Grounded theory was used to examine the social work perspective on English language learners (ELLs) entering special education. Fourteen interviews were conducted with 11 current school social workers from seven counties and cities in Virginia. The resulting theory is that the core variable, supporting ELLs, is the best attempt to resolve the main concern, the disconnect between the needs of ELLs and the resources available to them. This grounded theory suggests social workers and other school personnel can support ELLs and avoid an inappropriate referral to special education through: (1) culturally and linguistically appropriate assessment outside of the special education process, with particular attention to needs related to trauma and language acquisition; and (2) connection to available culturally and linguistically appropriate resources to meet the identified needs. Key findings are organized into eight dimensions: the school setting; the policy context; the needs of ELLs, engaging families of ELLs; community connections; the professional setting; the special education process; and the profession of social work. Implications include recommendations for policy change, changes to school social work practice, and changes in social work education. Further research includes testing the theory by examining the relationships between assessment, need, resource availability, and disproportional representation, as well as related areas of research such as the differences between high-ELL and low-ELL school divisions.

Studiens syfte var att undersöka och beskriva hur skolkuratorer respektive lärare upplever samverkan mellan deras professioner, vilka förutsättningar som ges till denna samverkan utifrån arbetssituation, arbetsgivare och yrkesutbildning samt hur detta skulle kunna utvecklas. Studiens empiri utgörs av semistrukturerade kvalitativa intervjuer med fyra skolkuratorer och två grundskollärare. Studiens huvudsakliga resultat visar att samtliga informanter har en stor vilja att samverka mellan professionerna men att möjligheterna till det är begränsade. De främsta orsakerna till de begränsade möjligheterna uppges vara personal-, och tidsbrist. Dessa brister ger även konsekvenser såsom att det viktiga hälsofrämjande och förebyggande arbetet måste prioriteras bort till förmån för det åtgärdande arbetet. Förutsättningar, för samverkan och förståelse för andra professioner, givna av utbildningen uppges vara bristfälliga. Denna studie bidrar med förslag på hur yrkesverksamma tänker att förutsättningar för samverkan mellan olika skolprofessioner kan utvecklas, både på arbetsplatsen men även under respektive yrkesutbildning. / The aim of this study was to illustrate school counselors´ and teachers´ experience of cooperation between their professions, what conditions there are for this cooperation given by work situation, employers and education and how these conditions can develop. Four school counselors and two primary school teachers were interviewed in a qualitative study. The results show that the informants want to cooperate but possibilities for this are limited, mainly due to staff shortages, and time constraints. These shortcomings also lead to limited possibilities for health promoting and preventive work because the remedial work needs to be done. Conditions given by education programs for cooperation between professions appears to be inadequate. This study contributes with suggestions on how professionals think that the conditions for cooperation between different school professions can be developed, both at the workplace but also during their education.

Esta pesquisa bibliográfica procura investigar os trabalhos pedagógicos de Moisey Mikhaylovich Pistrak na Escola Lepechinski, em Moscou - Rússia -, e Anton Semiónovitch Makarenko na Colônia Gorki, em Poltava e Khárkov - Ucrânia. Ambas experiências retratam o momento histórico de construção da União Soviética, na primeira década após a Revolução de Outubro. Tanto na educação escolar de Pistrak como na educação não escolar de Makarenko, as relações entre trabalho - como atividade constitutiva da condição humana - e educação se estabeleceram de maneira muito clara, caracterizando os modelos adotados por esses educadores como pedagogias críticas, de um caráter social e ligadas à realidade dos educandos. A formação de sujeitos autônomos, criativos e integrados a uma sociedade que valoriza o trabalho coletivo se constituiu no objetivo principal de cada um desses educadores. O presente trabalho procura destacar esses aspectos da pedagogia socialista de Pistrak e Makarenko, buscando contribuir para uma reflexão acerca dos valores da educação contemporânea e das características democráticas como fundamentos para a gestão educacional. / This research was made to study, in books, pedagogical work done by Moisey Mikhaylovich Pistrak in Lepechinski School, Moscow, Russia, and Anton Semiónovitch Makarenko in Gorki Colony, Poltava and Kharkov, Ukraine. Their experiments were held during the historical period of building Soviet Union, in the first decade post October Revolution. Both of their schoolarship educational programs, work relationships , as human constitutive conditon, and education had been stablished, were done in very clear basis, setting theirs as a criticism model of pedagogy, connecting the reality of the studentes in a stated social character. Autonomy, creative and integration among the individuals valued their team work providing autonomy to people. This work intends to highlight the socialist Pistrak and Makarenko aspects, in order to contribute to a valued contemporaty education and the democratic characteristics as educational administration basis.

