This research study investigates the similarities and differences in assessment policy, perspectives and practices in relation to student learning, desirable graduate outcomes and lifelong learning (LLL) in two departments with similar disciplines: Sociology and Social Policy and English Studies of the Midlands University (MU) – UK and Sociology and English Linguistics and Literature of the Ho Chi Minh City University (HCMU) – Vietnam. The study’s conceptual framework was developed from research literatures on assessment, mainly David Boud’s framework of sustainable assessment or assessment for longer term learning, as the framework for data analysis. The methodology is a comparative case study, and the methods include using semi-structured interviews with 22 staff in both cases, four student focus groups, an action-based intervention at the English department of the HCMU, and document analysis. The similarities and differences across the comparative cases are explained on the basis of the economic, socio-cultural and HE contexts, while Boud’s framework is reframed theoretically and operationally for these contexts, and as a guide to improving practices. The data shows that although more elements of Boud’s framework were found in the MU than the HCMU, assessment in both cases was an imperfect realisation of this framework. The argument is made that this framework can offer a good vision for the two cases to aim at in terms of changes in their assessment perspective and practices, but the framework itself should also be reframed with contextual and cultural features of assessment, as well as the development of human capabilities and functionings in order to encompass a fuller range of educational goals. It is concluded that above all assessment should support not only learning at university but also expansive rather than reductive LLL.

<p> Despite the benefits of a college education and the resources allocated to college preparedness programs, Latino minorities, at 12.7% of college students, continue to be overwhelmingly underrepresented in institutions of higher educational (Zarate &amp; Burciaga, 2010). The graduation gap between lower and higher income students as well as minority students is due in part to lack of academic preparation, underfunding and staffing, and affordability of resources and support (Tinto, 2008). There is a need to increase students attending universities. Individuals with an advanced degrees are more likely to enjoy a higher standard of living, donate time and or money to various organizations, and live healthier lifestyles. Moreover, graduates are also less likely to live in poverty, have children at a young age, and partake in illegal activities (Contreras, 2011). </p><p> Therefore, the purpose of this study was to identify how sociocultural factors, peer affiliation, adult mentorship, and institutional barriers, affected the K-16 pathways of Latino individuals graduating from a STEM-based 6^th-12^th grade charter school. Results of this study show that home factors such as English language acquisition, level of education, and adult time spent with their children played a significant role in academic achievement. School-based factors, including: course offerings, strong mentorship, and choice of friends also significantly impacted student success and matriculation to college.</p><p> Results of this study will inform high school leadership teams on how to target and reshape their academic and college preparedness programs to better fit the needs of their Latino students. By addressing specific sociocultural characteristics as well as institutional deficiencies, we hope to increase the percentage of Latino students entering in and persisting through college.</p>

Current demographics within the United Kingdom present a challenging picture, with older people forming a considerable proportion of the population. In particular, older people are spending a longer period outside paid work at a point in the life course constructed as retirement. Increasingly, some older adults are returning to learning as a means of remaining socially connected, keeping active and purely for pleasure. Research which seeks to understand the relevance and importance of learning in later life remains quite disparate and, in addition, there is a lack of longitudinal or biographical research which seeks to explore this phenomenon. The research reported in this thesis aims to offer new insights into later-life learning by exploring how retired older people narrate their experiences of learning, and through consideration of the interrelationship this experience to life course capital.

