<p> Few undergraduates choose physics as a major, and among those who do very few are women. One potential contributor to this problem is the impact that physics instruction seems to have on students' self-efficacy, which is student's thoughts and feelings about their capabilities to succeed as learners in physics. Self-efficacy plays an important role in student achievement in academics both in general and for students pursuing STEM degrees. Conversely, research has shown that the self-efficacy of both men and women tends to be reduced after taking traditional and research-based physics courses. Moreover, self-efficacy tends to be reduced further for women than for men. Whether the negative shifts in self-efficacy in physics are caused by physics instruction remains unclear. It may be that the negative shift in self-efficacy reflects a broader trend in university education that has little to do with physics per se. I investigated this and other alternative explanations for negative shifts in self-efficacy in physics courses using an in-the-moment measurement technique called the Experience Sampling Method. The technique allowed me to collect students' day-to-day feelings of self-efficacy, which I called states, and to compare students' self-efficacy states in physics to those in other STEM courses. I found that students experienced much lower self-efficacy states in physics than in their other STEM courses. Moreover, this difference largely affected women who experienced physics, and only physics, with much lower self-efficacy states than men. Given that experiences are an established sources of self-efficacy beliefs and women also had much more negative shifts in their self-efficacy beliefs I concluded that the experience of physics instruction was probably a causal factor in women's reduced self-efficacy. Further analysis found that the gender difference in self-efficacy states was more than twice that predicted by students' pre-course achievement, attitudes and beliefs. Thus I tentatively concluded that the negative impact on women's self-efficacy resulted from inequities in the physics-learning environment rather than preexisting gender differences. I present evidence that the physics course I investigated was similar to other research-based physics courses and tentatively I concluded that physics instruction in general is detrimental to women's self-efficacy.</p>

<p> Elite US-Sino joint education ventures in the People&rsquo;s Republic of China (PRC) have brought together diverse stakeholders to create a learning environment that supports innovation in the context of China&rsquo;s transformation to a service-based economy. These diverse stakeholders include: university administration, faculty, and students; government agencies; and industry. Theories of strategical alliances are useful in understanding how these stakeholders interact and influence these institutions during their establishment. Important insights can be learned about how to build successful cross-border education partnerships in a complex social environment.</p><p> Three descriptive case studies were conducted through in-depth interviews, site visits, and official documentation. The first case is the Hopkins-Nanjing Center at Nanjing University&mdash;the first US-Sino venture established in 1986. The second case is Duke Kunshan University, and the third case is the Schwarzman Scholars Program at Tsinghua University, heralded as the Rhodes Scholarship of China.</p>

<p> The purpose of this study was to identify the ways in which veterans with disabilities navigate the process of transition from their lives as members of the military community to participants in the community college. This study analyzed the subset of veterans with disabilities in a community college to identify the support structures and services that can help this population to navigate their academic experiences effectively. A qualitative, community-based participatory research design was used to provide a holistic account of the military to community college transition experience for student veterans with disabilities who participated in the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars. Three major themes emerged from the data. The themes include: (a) the personal journey into new roles and identities; (b) building communities and overcoming adversities; and (c) the reflective veteran. This study provides community colleges with insights that may enable them to improve their services for this camouflaged population.</p>

DURING the sixties, higher education was mainly given by public universities. There were twenty-one public and ten private universities. 1 Growth in education went from 2.3 percent in 1961 to 4.4 percent in 1972, and jumped to 9.9 percent in 1981.

The problem for consideration in this study was an investigation of the effects of two methods of preregistration advisement of junior college freshmen. Specifically, the following questions were posed. What would be the effects on college students of an individual preregistration advisement interview with a member of the professional counseling staff as compared to a group advisement session? Would the advisement interview for students produce differences in (1) the types of majors selected, (2) probabilities of success in declared educational objectives, (3) perceptions of the environment, (4) changes of major, (5) course changes, (6) failures to complete registration, (7) withdrawals during the first eight weeks of classes, and (8) number of course deficiencies reported at mid-semester? An auxiliary consideration was the following. What would be the effects of providing information about technical-occupational programs in the form of brochures?

