The voices of eleven Aboriginal and ten non-Aboriginal adult social work educators who volunteered to participate in this qualitative research study represent a diverse range of practice and teaching experiences. Participants with experience teaching social work courses that included the enrollment of Aboriginal students were interviewed to gain knowledge about their self-location, lived experiences, their insight, and their perceptions of the ways in which they have and continue to support and influence the retention of Aboriginal post-secondary students. This study utilized phenomenology as a philosophical approach. The interview process was guided by a phenomenological investigation to identify and explore themes that emerged from the data. The major findings of the study revealed the the many facets to the social work educator-student relationship. The major findings of the study revealed the ways social work educators with experience teaching Aboriginal social work students from northern and remote communities, are involved in providing personal and academic support. Examples of the support provided includes the daily maintenance of an open door policy, reaching out and providing offers of help to students, and assuming roles as advocates, resource brokers, mentors, advisors and counsellors. / October 2016

Thesis advisor: Laura M. O'Dwyer / Education researchers are frequently interested in examining the causal impact of academic services and interventions; however, it is often not feasible to randomly assign study elements to treatment conditions in the field of education (Adelson, 2013). When assignment to treatment conditions is non-random, the omission of any variables relevant to treatment selection creates a correlation between the treatment variable and the error in regression models. This is termed endogeneity (Ebbes, 2004). In the presence of endogeneity, treatment effect estimates from traditionally used regression approaches may be biased. The purpose of this study was to investigate the causal impact of an integrated student support model, namely City Connects, on student academic achievement. Given that students are not randomly assigned to the City Connects intervention, endogeneity bias may be present. To address this issue, two novel and underused statistical approaches were used with school admissions lottery data, namely Gaussian copula regression developed by Park and Gupta (2012), and Latent Instrumental Variable (LIV) regression developed by Peter Ebbes (2004). The use of real-world school admissions lottery data allowed the first-ever comparison of the two proposed methods with Instrumental Variable (IV) regression under a large-scale randomized control (RCT) trial. Additionally, the researcher used simulation data to investigate both the performance and boundaries of the two proposed methods compared with that of OLS and IV regression. Simulation study findings suggest that both Gaussian copula and LIV regression are useful approaches for addressing endogeneity bias across a range of research conditions. Furthermore, simulation findings suggest that the two proposed methods have important differences in their set of identifying assumptions, and that some assumptions are more crucial than others. Results from the application of the Gaussian copula and LIV regression in the City Connects school lottery admissions study demonstrated that receiving the City Connects model of integrated student support during elementary school has a positive impact on mathematics achievement. Such findings underscore the importance of addressing out-of-school barriers to learning. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2019. / Submitted to: Boston College. Lynch School of Education. / Discipline: Educational Research, Measurement and Evaluation.

The purpose of the present study was to record Cedar Middle School's (CMS) response to intervention implementation journey. It is a qualitative case study that examines one school's efforts to bring school improvements under the response to inventory (RtI) umbrella in order to achieve a more systematic approach to providing high-quality educational services to every student enrolled at CMS. Participants included the 10 members of the school's Student Success Team along with the principal and assistant principal. The recorded journey included: (a) a description of the RtI consensus and infrastructure-building processes, (b) an exploration of the SST perceptions of school-wide intervention efforts both past and present, (c) a review of the school's accomplishments and the barriers to implementation encountered, and (d) the implications for further school improvement efforts and research. Participants submitted to interviews, observations, and focus group meetings. Although the purpose of the study was not to measure program effectiveness, preliminary data are included that report the school's efforts toward systems change was helpful for students and is having a positive effect on student performance in reading comprehension. Participants were also able to share anecdotal evidence of increased student motivation and other behavioral changes that were natural consequences of their efforts. This evidence is reported in the narrative found in Chapters IV and V. Conclusions were based on participant input, recorded measures, and analyses conducted as part of the present study. Cautions were also discussed, including the limitations and delimitations. Finally, implications of the present study were provided for RtI and the field of schoolwide systematic interventions and support.

