The purpose of this mixed methods research study was to investigate whether academic capital is associated with student gender, student generation status, and parental education level of Hmong American undergraduate college students. The study also examined the educational experience of Hmong American undergraduate college students to understand the barriers they faced in obtaining academic capital and how they overcame them. The study's first phase collected and analyzed survey responses from 150 Hmong American undergraduate college students. The study's second phase interviewed six students who participated in the survey from the first phase. The first phase yielded quantitative results that suggested student generation status was a significant predictor of academic capital. In addition, after gender was controlled for, the parent’s education level was not a significant predictor of academic capital. The second phase yielded qualitative results that revealed two types of themes. The first type of theme consisted of four barriers relating to acquiring academic capital, and the second type of theme included five ways participants overcame barriers. The study concluded with implications for practice based on the findings and recommendations for future research.

Second-generation college students comprise a large majority of the collegiate population. The research on this population strongly suggests that their knowledge, capitals, and the support received from their parents gives them a “jump start” in higher education in comparison to their first-generation peers. The positive exposure to higher education received by second-generation college students is asserted to be directly linked to their parents' experiences in higher education. Second-generation college students are assumed to possess the basic knowledge for successful navigation of the college experience. As a second-generation, African-American college student, I carried a high level of expectation and numerous assumptions about what my experiences would be like in the academy. I assumed that my mother's college education would have a positive effect on my college journey. As my college experience unfolded, I found myself severely deficient when it came to basic collegiate knowledge and survival skills. The radical changes in higher education that had occurred during the twenty years between the collegiate experiences of my mother and me greatly decreased my mother's ability to pass on knowledge that was still up-to-date and practical for my experience. My journey through college was nothing like the second-generation student literature suggested. My experiences in higher education closely paralleled those associated with the first-generation student population. The challenges I faced included social, cultural and racial integration, course and major selection, reduced parental involvement and financial strain. I have since come to view myself as a first-generation college student amid second-generation college student assumptions and expectations. Through the use of Scholarly Personal Narrative methodology, this dissertation seeks to bring into focus a hitherto hidden population in higher education. These are the students, who in spite of having at least one parent or guardian with a college degree, do not know how to navigate the college journey; these are the students who feel like imposters in the academy because it is assumed they are better equipped to navigate the institution. In this dissertation I draw upon numerous studies of first-generation and second-generation college students to create an empirical understanding of the dual and dueling narrative I occupied during my undergraduate experience. I explore concepts of cultural and academic capital as being vital in my ability to master the college environment. I introduce for the first time in the literature a concept I call “values capital.” I also discuss the salience of social class identity in the pursuit of higher education in order to frame a narrative of my own self-empowerment and subsequent integration into higher education. In addition to a number of empirical studies, I will draw upon biographies and my own personal narrative to elucidate the universal themes of self-empowerment, authenticity, insecurity, ambition, and meaning-making—themes that all second-generation-on-the-outside but first-generation-on-the-inside students must confront if they are to be successful in higher education.

Entre 2005 y 2010 cerca de 1.4 millones de inmigrantes mexicanos regresaron a México. Aunque las razones de su regreso varían, es innegable que hay una creciente tendencia en lo que ahora es conocido como migración de retorno (MATT, 2014). Esta investigación cualitativa, tiene como propósito identificar características del desarrollo de lenguaje (español e inglés), el desarrollo social y el capital académico de los estudiantes con experiencia educativa previa en los Estados Unidos de América y que están inscritos en las escuelas de Sonora. Estudiantes y padres de familia que por un periodo de tiempo vivieron en ese país y ahora residen en tres distintas ciudades de la entidad dan su testimonio y, junto con el de los profesores se analizan las implicaciones educativas de esta migración de retorno bajo la perspectiva del transnacionalismo. Se busca volver visibles a estos estudiantes que cada vez adquieren mayor presencia en nuestras aulas, a través de la valoración de su capital social y académico y hacer propuestas educativas pertinentes acorde a sus necesidades multiculturales. Se reconocen las particularidades propias de esta región Sonora-Arizona, permiten por sus características geográficas, económicas y sociales, generar un enfoque enriquecido de redes transnacionales en favor del fortalecimiento de la identidad, el desarrollo económico y social. (Between 2005 and 2010 about 1,4 millions of people of Mexican immigrant returned to Mexico. Although their reasons are different, it is undeniable a growing tendency in what nowadays is known a return migration (MATT, 2014). This research aims to recognize qualitatively the social and language (Spanish and English) development, along with the academic value in students in Sonora who have had previous schooling experience in the United States of America. Students and parents who lived for a period of time in the US and now they live in three different cities in Sonora are some of the participants. Through their testimonies along with teachers this research explains the process of return migration to Mexico linked to the approach of transnationalism. The study focuses in making visible the increasing presence of these students in Mexican schools by giving value to their social and academic capital, as well as introduces educational proposals that are suitable to the student’s multicultural needs. The geographic, economic and social characteristics of the Sonora-Arizona region allows and generates a focal point abundant of transnational networks that favors the enrichment of identity, social and economic development.)

