The low success rates of increasing numbers of underprepared students taking developmental mathematics classes 'often minority and economically disadvantaged' are challenging community colleges across the United States. These students, who must start in the lowest levels of precollege mathematics courses, are unlikely to pass the first course and earn a credential. Using a mastery goal orientation theoretical framework, a quantitative, survey research design was used to ascertain any correlations between students' goal orientations, self-efficacy, test anxiety, and success in a new model of learning. Survey data were used to answer 3 research questions: (a) the relationship between success and students' perceptions of self-efficacy, goal orientation, and beliefs about test anxiety; (b) the relationship between demographics and students' perceptions of self-efficacy, goal orientation, and beliefs about test anxiety; and (c) the degree to which students' perceptions and experience predict success. Approximately 500 new students in the course were invited; 36 participated. Spearman's rho, chi-square, and ANOVA were used to answer the research questions. Based on Spearman's rho correlations, there were statistically significant relationships between self-efficacy and success as well as between intrinsic goal orientation and success. However, the sample size limited the generalizability of the findings. Further, there were no significant predictors of success. The white paper developed from this project study is intended to guide the development and expansion of accelerated developmental mathematics to increase academic success, broaden career choices, and improve the long-term economic futures of disadvantaged students enrolling in college.

Continuing education (CE) mandate laws are passed by states because it is in the public interest. The intent behind the passage of Illinois's CE law for physical therapists is to protect public health and safety through ensuring the competency of providers. However, studies into the impact of mandated CE on competency have been mixed. The problem addressed by this study was whether Illinois's CE law was effective in improving the competency of physical therapists and its impact on patient care. The purpose of this study was to understand what role mandated CE played in developing the competency of physical therapists in Illinois and whether mandated CE was the best method for the state to use to address provider competency. The main research question and sub questions focused on examining what role mandated CE played in improving the professional competency of physical therapists and its impact on patient care. Framework analysis was used to analyze the data that was then placed into themes that had been identified in the literature review. Findings from this study were examined using systems theory and human motivation theory. This study's findings indicate physical therapists believe mandated CE can improve competency and patient satisfaction. Participants indicated when patients get better faster they are more satisfied and when practitioners have advanced skills patient care is improved. The social implications of Illinois's CE law, while not perfect, is positive for both patients and providers, according to Illinois physical therapists. Overall, physical therapists believe that CE improves the competency of the provider, which in turn improves patient care.

Engineering students entering the workforce often struggle to meet the competency expectations of their employers. Guided by constructivist theory, the purpose of this case study was to understand engineers' experiences of engineering education, deficiencies in practical skills, and the self-learning methods they employed to advance their technical and professional competencies. Working engineers were asked about their experiences overcoming practical skill deficiencies and bridging the gap between education and practice. Interviews with 15 chemical, civil, mechanical, and electrical engineers were analyzed by coding for common statements and identifying themes. Firsthand experiences of the participants captured 3 themes: overall perceptions of engineering education, deficiencies in skills, and self-learning experiences. According to study findings, engineering education did not supply sufficient practical skills for working engineers. The study also provided descriptions of training and self-learning methods employed by practicing engineers to advance their technical and professional competencies. The study found that although universities might provide some practical skills through industry collaboration, engineering graduates still required professional development to ensure a smooth transition from academic learner to acclimated working engineer. The project is a practical training, developed for recent graduates, that could achieve positive social change by making strides toward bridging the gap between theory and practice for the participants. This study may also incite positive social change as it contributes to the evidence that there is a lack of practical experience in colleges of engineering, which may therefore improve their curriculum.