This study focused on examining distance education In-Service Teacher Education (INSET) programmes for the education of secondary school teachers in Uganda. The study traced the historical development of distance education, explored some of the theories underpinning it and related these to distance education in Uganda. In addition the study explored INSET programmes provided in Uganda through Distance Education since 1990. The study then focused on Makerere University’s Bachelor of Education (B.Ed) (External) Programme. This study explored issues related to the viability of distance education to meet the increasing demands of education in Uganda, factors impacting this growth, strengths and weaknesses of the teacher education programmes that have been run in the country since 1990 especially the B.Ed (External) programme and the possibility of integrating Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) in these programmes. To gather the relevant data, two instruments were used; questionnaires for students of B.Ed and Bachelor of Science (External), prospective students, tutors, managers and administrators of the B.Ed (External); an interview schedule for policy makers at the Ministry of Education and Sports, District Education offices, National Teachers’ Colleges and Primary Teachers’ Colleges. A total of 305 respondents participated in this study and they were drawn from different districts - Soroti, Tororo, Masindi, Mbarara, Kampala, Entebbe, Wakiso, and Mpigi - in the country. The data gathered was then analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics; and presented descriptively, in tables and graphs. The study established that distance education has a huge potential in Uganda but there are a number of factors that may be limiting the full realisation of this potential especially with regard to the running of science-oriented courses and with regard to meeting the practical demands of teacher education. However, with careful planning of the programmes, it is possible to effectively and efficiently provide any course. The study revealed a number of strengths and weaknesses in INSET programmes that have been run by distance education, and in the B.Ed (External) in particular. The specific areas included content, practical work; management and administration; study materials development and provision; student support; assessment and examination; and integration of ICTs in these programmes. To make these programmes much more effective and efficient, the study identified some strategies that could be used. Of particular note is the need to decentralise services and to put in place quality assurance mechanisms. Also, since ICTs occupy a central role in distance education programmes, the study explored the different ICTs that the B.Ed (External) stakeholders have access to, strategies of financing and making this technology more accessible, reasons for choosing a particular technology and the prerequisites that must be put in place for these to work. Furthermore, the study revealed that, in Uganda, access to the ICTs, is still a huge problem to students and staff of the B.Ed (External) programme. Personal ownership of the video, TV, computer and Internet is limited. Alternative ways especially collaborative ventures, and use of centres should therefore be utilised much more. Finally, a Framework for High Quality INSET Distance Education for Secondary School Teachers in Uganda was suggested. Makerere University can use this framework as the beginning of a restructuring and reorganisation process so as to ensure the B.Ed (External) achieves its objectives and produces high quality teachers. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2005. / Education Management and Policy Studies / Unrestricted

abstract: Many college campuses institute residency requirements intended to provide intentional support, engagement, and assistance in the transition into life as a first-year college student. However, first-year students opting to continue living at home with family and commuting to campus each day has become a growing trend. This group of students can often be more sizable than some may assume and their developmental needs can be consistent with those of their on-campus peers. The objective of this mixed-methods action research study was to better understand how peer-to-peer experiences and opportunities are perceived and to describe and explore the concept of social capital and sense of belonging within the first-year commuter student population. This feeling of isolation can often expand to a lack of campus involvement and engagement in social opportunities. As a result of the perceived needs of this growing first-year commuter student population, a peer mentoring program was launched as a pilot to localize, personalize, and support students by providing a peer student leader in the form of a commuter peer mentor (CPM). Results from the qualitative and quantitative data collected as a part of this study demonstrated that first-year students value specific and easily-identified resources made available to their unique need cases and while many first-year commuter students may feel well supported and connected academically, they articulated challenges with social connections within the university setting. The understandings gained from this action research can inform higher education and student affairs practitioners as they seek to establish or improve programs, resources, and practices that intentionally and thoughtfully support first-year commuter students. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Leadership and Innovation 2020

No description available.

No description available.

Although we give library instruction in graduate courses per request,we reach a small number of students this way. Others will see us oneon-one,but we’re still missing the majority. Nearly all Boot Campersare unknown to us, which means they’ve had no formal graduatelibrary instruction prior to writing the biggest project of their academiclives.To this end, we offered two new strategy-based workshops, whichwe propose to outline as one single-session presentation at USETDAunder the category of “Student Support and Training” (ImpactfulETD Processing).In Boot Camp, Session One covers data management: physical andvirtual workspace organization, file structure, online data storage andbackups. The emphasis here is on where to put data and how to saveit. Online programs covered include free word processing softwaresuch as Google Docs, Word Online, Shutterbug, and Zoho Docs andcloud storage services such as Google Drive, Microsoft’s OneDrive,Mac’s iCloud Storage, Amazon storage, Box and Dropbox.Session Two of Boot Camp addresses research and citation management.Revamped to include the Association of College and ResearchLibraries (ACRL) Information Literacy Framework’s concepts, wepresent systematic research as a transferable skill, not an isolated casetied to one course or problem. This workshop incorporates criticalthinking into showing students how to construct a search; how tokeep on top of research through folders, feeds, and alerts; and how tomanage citations via Mendeley.After the presentation and discussion, attendees should be able torecognize the significant function librarians perform in a targetedprogram such as Boot Camp convey the value of formal, timelyintervention for graduate students assess the benefits of linking ouroverall methodology to the ACRL Framework replicate our offeringsto support their students at the point of need, and beyond.

