The problem of not enough African American males enrolling in masters level teaching programs was addressed in this study. This phenomenological study examined the experiences of African American males in master of arts teaching (MAT) programs to understand why they enrolled and what factors led to persistence throughout their program enrollment. Six African American males currently enrolled in MAT programs in the southern, southwestern, and western regions of the United States participated. Data gathered for each participant included an individual, semi-structured interview and a demographic survey. Audio-recordings were used to capture the fullness of the interviews, and transcription software was used to code, analyze, and sort the data to help identify themes. This study looked through the lens of Strayhorn’s graduate student persistence and Albert Bandura’s self-efficacy theories. Factors that influenced African American males to enroll into a program were (a) education as a necessary credential, (b) desire to give back to society, (c) minority scholarship support, (d) making a connection to passion, and (e) desire to enhance teaching skills. External and internal factors were identified as assisting the males to persist within their programs. Academic institutions and policy makers may find the results useful for understanding the unseen educational barriers likely to limit African American males from enrolling in MAT programs, the issues likely to occur during the process of obtaining the degree, and the factors likely to be assistive to them for achieving program completion.

Superiority, control, and dominance theories of disparaging humor were reviewed, and sexist humor was studied as representative of the field. The effects of educational level and sex of subject on the judgment of humor in sexist material were investigated, utilizing a set of 50 cartoons and jokes devised to approximate overlapping standard curves on the dimensions sexist content and humor. Subjects were 71 males and 73 females, comprising 84 undergraduates and 60 doctoral graduate students. Each subject performed a forced Q sort of the jokes, with 104 rating for humor and 40 rating for sexism to establish content weights. Subjects' rankings, age, sex, and educational level were recorded upon completion of the task. Significant negative correlations were found between educational level and judgment of humor in sexist material, and female subjects judged sexist material to be significantly less funny than males. Some support was indicated for existing theories.

Master of Science / Department of Horticulture, Forestry, and Recreation Resources / Candice A. Shoemaker / To investigate factors of academic and social integration as predictors of intention to persist for graduate students and differences in student’s academic and social integration between campus based and online programs College of Agriculture Master’s students in U.S. campus and online degree programs were surveyed. To investigate potential influences of differences, graduate College of Agriculture program directors were surveyed. Data was gathered using online questionnaires. The student questionnaire included demographics, as well as three scales, academic integration, social integration and intention to persist. Academic integration was measured with the subscales of advisor relationship and academic interaction. Social integration was measured with the subscales of peer group support, faculty interactions and involvement in social interactions. The subscales for each scale were combined to create academic integration, social integration and socialization scores. The director questionnaire included five questions designed to measure attitudes and design of online programs. Mean scores were formulated from descriptive statistics. Correlation and regression analysis were used to identify scale relationships. ANOVA, Mann-Whitney U and Tukey’s HSD were conducted to identify program differences and to identify attitude and program format differences. A significant positive relationship between academic integration and social integration was identified as well as a significant positive relationship between academic and social integration and intention to persist. Significant differences were found between online and campus students, with campus students being higher on academic and social integration scales, but not on the intention to persist scale. Significant differences were also found on graduate director attitudes and types of communication used in the graduate online programs. This study indicates that socialization as explained through academic and social integration is an important factor of persistence in Masters Students, and that there are differences in integration of campus and online students. Strategies to improve socialization and completion include faculty/graduate student interactions and active graduate student clubs and for online students; communication components designed to increase meaningful interactions.

Master of Science / Department of Marriage and Family Therapy / Joyce Baptist / Universities around the country are consistently focusing on increasing diversity among the student population, yet little is known about how minority graduate student populations fair academically and personally in predominately White institutions, specifically African American graduate students. This qualitative study examines the lived experiences of six African American graduate students. Participants were interviewed using a semi-structured interview guide on their experiences in a predominately White graduate program. The findings support previous research that indicates that social conditions have not changed and minority students are still not well integrated into their programs. Findings also suggest that although Berry’s (1987) model of acculturation can be used to conceptualize the experience of African American undergraduate students, the experience of graduate students is more complex, and only partially supported by this model. Suggestions for how universities can better improve the environment for African American graduate students are included.

