While much research exists on self-efficacy in music programs, few research studies have qualitatively examined the impact of vocal performance settings on music education majors' self-efficacies and career goals. This collective case study examines the self-efficacy perceptions of four undergraduate vocal music education students in five vocal performance and rehearsal settings: (a) voice lessons, (b) studio classes, (c) choral rehearsals, (d) choral performances, and (e) juries. During a spring semester at a major university in the southwestern United States, I examined how participants' perceptions of their family backgrounds, career goals, lifestyles, peers, and student-teacher relationships influenced their vocal self-efficacy perceptions and music career goals. Data collection included observations, individual interviews with participants, and one focus group interview. Coding methods were used to analyze the interview transcripts and observation field notes. Triangulation, peer review, and member checks of transcriptions were used to ensure accuracy. Findings are documented case-by-case and as cross-case themes. I found that mastery experiences and family support during adolescence influenced participants' initial decisions to major in music but had little influence on vocal self-efficacy during the study. Secondly, self-efficacy changes noted throughout the study influenced participants' career goals. Other emergent themes included the role of memory, teacher feedback, concept comprehension and socialization. I conclude with cross-case themes and offer ideas for future self-efficacy research.

Nunavut Inuit youths exhibit cultural resilience and leadership. However, researchers frequently neglect such assets and instead emphasize these youths’ challenges or perceived inadequacies. I conducted an intrinsic case study regarding Nunavut Inuit youths’ experiences with an experiential learning program, Northern Youth Abroad (NYA), in order to investigate participants’ growth in cross-cultural awareness, individual career goals, leadership, and global citizenship. Drawing on post-colonial theory, semi-structured interviews, archival research, and participant observation, I argue that NYA’s Nunavut Inuit participants reported significant personal growth in these four objectives. I also provide an in-depth analysis of how NYA’s Nunavut Inuit participants described and developed distinct and rich leadership styles that draw on Inuit and Euro-Canadian influences.

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Nunavut Inuit youths exhibit cultural resilience and leadership. However, researchers frequently neglect such assets and instead emphasize these youths’ challenges or perceived inadequacies. I conducted an intrinsic case study regarding Nunavut Inuit youths’ experiences with an experiential learning program, Northern Youth Abroad (NYA), in order to investigate participants’ growth in cross-cultural awareness, individual career goals, leadership, and global citizenship. Drawing on post-colonial theory, semi-structured interviews, archival research, and participant observation, I argue that NYA’s Nunavut Inuit participants reported significant personal growth in these four objectives. I also provide an in-depth analysis of how NYA’s Nunavut Inuit participants described and developed distinct and rich leadership styles that draw on Inuit and Euro-Canadian influences.

African American women compose a critical proportion of the potential science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) workforce of the future, yet are disproportionately represented and largely underutilized. While various programs and initiatives have been designed and implemented to target women and underrepresented minorities, the voices and experiences of African American women have been insufficiently heard or studied. This study investigates the experiences of four African American female students who participated in a 10-week undergraduate research experience (URE) program designed for the recruitment and retention of women and underrepresented minorities in STEM disciplines. Through autobiographical narratives and interviews participants shared how and in what ways the URE program influenced their career development (namely academic/career interests and choices), what they learned about their interests and choices, and what it means to them to be African American women pursuing science-related careers. Using a qualitative case study analysis, this study focuses on the unique stories of young African-American women participating in their own career development. Seven major themes emerged from the analysis of the data. Each of the participants initially entered the URE with an established interest in science, with an expressed desire for research experience, and with an interest in exploring career options in science. Through their involvement in the URE program, participants experienced a significant increase in self-knowledge and confidence, recognized the existence of social and/or science communities, and either discovered or clarified career interests and possibilities. All participants recognized value in their participation and expressed gratitude for having had the opportunity. Overall, the URE program provided a vital opportunity for participants to play an active role in their own career development. The results of this study emphasize the importance of and need to expand the URE as an avenue for career development and exploration in order to address the lack of such programming for African American women in STEM disciplines.