The purpose of this study was to understand how a sense of belonging contributes to graduation persistence among nontraditional Hispanic college students. The collectivist culture among these adult learners often results in family and work obligations that curtail their pursuit of higher education. The voices of these students are mostly absent in the current literature and warrant the current research study. Sense of belonging and retention theory formed the conceptual framework for this phenomenological study. A purposeful sample of 16 nontraditional Hispanic students enrolled in a 2-year community college in Southwest Texas participated in interviews. Data analysis focused on themes from the participants' responses to a series of open-ended questions. Four themes emerged: financial difficulties, college schedules, flexibility in work-school schedule, and family obligations. From the perspectives of these students, their basic needs did not differ from the needs of the traditional college students enrolled in 2-year community college; however, they perceived their access to the college's resources and services seemed to be greater than that of traditional students. These findings suggest that, in order to support nontraditional Hispanic students, institutions must provide access to support services beyond the business-hour model.

Female baby boomer students (born 1946-1964) need to augment their skills in mobile collaborative learning because current knowledge of technologies is essential for making informed decisions. The purpose of this study was to determine the need to promote technologies based on the experiences of female baby boomer students. Andragogy and constructivism provided the conceptual framework for this research. The research questions were devised to investigate female boomer students' collaborative experiences using smart devices and barriers to their adoption of technology. This phenomenological study included 8 participants from a Canadian university recruited through purposeful sampling. Per the Modified Stevick-Colaizzi-Keen method, data were simultaneously collected via interviews, analyzed by coding, and organized into themes until saturation. Age was the main deterrent for technology adoption, and obstacles included embracing a new process, feeling that information was secure, and resolving technical difficulties. Results indicated that female baby boomer students were not ready to lead in the use of mobile collaborative learning and could not maintain rapid technological changes. Mature students may need training in cloud computing; a 1-semester blended course was proposed to enable these students to learn mobile technologies and collaborative skills. This study identifies the technology learning needs of baby boomer students, which will help those looking for ways to teach students in this age range. When leaders in their field of study know how to use current technologies, they will be more productive in their communities.

An important approach to prepare new managers for increased responsibility is participation in online management development programs; however, there is a lack of information about the factors that affect employee completion of these programs. This study addressed how chief executive officers (CEOs) can implement these programs to rapidly develop new managers who are qualified to serve in the leadership roles left behind by many retirees. This qualitative descriptive case study explored employees' perceptions about persistence in an online management development certificate program at a U.S. nonprofit organization. Herzberg's motivation-hygiene theory and Rovai's composite persistence model provided the conceptual framework for the study. The research questions addressed how employees' perceptions of persistence in an online management development program affected success rates and what steps CEOs could take to incentivize employees to complete the program. A combination of 12 semi-structured interviews, program data, and member checking was used for the data collection. Data were analyzed using Yin's 6 steps and constant comparative data analysis methods. Key results indicated that student persistence in the online program was affected by purpose and meaning, coaching and support, course relevance, barriers, learning preferences, motivation and readiness; and incentivized by CEOs conveying their perceived value of the online program directly to employees. This research has implications for positive social change: CEOs can better understand the persistence factors employees need to prepare for and complete online management development certificate programs that support the transition to higher-level management positions.

This project study addressed the problem of the low percentage of a Mid-Atlantic university's radiography graduates passing their credentialing registry examination. The cohort had a 2014 pass rate of 83% while the majority of surrounding schools had pass rates of 100%. In order to become registered radiographers, graduates must be able to take what they have learned in their educational program and directly apply it to their professional skill set. The conceptual framework for the study was social constructivism, adapting and transforming what was new information to previous experiences and group activities. A qualitative case study research design was chosen, and interviews were conducted with 9 graduates from the 2014 radiography cohort. The interviews were recorded, transcribed, manually coded, and analyzed for emerging themes. Key results indicated the graduates needed to self-monitor, self-motivate, and self-propel to successfully pass their credentialing exam. A 3-day professional development plan for graduates was created based on the findings from the study. Passing the credentialing exam affects social change in that knowledge and education produces positive outcomes, and for allied health professionals, it produces optimum patient care. Social change is possible through education, which will enhance an individual's self-efficacy, thereby enriching the society and culture to which they contribute. This knowledge will support the local problem in that optimum performance for radiography graduates will be monitored for standards of excellence.

