Students’ intention to stay within the higher education system is decreasing by the year, and even though more students are enrolling at universities annually, the percentage of students completing their studies is not satisfactory. The low completion rate is a concern not only in South Africa, but worldwide. Trends are identified as to why students do not complete their studies. This study seeks to focus on perceived social support, the students’ academic fit, the psychological conditions of meaningfulness and availability as well as the students’ engagement levels, and then to investigate if these constructs will influence their intention to stay. The proposed engagement model of May, Gilson, and Harter (2004) originally designed by George Kahn (1990), was used to determine whether social support and academic fit correlates positively with the psychological conditions, which may lead to engagement and increase a student’s intention to stay. A quantitative research design was used to investigate the universal challenge at hand, and it was descriptive in nature in order to gather specific information from the first-year students. A crossectional design was used. The research method consists of a literature review and an empirical study, presented in one research article. A convenience sample was used, and a total of 304 students completed the questionnaires. These questionnaires were based on the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, the Psychological Conditions Scale, Academic Fit Scale, the Work Engagement Scale and the Intent to Leave Scale. Structural equation modelling methods were used, and implemented in AMOS to test the measurement and structural models. The fit-indices used to test if the model fit the data included the absolute fit indices such as Chi-square statistic, the Standardized Root Mean Residual (SRMR), and the Root-Means-Square Error of Approximation (RMSEA). The incremental fit indices which were used included the Tucker-Lewis Index (TLI) and the Comparative Fit Index. It was found that social support did not have an impact on the psychological conditions of meaningfulness and availability, but it had a direct and indirect (via academic fit) effect on intention to stay. This implies that the amount of support students receive has an influence on their intention to stay, and also increased their sense of belonging in their field of study. Academic fit was positively associated with the psychological conditions of meaning and availability, which means that if the student’s personality and field of study is aligned the student will feel that the course is meaningful to him, and he will invest more energy in his studies. Academic fit had direct effects on students’ intention to stay, which means that students who feel they belong in their field of study will also be more likely to stay at the educational institution. It was also found that if students experience a sense of psychological meaningfulness and availability they will be more engaged in their studies, which impact their intention to stay / MCom, Industrial Psychology, North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2012

The aim of orientation programs at tertiary academic institutions is to introduce newcomers to the attitudinal and behavioral standards of their new academic and social situation, and these programs usually have a formal and an informal component. Formal orientation is officially developed and monitored by the university. Informal orientation is associated with socially orientated initiation or hazing activities administered by senior students in the seclusion of hostels and are often not monitored by the university, resulting in human rights violations such as racial discrimination, physical abuse and psychological bullying. Because both components of orientation take place during the same time frame and in the same broader context, orientation programs as a whole have been receiving negative attention and criticism in the media. Research has, however, also uncovered many positive elements in orientation programs - in both the formal and informal components. Literature suggests that universities put in place a high quality formal and informal orientation program to ensure the well–being of first–year students. Well–being is regarded as the subjective appraisals that people make about the quality of their lives based on their experiences, relationships, feelings and overall functioning in life. Two approaches towards subjective well–being are identified: the first is the hedonic approach, focusing on emotional well–being (EWB) and is equated to positive feelings, subjective happiness and satisfaction with life; the second is the eudaimonic approach, focusing on psychological well–being (PWB) and social well–being (SWB) which not only conceptualizes well–being in terms of meaning and purpose, but also as positive functioning in life on personal and social levels. The aim of this study was to determine the shifts in well–being of first–year students during an orientation program (with both the formal and informal components included) at a tertiary institution and to explore the experiences associated with these shifts. A sequential mixed method research design was used where quantitative and qualitative research approaches were combined to provide an in–depth understanding of the phenomenon. A convenience sample of first–year hostel residing students (mean age=19 years) was used for the quantitative study. Students completed the Mental Health Continuum Short Form (MHC–SF) and the Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS) before (n=102), during (n=371) and after (n=358) the orientation program. Twenty–one demographically representative first–year hostel residing students (mean age=18.5 years) were purposive selected to participate in the qualitative study consisting of a focus group discussion and semi–structured in–depth individual interviews which took place after the programs’ completion. The quantitative results indicated that first–year students’ well–being remained unchanged before, during and after orientation in all facets except in SWB. First–year students’ SWB increased practically significantly over the course of the orientation program. The qualitative findings suggested that first–year students’ well–being fluctuated from high before the orientation program to low during the program’s initial phase to high again after the program’s completion. Experiences associated with SWB were perceived to be the central experience associated with an increase in well–being. Recommendations are made regarding the promotion of the social and personal well–being of first–year students during an orientation program. / Thesis (M.A. (Clinical Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

