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.

The study of resiliency theory allows for an examination of successful processes people have relied on to overcome difficult situations. In this study, former youth in care who have demonstrated resilience through educational success as defined by enrollment in post-secondary educational programs, were interviewed to gain an understanding of the factors that contributed to their resilience. Nine former youth in care participated in this study. Analysis of the transcripts from the conversations resulted in several factors that the participants identified as promoting resilience. These included supportive relationships, self advocacy, externalization of perceived negative attitudes, a high value placed on education, and access to community support through Amandas Gift, a bursary program available to former youth in care.

The study of resiliency theory allows for an examination of successful processes people have relied on to overcome difficult situations. In this study, former youth in care who have demonstrated resilience through educational success as defined by enrollment in post-secondary educational programs, were interviewed to gain an understanding of the factors that contributed to their resilience. Nine former youth in care participated in this study. Analysis of the transcripts from the conversations resulted in several factors that the participants identified as promoting resilience. These included supportive relationships, self advocacy, externalization of perceived negative attitudes, a high value placed on education, and access to community support through Amandas Gift, a bursary program available to former youth in care.

Hur påverkar högre utbildningsnivå brottslighet? Den här uppsatsen undersöker effekt av eftergymnasial utbildning på våldsbrott respektive stöld-, rån- och häleribrott. Vår första hypotes är att eftergymnasial utbildning har en minskande effekt på våldsbrott genom högre alternativkostnad av brott samt att psykologiska faktorer påverkas positivt. Vår andra hypotes är att eftergymnasial utbildning har en ökande effekt på stöld-, rån- och häleribrott via högre avkastning till följd av mer kunskap för planering och utförande av denna typen av brott. Vidare förmodas en högre utbildningsnivå  generera mer tillgänglig egendom vilket leder till tilltagande incitament för stöld-, rån- och häleribrott. Förhållandena analyseras ekonometriskt med paneldata över Sveriges 21 län under tidsperioden 2000 till 2008. Prais-Winsten estimering används för skattning av linjär regression, där kontrollvariabler för bland annat demografi och arbetsmarknadseffekter inkluderas. Resultatet visar att eftergymnasial utbildning har en signifikant negativ effekt  på våldsbrott. Vi finner vidare att verkan av eftergymnasial utbildning på stöld-, rån och häleribrott är signifikant positiv. / How does higher education affect crime? This thesis examines the effect of post-secondary education on crime of violence and property related crime. Our first hypothesis is that a higher education level reduces crime of violence through higher opportunity costs and that psychological factors are affected in a positive way. Our second hypothesis is that a higher education level raises the return of property related crimes and therefore increases the same. This is due to more knowledge to be used for planning and execution of this type of crime and that the available property is assumed to be of a greater magnitude, which in turn leads to higher incentives for property related crime. The relationships are being econometrically analyzed with panel data consisting of observations of the 21 Swedish regions over the time period 2000 to 2008. The method of Prais-Winsten estimation is used to estimate a linear relationship, controlling for variables such as demographic and labor market effects. The results show that a higher education level has a significant negative effect on crime of violence. Furthermore we find that the effect of a higher education level on property related crime is significantly positive.

An increasing number of community colleges in the United States are becoming baccalaureate-granting institutions. Proponents of the community college baccalaureate (CCB) argue that the CCB provides students with access to higher education, while others argue the CCB will compromise the community college's core values. The purpose of this study is to explore faculty members' intention to support the CCB transition. Ajzen's Theory of Planned Behavior provides the theoretical framework for the study. The theory assumes that changes in behavior are intentional and, therefore, can be planned. This theory posits that attitudes, subjective (social) norms, and perceived behavioral control predict intentions to support a behavior and, ultimately, to behave in a certain way. Full-time faculty members from two community colleges in Florida were invited to participate in the Web-based survey; 95 of the 317 faculty members invited to participate in the study chose to complete the survey, representing a 30% response rate. Pearson product-moment correlations were calculated among the direct measures and their underlying beliefs indicate significant relationships among (a) attitude and behavioral beliefs (r = .46, p = .01) and (b) subjective norms and normative beliefs (r = .48, p = .01). Correlation analysis among the direct measures and behavioral intention indicate significant relationships among (a) attitude and behavioral beliefs (r = .82, p = .01), (b) subjective norms and normative beliefs (r = .22, p = .05), and (c) perceived behavioral control and behavioral intention (r = .34, p = .01). The multiple linear regression analysis indicated the linear combination of attitude, subjective norms and perceived behavioral control account for 69% of the variability in faculty members' intention to support the CCB transition, with greatest the contribution from perceived behavioral control, (b = .87), followed by attitude (b = .22), and subjective norms contributing the least (b = .05). The findings from this study can be used to reflect upon CCB transitions that have already occurred or are in process. In addition, the findings can inform future efforts by community colleges to develop more effective and efficient processes for making the transition to CCB institutions. Lastly, the findings provide insight of the CCB transition from a faculty members' perspective, as well as to contribute to existing literature on the theory of planned behavior.

