<p> According to Mortiboys (2012) and Powell and Kusuma-Powell (2010) effective college professors have high levels of trait emotional intelligence (trait EI). Consequently, this dissertation performed a one-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) in order to determine the existence of a relationship between the trait EI skill levels of those faculty members who received awards for teaching excellence&mdash;award-winning professors (AWPs) and their non award-winning counterparts by comparing the scores of these two professor populations on the Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire (TEIQue). The results of this ANOVA did not demonstrate any statistically significant relationship; however, when demographic variables, particularly gender, educational level, and institution entered the calculations, statistically significant relationships emerged. Finally, this dissertation also conducted semi-structured qualitative interviews with AWPs. A thematic analysis of these qualitative interviews demonstrated that AWPs practice trait EI skills when teaching in a variety of different ways, that different experiences enabled these individuals to learn trait EI skills and techniques, and that these AWPs are able to achieve a variety of results through their use of trait EI in the college classroom. </p>

<p> A principal goal of higher education is to prepare students for the real-world challenges they will encounter upon graduation in their everyday life, in their work and in society. While discipline specific content knowledge is an important component of a college education, a 2010 survey of employers conducted for the Association of American Colleges and Universities reflected the changing expectations of employers for recent college graduates. Approximately ninety percent of employers surveyed said college graduates entering the workplace need a broader set of skills than in the past in order to meet increasingly complex workplace challenges. Among the top four workplace skills in demand are creativity and innovation. </p><p> This study employs a qualitative phenomenological approach to examine a particular curricular program designed to impart creativity and to promote the generation of new ideas that lead to innovation. Through the use of student surveys and in-depth interviews with students and faculty who have participated in the program, the study offers a synthesized description of the student experience of the curriculum and the pedagogies used in the program. The study identifies the key benefits of the program for students; offers guidance on what kind of pedagogical approaches are necessary for faculty to successfully implement this kind of program; and addresses the challenges involved in advancing a curriculum for creativity and innovation that utilizes unconventional pedagogies. </p><p> What seems clear from the student experience is that the curricular program is effective in imparting the knowledge and skills to practice creativity and innovation. Also evident is that the constructivist learning environment and the pedagogies employed in teaching the program, including hands-on and collective learning, critical thinking and problem-based learning, and formative assessment, contribute to a feeling of confidence in the mastery of the skills and results in deep learning by the students. Through the experience, students are empowered with a creative capacity and an ability to innovate, as well as with skills in communication, collaboration, critical thinking and problem-solving. These are abilities that will prepare students for the complexities of rapidly changing world.</p>

