Adult educators are a growing part of American higher education. Because of their increasing prominence in adult education, it is essential to understand what roles these educators play and what motivates them to remain in the profession despite poor work prospects and conditions. Research to date, however, focuses primarily on the adult learner and not the adult educator. The purpose of this qualitative, multiple-case study was to explore the role and motivation for teaching of adult educators employed as adjunct faculty in an accelerated degree program at a small, liberal arts college in the northwest United States. Purposeful sampling was used to select the five participants for the study. All participants taught in the program for more than five years and were considered to be successful in their positions by peers, students, and administrators. The study employed a preliminary demographic survey to solicit initial background data on the instructors. Other data collection included in-depth, open-ended, face-to-face interviews, document analysis, and classroom observation. The results showed that all five participants identified the following roles and assumed them in the classroom: (a) facilitator, (b) listener, (c) specialist, (d) guide, (e) adviser, and (f) co-learner or colleague. Further results showed that all five participants were motivated to teach in the program for reasons other than monetary compensation. Although participants shared different levels of personal commitment to the institution, they all expressed extensive commitment to teaching, their discipline, and students. Motivating factors for teaching were (a) opportunity to teach part time, (b) love for the subject, (c) opportunity to gain more expertise in the field, (d) opportunity to grow and learn, (e) opportunity to give back, and (f) student success and growth. A major practical implication of this study is that adjunct faculty in an adult education program are motivated to teach for different reasons, but the primary motivation can be seen as altruistic versus monetary and practical. If college administrators want to produce and retain successful adjunct faculty, they must recruit and hire those individuals whose motivation for teaching is altruistic with a desire to enrich the lives of students.

This study investigates different factors related to master's degree graduates 1965-1976 in Physical Education at North Texas State University in order to gain information about the master's degree program's relevance to the subsequent career. The findings of the study support the following conclusions: 1. Approximately two-thirds of the graduates thought the program had satisfactorily prepared them for their current positions. 2. Seventy per cent of the graduates suggested there should be a core of courses required in the master's degree program in physical education. The courses most often included in the responses regarding core courses were Research Perspective in Physical Education, Thesis, Mechanical Analysis of Motor Skills, Professional Preparation in Physical Education, Administrative Problems in Physical Education, and Testing in Physical Education. 3. The greatest strengths of the master's degree program in physical education at North Texas State University as reported by the graduates were faculty, research work for students, teaching resources and courses available. 4. The greatest weakness of the master's degree program in physical education at North Texas State University as indicated by the graduates was availability of facilities. 5. The majority of the graduates suggested the following: candidates should be free to select a variety of courses, should have the opportunity to select a specialized track, candidates should be involved in the procedures for preparation of degree plan, should increase physical education facilities and equipment, and should supplement the library in the department in order to facilitate research of relevant periodicals and journals.

The final thesis is focused on comparative analysis of the educational systems in Finland and the Czech Republic. The purpose is to analyze the educational systems, compare them and find a solution for improvement in the tertiary education system in the Czech Republic. The purpose of the empirical part of this final thesis is to assess the potential impact of the introduction of tuition fees for non-European students in Finland. Comparative analysis and responses to questionnaires was used to find solutions and make suggestions for improving to the Czech education system.

The purpose of this study was to analyze the perceptions of critical strategies and challenges for shaping Masters' programs in public relations in California universities. Using a qualitative approach, this study reported the findings from Web site review and interviews with leaders at four California institutions offering graduate work in Public Relations. Four primary findings included: (1) Masters' degree programs in public relations fell into a wide range of disciplines and titles. (2) Close connections with industry practitioners strengthened curriculum and assessment. Connections often occurred through the use of practitioners as adjunct faculty, allowing current perspectives on public relations practices and use of media. (3) Experiential learning and authentic activities, both in the classroom and through internships, were critical. (4) Each program was designed to give students both the theoretical foundation and the practical application of the profession. These findings confirmed theoretic frameworks for ideal graduate education programs and professional frameworks from Public Relations Society of America. The study concludes with recommendations for practice. First, a high quality graduate program would include multiple perspectives from diverse faculty and participants. Second, a high quality graduate program would emphasize participatory cultures, incorporating a shared program direction, and a community of learners. The third attribute of a high quality graduate program in public relations would foster a community of learners. Planned breadth and depth course work would be the fourth important element. The last recommendation for developing and sustaining a high quality graduate program would be to attain or pursue adequate resources.