This study examined the relationship between school social workers’ perceived effectiveness and their perceived levels of competency (knowledge and skills), collaboration, and school culture when providing services to homeless students. A quantitative descriptive research design was employed in this study. Specifically, this study provided insight on how these select factors influence school social workers’ perceived effectiveness in providing services to homeless students. The study sample consisted of 103 school social workers and homeless liaisons who serve the metropolitan Atlanta. Respondents participated in the study by completing the “School Social Workers’ Perceived Effectiveness Survey” that was disseminated via email or in person. All respondents participated in the study voluntarily. Data analysis was conducted at three levels. The first level presented descriptive findings associated with demographic information and school social work experience of the respondents. The second level utilized crosstabs to examine the relationship between the dependent variable, perceived effectiveness, and each of the independent variables (competency, collaboration, and school culture). The third level of analysis was analytical procedures which tested the hypothesis under this study. This section used Spearman’s Correlation Coefficient to determine the strength of the relationship between the dependent variable and each of the independent variables. This study found a positive, strong correlation between school social worker perceived effectiveness and skill-set, competency, collaboration, and school culture. There was a positive moderate correlation between school social worker perceived effectiveness and knowledge. The conclusions drawn from the findings of this research suggested that all of the independent variables showed a significant correlation with the dependent variable. The study findings proved to be useful for school social workers, policy makers, school administrators, homeless students and their families, and other school-based staff.

The purpose of the current outcome study was to determine the impact of Student Success Skills (SSS) classroom guidance lessons on the Academic Behaviors (motivation, social engagement, self-regulation) and Key Learning Skills and Techniques associated with college-career readiness (CCR) indicators for Grade 5 students (ACT, 2008a; Brigman & Webb, 2012; Conley, 2010; Robbins, Allen, Casillas, Peterson, & Le, 2006). School counselors in the treatment schools were trained in the implementation of the SSS classroom program and subsequently taught the material to Grade 5 students. Comparison school counselors conducted business as usual. The study applied a quasi-experimental pre/post1/post2 design utilizing student self-report instruments (Student Engagement in School Success Skills Survey [SESSS], Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire [MSLQ]), and a teacher survey instrument (Student Participation Questionnaire [SPQ]). / Includes bibliography. / Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2015 / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

O ensino superior brasileiro se configura, historicamente, como um espaço de formação elitista e excludente, destinado às classes dominantes. No entanto, esse cenário tem se alterado ao longo dos últimos 20 anos, a partir do processo de expansão e diversificação do acesso ao ensino superior, o qual possibilitou o ingresso de grupos antes pouco expressivos, por meio de políticas públicas como o Programa Universidade para Todos – Prouni. Frente a esse contexto de expansão no acesso ao ensino superior do país, essa pesquisa visa compreender como a origem social influencia o acesso, permanência e conclusão do ensino superior, assim como a posterior inserção profissional dos jovens egressos do Prouni, no momento em que essa se configura como uma política pública baseada em critérios de seleção socioeconômicos. A fim de compreender o peso da origem social no processo de formação e ingresso no mercado de trabalho, adotou-se o olhar da sociologia disposicionalista, suportado teórica e metodologicamente em autores como Bernard Lahire, Pierre Bourdieu e Jessé Souza. Para isso, foram realizadas entrevistas em profundidade com cinco egressos do Prouni – oriundos dos cursos de Direito e Administração de duas das melhores instituições de ensino privado do Rio Grande do Sul – as quais foram organizadas e apresentadas no formato de retratos sociológicos (LAHIRE, 2004). A partir da construção dos retratos, foram identificadas as disposições incorporadas ao longo da trajetória de cada um dos jovens, sendo analisadas a partir de suas ocorrências intra e interindividuais. Por meio das disposições compartilhadas, ou interindividuais, foi possível caracterizar os jovens egressos do Prouni como pertencentes a nova classe trabalhadora (SOUZA, 2010). Além disso, as diferenças nas disposições à nível individual permitiram identificar diferentes estratos dentro da nova classe trabalhadora, o que contradiz a ideia de um modo de conduta homogêneo entre aqueles pertencentes a uma mesma classe social. Percebeu-se que a identificação do sistema disposicional incorporado pelos indivíduos e a análise de sua influência ao longo da trajetória individual e coletiva dos egressos do Prouni contribuiu para desvelar o peso e influência da estrutura social sob a ação individual. Tal abordagem contribuiu para ressaltar as desigualdades existentes ao longo do processo de formação e inserção profissional, auxiliando no combate ao discurso meritocrático de responsabilização individual. Por fim, percebe-se no instrumento analítico de identificação das disposições um promissor caminho para aprofundar os estudos acerca da formação e inserção profissional no país e compreender as particularidades dos diferentes grupos de jovens que acessam o ensino superior, levando em conta suas trajetórias, que podem ser mais ou menos limitadas, a partir da origem de classe. / Brazilian higher education is historically an elitist field, destined to the highest social classes. However, this context has changed over the last 20 years, due to the process of expansion and diversification of higher education access. This allowed the entrance of minority groups at university, through public policies such as the University for All Program – in Portuguese called Prouni, which is based in social economic criteria. Based in this context of expansion in the access to higher education in Brazil, this research aims to understand the social origin influence on transition school-to-work process of young graduates from Prouni. In order to understand the social origin influence in higher education studies and transition school-to-work, a sociological dispositional view was adopted in this research, supported by authors such as Bernard Lahire, Pierre Bourdieu and Jessé Souza. In-depth interview were conducted with five graduated students from Prouni, enrolled in Administration and Law courses in two of the best universities of Rio Grande do Sul state. These interviews data were reconstructed and organized into sociological portraits (LAHIRE, 2004). From this material, some incorporated dispositions were identified, being classified based on their individual or collective occurrence. Based on these shared dispositions, was possible to identify this group of young Prouni students as part of the new working Brazilian class (SOUZA, 2010). Besides that, differences in the individual dispositions allowed the identification of distinctive social strata inside this social class, which contradicts the idea of a homogenous mode of conduct shared between members of a same social group. From the incorporated dispositional system analysis, was possible to identify some motivational factors which influence the decisions made by the individuals. Based on that, is possible to combat the meritocratic discourse of individual accountability, which make invisible the weight and influence of the social structure in agent’s life. Finally, the analytical instrument of dispositions identification seems to offer a promising alternative to deepen the transition school-to-work studies in Brazil. The individual analyses can help to understand the particularities in different young people groups that access the higher education, taking into account their trajectories and the divergent aspects they present, related to their social class origin.

