‘quick-fix’ to address employers’ needs, they are likely to have a simplistic, technicist conception of curriculum and may adopt a transmission, teacher-centred approach to their teaching. Literature has revealed that such approaches negatively influence students’ learning experiences. As an alternative approach, an integrated capabilities framework is suggested to support the notion of graduate attributes as a complex, multi-dimensional and inter-related aspects of higher education. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Gebaseer op ‘n aantal omvattende internasionale studies wat in die afgelope drie dekades wêreldwyd uitgevoer is asook verskeie nasionale opnames en verslae kan daar met reg aangevoor word dat deur slegs klem te plaas op die ontwikkeling van akademiese dissiplinêre kennis binne hoër onderwys daar nie aan die behoeftes en verwagtinge van werkgewers en studente voldoen word nie. Hierdie studies bevestig ook vraagstukke wat verband hou met die voorbereiding van studente vir die hedendaagse snel veranderende arbeidsmark, ekonomiese afswaai en gepaardegaande werksloosheid, asook aspekte rakende lewenslange leer. Literatuur dui daarop dat hierdie sogenaamde tekortkominge moontlik aangespreek kan word deur meer klem te plaas op die ontwikkeling van die kenmerke wat met gegradueerdes geassosieer word. Alhoewel hierdie kenmerke van gegradueerdes reeds gedurende die afgelope aantal dekades en in verskeie lande die spilpunt van bespreking is, dui literatuur daarop dat die opvattings wat met gegradueerde kenmerke gepaardgaan kompleks van aard is. Dit hou ook verband met kwessies soos werkverkryging, lewenslange en lewenswye leer, goeie burgerskap en gemeenskapsveranderwoordelikheid asook ander relevante kwessies soos omgewingsbewustheid en tegnologiese kundigheid. Hierdie studie is geposisioneer binne ‘n konstruktivistiese en interpretatiewe paradigma. ‘n Fenomenografiese benadering is gebruik om die opvattings oor gegradueerde kenmerke, wat akademici in vyf toegepaste ontwerpskursusse aan ‘n Universiteit van Tegnologie het, kwalitatiewelik te ondersoek. Die konseptuele raamwerk vir hierdie studie is gebaseer op die drie aspekte van gevorderde leer wat deel vorm van die samevoegende kurrikulum model van Barnett en Coate (2005). Vir die doel van hierdie studie is kwalitatiewe data ingesamel deur middel van veelvuldige data insamelingsmetodes wat die ontleding van kurrikulum dokumente, fokusgroep besprekings en semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude ingesluit het. Die ontledingsproses het bestaan uit sewe stadiums om die kategorieë van beskrywing, wat vanuit die data ontstaan het, te definieer. Dit was ‘n proses van herhaaldelike ontdekking en was nie gebaseer op vooraf bepaalde klassifikasies nie. ‘n Stel van ‘n beperkte aantal kategorieë van beskrywing binne ‘n hierargiese orde het ontstaan vanuit hierdie ontleding. Hierdie kategorieë van beskrywing, met inagneming van die verband tussen die kategorieë, vorm die uitkomste ruimte (“outcome space”) van hierdie fenomenografiese studie. ‘n Aantal belangrike gevolgtrekkinge kan gemaak word gebaseer op die literatuurstudie en die bevindings van die empiriese studie. Hierdie gevolgtrekkinge sluit in die wanopvattings van akademiese personeellede aangaande die kenmerke van gegradueerdes, asook die wisselwerking tussen die akademici se opvattings en wyse waarop hul onderrig benader. Die data-ontleding dui daarop dat indien akademici die kenmerke van gegradueerdes beskou as afsonderlike en geïsoleerde eenhede van leer wat by ‘n bestaande kurrikulum gevoeg kan word as ‘n sogenaamde kitsoplossing om aan werkgewers se verwagtinge te voldoen, hul heel moontlik ‘n oorvereenvoudigde, tegniese opvatting van kurrikulum het en dat hul ook waarskynlik ‘n transmissie, dosentgesentreerde benadering tot onderrig het. Literatuur dui daarop dat sulke benaderings studente se leerervarings negatief beïnvloed. As ‘n alternatiewe benadering, stel die navorser ‘n geïntegreerde raamwerk voor wat gebaseer is op ‘n vermenging van alvermoë en vernuftigheid sodat die kenmerke van gegradueerdes gesien kan word as ‘n stel komplekse, multi-dimensionele en inter-afhanklike aspekte van hoër onderwysstudies.

This thesis proposes and estimates a model of university scientists interactions with the private sector; in this model students are conceptualized as an important enabler of such interactions. The results of the study show that university scientists student-related behaviors such as grant support of students and research collaboration with students, and student-related attitudes such as mentoring orientation positively affect the probability that scientists will enter interactions with industry as well as the intensity of such interactions. Behaviors such as teaching and advising of students are not related to interactions with industry. This study is motivated by the increased emphasis on closer relationships between universities and industry as a means to facilitate the commercial application of university research. Today, numerous policies and programs attempt to achieve such goals. As a result, university scientists are called on to perform many tasks which on the surface seem misaligned. There is substantial study of conflict between the teaching and research missions of universities, and a growing body of study on conflict related to university based commercial and technology transfer related activities. Fewer, there are studies suggesting that these activities are not so misaligned after all. This study falls into the latter category as it posits a complementary relationship between university scientists student related activities and their work related interactions with industry, research and otherwise. Speculations regarding the importance of students in university industry relations and indirect evidence are scattered through the relevant literature, but little or no systematic empirical tests of their importance exist. This study uses data from a national survey of university researchers to discern the centrality of students to university-industry interactions. Theoretically, students are conceptualized as a dimension of university scientists respective research capacities that enable cross-sectoral processes of accumulative advantage and thereby help to enable their interactions with industry. As a component of scientists scientific and technical human capital, students help university scientists to identify and act upon on research opportunities originating in the private sector. Moreover, students increase the appeal of university scientists to industry agents seeking research partners in academe. Implications for theory and policy are discussed.