Nunavut Inuit youths exhibit cultural resilience and leadership. However, researchers frequently neglect such assets and instead emphasize these youths’ challenges or perceived inadequacies. I conducted an intrinsic case study regarding Nunavut Inuit youths’ experiences with an experiential learning program, Northern Youth Abroad (NYA), in order to investigate participants’ growth in cross-cultural awareness, individual career goals, leadership, and global citizenship. Drawing on post-colonial theory, semi-structured interviews, archival research, and participant observation, I argue that NYA’s Nunavut Inuit participants reported significant personal growth in these four objectives. I also provide an in-depth analysis of how NYA’s Nunavut Inuit participants described and developed distinct and rich leadership styles that draw on Inuit and Euro-Canadian influences.

Innovationskompetens är en eftertraktad förmåga på arbetsmarknaden. Individens tro på innovationsförmågan benämns som innovativ self-efficacy och anses vara nödvändigt inom innovationsarbete. Tidigare forskning visar att individer med hög innovativ self-efficacy hanterar motgångar bättre än de med låg. Studien undersökte skillnader avseende innovativ self-efficacy, innovationsintresse och innovativa karriärmål beroende på utbildning och arbetslivserfarenhet. Personlighet inkluderades för att kontrollera dess effekt på innovativ self-efficacy. Enkäten fylldes i av 173 individer från tre olika utbildningsprogram med olika många innovativa kurser. Innovationsstudenter med högst antal innovativa kurser har högst innovativ self-efficacy, högst intresse för innovation och innovativa karriärmål. Studenternas höga värden kan bero på mängden innovativa kurser i deras utbildning, vilket pekar på att högre utbildning har betydelse för innovativ self-efficacy. Kontroll för personlighet visade att extraversion och öppenhet kunde predicera innovativ self-efficacy. Alumner rapporterade högre tro på innovationsförmågan än studenter vid Beteedevetenskapliga programmet, vilket indikerar att arbetslivserfarenhet kan ha effekt på innovativ self-efficacy.

The first purpose of this research was to understand the factors that contribute to the underrepresentation of women of color in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) career fields, with a specific focus on understanding the issues faced by Black women. The second purpose was to analyze the gender and racial differences in the interrelationship of high school students' class perceptions, math identification, and their decisions to select a STEM major in college. These relationships are important because the growth outlook for careers in STEM is higher than other career fields and providing underrepresented women in STEM equal access to these careers is vital. Additionally, it is important to increase the gender and racial diversity of the STEM workforce. The first manuscript (Chapter 2) was based on a literature review that provided an overview of the social factors that affect the underrepresentation of women of color in STEM by highlighting the experiences of girls of color in their youth. The literature review explored the stereotypes and discrimination girls of color experienced in the K-12 school system that affect their participation in math and science, and how the intersection of race and gender contributed to the experiences of Black females when it comes to their experiences with STEM. Using the MUSIC model of motivation theory and domain identification theory, the study in Chapter 3 explored the relationship between students' math class perceptions, math identification, and decision to major in a math-intensive (i.e., math and statistics, engineering, computer science, and physical sciences) STEM major. The study in Chapter 3 used multigroup structural equation modeling (SEM) to analyze gender and racial differences among four groups Black females, Black males, White females, and White males. The results indicate that students' math class perceptions of success and interest were positively related to their math identification. Furthermore, students' math identification was positively related to their decisions to select a STEM major as they entered college. The interrelationship between math class perceptions, math identification, and the decision to select a STEM major was not statistically different for Black females as compared to Black males, White females, or White males. Implications for schools and educators for increasing the participation of Black female students in STEM are discussed. / Doctor of Philosophy / The purposes of this research were to understand the factors that contribute to the underrepresentation of women of color in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) and to analyze the gender and racial differences in the interrelationship of students' class perceptions, math identification, and decisions to select a STEM major. Because Black women are one of the least represented groups in careers associated with STEM, one of the aims of this research was to investigate some of the factors contributing to Black women's underrepresentation in STEM careers. The research was conducted in two parts. The first manuscript (Chapter 2) was based on a literature review that provided an overview of the social factors that affect the underrepresentation of women of color in STEM careers by highlighting their experiences in their youth. The literature review explored discrimination against girls of color in the K-12 school system, especially as it relates to math and science participation, and how the intersection of race and gender contributed to the experiences of Black females in STEM. The second manuscript (Chapter 3) used the MUSIC model of motivation theory and domain identification theory to analyze the relationship between students' math class perceptions, how well students see math as part of their identity (math identification), and decision to major in a math-intensive (math and statistics, engineering, computer science, and physical sciences) STEM major. I used a statistical method, structural equation modeling (SEM), to analyze gender and racial differences among four groups; Black females, Black males, White females, and White males. The math class perceptions of success and interest were found to be positively related to math identification. Students' math identification was found to be positively related to their decisions to select a STEM major. Black females did not show a difference from the other groups in the relationship between their math class perceptions, math identification, and decision to select a STEM major. Implications for schools and educators for increasing the participation of Black female students in STEM are discussed.

