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A growing trend in high schools across the state is the use of dual credit and dual enrollment courses to better prepare high school students for college or the work force. Given the increase in dual credit and dual enrollment participation and the goal of creating a more seamless transition from high school to college, the effectiveness of these programs needs to be researched. The research hypothesis for this study states that students who participate in a dual credit and dual enrollment program during high school are more likely to complete an associate degree within 3 years than students who do not participate in dual credit and dual enrollment, when accounting for covariates such as gender, race, and socioeconomic status. This study examined the effectiveness of dual credit and dual enrollment programs, particularly with regard to associate degree completion, credit hour accumulation, and college GPA. The participants in this study were 1st-time, full-time students enrolled during Academic Year 2007 at 5 of the 15 community and junior colleges in state of Mississippi. The sample included 6,029 students, of which 255 had previously participated in a dual enrollment or dual credit program. This study revealed that dual credit and dual enrollment participation positively affects postsecondary outcomes for students enrolling in community colleges in the areas of associate degree completion and college GPA. Students who started college with prior experience in a dual credit or dual enrollment program were 2.51 times more likely to complete an associate degree within 3 years of first-time, full-time college enrollment than individuals who did not participate. Additionally, the study revealed that factors such as SES, gender, and race had an effect on college GPA; and that SES and race affected the number of credit hours earned by community college students. Given the positive outcomes resulting from participation in dual credit and dual enrollment programs, these programs certainly bear consideration for expansion and further study in the future, particularly given the growing availability of longitudinal data within statewide longitudinal data systems that have launched in recent years across the United States.

Early college entrance programs have existed in the United States since the 1950s, but in-depth research on academic success in these programs is lacking. Every year, early college entrance programs utilize a variety of data-gathering and candidate-screening techniques to select hundreds of students for admission into these accelerated programs. However, only a smattering of research articles has discussed the factors that predict academic success in these programs. This exploratory study investigated commonly-relied-upon admissions data points—such as high school GPA and ACT scores—and demographic information—such as sex, ethnicity, and locality—to see if any of these factors predicted academic success: namely, graduation and early college entrance program GPA. Secondary data from nearly 800 students admitted over an 11-year period to a state-supported, residential early college entrance program located at a large Southern university in the United States were utilized for this study. Logistic regression failed to yield a model that could accurately predict whether or not a student would graduate from the program. Multiple regression models showed that high school GPA and ACT scores were predictive of performance, and that factors like locality and ethnicity can have predictive power as well. However, the low variance in performance explained by the variables included in this study demonstrates that high school GPA, standardized test scores, locality, sex, and ethnicity can only tell us so much about a student's likelihood of success in an early college entrance program.