<p> The purpose of this explanatory sequential mixed methods study was threefold. First, this study compared the effects of two different simulation-based instructional strategies on athletic trainers&rsquo; clinical competence in performing cardiovascular screening with cardiac auscultations. Second, this study identified the athletic trainers&rsquo; perceptions of learning through simulation-based instructional strategies. Third, this study attempted to identify and offer instructional recommendations based on the outcomes. </p><p> The quantitative phase analyzed cognitive and diagnostic reasoning knowledge and history-taking and clinical skills specific to cardiovascular screenings with cardiac auscultations as it was taught to athletic trainers (ATs) at a continuing professional education (CPE) course. The quantitative results found that high-fidelity and low-fidelity simulation-based instructional strategies significantly increased cognitive and diagnostic reasoning knowledge and history-taking and clinical skill from pre-test to post-test assessment on all dependent variables. When comparing the two fidelity types to each other, the analysis found that the participants in the high-fidelity simulation group gained significantly more skill when compared to the low-fidelity group. </p><p> In the qualitative analysis of this study, three themes emerged specific to the perceptions of the athletic trainers&rsquo; experiences as they learn through simulation-based instructional strategies. The first theme that emerged was a clear indication that participants&rsquo; exhibited positive perceptions of learning through simulation-based instructional strategies. The second theme that emerged was that the high-fidelity simulation experience during the pre-assessment and post-assessment raised an awareness of the deficit of knowledge and skills in performing a comprehensive cardiovascular screening with cardiac auscultations. Lastly, the third theme that emerged was specific to the perceived limitations in the effectiveness of low-fidelity simulation and the perceived strengths in the effectiveness of high-fidelity simulation. </p><p> A few instructional recommendations emerged from this dissertation study. Simulation-based instructional strategies are an ideal teaching method to utilize during continuing professional education courses with athletic trainers. Specifically, this study identified that both, high-fidelity and low-fidelity simulation, are effective in teaching cardiovascular screening with cardiac auscultations. Additionally, the participants perceived influences of a pre-test on the identification of their knowledge and skills deficit suggests that there are benefits of utilizing an authentic simulation pre-test as part of CPE courses.</p>

The thesis investigates whether contemporary policy and practice support formal and informal learning in the field of archaeology. Also, the assumption that multi-sector partnerships broaden community participation in heritage activities is interrogated. The multi-method comparative research model applied both empirical and qualitative methods to three case studies in the Midlands of Britain. Each of these projects gained funding to exhibit archaeology to the public during the course of the research. The policies and practices of the key individuals in the partnerships were investigated through taped interviews, and the data was analysed using cognitive mapping (Tolman, 1948, Buzan, 1993). Data about the visitors were gathered through questionnaire surveys, taped oral accounts, and observational studies. The interests, concerns and agenda of the principle stakeholders were compared. The results indicated that the role of the volunteers was crucial to the success and sustainability of the projects. However, some volunteers felt that they were weaker partners, and this was linked to a distinction between amateurs and professionals. The power of local authorities in heritage partnerships and their conflicting roles as developers and guardians of the archaeological heritage are questioned. Ways to facilitate participatory partnerships are suggested. The research draws on Foucault's definition of discourse, and Bourdieu's human capital theories and his concept of habitus and distinction. The links between informal and formal learning are rarely researched and theorised, but this study identifies how archaeologists, acting as "cultural intermediaries" (Bourdieu, 1984: 14), can create and sustain learning opportunities for adults, collapsing some of the traditional hierarchies between popular entertainment, community knowledge, and intellectual knowledge. The thesis places learning in archaeology within the theory of a structured taxonomy of learning (Biggs, 1971, Biggs and Collis, 1982).

