The purpose of this mixed methods qualitative case study is to gain a deeper understanding about the factors that contribute to and/or hinder women’s participation in the construction industry by examining women’s experiences within one very industry-specific, male-dominated nontraditional occupation (NTO)—the concrete industry. In this study I utilized a combination of methods including interviews and survey research, as well as case analysis of an organization specifically involved with this population, the Women In Concrete Alliance (WICA). This investigation identifiesd some of the reasons why women’s participation remains low, discusses some of ways that the private, public, and educational sectors have set out to address those shortages, how women working in the field felt feel about those initiatives based upon their experiences, and what systems of support these women draw upon to remain active in a male-dominated profession. As women’s associations within NTOs are one relatively formal potential means of support for women facing occupational isolation, this study also examines different types of organizations to which women working in NTOs belong (e.g. membership, educational, advocacy, trades). I want to know in what ways the organizations benefit members; how the organizations support themselves or are supported financially.

INTRODUCTION: Street medicine programs utilize a nontraditional healthcare model to provide care to populations experiencing homelessness. Through street medicine programs, clinicians take to the streets to offer services to individuals who are living unsheltered. Many street medicine programs offer health professional students the opportunity to volunteer and provide care to this vulnerable population. AIM: This exploratory study aimed to answer the following question: what influence does volunteering with a street medicine program have on the career trajectories of student volunteers who ultimately choose to work with medically underserved populations (MUPs)? METHODS: This study used an exploratory mixed methods approach to answering the research question. The core ideas that emerged from the qualitative data collected from street medicine student volunteers were used to inform the development of a web-based survey administered to a broader, national sample of street medicine student volunteers. The survey included closed- and opened- ended questions, as well as demographic questions. The Health Professionals’ Attitude Towards the Homeless Inventory (HPATHI; Buck et al., 2005) questionnaire was embedded into the survey to measure students’ attitudes towards the population experiencing homelessness before and after volunteering with a street medicine program. RESULTS: The results suggested that 15 (65.22%) of the 23 participants who completed the web-based survey reported that volunteering with a street medicine program influenced their decision to ultimately work with MUPs. Of the 19 participants who provided qualitative feedback, 7 (36.84%) mentioned that their decision to work with MUPs was influenced by their increased exposure and awareness to the barriers and needs of MUPs while volunteering with a street medicine program. Additionally, 6 (31.58%) participants mentioned that their previous decision to work with MUPs was reinforced while volunteering with a street medicine program. CONCLUSION: Volunteering with a street medicine program appears to help motivate students to work with MUPs. Incorporating opportunities to volunteer with a street medicine program into current health professional school curriculum has the potential to impact a greater network of students, as well as influence decisions regarding the students’ careers.

The National Technological University (NTU), a consortium of more than twenty American engineering schools, broadcasts courses produced at member institutions to professional engineers at corporate sites across the country. It is a nonprofit institution.begun in fall 1984 with headquarters in Fort Collins, Colorado, which offers only course work leading to the Master of Science degree in various branches of technology, or applied science. Students must be sponsored by their corporate employers who pay their tuition. This is the first systematic examination of the instructional process at an educational institution created in response to the demands of the governmental and corporate sectors' technological needs. This study includes an attempt to explore the effectiveness of that instructional process and the use of computers in distance education at NTU and implications for institutions of the future. This study focuses on distance education, corporate education, national universities and nontraditional institutions and the extent to which NTO exemplifies each of these concepts. It covers the organizational structure and methods of operation of NTU, and offers opinions of students, faculty, and other personnel associated with the institution as reflected by surveys, interviews, and the media.

In order to complete degrees faster, many nontraditional students enroll in Accelerated Learning (AL) programs where they often use communication software or devices, also called information communication technology (ICT). ICT literacy is the ability to use ICT appropriately to solve information problems. Gaps in ICT literacy can frustrate nontraditional students and distract them from learning course content. Due to AL programs` fast pace, there is little opportunity for students and educators to discover and fill ICT literacy gaps. Millions of nontraditional students enroll in programs designed for traditional students. Identifying ICT literacy gaps for students can help educators address specific academic needs. Identifying and bridging ICT literacy gaps is essential in preparing all students to succeed in the information age. While the mission of the National Higher Education ICT Initiative includes addressing the ICT literacy gaps of both traditional and nontraditional students, little effort or research exists to date, which examines the ICT literacy gap of nontraditional students. This lack of research makes it more difficult for institutions to recognize the issue of nontraditional students` ICT literacy gaps. This lack of research also makes it more difficult for institutions to address effectively these ICT literacy gaps. The goal of this research was to compare the ICT literacy gaps of traditionally aged students in traditional programs to the ICT literacy gaps of nontraditional students in AL programs and to help determine if nontraditional students in AL programs have unique ICT literacy gaps that warrant identification and remediation. This study expands the body of knowledge concerning ICT literacy gaps of nontraditional students in AL programs.

