This research explored the learning conceptions of a culturally diverse population of post-graduate health and life sciences students at a Scottish university; and investigated the relationship between their learning conceptions and academic achievement. There is a vast literature on conceptions of learning deriving from a variety of disciplines, although few studies have addressed the conceptions of experienced learners. A mixed methods approach was implemented, which is underpinned by a phenomenographic methodology. The participants comprised individuals from thirty-two nations, which were broken down into five cultural clusters. Quantitative data were gathered from 156 students, using the Conceptions of Learning Inventory (COLI) (Purdie & Hattie, 2002) and their predicted, and actual, academic performance at the end of their first semester. Three focus groups further explored students’ understanding, and experiences, of learning and assessment. There were some cultural differences in conceptions of learning identified in this study; generally, students from Central Africa scored most learning conceptions higher than students from other cultural clusters. There were no learning conceptions that predicted academic achievement with this group of post-graduate health and life sciences students, although there was a relationship between predicted academic performance and ‘personal development’ and ‘broadening horizons’. Possible explanations for these outcomes are presented. Contrary to previous research, predicted academic performance was not correlated with academic achievement. There were no cultural differences in academic achievement, but more students from Central Africa predicted that they would perform well than students from other cultural clusters. There is some support for learning conceptions sitting in a nested hierarchy, as found by previous research, but this study cannot confirm the exact order of these learning conceptions. In light of these findings, suggestions for future research are considered, with an emphasis on the relationship between learning context and conceptions of learning; and longitudinal research focusing on the development of learning conceptions. Implications of the outcomes from this study for university learning and teaching, as well as international and staff development policies, are presented.

The problem is concerned with social attitudes of graduate students toward graduate faculty and graduate faculty toward graduate students in the programs of a large college of education. The purposes are (a) to establish that the attitudes of acceptance of others, trust in people, philosophy of human nature, human values, and moral ethics exist among graduate students and among graduate faculty in a large college of education; (2) to determine the relative degree to which these social attitudes exist (a) among graduate students, (b) among graduate faculty, and (c) between graduate students and graduate faculty.

The problem with which this study is concerned is to determine and identify the factors associated with the choices Arab graduate students make when selecting their graduate school and major area of study at institutions of higher education in the United States. In addition, comparisons are made between the responses of Arab graduate students (1) who attend American private schools with those who attend American public schools and (2) those who are self-supported with those who are outside supported.

Why do some master's level students feel confident in completing their programs and some do not? Why do some feel connected to their department and some do not? Why do some feel legitimate as graduate students and some do not? This research proposes that there may be differences in how master's students understand the graduate student role based on whether they went directly from high-school through their bachelor's to their master's, or if they took time off between their bachelor's and master's program. This thesis used in-depth interviews with twelve second-year master's students at Portland State University to explore these questions: six with students who had a linear trajectory through higher education and six with students who had a break after completing their bachelor's and before returning for their master's (broken trajectory students). Students from both groups began their programs with questions about their ability to perform at a master's level. Broken trajectory students were more likely to have thought through their chances of success and entered their programs 'knowing' that they would successfully co~plete the programs even when they questioned their academic abilities. Students from both groups overall felt a progressive increase in feelings of connection to their departments. The linear trajectory students entered their programs with some established feelings of connection with other graduate students. The broken trajectory students did not have these established connections, but desired connection with other serious students. Overall, students from both groups experienced increased feelings of legitimacy as graduate students, but the criteria by which they judged their legitimacy differed between groups. Linear trajectory students used academic ability as a primary measure of legitimacy, where broken trajectory students used having a clear understanding of why they were in graduate school as the standard to determine whether they "belonged in college." The two groups also differed in the source of their student role standard: broken trajectory students used professors as their role reference group, whereas the linear trajectory students used peers and undergraduate students. This thesis closes with a discussion of the implications of this research for theory, programs, and current models of persistence.

No description available.