Das zentrale Ziel der vorliegenden Arbeit besteht einerseits darin, die Verteilung von Gd in GaN:Gd mit Gd-Konzentrationen von 10^16–10^19 cm^-3 mittels fortgeschrittener (Raster-) Transmissionselektronenmikroskopie [(S)TEM] zu bestimmen. Darauf basierend wird zum anderen das Verständnis des Mechanismus, der diese Verteilungen bewirkt, entwickelt. Wir diskutieren detailliert die Anwendung und die Grenzen von (S)TEM-Abbildungsmethoden und quantitativen Analysenmethoden und von Modellierungsmethoden, um Nano-Cluster in epitaktischen Halbleiterschichten zu beobachten und zu analysieren. Außerdem werden Fallstudien zweier Materialsysteme betrachtet, die offensichtlich Nano-Cluster aufweisen. Schließlich sind wir in der Lage, die in GaN:Gd auftretenden GdN-Cluster zu identifizieren und ihre atomare Struktur zu bestimmen. Dehnungskontrastabbildungen mit Kontrastberechnungen belegen eindeutig das Auftreten von kleinen, plättchenförmigen GdN-Clustern. Diese Cluster weisen nahezu gleiche Abmessungen auf und liegen mit der ausgedehnten Fläche parallel zu den GaN(0001)-Basalebenen. Dieses Ergebnis wird durch Dunkelfeld-STEM-Abbildungen (Z-Kontrast), bestätigt. Die starke, lokale Gitterdehnung (Verzerrungsfeld), die durch die Cluster hervorgerufen wird, ist in HRTEM-Aufnahmen abgebildet und quantitativ ausgewertet worden. Durch den Vergleich von Verzerrungsfeldern, die experimentell ermittelt worden sind, mit theroretischen Feldern schließen wir auf Cluster aus zweilagigen GdN-Plättchen mit einem Durchmesser von wenigen Gd-Atomen. Ihre interne Struktur entspricht etwa der NaCl-Phase des GdN. Dieses atomare Strukturmodell erlaubt unsere Diskussion der Energieverhältnisse der Cluster. Die Ergebnisse implizieren, dass die treibende Kraft für die beobachtete Plättchengröße ein Gleichgewicht zwischen der Zunahme von kohäsiver Energie und der Einschränkung durch die Dehnungsenergie an der Grenzfläche zwischen GdN-Cluster und GaN-Wirtsgitter aufgrund der Gitterfehlanpassung ist. / The central goal of this dissertation is (1) to clarify the distribution of Gd atoms in GaN:Gd with Gd concentration in the range between 10^16–10^19 cm^-3 by means of advanced (scanning) transmission electron microscopy [(S)TEM]; and based on that, (2) to understand the mechanisms that control such distribution. We discuss in detail the application and limitations of (S)TEM imaging and analysis techniques and modeling methods dedicated to the study of embedded nano-clusters. Besides, two case studies of semiconductor material systems that contain apparently observable nano-clusters are considered. One is about intentionally grown InAs nano-clusters embedded in Si and the other study the formation and phase transformation of Bi-containing clusters in annealed GaAsBi epilayers. Finally, we are able to identify the occurrence of GdN clusters in GaN:Gd samples and to determine their atomic structure. Strain contrast imaging in conjunction with contrast simulation unambiguously identifies the occurrence of small, platelet-shaped GdN clusters. These clusters are nearly uniform in size with their broader face parallel to the GaN (0001) basal plane. The result is confirmed by dark-field STEM Z-contrast imaging. The strong local lattice distortion (displacement field) induced by the clusters is recorded by HRTEM images and quantitatively analyzed. By comparing the displacement fields which are analyzed experimentally with these fields that are derived from energetically favored models, we conclude that the clusters are bilayer GdN with platelet diameter of only few Gd atoms; their internal structure is close to rocksalt GdN. This atomic structure model enables our discussion about the energetics of the clusters. The results indicate that the driving force for the formation of observed platelet in specific size is a compromise between the gain in cohesive energy and the penalty from interfacial strain energy due to lattice mismatch between the GdN cluster and GaN host.

Syftet med studien var att se om psykiskt välbefinnande hos avhoppare från sekter är relaterat till förekomsten av psykiska övergrepp i den rörelse som lämnats samt att undersöka hur avhoppares psykiska välbefinnande ser ut. Deltagare var 57 avhoppare från åtta olika religiösa rörelser i Sverige. De rekryterades huvudsakligen genom hjälporganisationer för avhoppare och deltog genom att svara på frågor via ett nätformulär. Resultaten visade att högre förekomst av psykiska övergrepp, mätt med GPA-skalan, var relaterat till sämre psykiskt välbefinnande, mätt med CORE-OM, vilket var enligt hypotesen. Det fanns däremot inte något samband mellan psykiskt välbefinnande och antalet år i rörelsen eller antalet år sedan avhoppet. Vidare framkom att avhoppare har sämre psykiskt välbefinnande än normalbefolkningen, vilket var enligt hypotesen, där högt riskbeteende var utmärkande. Ett förslag till slutsats är att sämre psykiskt välbefinnande hos avhoppare till stor del orsakas av psykiska övergrepp som förekommit i rörelsen. Vidare indikerar resultaten att vården bör vara observant på riskbeteende hos denna patientgrupp samt att avhoppare skulle vara hjälpta av större kunskap hos vårdpersonal om sektmiljöer. / The aim of this study was to examine if psychological well-being among ex-cult members is related to the extent of psychological abuse in the group, and to investigate the level and characteristics of their psychological well-being. Participants were 57 ex-cult members from eight different Swedish religious groups, who were primarily recruited from organizations for ex-cult members. They participated by answering an internet questionnaire. The results showed that higher levels of psychological abuse, measured with the GPA-scale, was related to lower levels of psychological well-being, measured with the CORE-OM, which supported the hypothesis. On the other hand, no relation was found between psychological well-being and the number of years in the group or the number of years since leaving the group. Furthermore it was found that ex-cult members have a lower level of psychological well-being than the normal population, which was in accordance with the hypothesis, in particular showing an elevated risk behaviour. The suggested conclusion is that low psychological well-being among ex-cult members is to a great extent caused by psychological abuse in the group. The results also indicate that personnel in health care should be aware of risk behaviour among these patients and that ex-cult members would benefit from better insight in cult environments by personnel in health care.

