The purpose of this study was to examine African-American male awareness of and application to honors programs at two selected state colleges in the southeastern region of the United States. The researcher also attempted to fill a current void in the literature and to present an emergent theory for attracting African-American males to honors programs in State College settings. A disproportionate amount of research focuses on remediation and underachievement among African-American males. The lack of information on the experiences of high ability African-American males leaves many unanswered questions about how to best recruit and serve the needs of this population of students. This study focused on high achievers rather than languish over the problem of underachievers. It examined the level of awareness of gifted African-American male students regarding honors programs at the collegiate level. It also analyzed how institutional atmosphere/reputation, facilities , personal influences, and incentives affect the decision of African-American males to apply to honors. The format for this study was a mixed method design. It included quantitative analysis and qualitative analysis. To satisfy the quantitative nature of this study, IBM SPSS 21.0 was used for the purpose of data analysis via binomial tests. Furthermore, the researcher conducted four semi-structured focus groups. Qualitative data analysis procedures were used to understand and interpret the undergirding knowledge that may have played a role in the decisions made by African-American males in terms of whether or not to apply to honors programs. The study findings revealed that African-American male participants valued the atmosphere and reputation of an honors program more than facilities, personal influences, and incentives. However, awareness of this and others factors among African-American male honors applicants and honors non-applicants was often based on the personal influences in their lives. The results of this study and its emergent theory suggest that, rather than simply showcase gifted abilities, state colleges strategically place honors in a leadership role to increase the presence of persons of influence that motivate high achieving African-American males to enroll in its honors programs. / Includes bibliography. / Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2015. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

The US Department of Education projects that by the year 2030 the total English Learner (EL) population in US schools will exceed 40 percent. Currently, by the time ELs make it to high school, after 6 or more years in English Language Development (ELD) programs, the majority (59 percent), are Long Term English Learners (LTEL). LTEL students represent a variety of ethnicities and language groups, but the focus of this qualitative study is LTEL students who identify as Latino LTEL. The purpose of this qualitative study was to describe and explain recently graduated Latino LTEL's perceptions of the impact of their school's culture on their academic and affective acculturation. As schools look to improve the educational outcome of Latino EL, listening to voices of former LTEL as they share their high school experiences can provide insights into ways to support the affective learning needs, academic success, and acculturation of Latino EL. Through 10 in-depth interviews with former Latino LTEL and employing qualitative coding analysis, this research explored and analyzed recently graduated Latino EL's perceptions of the impact of school culture on their academic acculturation. Even though schools have for many years attempted to address the needs of their linguistically diverse students, the results of this study indicate that the participants' high schools did not do enough to support their academic and affective learning needs. This lack of support impacted participants' self-perceptions of themselves as learners. To bridge Latino LTEL acculturative gaps, the findings support the need for school cultures to address the affective learning needs of their bi-cultural and Latino EL.

This research grew from concerns relative to the mathematical performance of Spanish-speaking limited English proficient (LEP) public school students. This investigation studied the effects of the sheltered mathematics class on eighth-grade Spanish-speaking LEP students with regard to mathematical achievement, attitudes toward mathematics, the dropout rate, and the number of math credits earned in high school. The enrollment of a sheltered mathematics class was limited to LEP students. The purpose was to compare Spanish-speaking LEP students enrolled in sheltered mathematics classes with Spanish-speaking LEP students enrolled in regular mathematics classes. The research hypotheses were that achievement, mathematical attitudes, the dropout rate, and high school math credits earned would favor enrollment in sheltered mathematics classes. The data for achievement, dropout information, and mathematics course work completed were drawn from student records in the school district data bank. A mathematics attitude survey was given to a sample from the 1995-96 eighth-grade advanced level Spanish-speaking LEP students. The research hypotheses were not accepted. All of the populations did show an academic deficit. However, they did have more positive attitudes than negative attitudes toward mathematics. To improve achievement, staying in school, and a higher rate of inclusion in mathematics related careers the following recommendations were made: 1. Research should be done to write standardized mathematics tests that would be accurate and fair for Spanish-speaking LEP students. 2. Further research should be done into teaching strategies and classroom management particularly suited to Spanish-speaking LEP students. 3. Attitude measures should be used as pretest and posttest to study the effect of sheltered mathematics classes on LEP students in relation to attitudes toward mathematics and motivation to continue schooling. 4. Recruit and train qualified mathematics teachers to teach English as a second language (ESL) mathematics.