There has been subtantial academic concern over what is deemed to be the negative implications of the recent "reinvestment" phase of federal research funding (1999 to 2008). For the social sciences and humanities, however, nuch of this concern is not substantiated with any actual data. This thesis examines five of these proposed theses (or "fears") and finds that only one can be supported by actual evidence. The remaining four concerns are thus premature or erroneous. The first thesis centers around total dollar funding amounts and argues that federal funding is either dwindling for the social sciences and humanities or has decreased in proportion to other disciplines. Using publicly available data this is found to be false and in conflict with the actual trends occurring during this period. The second thesis argues that federal funding initiatives specifically target business or industrial-related research, to the detriment of the public good. This fear is qualified and then dismissed through an analysis of private sector R&D expenditures, commercialization activity, and new initiatives developed during this period. Related to the above, the third thesis posits that federal funding has become "targeted," or directed away from basic research and towards specific (applied) fields of federal interest. Using public data this is shown to be false. Thesis four constitutes the only fear which is substantiated in this analysis. Scholars have argued that recent funds have cultivated a certain level administrative control over the direction of faculty research, primarily for the purposes of increasing funding success. This trend is examined in detail in chapter 3 using interview data with research officials at Canadian institutions. The final thesis argues that the value of social sciences and humanities grant success is growing for both universities and faculty and has led to a corresponding increase in competition, hierarchy, and differentialization between Canadian institutions. After examining this argument in chapter 4, this hypothesis is found to be in serious need of qualification. The work concludes by noting that the net effects of funding fluctutations on research activity for these disciplines are much less pervasive than most scholars recognize. It also argues that greater intellectual rigor is needed if future publications actually expect to help academics understand changes on this issue. Quantitative and qualitative changes in research funding do have serious implications for the research activity of the disciplines at large. Unfortunately, to date, these implications have neither been well described nor accurately represented by the scholars devoted to their exposition. / Il y a eu une inquiétude académique substantielle concernant ce qui est conçu comme des implications négatives sur la phase récente de 'ré-investissement' du financement federal pour la recherché (1999 à 2008). En ce qui concerne les sciences sociales et les humanités, cependant, cette inquiétude n'est pas appuyée par des véritables données. Cette thèse examine cinq de ces cas proposés (ou 'craintes') et découvre qu'un seul peut être appuyé avec des véritables preuves. Les quatre autres inquiétudes sont donc prématurées ou erronées. Le premier cas entoure les montants totaux de dollars finacés et soutient que le financement fédéral est soit à la baisse pir les sciences sociales et les humanités ou a baissé en proportion avec les autres disciplines. En utilisant des données disponibles au public, cela est faux et en conflict aves les tendances actuelles durant cette période. Le deuxiéme cas soutient que le financement fédéral cible spécifiquement la recherche des entreprises ou reliées aux industries, au détriment du bien public. Cette crainte est qualifiée et ensuite écartée par une analyse du secteur privé, des dépenses de recherche et développement, des activités de commercialisation et des nouvelles initiatives développées durant cette période. Reliée au cas précédent, le troisième cas avance que le financement fédéral est devenu 'ciblé' ou est dirigé ailleurs qu'à la recherche de base et vers des domaines spécifiques (appliqués) qui intéressent le fédéral. En utilisant les données publics, cela est faux. Le quatriéme cas établit la seule crainte que est appuyée dans cette analyse. Les érudits ont argumenté que les fonds récents ont cultivé un certain contrôle au niveau administratif sur les directions des recherches des facultés, surtout dans le but d'augmenter les réussites du financement. Cette tendance est examinée en détail dans le chapitre 3 en utilisant des données d'entrevues avec les directeurs de recherche aux ainstitutions canadiennes. Le cas final veut que la valeur de la réussite des octrois pour les sciences sociales et les humanités s'améliore pour les universitiés et les facultés et a mené à augmentation correspondante dans la compétition, l'hiérarchie et la différentiation entre les institutions canadiennes. Après avoir examiné cet argument au chapitre 4, cet hypothèse a un besoin sérieux de qualification. Le travail conclut en notant que les effets nets des variances dans le financement sur les activités de recherche piur ces disciplines sont beaucoup moins pénérants que les érudits le reconnaissent. Il soutient aussi qu'une plus grande rigueur intellectuelle est requise si les publications futures vont aider les érudits à comprendre les changements dans ce domaine. Les changements quantitatifs et qualitatifs dans le financement des recherches ont des implications sérieuses sur l'activité de recherche en général. Malheureusement, jusqu'à date, ces implication n'ont été ni bien décrites, ni bein représentées précisément par les érudis dévoués à leur exposition.