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between student engagement and overall satisfaction of traditional and nontraditional students at the community college level at Northeast State Community College. Three professors, 2 staff, 2 administrators, 5 traditional students, and 5 nontraditional students from Northeast State Community College comprised the sample for the study. A descriptive case study was the qualitative approach used. Data were collected in individual in-depth interviews with participants. The findings of this study could provide community college administrators, staff and faculty with an understanding of traditional and nontraditional students’ engagement and satisfaction and experiences on campus. This information can assist administrators, staff and faculty in identifying needs and priorities on campus along with developing learning environments that are effective for traditional and nontraditional students. Recommendations for future research are presented. Results of the research revealed positive overall perceptions of engagement and satisfaction from students, faculty and administrators. A theme that emerged was the strong focus on student centered, student focused, educational practices at Northeast State Community College. Additionally, it was evident that the community college continuously strives to improve their student support services as well as the academic learning environment to increase student engagement and satisfaction. Further, the findings revealed a need for more advising on the importance of utilizing student email and additional modes of communication from student support services to students and from faculty to students.

The liberalizing economic reforms that began under Fujimori in the 1990s have had a profound impact on primary production processes throughout the country of Peru. In the northern coastal region of La Libertad, such reforms have rearranged the physical landscape for the cultivation of nontraditional exports and have as a result altered internal migration mechanisms that provide abundant and cheap labor to domestic and multinational corporations operating on the coast. The downward pressures on labor have been acute as Peru competes for investment on a global scale with other developing countries. Organized resistance in response to poor working conditions and an inadequate regulatory framework has made few tangible gains over the years despite widespread discontent among agribusiness workers. Looking at the macro-level economic framework and national legislation, ethnic divisions of labor and task specification, as well as internal corporate practices that dissuade union affiliation, this study will examine the factors that have limited union organizing in northern Peruvian agribusiness the role of corporations, specifically that of Camposol, in community and regional development. / text

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 327-342).

Dissertation (Ph.D.)--The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, 2008. / Title from PDF t.p. (viewed Jun. 2, 2009). Advisor: Deborah Taub; submitted to the School of Education. Includes bibliographical references (p. 116-123).

This mixed methods study, a concurrent triangulation design, explored Tinto's integration theory as it relates to nontraditional students. The study explored the relationship of academic and social integration, defined by classroom active learning strategies and sense of belonging, with persistence. The study also expanded upon the idea of socio-academic integrative moments which might occur when social and academic integration converge or overlap. Consistent with Tinto's model, factors including initial institutional commitment, initial goal commitment, and subsequent institutional commitment were also analyzed. Multiple regression analysis of data obtained from a 38-question survey (n=299) revealed one common predictor of persistence among the three research questions: initial commitment to the educational goal. Qualitative data, interpreted from a diverse group of 10 nontraditional students, confirmed the quantitative findings and revealed that, in relation to persistence, initial commitment to the educational goal seemed to transcend all other theoretical factors including institutional commitment, social integration, academic integration, and student entry characteristics such as race, gender, parents' educational attainment, first-generation status, and high school GPA. In addition, focus group findings indicated the presence of socio-academic integrative described as academically-focused social integration. Recommendations for further exploration into the integrational convergence or non-linearity of Tinto's model are included. Recommendations for practice and future research prompt additional exploration into nontraditional student persistence including suggestions to identify factors related to meaningful integration for nontraditional students and how those factors might influence persistence.

The problem of this study concerned the marketing strategies utilized by public community colleges, public and private colleges and universities for the nontraditional student in Texas. Subjects of this study consisted of 101, or 78.9 percent of the original population of 128 regionally accredited colleges and universities in Texas as listed in the Educational Directory, Colleges & Universities, 1980-81. Out of original subpopulations of 56 public community colleges, 48, or 85.7 percent; 26, or 76.5 percent of the 34 public colleges and universities; and, 27, or 71.1 percent, of the 38 private colleges and universities surveyed participated in the study. Contact persons for the study were primarily public relations officers.