A presente pesquisa procurou examinar o desenvolvimento profissional dos professores de Educação de Jovens e Adultos da Rede Municipal de Guarulhos enquanto professor de matemática assim como o papel de uma intervenção instrucional em termos de formação continuada da rede municipal. Para a realização de tal pesquisa procuramos, primeiramente, analisar respostas oriundas de questões apresentadas a nove professores - um questionário composto de dez questões formuladas com o objetivo de obter respostas a nossa questão de pesquisa assim desenhada: compreender de que modo e em que alcance o programa de formação continuada - da rede municipal de Guarulhos - tem contribuído para definir posturas e caminhos a serem tomados pelos professores de matemática da educação de jovens e adultos. Em um segundo momento, significados foram atribuídos às manifestações desses professores, pela via da impregnação de aspectos previamente considerados - de cunho político, cognitivo e cultural. Os resultados indicam que os professores e as professoras de Educação de Jovens e Adultos da Rede Municipal de Guarulhos embora não tenham tido em sua formação inicial e continuada orientação efetiva nessa modalidade, têm refletido e revisto seu entendimento sobre como lidar com os processos de ensino e aprendizagem de matemática de jovens e adultos. Indicam também que esses professores têm refletido sobre a própria postura diante da educação matemática junto a EJA, levando em consideração, de algum modo, a especificidade do conhecimento (matemático) prévio dos sujeitos jovens e adultos. / The present research tried to examine the professional development of the teachers of Young and Adult Students Education at Rede Municipal de Guarulhos [Guarulhos City Public Schools] as Mathematics teachers as well as the role of an instructional intervention in terms of continued education at city public schools. In order to do such research we tried, first of all, to analyze answers given to questions posed to nine teachers - a questionnaire composed of ten questions formulated with the aim of obtaining answers to our research matter: understanding in which way and range the continued education program - at Guarulhos City public schools - has contributed in the definition of postures and ways to be taken by Mathematics teachers of young and adult students education. Next, meanings were attributed to these teachers manifestations, via impregnation of aspects previously considered - of political, cognitive and cultural nature. The results indicate that the teachers of Young and Adult Students Education at Rede Municipal de Guarulhos, despite not having had in their initial formation and effective continued orientation in this modality, have reflected and revised their understanding about how to deal with Mathematics teaching and learning processes for young and adult students. They also indicate that these teachers have reflected about their own posture facing Mathematics education with EJA, taking into consideration, somehow, the specificity of young and adult subjects previous (mathematical) knowledge.

Desde 2005 a presença de Tradutores e Intérpretes de Libras tornou-se obrigatória nos espaços escolares que possuam alunos surdos matriculados. No entanto, até hoje, este cargo não foi criado pelo Estado de São Paulo, razão pela qual o profissional contratado para exercer esta função na rede estadual de ensino foi denominado Professor Interlocutor (PI). Com o propósito de investigar a realidade vivida pelos alunos surdos nas escolas estaduais paulista, foi delineada esta pesquisa. Seus principais objetivos são compreender como o profissional PI é concebido pelas Resoluções da Secretaria de Educação do Estado de São Paulo, quais as condições concretas de trabalho são a ele oferecidas e quais as implicações desta realidade para os processos educacionais dos surdos a partir do olhar dos próprios alunos. Para a concretização deste último objetivo, foi realizada uma entrevista coletiva com dois alunos surdos matriculados no ensino médio de uma escola estadual. Frente à realidade vivenciada pelos surdos no espaço escola e às lacunas nas políticas estaduais, que não asseguram condições objetivas para seus processos educacionais, conclui-se, em consonância com os entrevistados, que o melhor modelo educacional para surdos é a educação bilíngue em escolas de surdos e, posteriormente, em classes bilíngues nas escolas regulares, acompanhados de intérpretes formados, conforme disposto na legislação federal. Reitera-se, com esta pesquisa, a necessidade de estudos que se proponham a ver o que os surdos têm a dizer e, portanto, contribuir para a construção de uma realidade educacional que, efetivamente, os respeite em sua diferença sociocultural e linguística. / Since 2005, the presence of Libras translators and interpreters became binding in schools that register deaf students. However, until now, São Paulos State Education Secretariat did not create that function, reason why the professional hired to this position was denominated Interlocutor Teacher (IT). This research was outlined proposing to investigate the reality experienced by deaf students in São Paulos State public schools. Its main goals are comprehend how the São Paulos State Secretariat Resolutions conceives the professional (IT), which concrete work conditions are offered to it and which is the implications of this reality on deaf education by them own view. To achieve this last goal, two deaf students of a public high school were interviewed. Facing the reality experienced by deaf at school and the State Policies gaps, which does not guarantee objective conditions to their education process, in consonance with the interviewed students, it was concluded that the better education model to deaf is the bilingual education in deaf school, and posteriorly accompanied by interpreters at regular schools, as proposes the Federal Law. This research reiterates the need of studies that propose to see what the deaf have to say, and, therefore, contribute to construct an education reality that actually respects them on their social, cultural and linguistic differences.