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

Master's degree in Research Psychology Research report, University of the Witwatersrand, 2016. / This study explored the stories of South African black female postgraduates, in particular, focusing on family dynamics in their childhoods and the role these relationships played in their academic development. South African higher education is a site of contestations as access opens up for students previously excluded from universities. However access and success continue to be racialized and gendered hence black women are unevenly represented in higher education particularly at postgraduate level. This study brings forth stories of women who have succeeded in this context, exploring questions of social and cultural capital (Bourdieu 1994).Thematic analysis highlights predominant themes across the narratives of these women. There is a very strong thread across the narratives that these women feel that their academic achievement is primarily due to hard work and a ‘natural’ or intrinsic intellectual talent that was recognised by their families and teachers from a young age. Despite the emphasis on individual aptitude, the findings also highlight participants’ recognition of the value of support from family in their schooling and even continuing into their lives as young adult postgraduate students. The nature of family dynamics in these women’s childhood and adult lives was revealed, including, the friendship that characterises daughter-mother relationships, the absence of fathers, and the role of grandmothers and other members of the extended family and community networks . It is worth noting that all participants talk of the sudden movement from public township schools to private or Model C schools that disrupts their narratives of schooling. The lack of reading in the childhood homes of some of these women contradicts the common assumption that a reading home environment is vital for the development of the appropriate cultural capital necessary for academic success. Instead, it is evident that these multigenerational families provide a range of support that allows learning to take place, including emotional and financial support, providing critical social capital. / GR2017

Aspectos como motivação, atendimento das expectativas e satisfação dos alunos no ambiente de ensino-aprendizagem têm sido alvo de diversos estudos naquilo que diz respeito à influência destes fatores no Ensino. Investigar a percepção dos estudantes e suas experiências em todos os níveis de escolaridade oferece dados que possibilitam a melhora de programas e dos serviços de suporte. Assim, este trabalho teve por objetivo analisar a motivação, o atendimento das expectativas e a satisfação dos pós-graduandos do Departamento de Bioquímica da Universidade de São Paulo, tanto pelo olhar dos alunos quanto dos docentes. A coleta de dados foi feita por meio da aplicação de dois questionários: um aos discentes e outro aos docentes. Ambos os questionários foram divididos em três seções (motivação, atendimento das expectativas e satisfação) e validados pelo Coeficiente Alfa de Cronbach e pelos Itens de Correlação Item-Total. Pode-se verificar que para alunos e docentes, a motivação intrínseca é o principal fator que leva ao ingresso no programa, seguido pela motivação influenciada pelo ambiente e pela motivação extrínseca. Tanto alunos quanto docentes têm suas expectativas atendidas pelo programa, tendo como reflexo a satisfação de ambos. Foi possível constatar uma insatisfação dos pós-graduandos e dos docentes com a bolsa e uma divisão entre os alunos com relação à carga horária e à formação, sendo que a maioria percebe que trabalha demais, discordando dos docentes, e por um melhor preparo pedagógico. Espera-se com este trabalho oferecer uma dupla contribuição: à literatura, pois explora um aspecto ainda pouco estudado e oferece um arcabouço metodológico validado; ao departamento de Bioquímica, pois se verifica a qualidade do programa por outra via, interna ao programa; tal verificação possibilita a orientação de políticas institucionais adequadas. / Aspects such as motivation, expectation attainment and satisfaction of students in the teaching-learning environment have been the target of several studies regarding the influence of these factors in teaching. Investigating students\' perceptions and experiences at all levels of schooling provides data that enables the improvement of programs and support services. The aim of this study was to analyze the motivation, expectations attainment and satisfaction of the graduate students of the Department of Biochemistry of the University of São Paulo, both for their students\' and teachers\' view. The data collection was done through the application of two questionnaires: one to the students and another to the teachers. Both questionnaires were divided into three sections (motivation, expectations attainment and satisfaction) and validated by Cronbach\'s Alpha Coefficient and Item-Total Correlation Items. It can be verified that for students and teachers, intrinsic motivation is the main factor that leads to joining the program, followed by motivation influenced by the environment and extrinsic motivation. Both students and teachers have their expectations met by the program, reflecting the satisfaction of both. It was possible to observe a dissatisfaction among graduate students and teachers with the scholarship and a division among the students in relation to the workload and training, and most of them perceive that they work too much, disagreeing with the teachers, and for a better pedagogical preparation. It is expected with this work to offer a double contribution: to literature, because it explores an aspect that has not yet been studied and offers a validated methodological framework; to the Department of Biochemistry, because the quality of the program is verified by another route, internal to the program. Such verification enables the orientation of appropriate institutional policies.