Sports leadership has received increased promotion during the past two decades, as a tool for providing individuals with leadership skills and in contributing towards community sport development objectives. Sports Leaders UK (SLUK) play a key role in providing sports leadership training programmes in the UK, training over 200,000 leaders each year. This aims of this research was to evaluate the work of SLUK, in contributing towards the development of sport the personal and career development of the leaders undertaking the awards. A mixed methods approach was adopted to achieve ‘enhancement’ of findings. The first quantitative phase involved binary logistic regression analysis of SLUK’s candidate database (n=76,179) and set out to identify the predictor variables associated with award completion. The second quantitative phase provided analysis of surveys (n=76), and set out to explore relationships between the leaders’ career and personal development and involvement in the SLUK awards. The final qualitative study sought to gain the views and perspectives of the sports leaders who had engaged with the SLUK awards through the use of semi-structured interviews (n=16). This study aimed to further investigate the impact of SLUK awards on career development and in contributing towards sport and other community outcomes. Results showed that the SLUK awards were perceived to contribute to developing sport, particularly within the school environment. Furthermore, with the training and development of more sports leaders who are actively leading sport, more opportunities were found to be provided across the UK. Engagement in the awards was found to increase feelings of self-worth, which in turn helped build self-esteem and confidence in the leaders. Important factors which appeared to be associated with award completion and continued leadership behaviour included location of the award (i.e. centre type) and choice of participation in the awards. The research provides original contribution to knowledge by exploring the impact of SLUK awards on the leaders’ personal development and community sport. Future delivery of sports leadership needs to be focused in communities if sports leaders are to make the transition from schools to community clubs and continue volunteering. Support from mentors was found to be crucial in ensuring that sports leaders sustain their voluntary leadership.

A necessidade de formação docente para atuação no ensino superior se intensifica a partir da promulgação da LDB 9394/96 e das Diretrizes Curriculares Nacionais, sendo uma preocupação no cenário nacional e internacional. A presente investigação teve como objetivo analisar, a partir dos docentes e preceptores dos cursos de medicina e enfermagem da Famema, as perspectivas que têm em relação à Educação Permanente na Academia (EPA) como estratégia de formação docente no contexto do SUS. Trata-se de uma pesquisa qualitativa de natureza descritiva, tipo estudo de caso, realizada em uma instituição de ensino superior no estado de São Paulo que oferta os cursos de medicina e enfermagem. Foi realizada entrevista semi-estruturada com 26 docentes e preceptores de diferentes formações da área da saúde. A análise dos dados foi fundamentada na análise de conteúdo proposta por Bardin (2011). Foram configuradas as seguintes categorias temáticas: EPA como espaço de formação docente; EPA enquanto processo grupal; EPA como instrumento de gestão e EPA e a integração ensino-serviço. Desenvolvida desde 2003, a EPA se configura como um potente espaço para formação docente em saúde a partir da reflexão da prática pedagógica desenvolvida junto aos estudantes. É desenvolvida por meio do grupo operativo no referencial de Pichon-Rivièri em sintonia com a metodologia da problematização proposta por Paulo Freire. Há resistências na participação de alguns docentes, o que é inerente do processo grupal. Os facilitadores do processo de EPA precisam se qualificar nos aspectos relacionados ao desenvolvimento grupal e ao currículo proposto. É um espaço institucionalizado reconhecido por muitos docentes, sendo a troca de experiências bastante valorizada, havendo, porém, a necessidade de apropriação de fundamentação teórica que possibilite saltos qualitativos consistentes para a formação docente em saúde. Conta com a participação de representantes do serviço que compõem os cenários de aprendizagem da atenção básica, fortalecendo a integração ensino-serviço, propiciando um espaço de formação coletiva. A gestão não explora suficientemente a EPA como ferramenta de gestão importante para mudanças necessárias na formação e nos serviços. Apreende-se a necessidade de, coletiva e institucionalmente, ser realizado permanente questionamento sobre o desenvolvimento da EPA, em termos de concepções e práticas, na direção do apoio efetivo às transformações do cuidado e de gestão em saúde, via processos formativos docentes problematizadores e compromissados socialmente / The need of the formation of a professor to work in college is intensified through the promulgation of LDB 9394/96 and the Nacional Curricular Guidelines, being a a worry for the national and international scenario. This investigation has the goal to analyse, through professors and preceptors in the Nursing and Medicine course in Famema, the perspectives in the Permanent Education in the Academy (PEA) as a strategy to in the formation of the professor in SUS. It\'s about a descriptive qualitative nature research, like case study, applied in an institution in São Paulo State, that offers the courses of Nursing and Medicine. A semi-structed interview with 26 professors and preceptors in many different formations in the Health care system was done. The analyses of the data was fundamented in the analyses of the content proposed by Bardin (2011). It was configured the followed categories: PEA as a formation environment; PEA as a group process; PEA as management instrument and PEA and the integration teaching-work. Developed since 2003, the PEA is configured as a great space in the formation of a professor in Health courses through the reflection of the pedagogical practice developed with the students. It\'s developed by a operative group in the Pichon- Rivièri benchmark in synthon with the methodology of the problematization in the Paulo Freire\'s proposal. There is a resistance in the participation of some professor, which is inherent to the group process. The facilitators in the PEA process need to qualify in the aspects that relate to the group development and the proposed curriculum. It\'s a institutionalized space known by many teachers, in which, the exchange of experience is vary valuable, although, it is needed the appropriate theoric fundamention to enable consistent qualitative jumps to the professor\'s formation in the Health education system. Count on the participation of the representatives of the service that compound the scenario of basic attention education, fortifying the integration in teaching-work, providing an space to the collective formation. The management doesn\'t explore enough the PEA as a managing tool to necessary changes in the formation and in services. It\'s seized the need to, collective and institutionally, be carried out the questioning of the PEA development, in conceptions and practical terms, in a direction of the effective support to the care transformation and health managing, through problematizator- social-committed process in the formation of the professor

