No description available.

In light of the expansion of student-centered instructional approaches in mathematics education and a brightening spotlight on virtual teacher supports, I look to Inquiry-Oriented Instruction (IOI) and explore how instructors reflect on and plan for their implementation of IOI in online professional development. I focus specifically on two teachers' comments on their implementation of IOI materials covering Abstract Algebra topics in online work groups developed to support teachers in implementing IOI. I analyze both reflection and enactment through the components of IOI characterized through the Instructional Triangle. Analysis of the teachers' reflections, viewed through their participation in the roles of sense maker, inquirer, and builder, revealed interesting differences in the teachers' approaches to IOI. I detail these two teachers' approaches to IOI and ultimately shed light on the intricacies of IOI and online professional development. Such findings support the growing bodies of research centered around IOI and corresponding professional development. / Master of Science / In light of the expansion of student-centered instructional approaches in mathematics education and a brightening spotlight on virtual teacher supports, I look to Inquiry-Oriented Instruction (IOI) and explore how instructors reflect on and plan for their implementation of IOI in online professional development. I focus specifically on two teachers' comments on their implementation of IOI materials covering Abstract Algebra topics in online work groups developed to support teachers in implementing IOI. I analyze both reflection and enactment through the components of IOI characterized through a framework model called the Instructional Triangle. Analysis of the teachers' reflections, viewed through their participation in the roles of sense maker, inquirer, and builder, revealed interesting differences in the teachers' approaches to IOI. I detail these two teachers' approaches to IOI and ultimately shed light on the intricacies of IOI and online professional development. Such findings support the growing bodies of research centered around IOI and corresponding professional development.

<p dir="ltr">Students with an intellectual disability along with their family are constantly working on learning and building skills to be successful in the next stage of their life. The planning for “the rest of their lives” starts as early as 14-16 years old. This research will explore the difficulties of transition and skills that are required for the student to be a self-determined adult and have a smooth transition from school into their postsecondary adult life.</p><p dir="ltr"><br></p>

This research focuses on an issue that has persisted in Greece over recent decades – long-term youth unemployment. The issue has worsened in the last few years, however, in particular following unprecedented historical times caused by a worldwide economic recession that hit Greece particularly hard. This recession that was triggered by events in the United States in 2008, set off a worldwide recession, the effects of which continue to affect countries like Greece today. It is in this context that the post-secondary graduate unemployment rate in the country soared to 20% in 2010 and has since continued to follow an upward trend. What is more, the Greek economy, with debt to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) ratio reaching more than 140% in 2010 and 165% in 2011, is not showing signs of improvement. This situation is far from encouraging for unemployed Greek youth. Grounded theory (GT) methodology is undertaken in this study which borrows from both Glaserian and Straussian GT method approaches. A Constructivist Grounded Theory perspective is used to interpret findings as the thesis analyses barriers to employment, understandings and coping mechanisms in relation to Greek graduate unemployment and identifies prospects for the future. Six participants were recruited through convenience sampling and informed research through in depth interviews. Unemployed post-secondary graduates interviewed in this study offered uniquely grounded data to inform my analysis and shared timely information amidst the challenging context of the Greek fiscal crisis. The situation has gained much international attention and opened the door for re-thinking and new possibilities. Given that the economic situation in the Eurozone is inextricably linked to the conditions in its member states, this study considers employment policy in both Greece and the European Union (EU). The thesis concludes by suggesting some potential areas for further research. / Graduate

In this thesis, I discuss the emergence of the “non-traditional” post -secondary student and what is necessary to both narrow the socioeconomic education gap and make higher education more efficient for the vast majority of Americans. l explain how the current conglomeration of laws, regulations and proposed regulations stifle innovation and inhibit the achievement of a high Education Return On Investment. I discuss changes that are on the horizon and borrow from the success of certain innovations. In the final section, I suggest and review potential frameworks for education innovation and funding that can make a difference. I propose a better measure of program-level success by using the following formula: EDUCATION ROI = (Increased Earnings + Increased Economic Productivity + lower healthcare, unemployment, and other related costs) / (Federal + State + Student Expenditures) To arrive at this formula and evaluate current institutions, I look at the total costs to attend these schools, the cost per degree, and the cost per taxpayer. I look at earnings data for different periods after graduation as well as the levels of debt and interest payments students accumulate during this time. The results show that currently, for-profit institutions are much cheaper per degree to the student (long term) and taxpayer due to superior graduation rates, higher earnings data, and better job placement and therefore provide a higher Education ROI. These schools are also the most active in the education space in creating innovative new ideas to increase the “Return” while decreasing the “Investment” and at the same time increasing accessibility to a larger group of students. Using this measure to evaluate our schools may result in a more efficient appropriation of federal funds to the schools that are achieving a better Education ROI, an increase in the exponentially growing skilled labor market, and several other positive externalities positively correlated with education such as health, reduced crime, and a general increase in value to society.