Aspectos como motivação, atendimento das expectativas e satisfação dos alunos no ambiente de ensino-aprendizagem têm sido alvo de diversos estudos naquilo que diz respeito à influência destes fatores no Ensino. Investigar a percepção dos estudantes e suas experiências em todos os níveis de escolaridade oferece dados que possibilitam a melhora de programas e dos serviços de suporte. Assim, este trabalho teve por objetivo analisar a motivação, o atendimento das expectativas e a satisfação dos pós-graduandos do Departamento de Bioquímica da Universidade de São Paulo, tanto pelo olhar dos alunos quanto dos docentes. A coleta de dados foi feita por meio da aplicação de dois questionários: um aos discentes e outro aos docentes. Ambos os questionários foram divididos em três seções (motivação, atendimento das expectativas e satisfação) e validados pelo Coeficiente Alfa de Cronbach e pelos Itens de Correlação Item-Total. Pode-se verificar que para alunos e docentes, a motivação intrínseca é o principal fator que leva ao ingresso no programa, seguido pela motivação influenciada pelo ambiente e pela motivação extrínseca. Tanto alunos quanto docentes têm suas expectativas atendidas pelo programa, tendo como reflexo a satisfação de ambos. Foi possível constatar uma insatisfação dos pós-graduandos e dos docentes com a bolsa e uma divisão entre os alunos com relação à carga horária e à formação, sendo que a maioria percebe que trabalha demais, discordando dos docentes, e por um melhor preparo pedagógico. Espera-se com este trabalho oferecer uma dupla contribuição: à literatura, pois explora um aspecto ainda pouco estudado e oferece um arcabouço metodológico validado; ao departamento de Bioquímica, pois se verifica a qualidade do programa por outra via, interna ao programa; tal verificação possibilita a orientação de políticas institucionais adequadas. / Aspects such as motivation, expectation attainment and satisfaction of students in the teaching-learning environment have been the target of several studies regarding the influence of these factors in teaching. Investigating students\' perceptions and experiences at all levels of schooling provides data that enables the improvement of programs and support services. The aim of this study was to analyze the motivation, expectations attainment and satisfaction of the graduate students of the Department of Biochemistry of the University of São Paulo, both for their students\' and teachers\' view. The data collection was done through the application of two questionnaires: one to the students and another to the teachers. Both questionnaires were divided into three sections (motivation, expectations attainment and satisfaction) and validated by Cronbach\'s Alpha Coefficient and Item-Total Correlation Items. It can be verified that for students and teachers, intrinsic motivation is the main factor that leads to joining the program, followed by motivation influenced by the environment and extrinsic motivation. Both students and teachers have their expectations met by the program, reflecting the satisfaction of both. It was possible to observe a dissatisfaction among graduate students and teachers with the scholarship and a division among the students in relation to the workload and training, and most of them perceive that they work too much, disagreeing with the teachers, and for a better pedagogical preparation. It is expected with this work to offer a double contribution: to literature, because it explores an aspect that has not yet been studied and offers a validated methodological framework; to the Department of Biochemistry, because the quality of the program is verified by another route, internal to the program. Such verification enables the orientation of appropriate institutional policies.

The subjects were 69 graduate faculty advisors, 187 foreign graduate students, and 184 American graduate students who were enrolled at North Texas State University in the Spring Semester, 1984. Statistical techniques used for data analysis include frequency distributions, percentages, means, and Mann-Whitney U test. Significant differences were determined by the two-tailed test of significance at or beyond the .05 level.

Metacognition, the knowledge and regulation of our cognitions, is an essential part of our learning. Metacognition has been linked to academic performance at all levels of education. Metacognitive skills, however, are likely to differ depending on that level. The current thesis aims to address four key questions. Firstly, how do metacognitive skills differ between undergraduate and postgraduate education? The metacognitive experiences and skills of 20 doctoral students were examined through semi-structured interviews. Thematic analysis indicated that, whilst doctoral students score above average on metacognitive skills questionnaires, doctoral students’ metacognitive development is influenced by peer interaction and environment. Considering the findings presented at postgraduate level, the second question addressed was what role does social context play in metacognition at undergraduate level? The relationship was measured using both experimental and self-report measures in a first-year undergraduate population. The findings suggested that first year students are not capable of working effectively with others. The lack of capability stems, in part, from normative beliefs suggesting that the participants’ peers think in a similar way to them. These relationships could also be due to individual differences, for example personality. The third question addressed, therefore, was do individual differences play a part in these relationships? Self-report measures of metacognition and personality were administered to undergraduates in all years of study. Correlational and moderation analyses indicated that conscientiousness plays a role in the implementation of metacognition in the later years of study. First-year performance, in comparison, was strongly related to extraversion, suggesting that the previous relationships found between social context and metacognition could potentially be impacted by a person’s personality. Finally, can we implement the information achieved here into an intervention to improve the metacognitive skills of secondary school students? An intervention designed to promote metacognitive skills in group contexts was implemented in a secondary school classroom of 20. The intervention lasted for 6 weeks. By the end of the intervention, analysis of Think Aloud Protocols indicated a marked difference in student’s problem-solving ability and their communication skills. Overall, the findings support the idea that metacognitive skills differ between levels and years of study. Yet, the role of social context and individual differences in metacognition could be key to improving academic performance at all levels of education.