The aim of this research was to determine the factors that influence the participation of students from Sub-Saharan Africa at the undergraduate level of study in United States. A literature study was undertaken which defined the various aspects involved in pursuing undergraduate study in the United States as applied to international students at three types of institutions, namely: two-year community colleges, four year private colleges and four-year public colleges. Quantitative research was also undertaken, the results of which evolved from two surveys, one sent to a combined group of two-year, four-year private and public U.S. institutions and one sent out to Educational Advising Centers within Sub-Saharan Africa. The findings indicated that the primary constraints Sub-Saharan African students face are a lack of funding as well as an inability to access information. A comparison of the results of the two surveys was undertaken as well as recommendations for further research. / Educational Studies / M. Ed (Comparative Education)

Diese Dissertation nimmt am Beispiel des Max-Planck-Instituts für Bildungsforschung (MPIB) eine systemtheoretische Betrachtung der Folgen von Politikberatung für den Wissenschaftsbetrieb vor. In seiner Arbeit stand das MPIB in einem Dreiecksverhältnis zur Politik einerseits und zur Max-Planck-Gesellschaft andererseits. Alle drei Seiten hatten ihre eigenen Funktionslogiken und Zielvorstellungen, die ihre gegenseitigen Austauschbeziehungen formten und bedingten und in ihren Wechselwirkungen mithilfe einer systemtheoretischen Perspektive analysiert werden. Dabei wurde der Zeitraum zwischen 1962 und etwa 1989 betrachtet. Es wurden zwei unterschiedliche Quellenzugänge gewählt: Erstens wurden etwa 60 Leitfadengespräche mit ehemaligen oder aktuellen Institutsangehörigen sowieso weiteren Zeitzeugen geführt. Zweitens wurden die im Zusammenhang mit dem MPIB vorhandenen Aktenbestände der Max-Planck-Gesellschaft, Publikationen des Instituts und seiner Angehörigen sowie weitere Institutsbestände eingesehen und analysiert. Es ließ sich nachweisen, dass die zu unterschiedlichen Zeitpunkten am Institut vorherrschenden Wissenschaftsverständnisse sein jeweiliges Engagement in der Politikberatung determiniert und zusätzlich die konkrete Ausprägung der strukturellen Kopplung von Wissenschaft und Politik – sprich: den Grad der Vermischung der Funktionsprinzipien im Prozess der Politikberatung – bestimmt haben. Als besondere Zäsur stellte sich der Direktorenwechsel um 1982 heraus. Der vor der Zäsur beträchtliche gesellschaftliche Statusgewinn der in der Politikberatung engagierten Institutsmitglieder führte zur Verfestigung einer institutsinternen Hierarchie, die der empirischen Grundlagenforschung zeitweise eine Außenseiterrolle zuwies. Das dominierende Wissenschaftsverständnis nach der Zäsur betonte dann die Grundlagenforschung und definierte sich über die Abgrenzung von der Politikberatung einerseits und überdrehtem Theorieanspruch andererseits. / Looking at the Max Planck Institute for Human Development (MPIHD) from a systems theory standpoint, this dissertation seeks to analyze policy adivising provided by researchers. In its work, the MPIHD was positioned in a triangle between the political system on the one side and the Max Planck Society on the other side. All three sides had their own logic of functioning and their own set of values that determined their mutual relationships. This complex triangular exchange of information was analyzed from a systems theory standpoint covering the timeframe between 1962 and 1989. Two different kinds of sources were applied: Firstly, approximately 60 semi-structured in-depth interviews were carried out with both current and former MPIHD members as well as additional stakeholders. Secondly, the archives of the Max Planck Society in Berlin were searched for all documents concerning the MPIHD; major publications of institute members were analyzed as well. It became clear that the researchers'' attitude toward basic versus applied research determined their respective engagement in policy advising and at the same time formed the concrete variation of „structural coupling“ - in other words: of the degree of overlay between the different logics of functioning of the scientific and the political realms in the process of policy advising. The replacement of the founding directors around 1982 proved to be a major turning point in the institute''s history. Before this turning point, being involved in policy advising led to considerable social status gains inside the institute''s hierarchy; a hierarchy that had put fundamental and, at least partly, empirical research at the sidelines. After the turning point, however, fundamental research was paramount in the institute''s set of values, and the mainstream consisted in refraining from policy advising and „overzealous“ theoretical discussions.