This exploratory study investigates evaluation and professional development for Chinese university teachers from their perspectives by focusing on young instructors. Teacher Evaluation and Professional Development (TEPD) play an important role in student learning, faculty development, and school success. Due to a hierarchical system that is built on seniority and neglects professional development, young teachers at Chinese universities tend to be marginalized in the process of TEPD. Through interviews and questionnaire surveys, the participants in this study described their perspectives on, identified problems in, and provided recommendations on TEPD at Chinese universities. The participants are 23 teachers from four Chinese universities. By employing qualitative research methods such as Constant Comparison and Narrative Analysis, I present the survey results from the interviews and data from the questionnaires. Findings reveal that the use of teacher evaluation for administrative purposes leads to an overemphasis on research achievements, overreliance on student ratings, lack of feedback systems, and limited opportunities for professional development. There is an urgent need to establish fair, sound, and effective TEPD systems emphasizing the interests of young university teachers. The major implications of the results include concern about the quality of higher education, a need to improve human resource management at universities, and attention to the marginalization of young teachers. / La présente d'étude exploratoire fait une enquête sur le système de l'évaluation et du développement professionnel, à l'égard de perspective des enseignants aux universités de la Chine, en visant les jeunes professeurs. Cette évaluation des enseignants et du développement professionnel (TEPD) joue un rôle important pour l'apprentissage des étudiants, le développement des facultés, ainsi que le succès de l'université. Du fait que ce système d'hiérarchie est établi sur l'ancienneté et néglige le développement professionnel, les jeunes professeurs dans l'université de la Chine ont tendance d'être marginalisés à l'application de cette évaluation. Au moyen des interviews et des questionnaires, les participants dans cette études décrient leur perspective, identifient leur problème, et donnent leur recommandations sur le TEPD aux universités de la Chine. Les participants sont les 23 enseignants venant de quatre universités des la Chine. Par la méthode de recherche qualitative de Comparaison Constant et d'Analyse Narrative et, je présente le résultat de l'enquête par trois interviews approfondies et par les données des questionnaires. La recherche révèle que l'application actuelle du système de l'évaluation des enseignants et du développement professionnel met trop l'accent sur la réalisation de la recherche, la dépendance du taux d'étudiants, manque de système de réaction et limite l'opportunité de développement professionnel. Il existe une urgence d'établir un système de TEPD sain, effectif et d'égalité, en mettant l'importance sur l'intérêt des jeunes enseignants aux universités. L'implication essentielle du résultat de l'étude concerne la qualité d'éducation supérieure, le management de ressource humaine dans l'université, et la marginalisation des jeunes professeurs.

College students with learning disabilitities (LDs) find college especially challenging as they often do not have the skills necessary to be successful in higher education. This thesis examined how strategic learning strategies are affected by constructivist support services for postsecondary students with LDs studying at a postsecondary institution. At Time 1 students with LDs who received support used motivation and time management strategies significantly more than students with LDs who did not receive support. Students with LDs who received support did not differ significantly in their use of anxiety strategies from students with LDs who did not receive support. Neither support history, presence of a LD nor an interaction of support and LD were significant for any of the three areas of strategy use (motivation, anxiety and time management) at Time 1. Students with LDs who received support received grades comparable to their peers without LDs and no support. The strategy use of students with LDs who received support did not change significantly from Time 1 to Time 2. / Les étudiants avec troubles d'apprentisages (TA) au niveau collégial vont souventindiquer que l'école est un défi car ils n'ont pas toujours les compétences nécessaire pour réussir à ce niveau. Ce mémoire examine comment les stratégies d'apprentissages stratégiques sont affecter par les services spécialisés constructivist pour les étudiants au niveau collégial avec TA. Au début de l'année scolaire les étudiants avec TA qui recevaient les services spécialisés utilisaient les stratégies pour la motivation et pour gérer le temps plus que les étudiants avec des TA qui ne recevaient pas les services spécialisés. Les étudiants avec les TA qui recevaient les services spécialisés n'ont pas utiliser les stratégies pour gérer l'anxieté différemment que les étudiants avec des TA qui ne recevaient pas les services spécialisés. Ni l'histoire des services spécialisés reçus, les TA, ou une combinaison des deux facteurs a été considérablement différent pour les trois domaines de stratégies (motivation, anxiété, gérer le temps). Les étudiants avec les TA qui recevaient des services spécialisés ont reçu des notes comparables aux étudiants sans TA qui ne recevaient pas des services spécialisés. L'utilisation des domaines de stratégies n'ont pas changé considérablement dès le début de l'année scolaire.