Esta dissertação centrou-se sobre a questão: De que modo o volume de capitais econômico, cultural e escolar dos vestibulandos da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul influencia suas escolhas de curso de graduação. Para responder tal pergunta foi realizado um estudo quantitativo, utilizando o software SPSS versão 13.0. Foi selecionada uma amostra de 21 cursos de graduação do vestibular da UFRGS 2007. O modelo estatístico é formado por 8 variáveis explicativas relacionadas aos capitais econômico, cultural e escolar dos vestibulandos da UFRGS. A hipótese principal da dissertação afirma que os candidatos com alto volume de capitais econômico, cultural e escolar tendem a escolher os cursos de maior prestígio, mais concorridos e que dão acesso a profissões melhor remuneradas; e candidatos com baixo volume de capitais tendem a se inscrever, ao contrário, nos cursos menos prestigiados, menos concorridos e que formam para as profissões consideradas menos rentáveis. A hipótese acessória aponta a existência de um outro fator que exerce influência na escolha do curso superior que é a estrutura e a política institucionais. Os resultados empíricos apontaram para a confirmação das duas hipóteses. Há uma relação estatisticamente comprovada entre o volume de capitais do indivíduo e a escolha do curso de graduação. No entanto, no momento da escolha está também presente o aspecto institucional, ou seja, os incentivos e constrangimentos gerados pela instituição, e sua política referente, neste caso, ao acesso e inclusão de indivíduos com origens sociais distintas. Assim, a dissertação mostrou, por exemplo, que os cursos de Direito e Administração, considerados de alto prestígio, apresentam um perfil de candidato diferente a depender do turno em que é oferecido. O turno noturno atrai candidatos cujo volume de capitais econômico, cultural e escolar é mais baixo quando comparado ao seu equivalente diurno. Deste modo, é possível afirmar que além da influência do volume de capitais econômico, cultural e escolar, há um aspecto referente à estrutura e política institucionais que também interfere na escolha do curso de graduação. / This thesis has a central question: How the economic, cultural and academic capital of university applicants from Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul affects their choices of higher education degrees. To answer that question we made a quantitative analysis relying on the software SPSS 13.0. The research selected a sample of 21 degrees of Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul. The statistical model has 8 independent variables to account for the applicants’ economic, cultural and academic capital. The main hypothesis is that applicants with a high level of economic, cultural and academic capital tend to choose the most disputed and prestigious degrees whereas applicants with a low level of capital are more likely to choose the less disputed and prestigious degrees. The second hypothesis is that there is an additional factor that has an impact on applicants’ choice of a higher education course, relative to the institutional dimension. The results confirm both hypotheses. There is a statistical correlation between the volume of economic, cultural and academic capital possessed by individuals and the choice of more prestigious degrees. However the institutional dimension is also present. For instance the study shows that Law and Administration degrees both attract different applicant profiles depending on whether classes are offered mainly at night or during daytimes. Night classes attract applicants with a lower volume of economic, cultural and academic capital as compared to applicants that choose to attend daytime classes. Therefore we can say that besides the influence of economic, cultural and academic capital there is an institutional dimension that also interferes with applicants’ choices.