The aim of orientation programs at tertiary academic institutions is to introduce newcomers to the attitudinal and behavioral standards of their new academic and social situation, and these programs usually have a formal and an informal component. Formal orientation is officially developed and monitored by the university. Informal orientation is associated with socially orientated initiation or hazing activities administered by senior students in the seclusion of hostels and are often not monitored by the university, resulting in human rights violations such as racial discrimination, physical abuse and psychological bullying. Because both components of orientation take place during the same time frame and in the same broader context, orientation programs as a whole have been receiving negative attention and criticism in the media. Research has, however, also uncovered many positive elements in orientation programs - in both the formal and informal components. Literature suggests that universities put in place a high quality formal and informal orientation program to ensure the well–being of first–year students. Well–being is regarded as the subjective appraisals that people make about the quality of their lives based on their experiences, relationships, feelings and overall functioning in life. Two approaches towards subjective well–being are identified: the first is the hedonic approach, focusing on emotional well–being (EWB) and is equated to positive feelings, subjective happiness and satisfaction with life; the second is the eudaimonic approach, focusing on psychological well–being (PWB) and social well–being (SWB) which not only conceptualizes well–being in terms of meaning and purpose, but also as positive functioning in life on personal and social levels. The aim of this study was to determine the shifts in well–being of first–year students during an orientation program (with both the formal and informal components included) at a tertiary institution and to explore the experiences associated with these shifts. A sequential mixed method research design was used where quantitative and qualitative research approaches were combined to provide an in–depth understanding of the phenomenon. A convenience sample of first–year hostel residing students (mean age=19 years) was used for the quantitative study. Students completed the Mental Health Continuum Short Form (MHC–SF) and the Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS) before (n=102), during (n=371) and after (n=358) the orientation program. Twenty–one demographically representative first–year hostel residing students (mean age=18.5 years) were purposive selected to participate in the qualitative study consisting of a focus group discussion and semi–structured in–depth individual interviews which took place after the programs’ completion. The quantitative results indicated that first–year students’ well–being remained unchanged before, during and after orientation in all facets except in SWB. First–year students’ SWB increased practically significantly over the course of the orientation program. The qualitative findings suggested that first–year students’ well–being fluctuated from high before the orientation program to low during the program’s initial phase to high again after the program’s completion. Experiences associated with SWB were perceived to be the central experience associated with an increase in well–being. Recommendations are made regarding the promotion of the social and personal well–being of first–year students during an orientation program. / Thesis (M.A. (Clinical Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

Extant research describes the need for special education training in teacher training institutions. Research also states the importance of listening to the experiences of new teachers to inform best practice of teacher education training; however, there is a paucity of research examining the needs of new teachers to inform special education training for generalist preservice teachers. This phenomenologically informed study explores the experiences of new teachers in inclusive classrooms to gain an understanding of the knowledge and experiences new teachers need. The participants include seven new teachers who teach in inclusive classrooms across BC. All data was gathered through semi-structured interviews. Interviews were transcribed and analyzed according to phenomenological procedures with the goal of understanding the essence of experience for these new teachers in their inclusive classrooms. Based on the new teachers' experiences, initial recommendations are provided for teacher training institutions and directions for further research are also discussed.

Dieser Beitrag beschreibt ein offenes Peer-Tutoring-Konzept, in dem studentische Tutoren die Betreuung von Studienanfängern im Kontext einer onlinebasierten Einführungsveranstaltung selbstorganisiert gestalten. Nach einem Überblick über Betreuungsbedarfe und alternative Betreuungsmodelle im Hochschulbereich werden konzeptionelle Grundlagen, Kontext, Ziele und Ausgestaltung des tutoriellen Betreuungsmodells vorgestellt. Auf Basis einer explorativen Analyse der Tutorentätigkeiten mit Hilfe eines Tagebuch-Verfahrens werden Implikationen für die Gestaltung offener Tutorenkonzepte diskutiert.

Thesis (Ed.D.)--Georgia Southern University, 2007. / "A dissertation submitted to the Graduate Faculty of Georgia Southern University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Education." Education Administration, under the direction of Linda M. Arthur. ETD. Electronic version approved: December 2007. Includes bibliographical references (p. 217-226) and appendices.

Thesis (Ed. D.)--University of North Texas, Aug., 2007. / Title from title page display. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ed. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2007. / The entire dissertation/thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file (which also appears in the research.pdf); a non-technical general description, or public abstract, appears in the public.pdf file. Title from title screen of research.pdf file (viewed on February 13, 2008) Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Toronto, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 238-251).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2008. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references.