The desire to attract an increasing number of minorities is pushing institutions of higher learning to brand themselves and communicate with students in ways that ensure their identification with the institution. Students' identification with an institution is one way to increase their enrollment numbers at the institution. This study was interested in determining whether NDSU's Graduate School and Office of Multicultural Programs used Cheney's (1983a) organizational identification inducement strategies in their recruitment and retention material that targeted multicultural graduate students. A closed coding textual analysis was used to analyze the material. Three of the four strategies were present in the analyzed communication material. Results are discussed in terms of key findings and practical implications for NDSU and other institutions that are interested in increasing their enrollment numbers of multicultural graduate students.

Every year many immigrant families become members of United States communities. Among these are international graduate students whose lives and identities, as well as those of their families, are changed as they negotiate between cultures and experiences. In this study, three Saudi graduate students share their stories about culture, education and literacy. This research employs narrative inquiry to answer the following question: What stories do Saudi immigrant students tell regarding their educational beliefs and experiences, as well as the experiences of their children in the U.S. and in Saudi Arabia? The participants' interview texts are the main data source. The three-dimensional narrative inquiry spaces of temporality, sociality, and place help identify the funds of knowledge in place throughout these narratives. Data analysis uses funds of knowledge as a theoretical lens to make visible the critical events in each narrative. These events point to themes that support the creation of a third space in which the participants negotiate being in two cultures as well as their storying across time to understand their own experiences. Themes of facing challenges, problem solving, adaptation, and decision-making connect these stories and support the discussion of findings within the personal, practical, and social justifications for this narrative inquiry. The participants' negotiation of being in two cultures as revealed here serves as a resource for educators in understanding the instructional needs of immigrant families. The findings also have the potential to contribute to changing existing misconceptions about this minority group and other immigrant groups. In a rapidly growing global community as the United States, such narratives provide insights that invite personal understandings and connections among diverse people.

No description available.

Doctor of Philosophy / Special Education, Counseling and Student Affairs / Christy D. Craft / BeEtta L. Stoney / The United States of America’s demographic population has shifted vastly to include a “new” multiracial growing population. Multiracial individuals are those who self-identify as two or more races, which now reflects a very young population. Higher education institutions are noticing an influx of more and more multiracial individuals, and many institutions are grappling with how to recognize and to support this growing population. Specifically, higher education institutions need to understand how multiracial graduate students think about their own racial identities and how they navigate their graduate school experiences. The purpose of this research was to gain a deeper understanding of multiracial graduate students’ lived experiences. There is an imperative to understand the daily experiences of multiracial graduate students to allow these students to retell the stories of their everyday lives in graduate school. The theoretical framework used to guide this study was critical race theory. Narrative inquiry methodology was the methodology chosen to focus on the unique voices and experiences of the participants in this study. Narrative analysis was employed to make meaning of the data retrieved from self-reflective writing samples and two semi-structured individual interviews with each of three participants. The findings from this research revealed the ever-present importance of racism and colorism and their impact on racial identity, the continued challenges of the campus climate experienced by multiracial students at a predominantly White institution (PWI), the impact and influence of religion at a PWI, and how multiracial students manage different types of relationships with peers and faculty. Implications for research and practice are provided as a result of the insights gleaned through this research about the lived experiences of three multiracial graduate students at one predominantly White higher education institution.