Esta dissertação centrou-se sobre a questão: De que modo o volume de capitais econômico, cultural e escolar dos vestibulandos da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul influencia suas escolhas de curso de graduação. Para responder tal pergunta foi realizado um estudo quantitativo, utilizando o software SPSS versão 13.0. Foi selecionada uma amostra de 21 cursos de graduação do vestibular da UFRGS 2007. O modelo estatístico é formado por 8 variáveis explicativas relacionadas aos capitais econômico, cultural e escolar dos vestibulandos da UFRGS. A hipótese principal da dissertação afirma que os candidatos com alto volume de capitais econômico, cultural e escolar tendem a escolher os cursos de maior prestígio, mais concorridos e que dão acesso a profissões melhor remuneradas; e candidatos com baixo volume de capitais tendem a se inscrever, ao contrário, nos cursos menos prestigiados, menos concorridos e que formam para as profissões consideradas menos rentáveis. A hipótese acessória aponta a existência de um outro fator que exerce influência na escolha do curso superior que é a estrutura e a política institucionais. Os resultados empíricos apontaram para a confirmação das duas hipóteses. Há uma relação estatisticamente comprovada entre o volume de capitais do indivíduo e a escolha do curso de graduação. No entanto, no momento da escolha está também presente o aspecto institucional, ou seja, os incentivos e constrangimentos gerados pela instituição, e sua política referente, neste caso, ao acesso e inclusão de indivíduos com origens sociais distintas. Assim, a dissertação mostrou, por exemplo, que os cursos de Direito e Administração, considerados de alto prestígio, apresentam um perfil de candidato diferente a depender do turno em que é oferecido. O turno noturno atrai candidatos cujo volume de capitais econômico, cultural e escolar é mais baixo quando comparado ao seu equivalente diurno. Deste modo, é possível afirmar que além da influência do volume de capitais econômico, cultural e escolar, há um aspecto referente à estrutura e política institucionais que também interfere na escolha do curso de graduação. / This thesis has a central question: How the economic, cultural and academic capital of university applicants from Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul affects their choices of higher education degrees. To answer that question we made a quantitative analysis relying on the software SPSS 13.0. The research selected a sample of 21 degrees of Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul. The statistical model has 8 independent variables to account for the applicants’ economic, cultural and academic capital. The main hypothesis is that applicants with a high level of economic, cultural and academic capital tend to choose the most disputed and prestigious degrees whereas applicants with a low level of capital are more likely to choose the less disputed and prestigious degrees. The second hypothesis is that there is an additional factor that has an impact on applicants’ choice of a higher education course, relative to the institutional dimension. The results confirm both hypotheses. There is a statistical correlation between the volume of economic, cultural and academic capital possessed by individuals and the choice of more prestigious degrees. However the institutional dimension is also present. For instance the study shows that Law and Administration degrees both attract different applicant profiles depending on whether classes are offered mainly at night or during daytimes. Night classes attract applicants with a lower volume of economic, cultural and academic capital as compared to applicants that choose to attend daytime classes. Therefore we can say that besides the influence of economic, cultural and academic capital there is an institutional dimension that also interferes with applicants’ choices.

Esta dissertação centrou-se sobre a questão: De que modo o volume de capitais econômico, cultural e escolar dos vestibulandos da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul influencia suas escolhas de curso de graduação. Para responder tal pergunta foi realizado um estudo quantitativo, utilizando o software SPSS versão 13.0. Foi selecionada uma amostra de 21 cursos de graduação do vestibular da UFRGS 2007. O modelo estatístico é formado por 8 variáveis explicativas relacionadas aos capitais econômico, cultural e escolar dos vestibulandos da UFRGS. A hipótese principal da dissertação afirma que os candidatos com alto volume de capitais econômico, cultural e escolar tendem a escolher os cursos de maior prestígio, mais concorridos e que dão acesso a profissões melhor remuneradas; e candidatos com baixo volume de capitais tendem a se inscrever, ao contrário, nos cursos menos prestigiados, menos concorridos e que formam para as profissões consideradas menos rentáveis. A hipótese acessória aponta a existência de um outro fator que exerce influência na escolha do curso superior que é a estrutura e a política institucionais. Os resultados empíricos apontaram para a confirmação das duas hipóteses. Há uma relação estatisticamente comprovada entre o volume de capitais do indivíduo e a escolha do curso de graduação. No entanto, no momento da escolha está também presente o aspecto institucional, ou seja, os incentivos e constrangimentos gerados pela instituição, e sua política referente, neste caso, ao acesso e inclusão de indivíduos com origens sociais distintas. Assim, a dissertação mostrou, por exemplo, que os cursos de Direito e Administração, considerados de alto prestígio, apresentam um perfil de candidato diferente a depender do turno em que é oferecido. O turno noturno atrai candidatos cujo volume de capitais econômico, cultural e escolar é mais baixo quando comparado ao seu equivalente diurno. Deste modo, é possível afirmar que além da influência do volume de capitais econômico, cultural e escolar, há um aspecto referente à estrutura e política institucionais que também interfere na escolha do curso de graduação. / This thesis has a central question: How the economic, cultural and academic capital of university applicants from Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul affects their choices of higher education degrees. To answer that question we made a quantitative analysis relying on the software SPSS 13.0. The research selected a sample of 21 degrees of Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul. The statistical model has 8 independent variables to account for the applicants’ economic, cultural and academic capital. The main hypothesis is that applicants with a high level of economic, cultural and academic capital tend to choose the most disputed and prestigious degrees whereas applicants with a low level of capital are more likely to choose the less disputed and prestigious degrees. The second hypothesis is that there is an additional factor that has an impact on applicants’ choice of a higher education course, relative to the institutional dimension. The results confirm both hypotheses. There is a statistical correlation between the volume of economic, cultural and academic capital possessed by individuals and the choice of more prestigious degrees. However the institutional dimension is also present. For instance the study shows that Law and Administration degrees both attract different applicant profiles depending on whether classes are offered mainly at night or during daytimes. Night classes attract applicants with a lower volume of economic, cultural and academic capital as compared to applicants that choose to attend daytime classes. Therefore we can say that besides the influence of economic, cultural and academic capital there is an institutional dimension that also interferes with applicants’ choices.

