Research suggests that many high school students are not learning mathematics of value from a personal or an employment perspective. School mathematics often consists of applying memorised algorithms to exercises that do not meaningfully connect with the student's experience, and hence do not lead to the construction of meaningful mathematics concepts by the student. Moreover, most high school mathematics curricula give students a false idea of the essence of mathematics: Instead of understanding mathematics as another powerful lens through which to view the world, and a creative, enjoyable endeavour, it is seen as mere calculation or esoteric gobbledegook. Authentic learning experiences involve a different perspective on both what passes as mathematics and how students learn to mathematise. The study examined high school mathematics knowledge from several perspectives, and sought, through an empirical study, to enhance student learning and attitude towards mathematics through authentic learning. A class of Year 8 students learnt several units of mathematics primarily by authentic methods, using problems or interesting phenomena in the students' own experience, or otherwise meaningful to the student. Qualitative data was collected by multiple methods, including video recordings. Surveys were administered to five classes of Year 8 students and their parents at the beginning and at the end of the semester in which most of the empirical research took place. This allowed a comparison of attitudes towards mathematics between the experimental class and the other classes. A comparison of achievement was also made. / The results indicate that employing authentic learning experiences may enhance learning and attitude towards mathematics. However, prior transmission teaching methods presented a significant barrier to student acceptance of authentic learning. Furthermore, there remain grave problems with other aspects of current high school mathematics curricula, specifically the mathematics content and the assessment style, which act against the full implementation of authentic learning. These problems are investigated and possible future paths considered.

This study aims to explore, describe and thus understand the phenomenon of two-year college program students’ persistence within the context of Taiwanese culture and tradition; and to develop and provide a framework or patterns for understanding working adult students’ persistence for educators. By using a hermeneutic phenomenology approach, the persistence in learning experiences of specific participants was explored based on semi-structured interviews in two exploratory studies linked by a comprehensive literature review. The researcher’s own experience of persistence was also included as part of the study. The data were analysed by using thematic analysis and narrative construction. Findings reveal that participants persist with the support of enabling factors and application of coping strategies despite barriers. The intertwined relationship between the value placed on qualifications, identity recognition and views of persistence contribute to the concept of persistence. This concept develops through schemas emerging from the data: historical effect, cultural reproduction and identity construction. Under the influence of Taiwanese tradition and culture, this concept of persistence immerses into the participants’ knowledge ground and standpoints to understand the world they live in. The concept is defined as ‘no pain, no gain’ and includes dimensions of insisting on the right to study, fulfilment of dreams, being a role model of good study habits, personal growth and enrichment. Participants construct both social identity as graduates and personal identity as progressive, competent and respected individuals. The findings of this study benefit both theory and practice. Theoretical implications and recommendations include providing insights into the concept of persistence through development of schema that underpin factors contributing to working adult students’ persistence in Taiwan. Practical implications and recommendations include insights drawn from the perspective of Taiwanese culture and tradition to understand the experience of two-year college program working adult students to persist in a high level learning environment, which informs educators to see themselves as important sources of support and information, and thus able to assist their students to cope with the barriers to their learning, or to extend persistence outside their formal educational settings and maintain their learning.