This study explored pre-existing quantitative data for 55 students when they were in the seventh grade who eventually attended a continuation high school years later. There were 101 students at a particular continuation high school, and this research explored pre-existing data looking solely at the students who were in the same district while they were in seventh grade. Attendance and grades from the pre-existing data in the district’s software system were analyzed using a descriptive methodology followed by a cluster analysis through SPSS. Attendance findings for the 55 students revealed that nine students (16%) were absent with a frequency of 10 or more days in each semester. Reasons given for some absences were bereavement for four students (7%) and suspensions for 10 students (18%). Eight out of these 10 students (80%) declined in their grades from the first semester to the second semester. Overall, 33 students (60%) declined in their grades from the first semester to the second semester regardless. Findings related to grades looked at the number of Fs over the two semesters of the seventh-grade school year and at the number of Fs earned in each course. Forty-four students (80%) earned at least one F either semester. Language Arts was the highest failed academic class second semester, with 32 out of 55 students (58%), and Computer Applications was the highest failed elective class for 5 out of 9 students (56%) who took this class second semester. Other findings related to grades were that 0 students (0%) failed only the elective, and only 2 students (4%) failed Physical Education. Additional findings through cluster analysis revealed a connection between failing an elective in combination with failing Language Arts: 81.8% first semester (9 out of 11 students) and 83.3% second semester (5 out of 6 students). Using a cross-tabulation, the highest pattern between the two semesters was for 10 students of the overall 55 (18%) with no Fs both semesters, and the second-highest pattern was for 6 students (11%) with no Fs first semester and 1 F second semester.

The aim of this research was to determine the factors that influence the participation of students from Sub-Saharan Africa at the undergraduate level of study in United States. A literature study was undertaken which defined the various aspects involved in pursuing undergraduate study in the United States as applied to international students at three types of institutions, namely: two-year community colleges, four year private colleges and four-year public colleges. Quantitative research was also undertaken, the results of which evolved from two surveys, one sent to a combined group of two-year, four-year private and public U.S. institutions and one sent out to Educational Advising Centers within Sub-Saharan Africa. The findings indicated that the primary constraints Sub-Saharan African students face are a lack of funding as well as an inability to access information. A comparison of the results of the two surveys was undertaken as well as recommendations for further research. / Educational Studies / M. Ed (Comparative Education)

While FinTech is a relatively recent subject in academic literature, it is widely acknowledged as one of the most notable innovations within the financial industry. Despite the growing interest in FinTech, there is currently a lack of comprehensive understanding regarding the exact implications it will have on established financial institutions. The introduction of FinTech solutions has brought about a significant transformation in the banking industry of Finland. Nevertheless, the influence of FinTech adoption on employee’s satisfaction and performance in banks remains uncertain. This has emphasized the need for a deeper understanding of the opportunities and challenges presented by this form of technological innovation across all aspects of the financial industry. The purpose of this research is to bridge the existing gap in literature by examining the relatively unexplored area of how the adoption of FinTech solutions influences job satisfaction and performance among employees in the context of a Finnish bank. Specifically, this research centered on OP Bank, which is recognized as one of the largest banks in Finland. By conducting an in-depth exploration of the experiences of employees at OP Bank, this research will offer valuable insights into how the adoption of FinTech solutions influences employee’s behavior in the Finnish banking industry. To accomplish this, the study utilizes a qualitative exploratory research approach, employing semi-structured interviews as the data collection method, involving 8 middle-level employees from OP Bank. This methodology facilitates a deeper understanding of employees' experiences and perspectives, thereby generating rich and detailed data. The findings of our research reveal several key conclusions regarding the varying ways that the adoption of FinTech solutions influences employee’s job satisfaction and performance. The insights gained highlight the crucial role of FinTech in transforming traditional banking practices, driving innovation, and fostering a positive work environment for employees in the financial industry. Understanding the complexities linked to FinTech adoption is imperative for banks and financial institutions to effectively leverage the complete potential of these technological innovations, thereby steering employee’s satisfaction and performance in the desired direction. Through an in-depth examination of this phenomenon, we have gained a better understanding of the benefits and challenges associated with FinTech adoption, as well as its influence on employee’s job satisfaction and performance. Moreover, this study has provided crucial insights for improving employee’s satisfaction and performance in banks that have embraced FinTech solutions, thereby contributing to a deeper understanding of successful FinTech adoption in the Finnish financial industry. Additionally, this research has contributed to the existing literature on FinTech, management of employee’s satisfaction and performance, employee behavior and technology adoption. These findings have offered practical theoretical, managerial and societal contributions.