The national occupational therapy (OT) professional association of Canada expects graduates and practicing clinicians to demonstrate the knowledge, skills and attitudes to carry out evidence-based practice (EBP). Evidence-based OT practice involves a process whereby therapists combine expert judgment and clinical experience with available scientific evidence and client choices, to make a clinical decision for a given client. Although academic programs are urged to design curricula that will promote EBP competencies, there are currently no available guidelines to support faculty in the design of an EBP curriculum. Identifying the trajectories of EBP competencies as they develop across the levels of professional education in OT can inform the instructional design required to foster the necessary EBP knowledge and skills across the different levels. The purpose of this doctoral study was to compare EBP behaviours among OT students and expert OT clinicians on a written simulated case and identify the extent to which their practices reflected features of EBP. The practice behaviours of expert clinicians (n = 7) were identified and subsequently used to create a reference model for EBP. Then the EBP behaviours of students (n = 53) in three different academic levels in a professional Master's entry-level OT program and a new group of experienced clinicians (n = 9) were compared to the practice behaviours depicted in the reference model. The EBP reference model illustrates two types of decisions, those based on scientific evidence and those that were primarily driven by clinical experience. Comparisons of EBP behaviours of students and experienced clinicians showed that students had greater breadth of knowledge of EBP aspects taught in the OT program. Experienced clinicians' practice behaviours were most consistent with the decisions illustrated in the model in the aspects of EBP which appeared to depend upon clinical experience. This study has implications for both OT education and clinical practice. The reference model can be used as a practice framework to guide therapists through clinical decision-making in one area of OT practice. In OT education, the model can be used as a framework for teaching and assessment of expert decision-making. The identified gaps in students' knowledge can guide faculty as they monitor and update the EBP content within the OT curriculum. / L'association nationale regroupant les professionnels en ergothérapie du Canada s'attend à ce que les diplômés et les cliniciens fassent preuve des connaissances, des compétences et des attitudes requises pour exercer une pratique basée sur des données probantes (PBDP). Une telle pratique repose sur une démarche décisionnelle associant expertise, et expérience clinique aux données scientifiques à la disposition des cliniciens et aux choix de chaque client. Même si les programmes universitaires sont orientés vers la rédaction de cursus favorisant l'acquisition de compétences associées à une PBDP, il n'existe à l'heure actuelle aucune directive pour guider le personnel enseignant dans l'élaboration d'un cursus favorisant la PBDP. La détermination de l'évolution des compétences en PBDP à tous les niveaux de la formation professionnelle en ergothérapie peut éclairer la conception pédagogique nécessaire à l'acquisition des connaissances et compétences liées à la PBDP aux divers paliers. L'objectif de cette recherche de doctorat était de comparer les comportements typiques d'une PBDP chez les étudiants en ergothérapie et chez les cliniciens experts dans le cadre d'un exercice de simulation écrit et de déterminer à quel point leurs pratiques reflètent les caractéristiques de la PBDP. La description des comportements professionnels de cliniciens experts (n = 7) a permis de créer un modèle de référence de PBDP. Les comportements liés à la PBDP des étudiants (n = 53) à divers niveaux d'étude de maîtrise en ergothérapie et d'un nouveau groupe de cliniciens expérimentés (n = 9) ont alors été comparés aux comportements professionnels décrits dans le modèle de référence. Ce modèle de PBDP illustre deux types de décisions, celles qui sont fondées sur des preuves scientifiques et celles qui sont principalement motivées par l'expérience clinique. La comparaison des comportements typiques de la PBDP chez les étudiants et chez les cliniciens expérimentés a révélé que les étudiants avaient plus de connaissances sur les aspects de la PBDP enseignés dans le programme d'ergothérapie. Les comportements professionnels des cliniciens expérimentés correspondaient plus étroitement avec les décisions décrites dans le modèle comme étant des aspects de la PBDP qui semblaient liés à l'expérience clinique. Cette étude a des répercussions tant pour la formation en ergothérapie que pour la pratique clinique. Le modèle de référence peut servir de cadre décisionnel en pratique dans un domaine particulier de l'ergothérapie. Dans le programme de formation des ergothérapeutes, le modèle peut servir de cadre d'enseignement et d'évaluation de l'expertise décisionnelle. Les lacunes cernées quant aux connaissances des étudiants peuvent orienter le corps professoral qui fera le suivi et la mise à jour du contenu lié à la PBDP dans le cursus en ergothérapie.

