There are several tools for creating online surveys. However, guidance is lacking for some of the decision-making regarding the survey design. This study aims to investigate if one of these choices, navigation, has an impact on the surveys completion rate. We developed our own tool that gave every other respondent one of two different designs. This lets us gather more information than tools such as Google Forms and SurveyMonkey. A qualitative approach was used and we let the students of a course at KTH answer questions about that course without having knowledge of this project. No conclusions could be made due to some unexpected behaviours which will be explained later in this paper. / Det finns ett antal verktyg online för att skapa undersökningar. Det saknas dock riktlinjer för formgivning och val av komponenter. Med denna studie undersöks om en av dessa komponenter, navigation, har någon inverkan på en undersöknings svarsfrekvens. Vi utvecklade ett eget verktyg som distribuerade varannan svarande en utav två olika designer. Detta tillåter oss att samla in mer information än de verktyg som finns online. Exempel på sådana verktyg är Google Forms och SurveyMonkey. Ett kvalitativt tillvägagångssätt användes där vi lät aktiva studenter i en kurs på KTH svara på frågor angående kursen. De svarande visste inte om att de deltog i en studie. Ingga avgörande slutsatser kunde tas på grund av oväntat beteende.

No / Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the number of OGDs (oesophago-gastro-duodenoscopies) trainees need to perform to acquire competency in terms of successful unassisted completion to the second part of the duodenum 95% of the time. Design: OGD data were retrieved from the trainee e-portfolio developed by the Joint Advisory Group on GI Endoscopy ( JAG) in the UK. All trainees were included unless they were known to have a baseline experience of >20 procedures or had submitted data for <20 procedures. The primary outcome measure was OGD completion, defined as passage of the endoscope to the second part of the duodenum without physical assistance. The number of OGDs required to achieve a 95% completion rate was calculated by the moving average method and learning curve cumulative summation (LC-Cusum) analysis. To determine which factors were independently associated with OGD completion, a mixed effects logistic regression model was constructed with OGD completion as the outcome variable. Results: Data were analysed for 1255 trainees over 288 centres, representing 243 555 OGDs. By moving average method, trainees attained a 95% completion rate at 187 procedures. By LC-Cusum analysis, after 200 procedures, >90% trainees had attained a 95% completion rate. Total number of OGDs performed, trainee age and experience in lower GI endoscopy were factors independently associated with OGD completion. Conclusions: There are limited published data on the OGD learning curve. This is the largest study to date analysing the learning curve for competency acquisition. The JAG competency requirement for 200 procedures appears appropriate

PURPOSE: To understand why adolescents who initiate the HPV vaccine series fail to complete all three shots. METHODS: Semi-structured interviews were performed with parents/guardians of 11-17 year old daughters and pediatric primary care providers in one inner-city public clinic and three private practices to determine why girls who received at least one dose of the HPV vaccine did or did not complete the series. The number of shots received was confirmed by electronic medical record review. Content analysis was used to identify themes related to series completion. RESULTS: 65 parents/guardians participated: 37 whose daughters received 1 or 2 doses of HPV vaccine and 28 whose daughters completed 3 doses. Most (n=24, 65%) parents/guardians failed to complete the series because they thought the clinics would remind them of subsequent doses. 9 (24%) cited logistical barriers. 4 (11%) decided to stop the vaccine series. 33 providers participated: 24 physicians, 3 nurse practitioners, and 6 registered nurses. 52% of providers told parents to schedule appointments, 41% scheduled the second dose at the time the first dose was given, and 7% tried to immunize patients when they returned for other appointments; providers confirmed that few parents chose to stop the series. No practice had a system in place to ensure series completion. CONCLUSIONS: Most failure to complete the HPV vaccine series occurred because providers expected parents to make appointments while parents expected to be reminded. Increased use of reminder/recall systems and clear communication of expectations regarding appointment scheduling could improve completion rates.

Retaining adult education students has been a growing concern. The new GED requirements have generated low completion rates for a free GED program in a 3-year period, in a non-profit agency in a Southeastern state. Instructors are concerned about this problem and need to understand the factors that are inhibiting adult learners from successfully attaining their GED. This qualitative research design was the most appropriate to answer the research questions to determine the experiences that caused the adult learners to not complete the program and identify potential educational strategies needed to improve retention. Sticht's functional context theory was the conceptual framework for this study. Fourteen adult learners previously enrolled in the free GED program participated in in-depth, individual interviews. Thematic analysis, NVivo and open coding were used to identify, describe, and interpret data. The findings indicated that lack of computer and typing skills, the conversion from paper and pencil to computerized testing, and the onset of temporary and personal and family obstacles were factors that contributed to learners not successfully completing the program. Reinstatement of tutors and mentors and providing the participants with a well-defined curriculum for the GED courses were potential solutions to improve retention. The overwhelming evidence from the participants also suggested that a curriculum for a professional development training for instructors facilitating the online courses is an educational strategy for a potential solution to the local problem. This project has the probability to produce social change because it provides GED instructors researched-based instruction to facilitate online courses effectively to improve retention.

