The percentage of qualified African American senior military leaders is significantly lower than the percentage of African Americans serving in the enlisted ranks. With the changing demographics of the 21st century, increasing the number of African American Army officers is a practical as well a moral issue. The purpose of this mixed methods study was to understand African American cadets' perception of the Army Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) Leadership Program and the impact of ROTC on their lives. The theoretical basis for this study is Sternberg's theory of intelligence and Woodman, Sawyer, and Griffin's theory of organizational creativity. The research problem explored the relationship between African American college student retention and their success in ROTC programs. A random sample of 23 junior and senior ROTC cadets at a Historically Black College and University completed a self-administered survey; 12 cadets later participated in an unstructured focus group interview. A statistical analysis revealed positive correlations between African American college student retention and the level of support offered by institutions, families, and peers. Qualitative analysis using the phenomenological approach resulted in data that supported the statistical findings. Results of this study may lead to positive social change through the identification of student influences that promote academic and military achievement, as well as effective retention strategies for African American Army ROTC cadets. Understanding the perceptions of African American cadets about ROTC programs can enhance recruitment and retention efforts of administrators and instructors in both ROTC and higher institutions of learning.

Social learning plays a critical role in cognitive apprenticeship, community of practice, and knowledge production theories. Gunawardena's interaction analysis model, which provides a means of evaluating discourse for social construction of knowledge, is comprised of five phases: (a) sharing and comparing, (b) disagreement, (c) negotiation and co-construction of new knowledge, (d) testing of knew knowledge, and (e) use or phrasing of new knowledge. There is a paucity of research that has empirically explored social construction of knowledge, especially in an extended semiformal asynchronous graduate learning experience. This study explored two research questions: whether social construction of knowledge took place, and if so, how such construction occurred. The study used data from two quarters of a five-quarter graduate level, asynchronous research laboratory allowing students in psychology programs to work on a faculty research project. This study was a qualitative secondary data analysis of 1,739 postings by 17 students and one instructor. The original transcripts were converted to a database for coding using the interaction analysis model. Numerous uses of phase II, disagreement, and above demonstrated that social construction of knowledge occurred and provided a method of understanding how such construction took place. Students socially constructed knowledge by expressing disagreement or dissonance and then worked together to synthesize new knowledge. As a critical component of situated learning, understanding social construction of knowledge provides impetus for pedagogical improvements for increased learning. This in turn can provide students with necessary knowledge and new ideas to apply toward positive social change in their communities.

The rapid growth of online learning fueled by technologies including course management systems (CMS) has transformed the traditional educational landscape. Little research shows why faculty members at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) have been slow to adopt this new teaching paradigm. This quantitative, nonexperimental study utilized Rogers's diffusion of innovation theory as the theoretical base. Research questions explored faculty perceptions of the CMS's attributes (relative advantage, compatibility, complexity, trialability, observability) and organizational support (policies, procedures, and norms) in order to predict adopter status. The study used a convenience sample of 137 full-time faculty from 3 public and 2 private HBCUs in the southeastern U.S. Survey data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and logistic regression. The findings provided evidence that faculty in different adopter categories have varying characteristics and needs related to adoption and use of the CMS. Predictors for innovators were compatibility and complexity; for early adopters, relative advantage, complexity, and observability; and for early majority adopters, the predictor was complexity. For late majority adopters, compatibility, complexity, trialability, and observability were predictors; and predictive attributes for laggards were relative advantage, compatibility, complexity, and organizational support. Several individual factors were significant for each adopter category. The findings may be used to promote positive social change by providing a means for administrators and faculty development staff to predict adopter levels in order to develop initiatives that address differences in adopter needs, thereby facilitating adoption of the CMS and online learning.

This qualitative study explored the quality of technology associated with interactive video (ITV) classes in distance education programs and the resulting satisfaction of the instructors teaching this format. The participants were full time instructors of a rural community college that used the ITV format. Community college ITV instructors are knowledgeable about the ITV technology and are in need of research that explores the satisfaction of that technology. Distance education theory, social constructivism, individual and collaborative learning, and technology formed the foundation for the research. Grounded theory was used to generate a theory about the perceptions of the instructors. Data collected included surveys, interviews, and observations of the interviews. Data were analyzed using theoretical sampling, constant comparison, open coding, axial coding, and selective coding. Analysis indicated that instructors' perceived greater satisfaction teaching in an ITV environment when the structure of the class was optimum for the course, the audio/visual technology worked effectively, the Web-enhanced component of the course ran smoothly, IT was available, quality training was offered, and transactional distance was perceived as minimal. This grounded theory provides positive social change for other educators and administrators who teach ITV by guiding their efforts to use ITV course delivery systems in ways that ensure the fulfillment of needs for both instructors and their students.

The United States is experiencing a shortage of registered nurses, and institutions of higher education are unable to graduate enough prepared nurses to reduce this employment shortage. A significant relationship between personality traits and academic performance has been found; however, how personality traits combine with students' self-efficacy of job performance and stress susceptibility to impact nursing students' academic performance has yet to be demonstrated. This study, grounded in the five-factor model (FFM) of personality traits, self-efficacy, and stress theories, sought to determine whether self-assessments of the NEO-Five Factor Inventory, the Nursing Practice Self-Efficacy survey, and the Susceptibility Under Stress Survey would predict academic performance, as measured by grade point average (GPA). The sample consisted of 197 nursing students attending 2-year nurse education programs at 3 community colleges in the northeastern United States. This correlational, quantitative study examined the relationship among the personality traits of the FFM, self-efficacy of job performance, stress susceptibility, and the GPAs of nursing students. Multiple regression analysis was used to examine the strength of the relationship among the variables. Self-efficacy and conscientiousness were significant predictors of GPA. Given that nurse education programs are a rigorous field of study with high attrition rates, the implications for social change include the addition of specific types of support for nursing students to facilitate their progress and success in a competitive degree program that will benefit them and address the nursing shortage, which ultimately benefits hospitals and patients.