For many years graduate and professional education programs for the health professions have sought to increase the diversity of their student body to include students from a wider variety of backgrounds. Increasing the diversity of healthcare providers is an essential component of addressing inequities in healthcare. However, despite initiatives to increase racial and ethnic diversity in the health professions, these professions remain largely White and female. Previous researchers have sought to identify the reasons that racial and ethnic minorities are underrepresented in healthcare, and the barriers to persistence and success. Little research exists explaining why men are underrepresented in the healthcare professions, though many healthcare professions have historically been perceived as caregiving professions, and therefore, as “female work.” The purpose of this qualitative study was to add to the existing body of literature on underrepresented pre-health students by exploring the experiences of racial/ethnic minority and male undergraduate students on pre-health paths. This study included 11 participants who self-identified as intending to pursue a graduate or professional healthcare program and as African American, American Indian, Alaskan Native, Hispanic, or male; all were enrolled at one mid-sized, regional university in the southeastern United States. I utilized semi-structured interviews to investigate the experiences of the participants. The themes that emerged among the experiences of pre-health students, included common influences on career choice, what pre-health students believe they need to do to be competitive, challenges, fears and worries about the future, motivation to persist, resources and support utilized, and planning (or lack of planning) for alternate career paths.

In der 4.Sächsischen Studierendenbefragung wurden die Studierenden an den sächsischen Universitäten, Fachhochschulen und Kunsthochschulen zur Qualität von Studium und Lehre sowie ihren Bildungswegen befragt. Im Vergleich mit den Vorgängerstudien kann eine Verbesserung der Studienqualität beobachtet werden. Gleichzeitig wird der Bachelorabschluss zunehmend als berufsqualifizierender Abschluss auf dem Arbeitsmarkt akzeptiert. Zusätzlich enthält die Studie zwei besondere Schwerpunkt. Mit einer Reihe von Fragen wurde das Studienerleben und die Teilnahme an Lehrveranstaltungen sowie Prüfungsleistungen im Distanzunterricht während der Corona-Pandemie erfragt. So kann aufgezeigt werden, wie Studierende mit dieser Umstellung umgegangen sind und dass die allermeisten Studierenden diese Herausforderungen gut bewältigt haben. Gleichwohl gibt es eine relevante Gruppe, die größere Schwierigkeiten berichtete. Weiterhin nahmen Fragen zum Beratungsangebot, dem vielfältigen Beratungsbedarf und Belastungen im Studium einen breiten Raum ein. Für Sachsen liegen damit erstmalig aussagekräftige Daten zum studentischen Belastungserleben und Nutzungsverhalten von Beratungs- und Unterstützungsangeboten inkl. der Onlineberatung vor.:ZUSAMMENFASSUNG IV 1. EINLEITUNG 1 2. DAS PROFIL DER STUDIERENDEN 5 2.1 STUDIERENDE NACH HOCHSCHULTYP, FÄCHERGRUPPEN UND STUDIENBEREICHEN 5 2.2 STUDIERENDE NACH ART DES ANGESTREBTEN STUDIENABSCHLUSS 11 2.3 STUDIERENDE NACH GESCHLECHT 13 2.4 STUDIERENDE NACH ALTER 16 2.5 STUDIERENDE NACH NATIONALSTAATLICHER HERKUNFT 17 2.6 STUDIERENDE NACH DER BILDUNGSHERKUNFT 19 2.7 STUDIERENDE MIT KÖRPERLICHEN UND GESUNDHEITLICHEN BEEINTRÄCHTIGUNGEN 23 3. STUDIENBEDINGUNGEN UND STUDIERVERHALTEN 26 3.1 STUDIENQUALITÄT, LEISTUNGSANFORDERUNGEN UND SOZIALES KLIMA 26 3.1.1 Studienqualität 