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Although more people are transitioning into environmental sustainability careers, there is still a demand. This presents an opportunity for undergraduate engineering students to satisfy the demand for environmental sustainability professionals. The purpose of this qualitative exploratory study was to explore environmental sustainability learning experiences, from small in-class experiences to internships, and future career choices. By utilizing the social cognitive theory (SCCT) as a theoretical lens, this study explored participants' environmental sustainability interests, learning experiences related to environmental sustainability and their interest in pursuing a future career in environmental sustainability. This research addresses a gap in the existing literature by exploring how undergraduate engineering students' environmental sustainability learning experiences impact their decisions to pursue careers in this field, framed by the SCCT. The perspectives of twenty-five undergraduate engineering students in various engineering disciplines at Virginia Tech, an R1 public university in Blacksburg, Virginia. The participants were enrolled in ENGR3124, Introduction to Green Engineering, during the Fall 2022 semester and were interviewed for the study. Semi-structured online interviews were conducted via Zoom, allowing students to provide detailed information about their learning experiences and future career plans. Data was analyzed to (1) identify students' interest in pursuing a career in environmental sustainability (2) determine if students' interests have changed since they began their undergraduate studies (3) explore how learning experiences have impacted the students' future career choice. The findings discover that exposure to environmental sustainability learning experiences plays a meaningful role in impacting students' interests in pursuing careers in sustainability. Results reveal that factors such as personal values and salary considerations inspire career choices. Outcomes from this research suggest that promoting a connection between engineering education and environmental sustainability can inspire future engineers to actively pursue environmental sustainability careers and find solutions to sustainability issues. This underscores the significance of integrating sustainability experiences, such as a current events discussion in class or projects with an environmental sustainability element, into undergraduate engineering education. This research contributes to addressing the growing demand for people to address environmental sustainability issues, highlighting the role of learning experiences in shaping students' career interests. Further research in this area will be necessary for further developing strategies to encourage students to pursue sustainability-related careers and contribute to environmental sustainability initiatives. / Doctor of Philosophy / Experts are transitioning into environmental sustainability careers, though a gap exists between supply and demand. This presents an opportunity for undergraduate engineering students to fulfill the demand as environmental sustainability professionals. This qualitative exploratory study investigated environmental sustainability learning experiences and future career interests in environmental sustainability. The social cognitive theory (SCCT) was utilized as a theoretical lens, exploring participants' environmental sustainability interests, associated learning experiences and their interest in pursuing a future career in environmental sustainability. Twenty-five undergraduate engineering students in various engineering disciplines were interviewed for this study. Data was analyzed to (1) identify students' interest in pursuing a career in environmental sustainability (2) determine if students' interests have changed since they began their undergraduate studies (3) discover how learning experiences have impacted the students' future career choice. The findings conclude that exposure to environmental sustainability learning experiences is impactful and plays an important role, impacting students' interests in pursuing careers in sustainability. Results unveil that elements such as personal beliefs and salary considerations inspire career choices. This research contributes to addressing the demand for people to tackle environmental sustainability issues, emphasizing the role of learning experiences in shaping students' career interests.

Published Article / The aim of the study on which this article is based was to reflect on the learning experiences of students during integrated management of childhood illness (IMCI) training in an undergraduate programme. IMCI is a set of guidelines that was established by the World Health Organisation (WHO) for cost-effective quality care for children younger than five to prevent diseases and death (WHO, 2004). Skilled primary healthcare workers are required to provide quality care at first contact with these children. The IMCI package was presented as an integral part of the second-year module that focuses on primary healthcare. In order to improve the quality of health services and refocus the health system on primary health-care (South Africa Department of Health, 2010), students have to demonstrate that they have achieved competence. According to Killen (2000:188), competence is a holistic term and focuses on knowledge, skills and values instead of competencies, which refer to specific capabilities. Primary health-care workers who act competently will integrate foundational IMCI knowledge with skills and values as well as with the ability to verify their decisions (Killen, 2000:188). Aqualitative, exploratory and descriptive research design was used to investigate the IMCI learning experiences. Such experiences are one of the indications whether training has been successful and how it can be improved (Suski, 2004:222). Data was collected by means of nominal-group technique (NGT) interviews with second-year nursing students of the training school who complied with the criteria for inclusion. NGT interviews were used effectively to evaluate clinical interaction, education and training.The findings reflected the different emotions experienced during teaching and learning as having been positive, negative or neutral. The consideration of negative emotions will assist with the improvement of IMCI teaching and learning, but all these findings can be useful for other higher-education institutions that present or plan to present IMCI training.