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2004 / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: There are indications that the emergence of global trends in the production and dissemination of knowledge is influencing science policies worldwide, and compelling universities and technikons in South Africa to become more market oriented, competitive and entrepreneurial. Some of these trends include new modes of knowledge production, increased financial and academic accountability and distance education. The changing higher education landscape worldwide has implications for South African tertiary institutions. In addition, one of the objectives of the democratic government that took power in 1994 was to transform higher education. The publication of the White Paper on Education in 1997, the establishment of the Council on Higher Education (CHE) and the Higher Education Quality Committee (HEQC), and the National Plan for Higher Education in 2001 heralded the beginning of change. Consequently, it became necessary for higher education institutions to deliberate on the future course of their undergraduate and postgraduate teaching and training programmes. In this context, it is important for universities and technikons to understand the needs of their postgraduate students. The overall aim of this study was to identify the perceptions of ex-Technikon Natal (now the Durban Institute of Technology) postgraduate students on their research experiences with regard to supervision, communication, the Technikon generally, availability of resources, finance, time, departments, faculties, research, research methodology, statistics, library and expertise. The particular focus was on postgraduate students registered at the Technikon Natal in 2001, whether or not they had submitted their research proposals. A postal survey was carried out to determine the students' perceptions of their research postgraduate experiences at the then Technikon Natal. The results of the survey indicate that the majority of postgraduate students have a negative perception of the Technikon. Students feel that there are insufficient experienced supervisors available for consultation, leading to unacceptable delays. With regard to communication, students feel that the Technikon does not disseminate enough information on processes and procedures about postgraduate issues. Overall, students in the Health Sciences are more dissatisfied than students in the other faculties. In fact, the postal survey reveals that students in these other faculties are more positive than negative about their postgraduate experiences. However, it is worth pointing out that a large proportion of Science and Engineering students (38%) are undecided on this matter. It is interesting to note that the open-ended comments section at the end of the questionnaire reveals far more negative perceptions than the closed questions. Students are dissatisfied about the lack of modern computer facilities and available funds. They also feel strongly that it takes too long to get a research proposal approved. The majority feels that a postgraduate information kit would assist greatly. Comments about Research Methodology as a subject are particularly negative with regard to statistics, and the course, which they feel is too general. Students do not seem to have any major difficulties with the library services. The Technikon has to put structures in place to improve these negative perceptions and manage the students' needs. Combined with the impact of the merger of the former Technikon Natal and M.L. Sultan Technikon, the effects of which are not yet fully understood, the new Durban Institute of Technology should give serious consideration to the needs of its postgraduate population, especially in the Faculty of Health. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Globale tendense in die produksie en disseminasie van kennis blyk wereldwyd 'n invloed op wetenskapsbeleid te he en noodsaak universiteite (en ook technikons in Suid-Afrika) om 'n groter markgerigtheid, mededingendheid en ondernemingsgees te openbaar. Hierdie globale tendense behels, onder andere, 'n verskuiwing na nuwe modi van kennisproduksie, sowel as 'n toename in finansiele en akademiese verantwoordbaarheid, en afstandsonderrig. Suid-Afrikaanse tersiere instellings kan hierdie wereldwye veranderinge in die landskap van hoar onderwys moeilik ontsnap. Daarbenewens het die demokratiese regering, wat in 1994 aan bewind gekom het, dit ten doel gestel om hoar onderwys in die land te transformeer. In 1997 het die eerste veranderinge ingetree met die publikasie van die Witskrif op Onderwys, en dit is in 2001 opgevolg met die totstandkoming van die Raad op Hoar Onderwys (CHE), die Hoar Onderwyskwaliteitskomitee (HEQC), en die Nasionale Plan vir Hoar Onderwys. Gevolglik het dit nodig geword dat hoar onderwysinstellings oorleg pleeg rakende die toekomstige verloop van voorgraadse en nagraadse onderrig- en opleidingsprogramme. Binne hierdie konteks is dit nodig vir universiteite en technikons om begrip te he vir die behoeftes van hul nagraadse studente. Die oorhoofse doel van hierdie studie was om die persepsies te identifiseer van nagraadse studente aan die eertydse Technikon Natal (nou deel van die Durban Instituut vir Tegnologie). Die fokus was op studente se navorsingservarings met betrekking tot supervisie, kommunikasie, die technikon in die algemeen, die beskikbaarheid van hulpbronne, finansies, tyd, departemente, fakulteite, navorsingsmetodologie, statistiek, biblioteekfasiliteite en kundigheid. Studente wat in 2001 aan die Technikon Natal geregistreer was, is by die ondersoek betrek, ongeag of die student 'n navorsingsvoorstel ingedien het of nie. 'n Posvraelys-opname is gebruik. Die resultate van die opname toon die meerderheid nagraadse studente het 'n negatiewe persepsie van die Technikon. Die studente voel daar is nie genoeg ervare studieleiers om te raadpleeg nie, en dit lei tot onnodige vertragings. Wat kommunikasie betref, voel die studente dat die Technikon nie genoeg inligting omtrent nagraadse prosesse en prosedures versprei nie. In geheel gesien, het studente in die Gesondheidswetenskappe 'n veel groter ontevredenheid uitgespreek as studente in ander fakulteite. In die ander fakulteite was 'n geringe persentasie studente meer positief as negatief omtrent hul nagraadse ervaring. 'n Redelike persentasie studente in die Natuur- en Ingenieurswetenskappe (38%) was egter besluiteloos in hul opinie. Verder het die oop vrae aan die einde van die vraelys, wat kommentaar versoek, veel meer negatiewe as positiewe persepsies ontlok. Die studente is ontevrede met die gebrek aan moderne rekenaarfasiliteite en beskikbare fondse. Hul voel dat dit te lank neem om 'n navorsingsvoorstel goedgekeur te kry. Die meerderheid is van mening dat 'n nagraadse informasiepakket van groot waarde sou wees. Die kommentaar omtrent Navorsingsmetodologie as 'n vak is besonder negatief, veral wat statistiek bet ref, en hulle voel die kursus is te algemeen. Die studente blyk nie ernstige probleme met biblioteekdienste te he nie. Die technikon moet derhalwe strukture in plek stel ten einde die negatiewe persepsies van die studente aan te spreek en hul behoeftes doeltreffend te bestuur. Tesame met die impak van die samesmelting (waarvan die effek nog nie ten volle begryp word nie), moet die instelling ook ernstige oorweging skenk aan die behoeftes van die nagraadse populasie, veral in die Fakulteit van Gesondheid.

Thesis (M.A.)--Miami University, Dept. of Psychology, 2009. / Title from first page of PDF document. Includes bibliographical references (p. 70-79).

Much scholarship on first-generation students has focused on their academic and social integration in college (Collier & Morgan, 2008; Lowery-Hart & Pacheco, 2011; Stuber, 2011). Little is known about the experiences of first-generation students in schools of social work. In this research I've expanded the focus beyond students' experiences of academic integration to explore how first-generation students in a school of social work describe their relational worlds and the implications for professional socialization. Informed by Standpoint Feminism and Postmodern/Post structural Feminism, I conducted focus groups with 19 students in two undergraduate programs and one graduate program in a school of social work and analyzed these conversations using Voice-centered Relational Data Analysis (Brown & Gilligan, 1992). This research highlighted how students bridge the cultures of home and school through 1) Experiences of support from home cultures while 2) pursuing school largely on their own and experiencing 3) the potential for distance from cultures of home, as they 4) work to stay integrated in home cultures while simultaneously 5) working to become integrated in school. I've also written about students' experiences of becoming caught "in-between" the cultures of home and school (Anzaldúa, 1987/2012), a less common but nevertheless important experience for educators to attend to. Here I've argued for broadening the focus beyond academic integration (Tinto, 1975, 1993) and underscored the relational nature of first-generation status, as well as drawing attention to potential for relational injury embedded in our narratives about educational attainment and class mobility. Implications for social work education, practice, and research are discussed.