Administrators of nursing programs in community colleges are aware of the need to retain and to graduate students to meet the growing demand for licensed practical nurses (LPNs). High attrition in a 2-year nursing program in South Carolina affected the number of students either graduating as a LPN after completing the third semester, or continuing in the program to become a registered nurse (RN). Guided by Jeffreys's nursing undergraduate retention and success model, this causal comparative study investigated the differences between students who were and were not successful in the initial 3 semesters of the program. Archival student records for all students entering fall 2012 through fall 2013 (n = 373) were analyzed using multiple ordinal logistic regression. The independent variables were demographics (age, gender, race/ethnicity), admissions qualifications (SAT/ACT scores, prior degree, or pre-nursing certificate), and academic performance (GPA in prerequisite courses, final course grades, and Kaplan standardized test scores). The dependent measure, student success, was defined by Jeffreys's pathways: attrition, failure, and retention (interim or continuous). Data analysis indicated GPA in prerequisite courses and grade in the first medical-surgical course were significant factors in predicting students successfully passing the initial 3 semesters. There were no other significant findings. Findings were incorporated into a recommendation for a policy change to increase the prerequisite GPA admissions requirement. Implications for social change include increased retention and graduation rates, thus preparing more students to enter the workforce as LPNs and contribute to reducing the nursing shortage.

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Friskolereformen 1992 innebar att den svenska skolan konkurrensutsattes. Expansionen av friskolor var snabb och idag går mer än 25 procent av alla gymnasieelever i en friskola. Denna studie avser att studera kunskapsutfallet av friskolereformen i den svenska gymnasieskolan. Studien baserar sig på en jämförelse mellan 19 län och studerar de förändringar som skett under åren 2004 till 2011 när andelen elever i friskola har förändrats. Som utfallsvariabler studeras gymnasiets slutbetyg, högskoleprovsresultatet samt övergången till högskola. Studien använder sig av multipel regression med länsfixa och årsfixa effekter. Resultaten visar att slutbetyget inte påverkas av andelen elever i friskola, däremot påverkas resultatet på högskoleprovet marginellt negativt. Studien finner dock samtidigt att andelen elever i friskola påverka övergången till högskolan marginellt positivt. / The number of independent schools in Sweden expanded rapidly as a result of the 1992 voucher reform. The effects were most noticeable in the upper secondary school with more than 25 percent of all Swedish students currently attending a private school. The aim of this paper is to examine the effects on upper secondary students' study-results as a result of the voucher reform. The paper compares study-results for 19 counties covering the years 2004-2011. The measured outcome variables used are grade point average, SweSAT-scores and transitions to higher education. The tool of analysis used is a multiple regression with county- and year fixed effects. The results from this paper show that grade point average is not affected by the number of students attending private schools, the SweSAT-scores drop marginally with a higher number of students in private schools. Finally the results display a weak positive link between the number of students attending private schools and transitions to higher education.

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