This study aimed to explore university undergraduates’ experiences of student involvement in assessment (SIA). Based on Biggs’ 3P model of student learning, this study focused on students’ experiences prior to SIA, during SIA and after SIA in three Business and Management modules. Applying this framework, different practices of involving students in assessment (peer assessment, self assessment or self designed assessment) were studied from the perspectives of the students concerned. Unlike other studies that normally test to what extent the designed outcomes of SIA have been met, the goal of this research was to reveal the inside picture of how students were coping with those SIA tasks and their learning. This picture was outlined from students’ perceptions of SIA, the main factors that might influence students’ engagement with SIA, and students’ reflections on SIA practice in the particular module. This study adopted mixed research methods with sequential explorative design. It employed the ETLA (Environment of Teaching, Learning and Assessment) questionnaire and follow up semi-structured interviews. There were in total 251 valid questionnaire responses from students and 18 valid student interviews. The data were collected from three undergraduate Business and Management degree modules in which different strategies were used to involve students in assessment. The three innovative modules were all from Scottish universities in which assessment practices were being re-engineered by involving students in assessment. Two of the modules had participated in the REAP (Re-engineering Assessment Practice) project. However, they were different from each other in terms of the way in which they involved students in assessment and the level or extent of student involvement in assessment that was entailed. The report and analysis of the findings has taken three main forms. First, the module context including the teaching, learning and assessment environment and student learning approaches and satisfactions in the particular module were compared and analysed using the questionnaire data. The results showed a strong association between the elements in the teaching and learning environment and student learning approaches. They also indicated that the quality of teaching, feedback and learning support played significant roles in the quality of student learning. Secondly, an analysis of the interview data was undertaken to examine why and how students would learn differently in different module contexts with different SIA practices, and how students were coping with their learning in the SIA tasks concerned. In addressing these questions, students’ previous experiences in SIA, and knowledge about SIA, peers’ influence, teachers’ support and training for SIA, interaction between and among students and teachers, the clarity of the module objectives and requirements and learning resources were found to be the major factors that might influence students’ engagement in the SIA. Additionally, the salient learning benefits and challenges of SIA as perceived by students were explored. Thirdly, based on the preceding findings, the analysis of each module aimed to further consider in what way the three modules differed from each other with respect to SIA practices, and how students responded in the three different module contexts in terms of their engagement with SIA. These three forms of analysis made it possible to gain a rich understanding of students’ experiences of SIA that could also feed into a consideration of what kind of support the students might need in order to better engage them into the SIA and better prepare them for life-long learning.

Thesis (MCurr)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Exposure to the clinical learning environment forms an essential part of nursing education. Being a nurse lecturer in the private sector, the researcher observed that bridging course learners do not always perform academically as satisfactorily as they should. For the purpose of the current study, the researcher investigated enrolled bridging course learners’ perspectives related to factors influencing their learning in the clinical environment. The study focused on bridging course learners in the private sector. The objectives of the study were to determine whether the following was valid for the population under consideration: - a shortage of staff is a barrier to learning in the clinical environment; - an orientation programme has been implemented for bridging course learners in the clinical environment; - bridging course learners in the clinical environment have to take charge of wards; - the attitude of staff members is a barrier to the learners’ learning experience. - there is a learner/mentor relationship in the clinical environment; - opportunities to gain practical competence exist in the clinical environment. An exploratory descriptive design with a predominantly quantitative approach was applied. The population for the study consisted of bridging course learners at the three private nursing colleges in the Cape metropolitan area (N = 89). Due to the small size of the population, all available learners who voluntarily gave consent were included in the study. The sample size for this study constituted 62% (n = 55) of the target population. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect data, and both open and closed ended questions were used. Reliability and validity were assured by means of a pilot study and the use of experts in the field of nursing education and statistics. Data were collected personally by the researcher. Ethical approval was obtained from the Committee for Human Science Research at the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at Stellenbosch University. Statistical associations were determined using the Spearman and Mann-Whitney U tests. The results of this study are presented in percentages and tables. The majority (n = 46/84%) of the participants disagreed that the staffing in units was sufficient. Most (n = 40/73%) participants disagreed with the statement that working conditions were conducive to learning. Qualitative analysis revealed that the participants perceived the clinical environment to be hostile, and the majority (n = 47/85%) of the participants agreed that staff members had a negative attitude towards them. Furthermore, only five (n = 5/9%) participants indicated that they always spent time with their mentor, and the majority (n = 36/65%) of the participants disagreed with the statement that they could achieve specific outcomes before moving to another ward. A shortage of staff, being placed in charge of wards in the absence of a registered nurse, negative attitudes of staff members, and the lack of a mentor–learner relationship were identified as factors that impacted negatively on learning in the clinical environment. Several recommendations, grounded in the study findings, were identified, including: - Sufficient staff should be on duty to improve the learning environment, in order for learners to achieve their outcomes according to the curriculum. - Learners should receive adequate supervision and support. - Sufficient time should be allocated for practical procedures, such as releasing learners on practical days to practise procedures. Factors influencing enrolled bridging course learners’ learning experiences in the clinical environment were identified. Strategies to address these factors may improve their clinical experiences and ultimately their clinical competence. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Blootstelling aan kliniese leer omgewing is ’n grondliggende deel van verpleegonderrig. As ’n verpleeglektrise in die privaat sektor, het die navorser tot die gevolgtrekking gekom dat oorbruggingsleerders nie akademies na wense presteer nie. Vir die doel van hierdie studie het die navorser die faktore geëvalueer wat die kliniese onderrig van oorbruggingsleerders gedurende hul plasing in die kliniese omgewing beïnvloed. Die ondersoek konsentreer op oorbruggingsleerders wat in die privaat sektor werk. Die oogmerke van die studie was om te bepaal of: - ’n personeeltekort onderrig in die kliniese omgewing belemmer; - daar ’n oriënteringsprogram vir oorbruggingsleerders bestaan; - oorbruggingsleerders die bevel oor eenhede moet oorneem; - leerders personeelgesindhede as ’n hindernis ervaar; - daar ’n leerder/mentor-verhouding in die kliniese omgewing is; - geleenthede vir praktiese onderrig geskep word. ’n Beskrywende, verkennende studie met ’n oorwegend kwantitatiewe benadering is uitgevoer. Die studiebevolking was oorbruggingsleerders (N = 89) wat die drie privaat verpleegkolleges in die Kaapse metropool verteenwoordig. As gevolg van die klein populasie het alle leerders wat vrywillig hul toestemming verleen het, aan die studie deelgeneem. Gevolglik is ’n steekproef (n = 55/62%) van die teikenpopulasie geneem. Die navorser het ’n semi-gestruktureerde vraelys gebruik om data in te win en beide oop en toe vrae was gevra. Betroubaarheid en geldigheid is deur middel van ’n proefstudie sowel as die gebruik van deskundiges op die gebied van verpleegonderrig en statistiek verseker. Die navorser het die data persoonlik ingesamel. Etiese goedkeuring is van die Gesondheidsnavorsingsetiekkomitee van die Fakulteit Geneeskunde en Gesondheidswetenskappe van die Universiteit Stellenbosch verkry. Statistiese korrelasies is met behulp van die Spearman- en Mann-Whitney-U-toetse ondersoek. Die resultate van die studie word in die vorm van persentasies en tabelle aangebied. Die meeste deelnemers (n = 46/84%) reken daar is nie voldoende personeel in die sale nie. Voorts dink die meeste (n=40/73%) ook dat werksomstandighede nie