28 3.1.2 Leistungsanforderungen 31 3.1.3 Soziales Klima 34 3.2 DURCHFÜHRUNG DER LEHRE 35 3.2.1 Qualität der Lehrveranstaltungen 37 3.2.2 Unterstützung durch die Lehrenden 40 3.2.3 Digitale Kompetenzen der Lehrenden 43 3.2.4 Probleme bei der Lehrorganisation 45 3.3 KOMPETENZERWERB 47 3.4 STUDIERENDE AN DER HOCHSCHULE 53 3.4.1 Lernkompetenz und Zugehörigkeits- und Vertrautheitsgefühle 53 3.4.2 Studentische Mitwirkung 57 3.4.3 Anwesenheit in Lehrveranstaltungen 59 3.5 GESAMTZUFRIEDENHEIT UND KONSTANZ IN DER STUDIENENTSCHEIDUNG 62 3.5.1 Gesamtzufriedenheit mit dem Studium 62 3.5.2 Konstanz der Studienentscheidung 64 4. BERATUNGS- UND SERVICEANGEBOTE – NUTZUNG UND BEWERTUNG 67 4.1 INANSPRUCHNAHME VON BERATUNGSANGEBOTEN 68 4.1.1 Häufigkeit der aufgesuchten Beratung in den letzten 12 Monaten 68 4.1.2 Beratungsthemen 79 4.2 NUTZUNG UND BEWERTUNG DER BERATUNGS- UND SERVICEANGEBOTE 94 4.2.1 Nutzung der Beratungsanbieter 94 4.2.2 Bewertung der Beratungs- und Unterstützungsangebote 96 4.2.3 Wunsch nach größerem Beratungs- und Unterstützungsangebot 99 4.3 EINSTELLUNGEN ZUR ONLINEBERATUNG 104 5. STUDIEREN WÄHREND DER CORONA-PANDEMIE 118 5.1 TEILNAHME AN LEHRVERANSTALTUNGEN 118 5.1.1 Gründe für die Nichtteilnahme an Lehrveranstaltungen 121 5.1.2 Gründe für den Abbruch der Teilnahme an Lehrveranstaltungen 123 5.2 TEILNAHME AN PRÜFUNGSLEISTUNGEN 125 5.2.1 Gründe für nicht-abgelegte Prüfungsleistungen 127 5.2.2 Kenntnis und Nutzung einer Freiversuchsregelung 128 5.3 VERMUTETE LANGZEITFOLGEN DER PANDEMIE 131 5.4 DIGITALE LEHRE 136 5.4.1 Belastungen und Erleichterungen durch die digitale Lehre 137 5.4.2 Digitale Lehrformen als Ergänzung zur Präsenzlehre 142 6. WEGE ZUM STUDIUM, DURCH DAS STUDIUM UND NACH DEM STUDIUM 146 6.1 WEGE ZUM STUDIUM 146 6.1.1 Gründe für die Wahl der Hochschule 146 6.1.2 Hochschulzugang und Vorbildung 151 6.1.3 Region der Hochschulzugangsberechtigung 159 6.2 WEGE IM STUDIUM 162 6.2.1 Pläne der Bachelorstudierenden 162 6.2.2 Der Weg zum Masterstudium 168 6.2.3 Praktika und Auslandsaufenthalte 176 6.2.4 Studienunterbrechung 182 6.3 NACH DEM STUDIUM 188 6.3.1 Wunschregion des Berufseinstiegs 188 6.3.2 Wünsche und Ziele für Berufs- und Lebensweg 191 6.3.3 Informationsstand über berufliche Perspektiven bei angehenden Mediziner:innen 193 7. LITERATURVERZEICHNIS 194 A. METHODISCHE ANMERKUNGEN UND DATENGRUNDLAGE 197 A.1 GRUNDGESAMTHEIT UND STICHPROBE 197 A.2 ERSTELLUNG DES FRAGEBOGENS UND DURCHFÜHRUNG DER BEFRAGUNG 197 A.3 RÜCKLAUF UND DATENQUALITÄT 200 ABBILDUNGSVERZEICHNIS 203 TABELLENVERZEICHNIS 206 B. TABELLEN UND GRAFIKEN 209 C. FRAGEBOGEN 278 HOCHSCHULE UND STUDIENGANG 284 STUDIENFACH- UND STUDIENORTWAHL, ORIENTIERUNGSPHASE 291 STUDIENSITUATION UND LEHRQUALITÄT 293 FRAGEN ZUR BERATUNG 303 STUDIEREN WÄHREND DER CORONA-PANDEMIE 308 STUDIENVERLAUF UND STUDIENPLANUNG 314 GESAMTEINSCHÄTZUNG/ ZUFRIEDENHEIT 324 ANGABEN ZUR PERSON 325

Esta tesis doctoral postula que el programa de las asignaturas, es un indicador de cómo es la docencia universitaria directa del profesor e el aula, por su función preparatoria y reflexiva de la tarea docente. Se han recogido diferentes modelos de confección de programas docentes, confeccionando una guía de los elementos que debe contener un buen programa universitario. Esta guía ha sido evaluada y contrastada tanto por expertos, profesores y alumnos. También se ha realizado una evaluación del instrumento confeccionado utilizando procedimientos cuantitativos y cualitativos de análisis. Se ha llegado a la conclusión de que el programa si bien no es un elemento predictor de la buena docencia si que lo es de la mala docencia.