Lifelong learning requires motivation to complete learning projects across the lifespan. Understanding an individual’s commitment to extended periods of learning is not well understood. There are particular gaps in longitudinal and biographical accounts of learners grounded in frameworks of lifespan theories. Equally missing are accounts that consider the dynamical nature of learning across time. Three learner biographies are examined to develop a dynamical control perspective of motivation for extended learning. Drawing on a regulatory framework the Lifespan Theory of Control and concepts from complexity perspectives particularly Non Linear Dynamical Systems Theory, including feedback, attractors and bifurcation, A model is offered which synthesises processes of control, motivation and dynamics leading to competence and accounting for extended periods of learning.

This thesis reports on barriers and enablers to participation within Further Education from the perspective of the student voice. It is based on the work of Veronica McGivney (1993) who reported on research undertaken by Cross (1981) which divided deterrents to participation into three categories, namely, Situational, Institutional and Dispositional. McGivney reports these categories to be “oversimplified”. Student participation/non-participation is explored via the opinions/perspectives of learners on the Access to Higher Education Programme within a traditional mining community which is in the process of redefining its identity following the closure of local coal mines within the last few decades. To accommodate the complexity that arose from this research, the discourses of both ‘individual needs’ and ‘student voice’ have been problematised. Quantitative and qualitative survey methods are drawn upon including data from questionnaires, focus group and college Management Information Systems. Nine emergent themes that may act as sub-layers to the themes of Situational, Institutional and Dispositional categories reported by McGivney and one meta-theme (Opportunity) are discussed. High levels of interrelatedness between emergent themes point to a fluid dynamic within the decision-making process of prospective participants. The research concludes with a practical ‘framework for participation’ that attempts to reflect this fluidity.

This thesis explores experiences of college-based higher education (CBHE) in England, positioning this type of provision within the national and local geographies of English higher education. Focusing on institutions located in higher education 'cold spots', the thesis situates these institutions within local and policy narratives of both lack of and need for educational opportunity. The case study research design examines two case institutions, and involves documentary analysis and interviews with higher education directors, tutors and final year students on two degree courses in each college, as well as interviews with key figures in national Further Education policy. Data analysis deploys the concept of possible selves in an original, sociologically-oriented dialogue with de Certeau's 'spatial story' to produce accounts of placed possible selves. The key contributions of the thesis are, firstly, that shared and homogenous societal narratives of university higher education dominate even in places and for educational subjects without university education. Secondly, the thesis challenges reductive binary understandings of student mobilities, in which mobility and privilege are diametrically opposed to immobility and disadvantage. Finally, the concept of local capital offers a way of understanding social, cultural and economic commitments to place that moves beyond a language of deficit.