Research suggests that depressive symptoms and financial stress are both associated with increased levels of cigarette smoking, yet not every individual who experiences depressive symptoms or financial stress smokes. The primary purpose of this study was to examine whether positive and negative religious coping moderated the influence of depressive symptoms and financial stress on current (past 30-day) cigarette smoking over and above the contributions of demographic covariates and nonreligious problem- and emotion-focused coping. Participants were drawn from a larger study comprised of a convenience sample of 1,120 post-secondary vocational/technical school students enrolled in programs such as welding, air-conditioning, and vocational nursing at two different two-year public colleges in Texas. These students are training to work in blue-collar occupations, which have higher smoking rates compared to white-collar occupations. Negative binomial regression analysis was used to test the study hypotheses. Depressive symptoms and financial stress increased the likelihood of smoking for female students, whereas financial stress decreased the likelihood of smoking for male students. Positive religious coping decreased the likelihood of smoking for females only. Consistent with religious coping theory and as expected, negative religious coping moderated the depressive symptoms-smoking relationship such that negative religious coping exacerbated the impact of depressive symptoms on cigarette smoking among females. Positive religious coping also moderated the depressive symptoms-cigarette smoking relationship for females. Contrary to expectations, positive religious coping exacerbated the likelihood of cigarette smoking among females with high levels of depressive symptoms. Negative religious coping moderated the financial stress-cigarette smoking relationship such that males who reported low financial stress and high levels of negative religious coping had the highest likelihood of smoking in the past month. For females, religious coping was associated with current cigarette use, but did not moderate the association between financial stress and smoking. Even after controlling for demographic covariates and nonreligious coping, positive and negative religious coping influenced the smoking behaviors of vocational students experiencing depressive symptoms and financial stress, and these outcomes varied by gender. Study limitations, implications, and suggestions for future directions in research are discussed. / text

The aim of the thesis was to explore the magnitude of inequity in accessibility to initial formal education, continuing adult education, and work-related informal learning for the workplace. The two main issues that the thesis attempted to determine is whether social background characteristics that affect initial educational attainment continue to influence participation in adult education and work-related informal learning. More specifically, this research focused on three main questions: First, to what extent does parents’ social background influence educational attainment levels for Canadians from different generations? Second, to what extent does parents’ social background influencing participation in adult education for their offspring beyond the effects of an individual’s own social background? And, third, to what extent does parents' social background have on their offspring’s participation in informal learning for the workplace beyond the effects of an individual's own social class background? A secondary data quantitative analysis was carried out on the data collected in the 2004 Work and Lifelong Learning (WALL) survey. Both crosstab analysis and structural equation analysis were used to obtain an overview of inequities in participation in formal education and informal learning and to test the applicability of Bourdieu’s social reproduction theory. Overall, the findings of this thesis indicate that social reproduction occurs not only through the formal education system, but also through the adult education system. More specifically, parents’ education continues to be a good predictor of the level of education attained by offspring. Moreover, one’s level of education continued to be a predictor of participation in adult education. Social reproduction was not present for work-related informal learning. In fact, those from low incomes were more likely to engage in informal learning than those from high incomes. These findings indicate that despite level of cultural and economic capital, the majority of Canadians engage in a learning activity. It is apparent that structures that are present in our formal education system continue to advantage students with high cultural and economic capital; however, work-related informal learning is accessible to all.

Student engagement research includes student success, grade point average, persistence, recruitment, retention, and belonging (Bean, 1980; Becker, Cooper, Atkins, & Martin, 2009; Willms, 2003). Campus recreation research explores benefits, involvement, satisfaction, participation, and community (Astin, 1984; Barcelona & Ross, 2002; Dalgarn, 2001; Kovac & Beck, 1997; Tsigilis, 2009). Research considering the relationship between student engagement and campus recreation is limited. The purpose of this research was to consider the role(s) of campus recreation participation in undergraduate student engagement at a post-secondary commuter campus. A case study approach using initial exploratory interviews and follow-up focus groups explored campus recreation participation in terms of social, academic, and intellectual engagement. Participants were current full-time undergraduate students, 18-24 years old and had participated in a campus recreation activity within the past four months. Findings provided guidance for enhancing student engagement through campus recreation and contributed to and connected the existing knowledge bases of campus recreation and student engagement.

Student engagement research includes student success, grade point average, persistence, recruitment, retention, and belonging (Bean, 1980; Becker, Cooper, Atkins, & Martin, 2009; Willms, 2003). Campus recreation research explores benefits, involvement, satisfaction, participation, and community (Astin, 1984; Barcelona & Ross, 2002; Dalgarn, 2001; Kovac & Beck, 1997; Tsigilis, 2009). Research considering the relationship between student engagement and campus recreation is limited. The purpose of this research was to consider the role(s) of campus recreation participation in undergraduate student engagement at a post-secondary commuter campus. A case study approach using initial exploratory interviews and follow-up focus groups explored campus recreation participation in terms of social, academic, and intellectual engagement. Participants were current full-time undergraduate students, 18-24 years old and had participated in a campus recreation activity within the past four months. Findings provided guidance for enhancing student engagement through campus recreation and contributed to and connected the existing knowledge bases of campus recreation and student engagement.

This study explored the discourse of the University of Victoria Social Sciences Co-op Program. It reviewed literature that illustrates how neoliberal ideologies due to globalization lead to the marketization of post-secondary education. It provided an overview of the neoliberal discursive context in which the Co-op Program is situated and a semiotic analysis of the discourse of three documents. Particular focus was paid to metaphoric representations. A co-op practitioner conducted the study, which included a reflective discussion of the findings related to the role of the Co-op Program staff, students and employers. The study highlighted neoliberal discourses that may impact a student’s educational experience by limiting student agency, reinforcing power structures, and focusing on career training with little emphasis on learning. As a way forward, the study presented different discourses and metaphoric representations that could be drawn upon to emancipate the students and harness the potential of an experiential education program.