This examination describes the perceptions of faculty, student affairs professionals and students in regard to what students should learn as a result of college and what means are important for collegiate student learning. Some similarities and significant differences are found between groups as well as within groups in relation to what students should learn and how they learn. All three groups were found to place importance on the acquisition of critical thinking and communication skills as an outcome of college attendance. Faculty were found to place more-importance on in class skills and competencies when compared to student affairs professionals or students. All three groups identify traditional in class means of learning as significantly more important than out of class learning within the college environment. / Department of Secondary, Higher, and Foundations of Education

No description available.

This study examines the nature and character of consensus and contentions around the discourse of community engagement in a South African university context. This is against the background of the growing body of literature that advocates for the need for universities to make their impact felt in communities in more direct ways than through teaching and research. The examination is also against the background of the assumption that the success or failure of community engagement initiatives is, in part, a function of how stakeholders agree/disagree on the meaning and purpose of community engagement. The University of Fort Hare is used as a case study. Interviews and Focus Group Discussions were used for qualitative data collection, whilst a survey was conducted for gathering quantitative data. The study revealed that stakeholders attach different meanings to community engagement, with those possessing power and influence acting as key decision makers. Thus powerful stakeholders (in this case, the university and donor organizations) are at the core of the decision making process, while beneficiaries are pushed to the periphery. Moreover, both the meanings and the activities within which they cohere have important implications for the way beneficiary communities perceive university-community partnerships.

This study is about internationalization activity in the British Columbia university colleges. It discusses the environmental context, identifies the types of internationalization activities which occur and discusses the impact of this activity on faculty, staff and administrative work. The investigation employs a nested case study with units of analysis occurring at five levels. The university college sector is the first level; second, its senior officers; third, its deans and directors; fourth, faculty members; and fifth, staff members. Data collection involved individual and focus group interviews, compiling documentary and historical records, participant-observation and on-site visits to each university college. M y intent was to learn about internationalization, to identify the factors influencing its activity and to discover how the activity influences the university college environment. The research provided six key findings on internationalization in the university colleges: (1) the meaning of internationalization is heavily influenced by the external environment; (2) the university college workplace is shaped by growing numbers of international students; ( 3) the university colleges have been very successful in attracting international students to their programs; (4) internationalization work is both under-valued and under-supported at the university colleges; (5) a separation exists between international education and faculty areas and results in a number of misperceptions; (6) the university colleges are faced with leadership challenges. The key findings presented five general conclusions about internationalization in the university colleges: (1) internationalization efforts do not have a legitimate voice nationally, provincially or locally; (2) an institutional discussion and debate regarding the role and purpose of internationalization has not happened at the university colleges; (3) the university colleges run the risk of becoming overly dependent on a 'soft money' source to fund ongoing financial commitments; (4) the university colleges face some ethical challenges as they grapple with the economic imperative of internationalization; (5) the university colleges face an inherent structural challenge that creates tension within and between their internal and external communities. Policy and practice recommendations are made to government, to higher educators and in particular to the university colleges. The limitations of the study and suggestions for further research are provided. / Education, Faculty of / Educational Studies (EDST), Department of / Graduate

Many changes are occurring in community colleges offering baccalaureate degrees across the nation, especially in the state of Florida where 24 of 28 colleges in the Florida College System are offering baccalaureate degrees. The impact of these institutions shifting their missions from associate to baccalaureate degree offerings is unknown on a key area of the college - Student Affairs. The purpose of this study was to describe and document the perceived changes in and lessons learned about Student Affairs programs at two large, multi-campus colleges in the Florida College System offering Bachelor of Applied Science (BAS) and Bachelor of Science (BS) programs. The primary sources of data collected for this study were from 27 interviews with college administrators and staff and from 22 documents. District and campus-based administrators were selected based on their influence over, or knowledge of, Student Affairs programming at all degree levels and/or specifically at the baccalaureate degree level. Professional and support staff members were selected based on their direct involvement with the delivery or support of Student Affairs programs for baccalaureate students. The five major findings, based on a cross-case analysis, were (a) a focus on operations, (b) struggling with philosophical directions, (c) changes occurring in personnel and operational processes, (d) no change in several areas, and (e) lessons learned in cultural shift. This study concluded that the 2+2 admissions model is confusing to students, and it does not always allow for seamless financial aid coverage, which may be creating "leakages" in the community college baccalaureate (CCB) student success pipeline. Additional staff and resources are needed in the areas of admissions, recruitment, and advising. Several new and/or revised operational processes took place in the areas of admissions, recruitment, registration and records, and financial aid. Although student development theories still are seen as an important foundation of Student Affairs work, each college was struggling with their philosophical directions as a CCB institution. Finally, a majority of participants expressed a resistance to the change of becoming a CCB institution, not understanding if they still were a community college or if they were moving closer to becoming a 4-year university. / Includes bibliography. / Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2015. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection