Because most academic advisement programs were established to accomodate traditional student populations, it was the purpose of this study to compare the effectiveness of these systems as perceived by traditional and non-traditional undergraduate students at three of Tennessee's regional universities. Traditional and non-traditional students were also compared on the extent to which they exhibit self-directed learning. A comparison of mean scores was made for responses made to items contained in the American College Testing (ACT) Survey of Academic Advising, including the total mean score for the Oddi Continuing Learning Inventory (OCLI) between traditional/non-traditional students, full-time/part-time students, students at the three universities, males/females, students of different races, and married/unmarried students. There were no significant differences found as to the perception of overall advisement effectiveness between traditional/non-traditional students, full-time/part-time students, students at the three universities, males/females, students of different races, or married/unmarried students. However, differences were found among the groups. Part-time students were more satisfied with the performance of their advisors in relation to various questions than full-time students. Non-traditional students were generally more satisfied with their personal relationship with their advisors and also obtained a higher mean score on the OCLI than traditional students. Significant differences were found among students responding from the three universities to questions regarding advisor availability, referrals by advisors, and the initiation of meetings on the part of the advisor. It is recommended that academic advisement programs be evaluated on a continuing basis and that advisors be made available to meet the needs of various groups represented in each college, especially part-time and non-traditional students. It is also recommended that more research be conducted relative to the various groups that presently make up student populations as to possible correlation between various individual and group characteristics that might impact academic advisement. Included in those additional studies could be examination of differences of perceived advisement between students at various types and sizes of institutions as well as a comparison of perceived advisement effectiveness between institutions having various student/advisor ratios. (Abstract shortened with permission of author.)

An increase in nontraditional student enrollment continues in community colleges nationwide. Little is known about the interactions between mixed-age groups of students. This qualitative collective case study explored the academic and social influences of non-traditional students on their traditional peers in the community college classroom at a large, midwestern 2-year college. Tinto's interactionalist theory framed the study. Purposeful sampling was used to select 30 participants (13 traditional students, 13 non-traditional students, and 4 instructors) who represented the college population in terms of gender and racial and ethnic diversity. Interview questions were guided by the research questions, and data were also analyzed through inductive analysis. Data were hand-coded and a constant comparative method was used to categorize data into common themes. Findings indicated that non-traditional students play a positive role in community college classrooms. They serve as mentors to their traditional classmates, building relationships and sharing life and work experiences, as well as positive behaviors that contribute to traditional students' overall success. The positive influences the data revealed from interactions between nontraditional and traditional students included improvement in learning, retention, engagement, and confidence. Findings contributed to social change as nontraditional students' influence on traditional students could serve as a catalyst for practices that will benefit all community college students.

Community colleges in Western North Carolina have enrolled many displaced workers who lack basic academic skills and are unable to find jobs. This study focused on the problem of displaced workers with low academic skills who rarely advance beyond Adult Basic Education (ABE) classes for retraining in high-tech job skills. The purpose of this single case study was to determine the barriers that prevent functionally illiterate displaced workers or nontraditional students enrolled in ABE programs from completing ABE classes and advancing to retraining programs. The adult learning styles and learning impediments framework were used to study what prevented student advancement beyond the ABE programs. Eight students were purposefully identified and agreed to participate in the study. The student participants completed open-ended questionnaires, participated in semi-structured individual interviews, and were observed in a classroom environment. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive coding and thematic analysis. The study produced 2 key themes that may help students succeed: (a) ABE instructors should adapt teaching methods to adult learning styles, and (b) the primary focus of ABE programs should be on the improvement of basic English language skills. The results of this study can be used by ABE directors, ABE instructors, and community college administrators as they seek to improve adult learning in ABE programs, increase students' technical skills, and get displaced workers back to work.

This longitudinal study set out to improve the retention and achievements of diverse students on computing courses in one wide access university, firstly by early identification of students at risk of poor performance and secondly by developing and implementing an intervention programme. Qualitative data were obtained using the ASSIST questionnaire, by focus group discussions and an open-ended questionnaire on students’ experiences of the transition to higher education (HE). Quantitative data on student characteristics and module results were obtained from Registry. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS version 10. The study comprised two phases where phase one sought to enable the early detection of students at risk of poor performance by investigating the data set for patterns that may emerge between student achievement at Level 1 and entrance qualification, feeder institution, approaches to learning, conceptions of learning, course and teaching preferences and motivation. Phase one findings showed a trend of poorer performance by students who entered computing courses in HE with an AVCE entrance qualification. It was also shown that mature students scored more highly on the deep approach scale compared to their younger counterparts. Phase two investigated the data set for patterns that may emerge between student achievement at Level 2 and entrance qualification, approaches to learning, conceptions of learning and course and teaching preferences. Phase two, using action research, also sought to develop an intervention programme from the findings. This intervention programme was designed to improve aspects of information delivery to students; the personal tutor system, assessment régimes, Welcome Week, and teaching and learning. Piloting, evaluation and refinement of the intervention programme brought changes that were seen as positive by both staff and students. These changes included the Welcome Week Challenge which involved students in activities that sought to enhance students’ interactions with peers, personal tutors and the school and university facilities. These findings have shown that, for staff in wide access HE institutions, some knowledge of the previous educational experiences of their students, and the requirements of those students, are vital in providing a smooth transition to HE. A model of the characteristics of a successful student on computing courses in HE and a model for enhanced retention of diverse students on computing courses in HE were developed from the research findings. These models provide a significant contribution to current knowledge of those factors that enhance a smooth transition to HE and the characteristics of a successful student in a wide access university.