Thesis (MOccTher)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The retention and throughput rates of postgraduate students are a national and an international concern. There is a tendency for postgraduate students, irrespective of which Master of Occupational Therapy programme they are registered for, to have difficulty in completing the thesis or research assignment, resulting in delayed throughput or non-completion. This study aimed to understand and describe from the postgraduate student’s perspective, what factors facilitated or hindered the completion of the Master of Occupational Therapy programmes. Qualitative research using a phenomenological design was used in order to obtain a rich description of the students’ lived experiences in the M-programmes so as to gain insight into their experiences. Purposive sampling was used and data was generated by means of in-depth, one-to-one interviews. The findings have shown that numerous factors in various combinations at different points in time during the study period shaped the experience of the mature, female, part-time postgraduate student. Participants were intrinsically motivated to engage in studies as they desired the growth in their professional knowledge and skills. The experience of supervision varied depending on how the student and supervisor were matched and on the student’s expectations and needs of the relationship. The development of critical thinking and writing skills required effort and time, which influenced the postgraduate student’s motivation, retention and throughput rate. Within the work environment very little negotiation for study opportunity was possible. Although this negotiation was far more likely within the home and with family, household and family responsibilities persisted over the long study period of two or more years. This study has shown that the main hindrances to the completion of studies are the lack of time and the demands of the multiple roles that the mature, female part-time postgraduate student has to contend with. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die volharding en deurvloeikoers van nagraadse studente is nasionaal sowel as internasionaal ‘n bekommernis. Daar is ‘n tendens vir nagraadse studente om te sukkel met die voltooing van die tesis of navorsingsopdrag, afgesien van die Meester in Arbeidsterpie program waarvoor hulle gerigestreer is. Die doel van hierdie studie was om vanuit die nagraadse student se perspektief, die faktore wat die voltooing van die Meester van Arbeidsterapie programme fasiliteer of verhinder te verstaan en beskryf,. Kwalitatiewe navorsing met ‘n fenomenologiese navorsingsontwerp is gebruik om ‘n ryk verduideliking van die student se ervaringe van die M-programme te bekom om sodoende insig in hul ervarings te kry. Daar is van ‘n doelgerigte steekproef gebruik gemaak en data is gegenereer deur middel van in-diepte een-tot-een onderhoude. Die bevindinge het getoon dat verskeie faktore in verskillende kombinasies op verkillende tye gedurende die studie-periode die ervaring van die deelnemers as volwasse, vroulike, deeltydse nagraadse studente bepaal het. Nagraadse studente was intrinsiek gemotiveerd om te studeer omdat hulle wou groei ten opsigte van hul professionele kennis en vaardighede. Hul ervaring van studieleiding is bepaal deur hoe gepas die studieleier vir die betrokke student was en ook van die student se verwagtinge en behoeftes van die studieleier-student verhouding. Die ontwikkeling van kritiese denke en skryfvaardighede het inspanning en tyd vereis, wat die nagraadse student se motivering, volharding en deurvloeikoers beïnvloed het. Min onderhandeling vir studie-geleenthede was moontlik binne die werksomgewing. Alhoewel hierdie onderhandeling meer moontlik binne die huis- en familie omgewing was, het huishoudelike en familie verantwoordelikhede steeds voortgegaan oor die lang studie tydperk van twee of meer jare. Hierdie studie het bevind dat die grootste hindernisse vir die voltooiing van studies die tekort aan tyd en die eise van die meervoudige rolle waarmee die volwasse, vroulike deeltydse student worstel is.

Thesis (MPhil)--University of Stellenbosch,2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Changing circumstances and new initiatives have made it necessary for Higher Education institutions to reflect on all aspects of their teaching portfolios. Recent global and national trends have had numerous implications for different aspects of the university as an entity, which in turn have important implications for teaching, and particularly postgraduate teaching. The need for greater transparency and efficiency is forcing universities into discussions around facing these challenges. The overarching aims of this study were twofold: firstly, to identify historical and current tendencies and patterns in postgraduate studies at the University of Stellenbosch and secondly, to determine the enabling and constraining factors relating to postgraduate studies at the University of Stellenbosch. It was decided to focus on both completed postgraduate students (years 1991 - 1999) as well as current postgraduate students (year 2000). Furthermore, "postgraduate" was defined as relating to all Master's and Doctoral students at the University of Stellenbosch. The empirical research for this study included three components. Firstly, two postal surveys were carried out at the University of Stellenbosch in 2000 in order to explore a representative sample of postgraduate students' attitudes and perceptions. Secondly, a secondary data analysis of existing data on the University database for postgraduate students was carried out in order to do an estimate of success- and follow through rates. Finally, interviews were conducted with coordinators of four postgraduate programmes at different departments in the Faculty of Arts at the University of Stellenbosch. Results show that the nature of postgraduate studies at the University follows the same form of dynamics, diversity and complexity that characterizes postgraduate studies worldwide. Although there has been an exceptional increase in the number of postgraduate students over the past decade, completion rates have stayed the same. This increase in numbers places enormous additional administrative, academic and managerial demands on the University. Although postgraduate students (both completed and current students) seem to have a general positive perception of the University, its academic and administrative services as well as the quality of postgraduate supervision, there are certain aspects that can still be improved upon. For example: the University has to realize that although the completion rates of postgraduate students have reasonably stayed the same over the last decade, the number of students who did not complete increased with almost 50%. The University has to put structures in place in order to cope with the increasing demands these students are placing on administration, departments and supervisors. Also, although it seems as if the University are open to the trends in higher education, they are not totally geared for part-time and non-resldentlal students. All four programmes in the Arts Faculty were initiated by individual academics within the departments. In terms of managing postgraduate students within departments, it seems that greater standardization regarding aspects of admission, administrative support, requirements for research proposals, examination and guidelines for the research components are needed. Supervisors and students both need to know what is expected from them. In terms of the supervisory process, supervisors must have guidelines in terms of what their responsibilities are and they have to realize the importance of their task. Students need to be informed about their rights and the whole process of postgraduate studies. Overall, it is the responsibility of the University, together with its postgraduate students and supervisors to ensure that the process of postgraduate studies is characterized by success, effectiveness and efficiency. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Veranderende omstandighede en nuwe beleldsmaatreels maak dit noodsaaklik dat Hoer Onderwysinrigtings deurentyd besin oor aile aspekte van hul missies en funksies. Resente globale en nasionale tendense het verreikende implikasies vir verskeie aspekte van die universiteitswese, waarvan die gevolge vir die onderrigtaak, en in besonder nagraadse onderrig, van besondere belang is. Oproepe tot deursigtigheid, gekoppel aan die imperatief tot doeltreffendheid, is alles faktore wat universiteite tot besinning dwing. Die doel van hierdie studie was om die historiese en huidige tendense en patrone in nagraadse studie aan die Universiteit van Stellenbosch te skets asook om vas te stel wat is die bemiddelende en belemmerende faktore wat nagraadse studie by die Universiteit kenmerk. Daar is besluit om te fokus op beide afgestudeerde studente (vanaf 1991 tot 1999) asook huidige studente (ingeskryf in die jaar 2000). Verder is "nagraads" gedefinieer as verwysende na aile meesters en doktorale studente by die Universiteit van Stellenbosch. Die empiriese navorsing vir hierdie studie bestaan uit drie komponente. Eerstens is twee posopnames in 2000 uitgevoer om "n verteenwoordigende steekproef van nagraadse studente aan die Universiteit se persepsies rakende hul nagraadse studie te toets. Verder is daar "n sekondere analise uitgevoer van bestaande data op die Universiteit se databasis vir nagraadse studente spesifiek met die doel om sukses- en deurvloeikoerse van nagraadse studente te bepaal. Laastens is onderhoude gevoer met koordineerders van vier nagraadse programme aan verskillende departemente binne die Fakulteit Lettere en Wysbegeerte. Die resultate toon dat die aard van nagraadse studie aan die Universiteit van Stellenbosch dieselfde mate van dinamika, toenemende diversiteit en gepaardgaande kompleksiteit weerspleel as wat nagraadse studies wereldwyd kenmerk. Alhoewel daar "n buitengewone toename in nagraadse studentegetalle aan die Universiteit oor die afgelope dekade was, het die voltooiingskoerse van studente dieselfde gebly. Hierdie toename in getalle plaas geweldige ekstra administratiewe, akademiese en bedryfseise aan die Universiteit. Alhoewel nagraadse studente (beide afgestudeerd sowel as huidig) in die algemeen "n positiewe persepsie van die Universiteit, sy akadernlese en administratiewe dienste, sowel as die kwaliteit van nagraadse studieleiding blyk te he, is daar enkele sake waarop verbeter kan word. 50 byvoorbeeld moet die Universiteit besef dat alhoewel voltooiingskoerse konstant gebly het, het die getal van nagraadse studente wat nie voltooi nie, met ongeveer 50% gestyg. Die Universiteit moet strukture in plek stel om te kan voldoen aan die toenemende eise wat sy nagraadse studente aan administrasie, departemente en studieleiers stel. Alhoewel die Universiteit oop blyk te wees vir nuwe tendense in hoer onderwys, blyk dit dat hy nog nie heeltemal gerat is vir deeltydse studente en nle-resldenslele studente nie. AI vier die programme in die Fakulteit Lettere en Wysbegeerte het ontwikkel uit individuele akademici binne departemente. In terme van die bestuur van nagraadse studente binne departemente, is groter standardisasie van aspekte rakende toelating, administratiewe ondersteuning, vereistes rondom navorsingsvoorstelle, eksaminering en riglyne vir die navorsingskomponent van nagraadse studies nodig. Beide studieleiers en studente moet besef wat van hulle verwag word. In terme van die proses van studieleiding, moet studieleiers oor riglyne beskik van hulle verantwoordelikhede en verder moet die belangrikheid van die taak besef word. 5tudente moet ingelig word oor hulle regte en die proses van nagraadse studie. Die Universiteit, tesame met sy nagraadse studente en studieleiers, moet verseker dat die proses van nagraadse studies gekenmerk word deur sukses, effektiwiteit en doeltreffendheid.