American research universities, especially over the past 30 years, have increasingly become involved in technology transfer activities. For public land grant institutions, involvement is largely inspired by a desire to maximize revenue opportunities and demonstrate economic relevance. This intrinsic case study addresses the efforts of a public, land grant and flagship institution, the University of Kentucky, to augment its technology transfer activities, with a specific focus on its attempts to spin off university technology-based firms. The data were gathered primarily through oral history interviews with technology transfer personnel, entrepreneurs, and spinoff personnel. Its purpose is to understand better the structure of the university’s technology transfer operations, the impact of changes in institutional administration and priorities on these efforts, and variables that challenge and accommodate accomplishment of organizational goals. The findings of this study indicate that the structure of technology transfer operations at the university is complex, and somewhat confounding. Administrative changes impact various groups differently than others, and a major challenge to the accomplishment of goals is funding. Moreover, distinct but related groups seem to lack consistent, overarching goals.

There is very little literature pertaining to the Public School Music curriculas of the state teachers colleges in the United States. Various questions, however, have arisen in each institution relative to the required music courses and to the number of hours that should be required of a public school music major. Music teachers disagree as to the text to be used in music courses. Of all the various public school music texts available it is difficult to find any one text that is most worthy of recognition as there seem to be many of equal value. Not only is there disagreement concerning this phase of teacher training but also a lack of agreement as to what subjects other than music courses should be required of the public school music major. There is general agreement among educators that public school music teachers should have broad general academic training. It is impossible to determine definitely the number of hours in the various subjects that should be required in education than any other subject with the exception of music itself. There is quite a lack of agreement as to applied music requirements for such a major. One purpose of this study is to determine whether or not a public school major should be required to take piano, voice, brass, woodwind, string and percussion instruments. Formerly it was thought children should be taught music only individually in order to obtain desired results. Now it seems that equally valuable instruction may be given in groups. Group piano is today becoming very prevalent among the methods of giving musical instruction. This method of teaching has proved itself to be a very efficient one. Group instruction is more economical, and is conducive to a cooperative spirit which is one of the desirable outcomes of all educational procedures. Today in the best school systems group instruction is given not only in piano but also in brass, woodwind, percussion and string instruments. Some think that the individual majoring in public school music should be required to take one or more semester of chorus, while others believe it unnecessary. Some teachers restrict glee clubs, both male and female, to the best voices only. Others think it should be required of all public school and applied music majors. Opinion on all phases of the requirements for music majors varies and we can determine only in a measure these answers by discovering the various institutional practices in respect to music curricula. In the light of these considerations the problem is undertaken. It is the purpose of this study to determine the requirements of the teacher training institutions of the United States for public school music majors in (1) music courses, (2) education courses, and (3) content subjects.

The purpose of this study is to trace the development of the curricula for commercial teacher training in the United States in order to discover its implications for the academic and professional preparation of teachers of business subjects. An attempt will be made to trace the evolution of secondary business education in order to discover the relationships existing between the aims and curricula of secondary business education on the one hand, and the preparation of business teachers and the curricula devised for their training on the other. Recommendations based upon the findings, will be made for the purpose of harmonizing the academic and professional program set up for the preparation of teachers of business subjects with the present dynamic nature of business education as it is evolving in our secondary schools. The problem is discussed in this chapter under three headings: (A) Delimitation; (B) Validation; and (C) Analysis.

This study examined the satisfaction with and use of technology infrastructure by students and faculty across a sample of five universities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Overall, the findings indicated that both faculty and students were relatively satisfied with the information technology (IT) infrastructure at their respective campuses, although they tend to report satisfaction levels more than faculty or students in the United States. The study also revealed several areas of improvement, including the need for more reliable Wi-Fi networks on campuses and for the use of Learning Management Systems (LMS) and other digital technologies by the instructors. The analysis uncovered disparities in the overall experience of faculty and students with IT between universities located in the capital city and universities outside the capital city.

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) is an institution with 2 residential campuses: 1 in Daytona Beach, Florida and one in Prescott, Arizona. ERAU also has a Worldwide presence through 125 campuses located on military bases and within the private business sector. The ERAU Worldwide Campus doesn’t stop with physical locations, however. It encompasses an online campus with virtual learning opportunities. The degrees offered through all of our campuses range from certificate programs through doctoral studies. The Scholarly Communication Team is located on the Daytona Beach campus. One of our challenges is to bring the intellectual output of all of our talented faculty from around the world into the ERAU institutional repository, called Scholarly Commons. In order to do this, we need an outreach plan which will capture the attention of our faculty members on our distance learning campuses and explain the benefits of participating in Scholarly Commons. To this end, we’ve begun to promote Scholarly Commons using a multi-format outreach strategy. We seek partners from within the distance learning faculty communities to help us show why faculty should participate in Scholarly Commons. This presentation will describe the processes we have tried and others we will be putting into place to educate our faculty on how they can use Scholarly Commons to organize and pursue research, tenure, and promotional activities.