This exploratory study investigated variables that have received scant attention in the field of second language acquisition. Four research questions were addressed concerning academic capital, achievement orientations, efforts to learn English, and perceptions of the impact of globalization on English. A fifth research question tested these variables in a model of language learning. The final research question investigated the participants L2-English goal stability over one academic year. The longitudinal study used a mixed-methods, QUAN+qual approach. The primary group of participants (n = 748) were Japanese postsecondary students from 12 institutions. To address the first five research questions, data were gathered with questionnaires and vocabulary tests at three intervals in one academic year. A secondary group of participants, the Goal-Setting group (n = 192), was composed of participants from seven institutions. To address Research Question 6, written responses were collected on three occasions from the Goal-Setting group. Lastly, there were two interview groups, a Student Group (n = 16) and a smaller group, the Worker Group (n = 5), was composed of young Japanese adults who had never attended university. Data from the interviews were used to provide additional insight into several factors in this study. For Research Question 1, the quantitative data results revealed differences on certain components of Academic Capital between participants at different institutions, and no differences on other components. For example, there were large differences found on Family Aspirations and Family Background but no differences found on Study Behaviors. The interview data revealed more striking unequal disparities, in particular on Family Background and School Experiences. Differences in family background likely account for large disparities in educational opportunities, both past and present, and point to potentially uneven futures. For Research Question 2, the results revealed that the four-factor structure of Achievement Orientations at each time interval was similar to previous research; however, rank order and stability of the orientations were different from previous results. In particular, unlike previous research with students in math and psychology classes, Performance-Approach and Performance-Avoidance orientations were generally higher and more stable. These results might need to be considered in light of the important gatekeeping role that language tests play in Japan. For Research Question 3, the results for the Perceptions of the Impact of Globalization on English Survey revealed two factors related to an instrumental, career-related factor and an intrinsic, contact-related factor. These findings connect with contemporary discourses regarding the role of English and with findings from earlier motivational research in Japan. Participants at female-only institutions generally had higher scores than participants at co-educational institutions. This latter finding might be viewed in relation with the way English is marketed in Japan. For Research Question 4, the results revealed that Efforts to Learn English are multidimensional; however, in previous L2-motivational research, the dimensionality of items representing different temporal efforts was not investigated. Participants at female-only institutions generally scored higher on Past Efforts and Present Efforts than participants at co-educational institutions. In all, these findings suggest that greater care needs to be taken when operationalizing Efforts to Learn English. In addition, gender differences need to be explored further. For Research Question 5, the measurement models were generally acceptable; however, the structural equation model testing the paths between the above exogenous variables and vocabulary scores did not perform well. Even though few paths in the final model were found to be significant, the findings add to body of literature in SLA and introduce new concepts to our field. Finally, for Research Question 6, the analyses revealed four goals that were most frequent and stable. These goals relate to using English, English for tests, English for going abroad, and English for career. Learners with the latter instrumental goal had the largest vocabulary sizes, and career goals correlated with many other variables in this study. The strength of career goals should be considered in relation to current motivational theories in SLA. / Teaching & Learning

The Pueblo of Laguna in New Mexico maintains a tribal scholarship program to assist students in their pursuit of higher education. This research was initiated to assess from the graduates' perspective how effectively the tribe utilized its subsidized academic capital. The purpose of the study was to identify obstacles, incentives, distractions, or alternative opportunities that Laguna college graduates encountered on their academic paths that influenced their perceptions about working for the tribe. Several challenges were identified that if addressed could profoundly benefit the tribe by increasing the retention of tribal graduates for the professional roles for which they were academically trained. A mixed methods research design was employed to examine why graduates educated with considerable assistance from their tribe were not working for their tribe in the capacity for which they earned degrees. Within this study, both quantitative and qualitative approaches were used to gather, report, and interpret the data. The combined use of a survey as the quantitative method and interviews as the qualitative method provided a balanced view of the perceptions of the Laguna graduates. An analysis of both sets of data indicated that several significant rifts existed between the arenas of tribal professional employment opportunities, college level academic attainment, and the existing secondary school system. Conversely, notions of tribal student loyalty and an intense desire to contribute to community were confirmed. Based on the findings, it was recommended that several critical decisions regarding the future of the Pueblo's higher education priorities be made. Further, it was recommended that the tribe increase their efforts to capitalize on the intrinsic community connectedness demonstrated by the Laguna graduates.

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