Tyrimo tikslas – nustatyti sąsajas tarp Vytauto Didžiojo universiteto psichologijos absolventų iniciatyvumo, nuostatų dėl karjeros tikslų, profesinio saviveiksmingumo ir objektyvaus bei subjektyviai suvokiamo karjeros sėkmingumo. Tyrime dalyvavo 121 Vytauto Didžiojo universiteto psichologijos absolventai (2 vyrai ir 119 moterų), psichologijos bakalauro arba magistro studijas baigę 2004-2012 metais. Iš 370 gavėją pasiekusių elektroninių laiškų, klausimyną užpildė 121 tiriamasis (33 proc.). Asmens iniciatyvumui įvertinti buvo naudojamas Bateman ir Crant (1993) asmens iniciatyvumo klausimynas, nuostatoms dėl karjeros tikslų įvertinti naudojama Mu karjeros tikslų skalė (Creed, Patton, Bartrum, 2002), o profesiniam saviveiksmingumui – Schens, Collani (2010) profesinio saviveiksmingumo klausimynas. Subjektyviai suvokiamas karjeros sėkmingumas buvo matuojamas Grennhaus, Parasuraman ir Wormley (1990) pasitenkinimo karjera klausimynu, o objektyvus karjeros sėkmingumas buvo vertinamas klausimu apie gaunamą atlyginimą. Tyrimo rezultatai parodė, jog labiau iniciatyvūs psichologijos absolventai pasižymi aukštesniu profesiniu saviveiksmingumu ir stipresnėmis nuostatomis dėl karjeros tikslų. O aukštesniu profesiniu saviveiksmingumu ir stipresnėmis nuostatomis dėl karjeros tikslų pasižymintys absolventai išreiškia didesnį objektyvų ir subjektyviai suvokiamą karjeros sėkmingumą. Taip pat didesniu objektyviu ir subjektyviai suvokiamu karjeros sėkmingumu pasižymi absolventai išreiškiantys... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / The aim of the study was to assess the proactivity, career goals settings, occupational selfefficacy links to objective and subjective career success among Vytautas Magnus University graduates of psychology. The subjects of the study were 121 man and women, psychology graduates of Vytautas Magnus University. Respondents were bachelor or master graduates those who finish their studies in 2004 – 2012. Of 370 e-mails with questionnaire witch have reach respondents, 121 participants (33 percent) complete the questionnaire. In order to evaluate proactivity, it was used self-report measure of proactive personality (Bateman, Crant, 1993). To measure attitude towards career goals it was used Mu career goals settings questionnaire (Creed, Patton, Bartrum, 2002). Additionally it was used occupational self-efficacy scale (Schyns, Collani, 2010) and career satisfaction scale (Greenhaus, Parasuraman & Wormley, 1990) which was used to evaluate subjective career success. In order to evaluate objective career success it was used question about respondents’ salary. The results of the study showed that psychology graduates’ higher proactivity are related to higher occupational self-efficacy, stronger career goals settings, bigger objective and subjective career success. Stronger career goals settings and higher occupational self-efficacy are also related to bigger objective and subjective career success. And objective career success are related to subjective career success. The best... [to full text]

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