Amidst ever-growing demands for accountability and increased graduation rates to help justify the rising costs of higher education, few topics in undergraduate education elicit a broader range of responses than student evaluations of teaching (SETs). Despite debates over their efficacy, SETs are increasingly used as formative (pedagogical practices) and summative (employee reviews) assessments of faculty teaching. Proponents contend SETs are a necessary component in measuring the quality of education a student receives, arguing that they further enable educators to reflect upon their own pedagogy and thus informing best practices, and that they are a valid component in summative evaluations of faculty. Skeptics argue that SETs are ineffective as the measurements themselves are invalid and unreliable, students are not qualified evaluators of teaching, and faculty may lower educational standards due to pressure for higher ratings in summative evaluations. This study dives more deeply into this debate by exploring faculty perceptions of SETs. Through the use of surveys of 27 full- and part-time faculty within one division at a private, four-year teaching-focused college, this study explored faculty perceptions of SETs primarily as an initial step in a larger process seeking to evaluate perceived and potential efficacy of SETs. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected and analyzed using Patton's (2008) Utilization-Focused Evaluation (UFE) framework for engaging evidence based upon a four-stage process in which evaluation findings are analyzed, interpreted, judged, and recommendations for action are generated, with all steps involving intended users. Overall, the study data suggests that faculty were generally very supportive of SETs for formative assessments, and strongly reported their importance and use for evaluating their own pedagogy. Findings also indicated faculty relied primarily upon the students' written qualitative comments over the quantitative reports generated by externally determined scaled-questions on the SETs. Faculty also reported the importance of SETs as part of their own summative evaluations, yet expressed concern about overreliance upon them and again indicated a desire for a more meaningful process. The utility of the UFE framework for SETs, has implications beyond the institution studied, nearly every higher education institution is faced with increasing demands for accountability of student learning from multiple stakeholders. Additionally, many institutions are grappling with policies on SETs in summative and formative evaluation and to what extent faculty and administrators do--and perhaps should--utilize SETs in measuring teaching effectiveness is a pertinent question for any institution of higher education to examine. Thus, the study suggests that to what extent faculty reflect upon SETs, and to what extent they utilize feedback, is a salient issue at any institution; and Patton's model has the potential to maximize the utility of SETs for many relevant stakeholders, especially faculty.

Growing up, I never considered myself an athlete. I did not participate in sports or compete on a track, field or slope. However, as an adult, I have chosen to step outside my comfort zone, exploring challenges that push me physically and mentally to grow as a person. In this way, I found running. Running, for me, is not a mere mundane exercise routine, nor a competitive sport by which to be judged. Instead, running at my own pace has been a physical and emotional journey that eases my mind, nourishes my body and replenishes my spirit. Like an old friend, it is always there, year round, anywhere, anytime, to get me outside, pick me up when I feel blue, keep me company while I make new discoveries and introduce me to new friends. Moreover, my body benefits as my heart gets stronger, my bones denser, my risk for disease decreases, my stress disappears and I burn a ton of calories. Above all, the skills I develop from running, including confidence, perseverance, perspective, resiliency, connection to others, setting goals, the bliss of solitude, taking notice and living in the present, transfer to all areas of my life. In fact, my experience with running has helped me not only be a better person and enjoy life more, it has given me new tools to use professionally, as an academic advisor in higher education. It is my hope that my story, and the supporting research, will inspire others to explore running as an option for physical, emotional, social and, perhaps, spiritual presence in their lives. I share my story to all educators because the inclusion of exercise and mindfulness, for professional and student, can be a source of stress reduction, balance, cognitive focus and overall health. As a result of my own experiences with these activities, I think I understand their benefits and am able to impart the necessary encouragement to students to explore their options. In my opinion, the interesting relationship between writing and running, which I discovered and touched upon in this process, warrants further exploration.

<p> Since the first intercollegiate athletic event in 1852, a patriarchal hegemony has controlled the governance, policy making, and leadership of intercollegiate athletics. Not until 1972 did women enter the national narrative on college sports participation and administration, albeit through federal mandate and in marginal fashion. More than forty years after the passage of Title IX, intercollegiate athletics still lacks a strong female presence in executive administrative positions. The National Association of Collegiate Women Administrators (NACWAA) is the only professional organization devoted solely to developing and advancing the success of women in the profession of intercollegiate athletics. </p><p> This study examined the lived experiences of seven women athletics administrators who participated in a leadership development program, the Institute for Administrative Advancement (IAA), offered by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and NACWAA. This dissertation used hermeneutical phenomenology to qualitatively describe how IAA participants make sense of this leadership development experience. By thoroughly characterizing the meaning ascribed to the IAA experience as well as the actualization of the IAA curriculum, the results of this study characterize how participants of the NCAA/NACWAA IAA perceive a) career development and leadership and b) leadership self-efficacy. </p><p> Seven themes emerged through data analysis: 1) Discrimination is evident. Many forms of discrimination were perceived, 2) Individual perceptions of leadership were varied and dynamic, 3) Self-assessment of leadership skills evolved over the duration of the IAA, 4) Expectations of the IAA experience were modest yet hopeful, 5) Participants experienced contrasting emotional states throughout the IAA, 6) Actualization of the learned skill set resulted in a variety of outcomes, and 7) The IAA was an empowering and transformative experience.</p><p> Based on the emergent themes, implications and recommendations are offered to counterbalance the underrepresentation of women in athletic administration. The findings from this study also serve a broader application to higher education. The narratives shared by the participants can provide a pathway to empower other women and members of historically underrepresented and socially excluded groups within higher education administration toward professional advancement. </p>