In order to meet the educational and economic demands of the United States in the future, institutions of higher education must increase the number of students who persist to the completion of a certificate or degree program, especially low-income students and students of color (Carnivale and Desrochers, 2004). To increase the persistence and completion rates of these students at community colleges, national initiatives, such as the Achieving the Dream: Community Colleges Count initiative, have emphasized the importance of creating institutional environments in which planning and improvement efforts are data-driven (Achieving the Dream, 2005). This study explored the perceptions of faculty members, administrators, and staff directly involved in establishing this data-driven environment, also known as a “culture of evidence,” and the extent to which those perceptions had disseminated through the larger college community. Through the use of a case study and focus groups using Interactive Qualitative Analysis (IQA) methods, the development of a “culture of evidence” at two Texas community colleges was examined as perceived by college constituents involved in its creation and by a group of college constituents indirectly influenced by their efforts. The emerging themes are discussed in their relation to promoting and maintaining a data- driven culture in the future. / text

Distance learning is gaining popularity in many education environments. Online classes are on the increase because students need alternatives to traditional face-to-face classroom training. Time constraint on today's students coupled with the need for education to keep up with advances in technology, in all fields, has forced educators to facilitate training avenues other than traditional methods to perform this pedagogy. Students' perceptions of online classes along with differing learning styles are making this process challenging. Many colleges and universities are reporting alarmingly higher dropout rates of online students versus their traditional classroom students. There are many variables that can be attributed to this outcome and current research is looking at ways to increase the completion rate of this growing learning alternative. The purpose of this study is to examine some of the variables involved in the learning process that might have an effect on the online learning process. This may lead to a better understanding of why the completion rates are lower for online students. Some of the variables reviewed in this study are learning styles and technology acceptance, both of which can have an influence on the student's reception of the learning material. Online students scored higher in all but one of the technology acceptance scores. Learning styles showed a greater number of read/write learners in online classes and a greater number of kinesthetic learners in traditional classes. Instructors teaching styles also had a relationship with the students' successful completion of online classes.

Magister Artium (Psychology) - MA(Psych) / Literature suggests that novice supervisors are not adequately trained or equipped with the skills required in research supervision or to become productive researchers, and recommend that intervention strategies aimed specifically at enhancing supervision capacity, be prioritized. Primary texts report positive effects on student output and timely completion in a range of intervention strategies aimed at enhancing supervision capacity including supervisor training. However, it is difficult to compare these individual reports without a systematic attempt at filtration in which studies are evaluated for methodological rigour. The aim of this study was to consolidate the body of literature reporting on strategies aimed at enhancing supervision capacity which satisfies a threshold of methodological quality. The present study was a systematic review evaluating published literature from 2003 to 2013 that report on strategies aimed at enhancing supervision capacity. Only full-text, English articles within the UWC library databases were considered for inclusion provided that they report on the specified target group and focus of the study. Identified articles were evaluated on three levels: titles, abstract, and full text. Four instruments were used to facilitate data extraction and quality assessment including a Title summary sheet, abstract summary sheet, critical appraisal tool, and data extraction sheet. Meta-synthesis of included texts was conducted. Ethics: Permission to conduct the study was obtained from the appropriate committees at the University of the Western Cape (Registration number: 14/5/18). The information sources used in this study were all previously published and are in the public domain; therefore no additional permission for access was required. The study formed part of a larger NRF funded parent study. Thus the distinction between collaboration and plagiarism was carefully monitored given the collaboration between the present study and the larger parent study.

Community college completion rates have remained stagnate over the past decade; therefore, college leaders and policy makers continue to seek institutional factors that positively affect graduation rates. The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society (PTKHS), the nation’s largest and oldest honor society for community college students. The completion rates of PTKHS members and rates of other students were investigated using simple statistical procedures for determining significance of differences in proportions. Data sources included published data from the National Center for Education Statistics Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System surveys, the National Student Clearinghouse, and Beginning Postsecondary Student Longitudinal Study. Results indicate completion gaps between PTKHS and other community college students were substantially high, so much so in fact, that tests of significance were not needed to assist the audience of this research in determining the definite impact of PTKHS on student success.

No description available.

While administrators, faculty and students of community colleges have embraced web-based instruction, it is essential to understand the progress and success of such instruction. The primary purpose of the study was to investigate whether there were differences in completion and passing rates between courses offered in traditional classroom and web-based instructional formats that were taught by the same instructor(s) at least once using both instructional media. The secondary related purpose was to determine whether there were differences in completion and passing rates among courses taught in different academic disciplines, including both traditional and web-based courses. The population consisted of 3,601 students enrolled in courses offered in both instructional delivery formats during the academic years 1998 through 2002. The findings demonstrated that the proportion of female students enrolled in identical courses offered in the web-based format was higher than the proportion of their male counterparts enrolled in the same instructional format. Approximately two-thirds of the students enrolled in courses offered via the web-based format in this study were 23 years and older as compared with students 22 years and younger. Differences in both completion and passing rates were found between the traditional and web-based formats. In both instances the rates for traditional instruction were higher. When course grade point averages (GPAs) were compared in both formats, courses offered in the traditional classroom setting had higher mean GPAs as compared with the mean GPAs of identical courses taught by the same instructor or instructors in the web-based delivery method. Regarding differences among academic divisions, for the courses offered in the traditional format, no differences in the mean course completion rates were found. However, there were differences for identical courses offered in the web-based format. The study's findings revealed that there were differences in the mean passing rates for courses offered in traditional format. When the GPAs were compared among the seven academic divisions, differences were found for courses offered in the traditional format. Despite no differences found in course completion rates between younger and older students in web-based instructional format, significant differences were found in identical courses offered in the traditional setting.