A new hospital in United Arab Emirates (UAE) plans to adopt health information technology (HIT) and become fully digitalized once operational. The hospital has identified a need to assess basic computer literacy of new employees prior to offering them training on various HIT applications. Lack of research in identifying an accurate assessment method for basic computer literacy among health care professionals led to this explanatory correlational research study, which compared self-assessment scores and a simulated actual computer skills test to find an appropriate tool for assessing computer literacy. The theoretical framework of the study was based on constructivist learning theory and self-efficacy theory. Two sets of data from 182 hospital employees were collected and analyzed. A t test revealed that scores of self-assessment were significantly higher than they were on the actual test, which indicated that hospital employees tend to score higher on self-assessment when compared to actual skills test. A Pearson product moment correlation revealed a statistically weak correlation between the scores, which implied that self-assessment scores were not a reliable indicator of how an individual would perform on the actual test. An actual skill test was found to be the more reliable tool to assess basic computer skills when compared to self-assessment test. The findings of the study also identified areas where employees at the local hospital lacked basic computer skills, which led to the development of the project to fill these gaps by providing training on basic computer skills prior to them getting trained on various HIT applications. The findings of the study will be useful for hospitals in UAE who are in the process of adopting HIT and for health information educators to design appropriate training curricula based on assessment of basic computer literacy.

Barbados, a small island in the Caribbean, is experiencing the challenge of low male enrollment in higher education (HE). The research indicated that this problem, left unaddressed, could undermine the development of men, their families, and communities. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to provide insight into the dispositional, institutional, and situational factors deterring young men who acquired the requisite number of certificates for entry to HE but did not enroll. The theoretical frameworks used to ground this study were Cross's chain of response theory, Bourdieu's social capital theory, and Knowles' theory of andragogy. The research questions addressed the contributing factors to the disinclination of men from enrolling in higher education, suggestions for increasing enrollment in higher education from the perspectives of young men and educational leaders, and benefits of nonenrollment in higher education in Barbados. A purposeful sample of 7 men from the 2014 academic year cohort of 3 secondary schools participated in semistructured interviews. Five educational leaders from secondary, HEs, and the Ministry of Education (MoE) participated in a focus group. Data were transcribed, member checked, and then inductively coded for emergent themes using attribute, descriptive, versus, and axial coding. The major finding was that institutional factors accounted predominately in deterring young men from enrolling in HE in Barbados. This project study has strong implications for social change as it may be used to inform efforts by secondary school principals, higher education leaders, and administrators in the MoE to increase the number of young men enrolled in HE in Barbados.

Implementation of the Next Generation Science Standards requires developing elementary teacher content and pedagogical content knowledge of science and engineering concepts. Teacher preparation for this undertaking appears inadequate with little known about how in-service Mid-Atlantic urban elementary science teachers approach this task. The purpose of this basic qualitative interview study was to explore the research questions related to perceived learning needs of 8 elementary science teachers and 5 of their administrators serving as instructional leaders. Strategies needed for professional growth to support learning and barriers that hamper it at both building and district levels were included. These questions were considered through the lens of Schön's reflective learning and Weick's sensemaking theories. Analysis with provisional and open coding strategies identified informal and formal supports and barriers to teachers' learning. Results indicated that informal supports, primarily internet usage, emerged as most valuable to the teachers' learning. Formal structures, including professional learning communities and grade level meetings, arose as both supportive and restrictive at the building and district levels. Existing formal supports emerged as the least useful because of the dominance of other priorities competing for time and resources. Addressing weaknesses within formal supports through more effective planning in professional development can promote positive change. Improvement to professional development approaches using the internet and increased hands on activities can be integrated into formal supports. Explicit attention to these strategies can strengthen teacher effectiveness bringing positive social change.