Women are returning to study as mature age students in increasing numbers. Typically, these women have been away from study for a number of years and, in order to gain entrance into a university course most women are required to undertake a bridging program. Bridging programs can provide women with an alternative pathway into university and are designed to develop the academic and study skills required to successfully undertake undergraduate studies. The Women into Science and Technology (WIST) bridging program, offered by Central Queensland University, is a self-paced bridging program which provides a low cost, study at home option specifically designed to accommodate women’s needs. This research focuses on the perceived needs of women who are enrolled in the WIST program. To this end a survey instrument has been developed to identify the needs and challenges of women undertaking the WIST program. This instrument was used to explore the needs and challenges of women enrolled in the WIST program. The survey results revealed that women have a range of needs which include support from the university, development of study and academic skills, personal qualities such as motivation and determination as well as support from their family and personal networks. The results indicate that the university needs to provide a range of support mechanisms and processes. These outcomes were used to develop the Get SET for Study framework that can be used for the planning and design of bridging courses similar to WIST for women who are considering enrolling in university.

Thesis (MEdPsych)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Colleges (Formerly Further Education and Training [FET] Colleges) in South Africa have undergone many changes since 1994. The sector has been reformed with much policy change. There are currently 50 multi-campus sites spread across South Africa. Government has realized the plight of many jobless youth. The lack of trained workers with certain scarce skills has therefore come to light in the world of work. TVET Colleges have the potential to answer this need. In 2007, a new curriculum, National Certificate (Vocational) [NC(V)] was rolled out to replace the National Assembly Training and Education Department or NATED (N1-6) qualifications. This new curriculum was described as an equivalent to Grades 10 to 12, with students generally being between the ages of 16 and 18. Most of the students enrolled for these courses hold bursaries. Of concern for this study is the low throughput rate of roughly 40% of this age group per year, since roll-out in 2007. In this generic qualitative research study framed with a constructivist paradigm, I set out to explore the student support officers’ perceptions of providing support to these NC(V) students that did not pass their courses. I made use of semi-structured individual and telephonic interviews to gather data and the respondents were selected based on their role within the college. I developed thematic networks to organize the data before analyzing it into themes. Bronfenbrenner’s bio-ecological framework served as the theoretical framework underlying my research. Findings showed that the roles of the student supporters were not clearly defined. This lead to many challenges within the performance of their roles. Student supporters thus seemed to be in constant battle to support the students. In addition, working with adolescent students in the TVET College sector also presented unique challenges, since they are a new cohort of students entering the colleges. The student supporters shared recommendations that could be considered for the development of their roles within the college sector. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Tegniese- en Beroepsonderwys- en- Opleidingskolleges (TVET Colleges) in Suid-Afrika het vanaf 1994 baie veranderinge ondergaan. Daar is beleide in plek gestel wat hierdie sektor herskep het (tot onlangs bekend as verdere Onderwys en Opleiding). Daar is huidiglik 50 TVET Kolleges regoor Suid-Afrika. Die regering het besef dat daar baie jongmense sonder werk is. Dit het aan die lig gekom dat daar ’n tekort aan opgeleide mense met sekere vaardighede is. Die TVET Kolleges is geïdentifiseer as die plek waar hierdie opleiding aangebied kan word. In 2007 is ’n nuwe kurrikulum by TVET Kolleges bekend gestel. Die doel was dat dit die ou NATED (N1-6) kursusse vervang en dat dit vir jonger studente opgestel is. Hierdie kurrikulum is die NCV (Nasionale beroepsgerigte Sertifikaat) genoem. Die studente is dan tipies besig om hul Graad10-12 by die Kollege te voltooi en is tussen die ouderdomme van 16-18. Die meeste studeer met ’n beurs. As daar nou teruggekyk word na die slaagsyfer van hierdie NVC kurrikulum vanaf 2007, is die gemiddeld 40%. Dit is iets waaroor die media gereeld rapporteer. In hierdie generiese kwalitatiewe navorsingstudie met ’n konstruktivistiese paradigma, het ek besluit om ondersoek in te stel oor die persepsies van die studenteondersteuners oor hul rol as ondersteuners vir hierdie groep jonger NCV studente wat sukkel om te slaag. Ek wou verstaan wat studentondersteuning binne die TVET Kolleges beteken. Ek het gebruik gemaak van semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude met persone binne die rol van studenteondersteuners. Die resultate is volgens temas geanaliseer en georganiseer. Bronfenbrenner se bio-ekologiese raamwerk het gedien as die teoretiese raamwerk wat die navorsing rugsteun. Die resultate het aan die lig gebring dat die studenteondersteuners se rolle nie duidelik omskryf was nie en dat hulle konstant moet baklei om die student te kan ondersteun. Die nuwe adolessente wat nou deel uitmaak van die studentestelsel het ook unieke uitdagings, aangesien hulle ’n nuwe ouderdomsgroep is wat nou ondersteun moet word. Die resultate gee ook aanbevelings weer wat deur die studenteondersteuners gemaak is ten opsigte van die uitvoer van hul rol binne hul spesifieke TVET Kollege konteks.