Desde 2005 a presença de Tradutores e Intérpretes de Libras tornou-se obrigatória nos espaços escolares que possuam alunos surdos matriculados. No entanto, até hoje, este cargo não foi criado pelo Estado de São Paulo, razão pela qual o profissional contratado para exercer esta função na rede estadual de ensino foi denominado Professor Interlocutor (PI). Com o propósito de investigar a realidade vivida pelos alunos surdos nas escolas estaduais paulista, foi delineada esta pesquisa. Seus principais objetivos são compreender como o profissional PI é concebido pelas Resoluções da Secretaria de Educação do Estado de São Paulo, quais as condições concretas de trabalho são a ele oferecidas e quais as implicações desta realidade para os processos educacionais dos surdos a partir do olhar dos próprios alunos. Para a concretização deste último objetivo, foi realizada uma entrevista coletiva com dois alunos surdos matriculados no ensino médio de uma escola estadual. Frente à realidade vivenciada pelos surdos no espaço escola e às lacunas nas políticas estaduais, que não asseguram condições objetivas para seus processos educacionais, conclui-se, em consonância com os entrevistados, que o melhor modelo educacional para surdos é a educação bilíngue em escolas de surdos e, posteriormente, em classes bilíngues nas escolas regulares, acompanhados de intérpretes formados, conforme disposto na legislação federal. Reitera-se, com esta pesquisa, a necessidade de estudos que se proponham a ver o que os surdos têm a dizer e, portanto, contribuir para a construção de uma realidade educacional que, efetivamente, os respeite em sua diferença sociocultural e linguística. / Since 2005, the presence of Libras translators and interpreters became binding in schools that register deaf students. However, until now, São Paulos State Education Secretariat did not create that function, reason why the professional hired to this position was denominated Interlocutor Teacher (IT). This research was outlined proposing to investigate the reality experienced by deaf students in São Paulos State public schools. Its main goals are comprehend how the São Paulos State Secretariat Resolutions conceives the professional (IT), which concrete work conditions are offered to it and which is the implications of this reality on deaf education by them own view. To achieve this last goal, two deaf students of a public high school were interviewed. Facing the reality experienced by deaf at school and the State Policies gaps, which does not guarantee objective conditions to their education process, in consonance with the interviewed students, it was concluded that the better education model to deaf is the bilingual education in deaf school, and posteriorly accompanied by interpreters at regular schools, as proposes the Federal Law. This research reiterates the need of studies that propose to see what the deaf have to say, and, therefore, contribute to construct an education reality that actually respects them on their social, cultural and linguistic differences.

The U.S. is the leading nation for international students to pursue higher education; the majority of whom are from countries with significant differences in culture and language from American students. As such, many international students start higher education in ESL support programs. While on the surface international students supposedly add cultural and linguistic diversity to American higher education by contributing to the internationalization of campuses, international students' transition into U.S. life and academe is often fraught with challenges including culture shock, adjusting to the new environment and society, adjustment to norms of academic performance, acquisition of academic and language skills, and negotiating chilly campus climates. Such factors can affect academic success, social/cultural acclimation, and even personal/ethnic identity. However, little is researched about international ESL students' transitions into U.S. higher education. This study employs qualitative research with semi-structured interview and grounded theory as analytical technique and aims to rectify the existing research literature limitation by identifying factors that facilitate and inhibit social, cultural, and academic transitions among international ESL students that best serve and accelerate their academic career in the United States.

Information literacy skills among university students have become a necessity rather than the norm. With the increase of information resources, the need for information skills among university students is important for their continued access to, and retrieval of, information. The purpose of this research was to investigate information literacy skills and competencies among incoming first-year undergraduate students in institutions of higher learning in Kenya, with special reference to the Catholic University of Eastern Africa. The objectives of the study were; to identify the types and formats of resources that incoming undergraduate students are aware of, to determine whether the incoming undergraduates are aware of search strategies for both print and electronic/online resources, to determine whether incoming undergraduate students possess basic information technology skills, to find out whether incoming undergraduate students know information retrieval tools and their use, and to determine whether incoming students are aware of intellectual property and copyrighted materials and their ethical use. The study adopted a quantitative approach and used the case study research method. The study targeted first year incoming undergraduate students at the Catholic University of Eastern Africa for the academic year 2013/2014. 137 incoming undergraduate students participated in the study. Data was collected by using self-administered questionnaires. Quantitative data was coded and analysed by using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS). Qualitative data generated form open-ended questions was presented in narrative form under respective subheadings. The finding of the study observed that: (a) Incoming first-year students have limited knowledge of strategies used to search for information. (b) The incoming first-year undergraduate students at the Catholic university of Eastern Africa do possess computer skills in applications such as the use of the internet and its applications (e.g. social networking sites and the World Wide Web) as well as the word-processing applications such as (Microsoft Office and Microsoft Word) and statistical applications such as SPSS. (c) Majority of incoming undergraduate university students are not familiar with the various retrieval tools and their applications. (d) The incoming first-year undergraduate students are familiar with both electronic and printed information resources. (e) A significant number of students were not aware what constitutes primary resources and secondary sources. (f) Incoming first-year undergraduate students exhibited little knowledge of issues relating to intellectual property rights and copyright. Several recommendations have been made based on the findings of the study. One of the recommendations is that the university library mandated with offering information literacy instruction to incoming students should adopt several incentives aimed at encouraging the students to attend library orientation. Another recommendation is to integrate the information literacy training with the normal university curriculum to become a credit-earning course for all incoming students. The university library should also carry out a needs assessment on information literacy training to help determine the existing gaps in the current information literacy programme. The programme should also be tailored to help in emerging issues such electronic plagiarism of information resources. The study further recommends a longitudinal study to determine whether students joining the university are able to gain information literacy skills over a period of time. / Information Science

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