Thesis (MEdPsych)--Stellenbosch University, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The researcher wished to ascertain what challenges mature, part-time, postgraduate Masters students faced. The research project focussed on the challenges faced by mature, part-time, postgraduate Masters students, in particular those challenges concerning their higher education institution. The interview schedule questions were based on the main challenging domains as revealed in the literature review. The researcher also gave the students the opportunity to voice any other challenges/support that was not covered in the interview schedule. The interview schedule was used at the face-to-face interviews and e-mailed to students that were unable to have interviews. The researcher used Qualitative Research Design so she could elicit verbal/written, descriptive accounts of students' experiences of challenges and support at their higher education institution. The focus points allowed the researcher to gather much information with regard to the support the students got in the challenging domains namely; Home, Family, Work, Colleagues, Social, Financial, Institution and any Other Challenges/Support. The mature, part-time, postgraduate Masters students felt they needed more support in various areas as well as from their institution of higher education. The researcher's aim is to bring the challenging domains and findings to the attention of those concerned with student support and recommend some support measures that could be adopted. Further research topics were also put forward. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Dit was die navorser se wens om te bepaal watter uitdagings volwasse, deeltydse, nagraadse Meestersgraad studente in die gesig staar. Die navorsingsprojek het gefokus op die uitdagings wat ondervind word deur volwasse, deeltydse, nagraadse Meestersgraad studente veral uitdagings aangaande hoër opvoedkundige instellings. Die onderhoud skedule vrae is gebaseer op die hoof uitdagende areas soos getoon in die Literatuur Oorsig. Die navorser het ook die studente 'n geleentheid gegee om enige ander uitdagings of vorme van ondersteuning te noem wat nie in die onderhoud skedule gedek is nie. Die onderhoud skedule is gebruik in persoonlike onderhoude wat ook ge-epos is aan studente wat nie die onderhoude kon bywoon nie. Daar is gebruik gemaak van Kwalitatiewe Navorsing sodat die navorser die nodige verbale/geskrewe, beskrywings van die studente se ervarings, uitdagings en ondersteuning by die hoër opvoedkundige instellings kon bestudeer. Die fokuspunte het die navorser toegelaat om baie informasie met betrekking tot die ondersteuning wat studente gekry het in uitdagende areas bv. Huis, Familie, Werk, Kollegas, Sosiale, Finansiële, Instelling en enige ander uitdagings/ondersteuning te verkry. Die volwasse, deeltydse, nagraadse Meestergraad studente het gevoel dat hul meer ondersteuning benodig in verskeie areas sowel as van hul hoër opvoedkundige instelling. Die navorser se doel is om uitdagende areas en bevindings onder die aandag van diegene betrokke in die ondersteuning van studente te bring, en sommige meganismes wat as ondersteuning kan bied aan te beveel. Verdere navorsingsonderwerpe is ook na vore gebring.

published_or_final_version / Education / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

Malaysians’ journeys to pursue graduate education in the U.S. generate more than just degree attainment. This dissertation looks at how experiences in the U.S., both in graduate school and in the workplace, influenced highly educated Malaysians, especially in their exploration of push and pull factors that influence their decisions to remain in the U.S. or to return to Malaysia. This study focuses on twenty-two participants comprised of those who have returned to Malaysia, those who are working in the U.S. on non-immigrant visas, those who became Permanent Residents and those who are naturalized U.S. citizens. The first major finding demonstrates that decisional turning points emerged mainly based upon national policies and employment opportunities prompted by the high demand for talented human capital. Such turning points are crucial telling moments of when individuals make decisions. The second major finding is that push and pull factors -- which include economic conditions and opportunities, quality of life, social justice and freedom perspectives, as well as social network/ social capital -- are assessed through the comparative views acquired between living in Malaysia and in the U.S. The third major finding is that the challenges and experiences participants encountered in the U.S. prompted the formation of transnationalism, wherein their identities, behaviors and values are not limited by the location in which they live. They use a dual frame of reference to evaluate their experiences in the U.S. and the continuous relationships with their family and communities in Malaysia. Understanding the notion of transnationalism in the process of individuals’ decision making could help states develop policies that promote brain circulation. Policies that support this global mobility of the highly educated and skilled workforce would not just benefit those nations that send and receive students for higher education enrollment. Because 1) the knowledge economy demands the global flow of highly educated workers and 2) people who study transnationally develop a flexible sense of identity and location, policies that enable international mobility for brain circulation are significant for all nations.

Submitted in partial compliance with the requirements for the Master’s Degree in Technology: Homoeopathy, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2014. / Aim of the study The study aimed to identify the knowledge, attitudes and perceptions amongst post graduate homoeopathy students and post basic primary health care nurses serving in a primary health care setting regarding adverse effects associated with childhood vaccinations. Methodology In this qualitative study 18 participants were selected through purposive sampling. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with each participant. The interviews were recorded and analysed conceptually. Results The findings of this study revealed that all of the PHC nursing participants were in favour of the childhood immunisation schedule of South Africa, contrary to the homoeopathic participants where the majority of participants were not in favour of the childhood immunisation schedule. Knowledge, attitudes and perceptions varied amongst the homoeopathic participants in contrast to the PHC nursing participants where there was a much more unified stance and cohesive outcome with regard to their attitudes and perceptions. / M