Esta pesquisa bibliográfica procura investigar os trabalhos pedagógicos de Moisey Mikhaylovich Pistrak na Escola Lepechinski, em Moscou - Rússia -, e Anton Semiónovitch Makarenko na Colônia Gorki, em Poltava e Khárkov - Ucrânia. Ambas experiências retratam o momento histórico de construção da União Soviética, na primeira década após a Revolução de Outubro. Tanto na educação escolar de Pistrak como na educação não escolar de Makarenko, as relações entre trabalho - como atividade constitutiva da condição humana - e educação se estabeleceram de maneira muito clara, caracterizando os modelos adotados por esses educadores como pedagogias críticas, de um caráter social e ligadas à realidade dos educandos. A formação de sujeitos autônomos, criativos e integrados a uma sociedade que valoriza o trabalho coletivo se constituiu no objetivo principal de cada um desses educadores. O presente trabalho procura destacar esses aspectos da pedagogia socialista de Pistrak e Makarenko, buscando contribuir para uma reflexão acerca dos valores da educação contemporânea e das características democráticas como fundamentos para a gestão educacional. / This research was made to study, in books, pedagogical work done by Moisey Mikhaylovich Pistrak in Lepechinski School, Moscow, Russia, and Anton Semiónovitch Makarenko in Gorki Colony, Poltava and Kharkov, Ukraine. Their experiments were held during the historical period of building Soviet Union, in the first decade post October Revolution. Both of their schoolarship educational programs, work relationships , as human constitutive conditon, and education had been stablished, were done in very clear basis, setting theirs as a criticism model of pedagogy, connecting the reality of the studentes in a stated social character. Autonomy, creative and integration among the individuals valued their team work providing autonomy to people. This work intends to highlight the socialist Pistrak and Makarenko aspects, in order to contribute to a valued contemporaty education and the democratic characteristics as educational administration basis.