onderrig bevorder nie. Kwalitatiewe ontleding toon dat die deelnemers die kliniese omgewing as bedreigend beskou, en die meeste (n = 47/85%) is dit ook eens dat personeel ’n negatiewe houding teenoor hulle openbaar. Slegs vyf deelnemers (n = 5/9%) het aangedui dat hulle altyd tyd saam met hulle mentor deurbring, terwyl die meeste (n = 36/65%) erken dat hulle nie hulle studie-uitkomste bereik alvorens hulle na ’n ander saal oorgeplaas word nie. Die studie bevind dat ’n personeeltekort, om in bevel van eenhede geplaas te word in die afwesigheid van ‘n geregistreerde verpleegkundige, personeel se negatiewe houding, en die gebrek aan ’n mentor/leerder-verhouding van die faktore is wat onderrig in die kliniese omgewing benadeel. Verskeie aanbevelings word op grond van die studiebevindinge gedoen. Dit sluit die volgende in: - Daar behoort genoegsame personeel aan diens te wees om die onderrigomgewing vir leerders te verbeter en hulle sodoende in staat te stel om hul studie-uitkomste volgens die kurrikulum te behaal. - Behoorlike toesig oor leerders moet verseker word. - Leerders behoort op praktiese dae van ander werk vrygestel te word ten einde hul prosedures te voltooi. Faktore wat die leer ervaring van oorbruggings leerders in die kliniese omgewing beinvloed was identifiseer. Strategieë wat hierdie faktore adresseer, kan hulle kliniese ervaring asook hul kliniese vaardigheid verbeter.

Extreme sport participation has traditionally been conceptualized as a psychological disorder and something to be avoided (Cashmore, 2002). Viewed in this way, these individuals are thought to be enacting an unhealthy psychology (Ogilvie, 1997; Slanger & Rudestam, 1997). Other research has described participants in extreme sports as sensation seekers under-stimulated by their normal surroundings and out of control (Zuckerman, 1979). Using Brymer's (2005) focused definition of extreme sports, "activities where a mismanaged mistake or accident would most likely result in death, as opposed to injury" (p. 5), this study utilized a phenomenological method to analyze semi-structured interviews with 16 free-solo climbers (n =16). The participants described their motivations in terms of overwhelming enjoyment, heightened focus, and personal progress. These results support more recent research describing extreme sport experiences as opportunities for positive transformation with outcomes including gains in courage, humility, eco-centrism, and emotional engagement (Brymer, 2009; Willig, 2008). These findings challenge the traditional, stereotypical notions of extreme sports participants as young and male (Wheaton & Beal, 2003), sensation-seeking (Zuckerman, 1979), and psychologically unwell (Ogilvie, 1997; Slanger & Rudestam, 1997). Answering Brymer's (2005) call to investigate all extreme sports individually, this study focused on the specific extreme sport of free-solo climbing and found the experience of the free-solo climber is a powerful undertaking enjoyed by young, old, male, and female.

Abstract THE ROLE OF LEARNING EXPERIENCES, SUPPORTS AND BARRIERS FOR THE DOCTORAL STUDENT By Madeline B. Goldman, DDS, MEd A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at Virginia Commonwealth University. Virginia Commonwealth University, 2018 Major Director: Robin Hurst, Ed.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Teaching and Learning This study seeks to understand the role of career development classes offered by the graduate school at a large public research university as part of its Leadership and Entrepreneurs for Professional Development (LEAPD) program and the LEAPD program effects on doctoral students’ career development and choices. The study also aims to understand the contextual influences on doctoral students, specifically the perceived supports and barriers that influence their career choices. The study’s goal in understanding these issues is to discover how the LEAPD courses impact these students as well as identify perceived supports and barriers in career development for doctoral students. The Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT) serves as a theoretical foundation for the study. This qualitative interview study involved students from different STEM programs at the doctoral level. Results of this study showed that the LEAPD program raised the career development confidence and inferred self-efficacy of these students. Furthermore, performance accomplishments were a significant factor in the persistence of these students to the doctoral level. Teachers and professors were most frequently reported as sources of support for these doctoral students, and the presence of supports seemed to minimize barrier perceptions. Keywords: doctoral students, career development, learning experiences, SCCT, supports, barriers, performance accomplishments, vicarious learning, teacher support, STEM