Doctor of Education / Department of Special Education, Counseling and Student Affairs / Warren J. White / Since 1990, IDEA has required a transition-focused IEP for adolescents with special needs. There have been limited data on whether culturally and/or linguistically diverse (CLD) students in Kansas were receiving transition services to mitigate or remedy their marginalized, disenfranchised, and dis-empowered status. This study examined transition practices for CLD students with special needs in Kansas. The hypothesis tested was that Kansas schools address the multicultural needs of exceptional students in transition practice. There were two research questions. First, do considerations of multicultural needs figure into transition practices in Kansas schools? Second, are multicultural needs taken into account to a greater extent in certain areas of transition? A review of research literature yielded multicultural considerations relevant to the five domains of transition: 1) self-care, domestic living; 2) recreation and leisure; 3) communication and social skills; 4) vocational skills; and 5) community participation skills. An Internet survey with 22 Likert items covering these multicultural needs and concerns was administered via e-mail. A total of 582 valid e-mail addresses were used, comprising contact information developed from a sample frame of a KSDE database of resource-room teachers. The survey e-mail and follow-up were sent to every contact, covering 190 of the 293 unified school districts of Kansas. The completed sample was 178, for a response rate of 30.58%. Data were analyzed from the 93 participants whose responses indicated experience as caseworkers in the past three years on transition-focused IEP teams for at least one student in any of the three CLD groups of interest in the present study—African Americans, Native American Indians, or Hispanic/Latinos. Means and standard deviations were calculated for the frequencies of choices on the 22 Likert items. Pearson's chi-square testing was used to determine significance. Survey results indicated that on 17 of 22 items there was 80% or higher agreement among caseworkers that their school communities were addressing the multicultural needs and concerns of students and families in transition practices. Discussion includes participants' comments. Recommendations are given to increase the roles of cultural and linguistic heritages in transition in Kansas schools, especially in the skill-areas of community participation and communication-and-social skills.

L’immigration francophone récente au Manitoba présente des enjeux complexes pour la société manitobaine, et plus particulièrement la société franco-manitobaine. Environ 5 % de la population francophone au Manitoba ne sont pas nés au Canada et la proportion d’étudiants immigrants à l’Université de Saint-Boniface (USB) est presque le double de ceci. Cette recherche explore comment les étudiants immigrants d’origines africaines vivent leur acculturation et l’effet de cette dernière sur leur identité dans le contexte postsecondaire de l’USB. Orientée par une lentille de l’intersectionnalité (Crenshaw (1989, 1991), l’approche méthodologique était qualitative et ethnographique. Les résultats de cette étude offrent un aperçu des perspectives des participantes et participants immigrants africains afin de comprendre leurs expériences de racisme, de sexisme, de défis sociaux et d’évolution identitaire hybride. À la lumière de ces résultats, des recommandations d’accueil et d’intégration des immigrants africains au niveau universitaire sont offertes. / May 2016

This thesis considers the burgeoning development of trans studies and trans policies in post-secondary schools in Canada and the United States. It is concerned with the impact of trans scholarship and trans policies on trans students of colour. The thesis consists of a textual analysis of scholarship, policy documents and newspaper articles. The tendency to prioritize the experiences of white trans people in contemporary scholarship is replicated in trans studies curricula and reinforced through policy documents. These whitening practices affect trans students of colour and limit their ability to find meaning in trans studies. Similarly, these practices limit racialized trans students’ access to university programs and services.

With increasing access to powerful computer processing and broadband Internet connectivity, persistent immersive worlds like Second Life are being adopted for use as virtual learning environments. The flexibility of these spaces, however, offers little innate direction for educators in terms of design and pedagogy considerations, creating a space for research, shared experience, and possibly the development of “best practices” literature. This multiple-case study explores the unique affordances of immersive environments for distance education with reference to the design, pedagogy, and student experience of two university-accredited courses taught entirely “in-world” on the Second Life platform.

This thesis considers the burgeoning development of trans studies and trans policies in post-secondary schools in Canada and the United States. It is concerned with the impact of trans scholarship and trans policies on trans students of colour. The thesis consists of a textual analysis of scholarship, policy documents and newspaper articles. The tendency to prioritize the experiences of white trans people in contemporary scholarship is replicated in trans studies curricula and reinforced through policy documents. These whitening practices affect trans students of colour and limit their ability to find meaning in trans studies. Similarly, these practices limit racialized trans students’ access to university programs and services.