<p> Minimal research has explored the realities of new presidential leadership of small private colleges and universities. These institutions that comprise the majority of the one-third of higher education institutions already confronting financial and environmental challenges, also face other challenges of paramount concern (Lyken-Segosebe &amp; Shephard, 2013; Selingo, 2013a). Among these challenges is that of providing presidential leadership from a diminishing pool of experienced candidates qualified or willing to lead them (Cook, 2012; Song &amp; Hartley, 2012). </p><p> Using the presidential office as the pivotal point of inquiry, this qualitative phenomenological study sought to answer the following: What is the unique lived experience of new presidents at a small private institution while meeting the leadership challenges of the office within the current landscape of private higher education? </p><p> This phenomenological study was conducted with <i>N</i> = 7 presidents (new to office within a bounded timeframe), <i>N</i> = 1 elite interview, supplemental document analyses, interview observations, and guided observation of campus visits. Moustakas&rsquo; (1994) thematic analytical strategy was applied to all data sources. </p><p> Five themes emerged from this study: presidents of small private colleges and universities are dedicated to the substance of their work and do not merely seek the prestige of the office of president (Theme #1), that they are not the &lsquo;saviors&rsquo; of their institutions (Theme #2), they bear significant burdens in carrying out their roles&mdash;both institutionally and personally (Theme #3), they are steering a course towards sustainability amidst turbulent times (Theme #4), and they are well aware that they, alone, cannot render their institutions successful (Theme #5). </p><p> The findings highlight the characteristics and strategies of novice presidents at small private institutions and which may advance an understanding of the complexities and uniqueness of the presidential role in this market share. This study may also provide a foundation for understanding the profiles of small private college presidents in the contemporary higher education landscape, and of the formative and influential experiences upon them.</p>

This doctoral study explores the learning that occurs in higher education institutions within differing social and informal contexts, and how this learning can contribute to shifting thinking and actions (within the institution) towards sustainability. The research refers to this learning as ‘social learning’ and acknowledges its potential to influence the sustainability performance of a higher education institution. The study proposes indicators as a key research outcome to assist institutions in improving their contribution to social learning for sustainability. The study is unique in that social learning for sustainability in the higher education sector has been subject to little scrutiny. The originality of the research is underpinned by its focus on staff learning in higher education, but also by the research methodology used which has not been employed in this context or with this focus before. The empirical study was undertaken between 2008 and 2011 at three higher education institutions in the United Kingdom (UK) which were chosen for their explicit commitment to improving the university’s sustainability performance. The pilot study was conducted at the University of Gloucestershire and the main findings were derived at the Universities of Bradford and Bristol. Located within a critical social theory paradigm, the study used innovative research methods such as collective memory-work to capture staff experiences of social learning for sustainability. In each university, the research involved a group of members of staff in (i) writing and critically reflecting on their stories of social learning for sustainability within their institutions; and (ii) identifying contextual factors influencing this learning process. The data generated was triangulated with information captured through institutional documentary reviews, semi-structured interviews with members of staff and a research journal. The research demonstrates that social learning for sustainability in higher education tends to occur as both a facilitated and unfacilitated process. The first includes staff participating in extra-curricular activities, partnerships and networks, multi-stakeholder dialogues, mentoring, or action and participatory research. The latter tends to occur as a spontaneous face-to-face process or through online social networks. There is evidence that social learning processes which are non-hierarchical, involving learning from each other and occurring within comfort zones, are more effective in shifting the thinking and actions of staff in the area of sustainability. The study identifies physical space and academic cultures as key determinants of the frequency and quality of these processes. It also suggests that opportunities in this area need to be provided to all the different sub-cultures which exist in a higher education institution. Finally, whereas the research identifies how institutional culture influences social learning for sustainability, it concludes that a longitudinal study is needed to establish whether this learning process can shape the culture of a higher education institution.