<p> Student retention has been a mystery within colleges and universities for decades. Administrators continue to devote resources to increase student persistence within their institutions. The first-year seminar is a popular intervention found at many colleges and universities. The purpose of this study was to explain how a first-year seminar affected the retention rate of first-time, traditional aged freshman at a medium-sized, 4-year, public university. Using the fall cohort of 2012 students (<i>N</i>=665), this study used a two-phase, sequential, explanatory mixed methods design. Using a stratified random sample and Tinto's (1987) theory of individual departure as the theoretical framework, this study found the students who reenrolled in the fall of 2013 who took the first-year seminar reenrolled at a higher percentage (63.49%; <i>n</i>=160) than the other strata. Furthermore, it was found the students who completed the first-year seminar had higher levels of academic skills and social integration than those who did not take the seminar. All of the strata were concerned about finances including tuition and fees, other costs associated with college, and disposable income. It was further concluded the university should offer more social options for students. It was also recommended that the university should consider requiring the first-year seminar for all freshman students. Moreover, given the level of financial strain it further recommended the university increase financial education to all students. The low response rate (8%; n=48) may have been due to the medium selected for data collection. Further discussion of the viability of the medium is considered.</p>

<p> There is a gap in the research aimed at exploring the college transition experiences of homeschooled African Americans into Predominantly White Institutions (PWIs). The past research has been rudimentary, demographically limited, and anecdotal with predominantly White homeschoolers as research subjects. This qualitative study explored the transition experiences of eight homeschooled African American students into PWIs guided by Tinto's student transition theory. The study found the transition experience of homeschooled African Americans into college and university learning environments of PWIs consisted of typical transitional experiences common to most college students learning the culture of a new environment. This study also found that while homeschooled African Americans faced similar transition challenges as identified by established empirical research on the experience of African American college students attending PWIs, these challenges were not barriers to their academic success or retention.</p>

<p> Institutions of higher education in the United States seek to obtain new sources of donor support as their traditional sources of funding, beyond student tuition, have come under strain. Given the decline in state and federal funding since 2008, many institutions, and specifically schools of business, have attempted to attract new funds from donors resulting in some of these schools being "named" in honor of these benefactors. Much of the literature regarding philanthropy in higher education focuses on this phenomenon. Additional literature focuses on the change that can occur within organizations. When a college or university announces such a gift, the term "transformative" is often used. This qualitative study examines three schools of business that received naming gifts, and attempts to determine the kinds of transformations anticipated by administrators, faculty, and donors. Whether any transformation takes place because of the gift, the nature of the transformations, faculty and administration participation before, during and after the receipt of the gift, and factors that motivate the donors is examined. The findings point to transformation taking place at the three institutions in the study, but the engagement of the faculty and administrators with a donor appear to be at least as important as the dollar amount of the gift itself.</p>

<p> This study examines White university students' understanding of race. Based in the scholarship on higher education and diversity, and framed in Critical Race Theory (CRT), this study explores the racial awareness of White students. This study contributes to the literature on the racial experience of Whites and an understanding of how White students conceptualize race. Findings from this study can inform college and university educators as they seek to engage the racial majority in a multicultural campus.</p><p> Fifteen 18-19 year old White students raised in a predominately White state, and attending their first year at a predominately White university, participated in this qualitative study. Each participant was invited to two interviews and responded twice to the writing prompt 'What is race?' Interviews were audio recorded and transcribed. Both the transcriptions and free writes were coded for themes and sub themes.</p><p> Findings are presented in three categories reflecting the three research questions. These categories are 1) Being White, 2) What is Race, and 3) Experience with Race. Some of the most prominent themes and subthemes are: Learning I am White, Whites are Disadvantaged by Affirmative Action, Race is Skin Color, I am Not Racist, and School Policies about Race.</p><p> Findings were analyzed considering White racial identity development, Whiteness, and racial ideologies. Participants appeared to be in the initial statuses of White racial identity development. They had little awareness of themselves as raced and the effect of race; Whiteness was unmarked and invisible in their lives. The White students' narratives revealed a lack of understanding of three key concepts: race, racism, Lid privilege. Their narratives also reflected three racial ideologies: American individualism and meritocracy, Color blind, and Liberal racism.</p><p> Participants' narratives revealed students who were ill prepared to engage successfully in a diverse society. However, with a clearer understanding of how these White university students perceive race and Whiteness, educators can develop both formal and informal learning opportunities that will support multiculturalism on their campuses. By ensuring that their graduates understand race and privilege, colleges and universities can play a vital role in addressing racial inequality and securing a thriving multicultural society.</p>