Pasifika people are a youthful population group. It is important therefore that Pasifika youth have opportunities to live fulfilling and satisfying lives where they can achieve their dreams, support themselves and their families and make valuable contributions to their local communities, their country and global communities now and in the future. Government and local city councils have become more proactive in developing strategies that will assist young people to be part of an inclusive economy. One of the key areas identified, is the transitioning of low achieving and disengaged school leavers into further education, skills training or employment. Hence the government's and the councils' shared goals of implementing the Mayors' Taskforce for Jobs in 2007, which is to ensure that all youth between 15-19 years of age are in employment, education, training or other activities that lead to their long-term economic independence and wellbeing (Ministry of Youth Development, 2004). Transition courses provide bridging alternatives for youth transitioning from school to employment. They are designed to provide extra help for students who leave school with low or no qualifications. In some cases youth find themselves out of favour with mainstream education and have been forced to end secondary schooling prematurely. Transition learning gives youth a second chance at education by improving their employment marketability. This research highlights the rich stories of Samoan male youths' transitional journeys. The study discusses the critical factors that have contributed either positively or negatively in their ability to transition successfully into the workplace. Eight Samoan male participants were involved in the study ranging from 18-21 years of age. This research topic has evolved from the researcher's involvement in working with South Auckland Pasifika youth for over four years. Some of these youth have been traumatised by their school experiences and have had to face some enormous barriers when transitioning from school into the work place or further tertiary education. After selecting the topic, research frameworks that would be most appropriate for the research were explored. The researcher shares similar cultural and personal experiences to the participants. The framework for the study is therefore aligned to the values of the researcher. Accordingly, the multi-case study approach has been adopted; as such an approach has the potential to reveal what participants feel is significant. The interpretive paradigm underpins this research. The technique for gathering data was through semiformal in-depth interviewing. During the interviews, the participants had the opportunity to discuss the effects that the transitional courses had on them as learners and as Samoan youth. This method of research is culturally appropriate, as it allowed the depth of voices of these young Samoan people to be heard. The themes that have emerged from the findings reflect the broad categories of literature and research findings in the field of transition. The findings also provide new and insightful information about transitional experiences of Pasifika male youth. The research findings from this study focus on key aspects of programme implementation including; the teacher/student relationship, mentoring, student resiliency and the role of the government in youth transition. The research also evaluates the extent to which the transition course curriculum content supports student knowledge and skills in their current work situation. All participants in the study were generally positive about the courses they attended. They discussed the positives in terms of good tutoring, high degree of team cohesion and relevant meaningful learning experiences. The participants cited the negatives as poor teaching, and the low level of some of the literacy and numeracy activities they were expected to complete. Overall they were far more positive about their transitional learning than they were with learning at secondary school. Most felt prepared for work. The study proposes further research in the area of youth transition. Findings from this study will be disseminated to the appropriate government policy makers, city councils, youth services and tertiary providers through presentations at youth development conferences.

School-to-work (STW) transitions have become more protracted over recent decades, with increased risks of unemployment and social exclusion for young people. Moreover, young people are expected to plan their own career and enhance their employa­bility, although gender and social and cultural background still significantly influence employment prospects. Policies have been developed in an attempt to facilitate young people’s pathways into work. However, STW-transitions are one of the weakest poin­ts in Swedish welfare system; in addition the quality of career guidance has been questioned. This dissertation aims to describe and analyse young adults STW-transitions from a biographical perspective. It is based around life story interviews with 52 unem­ployed young adults’, 25-29 years old, including men and women with varying educa­tional backgrounds, living in three different Swedish local contexts. Four research questions are examined: How do the young adults’ describe their STW-transitions in retrospect? What characterized their horizons of actions at the time of the interview? What is the impact of public career guidance? How did ethnicity, gender and locality affect answers to the above questions - and how may such differences be interpreted? The analysis of the young adults’ narratives was based on the careership theory devel­oped by Hodkinson and Sparkes. In retrospect the young adults described their STW-transitions as an attempt to find and achieve personal goals. They emphasized turning points, i.e. when educa­tion or a job begins or ends, but also highlighted experiences when studying or working that make them realize what they wanted or what they would not accept. Four transition patterns, partly connected to gender and locality, were identified among the respondents: yo-yoing between workplaces, education and unemploy­ment; mainly working; mainly in education; or mainly excluded from work and education. These patterns involved varying experiences, current situations and future expectations. At the time of the interview the young adults’ horizon of action involved interrelated aspects of life, but getting a stable job and settling down was pivotal to most of them. The strategies of the interviewees for navigating between dreams and reality diverged. However, they shared an ambition “to put one’s talents to good use” and feared not being able to do so. Experiences of career guidance were generally reported to have been sporadic and meaningless. However, in some cases, inter­ventions are influential for example, when choosing an upper secondary school or during times of unemployment. The young adults’ employed various strategies when interventions adversely affected their goals; of these “to managing by one’s self” was the most common. In addition, guidance varied according to ethnicity and local structures. It is concluded that STW-transitions are challenging journeys, mainly undertaken without professional support, which the young adults perceived as uncertain. / Individen, vägarna, valen. Karriärval och vägledning i socialt, mångkulturellt och könsperspektiv

The aim of this study is to examine the effects of school-to-work programs on cognitive engagement from the students’ perspective. The study was guided by the question: “How do students perceive their cognitive engagement in learning when participating in school-to-work transition programs”? Using a case study methodology, data were collected from ten students at a rural high school using semi-structured interviews, and were analyzed using the constant comparative method. The results show an increase in cognitive engagement and the motivation to graduate as a result of participation in the school-to-work program. This increase in cognitive engagement is attributed to the students’ career preparedness, and the hands-on practical experiences gained from the program. By studying the students’ perception of their own engagement we gain a better understanding of the contributing factors that lead to increased cognitive engagement and motivation levels.