Thesis (MPhil)-- Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Limited research in South Africa has been conducted on factors contributing to doctoral success, particularly on how doctoral candidates and graduates experience their studies and the transformation of candidates that can be associated with doctoral studies. This lack of information pertains to the successful completion of a doctoral study within a minimum period of time. It is difficult to predict who will eventually successfully complete their doctoral studies if the prediction is merely based on the results of previous qualifications. Such previous achievements are often insufficient and inadequate to ensure the successful completion of a doctoral study. Knowledge institutions such as universities seem not to pay adequate attention to the transformation of the person of the doctoral candidate and his or her becoming an independent researcher. Often, a narrow concept of the intellect of doctoral candidates is over-emphasised. Knowing, although limited, is transformative as it can often change who candidates are (or become) as graduates. Such transformation and the idea of a doctoral identity has rarely been the focus in doctoral education, as epistemological gain is regarded as being more important. The aim of this study was to establish a basic understanding of doctoral success at Stellenbosch University, mainly directed at exploring the challenges faced by doctoral candidates and thereby possibly contributing to the future support of doctoral candidates at the institution. By using an interpretive reseach paradigm and narrative analysis, a number of characteristics were identified as being useful by contributing to a clearer theoretical and conceptual understanding of doctoral success at Stellenbosch University. In the study a number of factors that facilitated doctoral success were also identified, and factors contributing to such success as indicated by participants themselves were defined. A conceptual framework of understanding that may underscore and justify strategies and actions promoting doctoral success are suggested in the study. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Daar bestaan tans beperkte navorsing in Suid-Afrika oor faktore wat tot die sukses van doktorale studies bydra, veral ten opsigte van hoe doktorale kandidate en gegradueerdes hulle studies ervaar en die transformasie van kandidate wat deur doktorale studies meegebring word. Hierdie gebrek aan inligting het ʼn impak op die suksesvolle voltooiing al dan nie van ʼn doktorale studie binne ʼn minimum tydperk. Dit is moeilik om te voorspel wie uiteindelik hulle doktorale studies suksesvol sal voltooi as die voorspelling bloot op die resultate van vorige kwalifikasies gegrond is. Sodanige vorige prestasies is dikwels onvoldoende en ontoereikend om te verseker dat ʼn doktorale studie suksesvol voltooi sal word. Kennisinstellings soos universiteite gee skynbaar nie voldoende aandag aan die transformasie van die doktorale kandidaat as persoon of aan die proses waardeur hy of sy gaan om ʼn onafhanklike navorser te word nie. Dikwels word ʼn eng konsep van die intelligensie van doktorale kandidate oorbeklemtoon. Kennis, selfs al is dit beperk, is transformerend van aard omdat dit dikwels kan verander wie die kandidate as gegradueerdes is (of word). Sodanige transformasie en die konsep van ʼn doktorale identiteit was nog selde die fokuspunt in doktorale studie omdat epistemologiese voordele as belangriker beskou word. Die doel van hierdie studie, wat hoofsaaklik gerig was op ʼn ondersoek van die uitdagings wat doktorale kandidate moet aanspreek, was om ʼn basiese begrip van doktorale sukses aan die Universiteit Stellenbosch te vestig. Dit was dus ʼn poging om by te dra tot die toekomstige ondersteuning van doktorale kandidate aan hierdie instelling. Deur ʼn interpretatiewe navorsingsparadigma en narratiewe ontleding te gebruik, is ʼn aantal waardevolle eienskappe geïdentifiseer wat tot ʼn duideliker teoretiese en konsepsuele begrip van doktorale sukses aan die Universiteit Stellenbosch kan bydra. In die studie is ʼn aantal faktore geïdentifiseer wat doktorale sukses vergemaklik, terwyl ʼn oorsig ook gegee word van faktore wat volgens die deelnemers aan die studie tot sukses sal bydra. Hierdie studie stel ʼn konsepsuele begripsraamwerk voor wat strategieë en optrede wat doktorale sukses sal verhoog, ondersteun en regverdig.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 305-313). / Also available by subscription via World Wide Web / xiii, 313 leaves, bound ill. 29 cm