Submitted by PATRICIA LANA PINHEIRO GUERREIRO (patricialanap@gmail.com) on 2016-08-26T19:26:52Z No. of bitstreams: 1 TESE VERSÃO IMPRESSÃO - PATRICIA LANA - 18.08.16.pdf: 1664158 bytes, checksum: 0f831864a2134c7bbb9742204afb03ca (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Ana Paula Grisoto (grisotoana@reitoria.unesp.br) on 2016-08-30T14:15:08Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 guerreiro_plp_dr_mar.pdf: 1664158 bytes, checksum: 0f831864a2134c7bbb9742204afb03ca (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-08-30T14:15:08Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 guerreiro_plp_dr_mar.pdf: 1664158 bytes, checksum: 0f831864a2134c7bbb9742204afb03ca (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-08-15 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / Historicamente, a profissão docente tem sido desvalorizada, e não há pesquisas, em perspectiva internacional comparada com o Brasil, sobre as representações sociais da profissão docente por estudantes em formação, sobretudo os pertencentes a minorias. O objetivo desta tese consistiu em investigar as representações sociais sobre a profissão docente por alunos não tradicionais em formação em Marília-SP, e em Estocolmo, na Suécia. Estudantes não tradicionais, em linhas gerais, são os que ingressaram na educação superior após as políticas de expansão, modificando o corpo discente que antes era restrito à elite. São estudantes oriundos de classes menos favorecidas, podendo ser os primeiros de suas famílias a ingressarem nesse nível educacional. Participaram do estudo cinco estudantes cotistas do curso de Pedagogia da Universidade Estadual Paulista (Campus de Marília), e seis estudantes de cursos de formação de professores da Universidade de Estocolmo. A pesquisa envolveu revisão bibliográfica sobre pesquisa comparada, de formação inicial de professores e dos sistemas educacionais dos dois países. Empiricamente, os dados foram coletados por meio de entrevista semiestruturada, sendo a análise pautada pela Teoria das Representações Sociais (TRS) de Moscovici como práticas discursivas, em perspectiva interdisciplinar com a análise do discurso de linha francesa, em que se ressalta a ancoragem nas memórias discursiva e coletiva no processo de construção das representações sociais. A tese se mostrou com potencial para contribuir para a produção do conhecimento em educação por não encontrarmos estudos comparados sobre a temática em perspectiva comparada entre países substancialmente diferentes e pela pertinência da TRS como práticas discursivas para a análise dos dados. Houve o compartilhamento de práticas discursivas muito semelhantes entre os estudantes, mostrando como as memórias coletiva e discursiva não dependem de limites geograficamente estabelecidos. Os resultados revelaram tanto a profissão docente quanto a formação de professores como extremamente importantes para a sociedade, além de uma profissão desvalorizada socialmente, financeiramente e com condições de trabalho extenuantes, que o gosto pela profissão e a inspiração de bons professores foram as maiores motivações para a escolha desse caminho profissional, que os efeitos negativos das políticas neoliberais em educação não podem ser ignorados, e que as cotas são vistas em um misto de insatisfação e de justiça social na forma de ação afirmativa. / Historically, the teaching profession has been devalued, and there is no research in an international and comparative perspective with Brazil on the social representations of the teaching profession by students in training, especially those belonging to minorities. The goal of this thesis was to investigate the social representations about the teaching profession by non-traditional students in training in Marilia-SP, and Stockholm, Sweden. Non-traditional students, in general, are the ones who entered higher education after its expansion policies, modifying the student body that was previously restricted to the elite. They are students from poorer classes, and may be the first in their families to join this educational level. The non-traditional students who participated in the research were five undergraduate students of Pedagogy at the São Paulo State University (Campus of Marilia), and six students of teacher training courses at the University of Stockholm. The research involved literature review on comparative research, on initial teacher training and on educational systems of both countries. Empirically, the data were collected through semi-structured interviews, and the analysis were performed according to the Social Representation Theory (SRT) of Moscovici as discursive practices, within an interdisciplinary approach to the French discourse analysis, emphasizing the anchorage in the discursive and collective memories in the process of social representation construction. The thesis has shown the potential to contribute to the production of knowledge in education, because we did not find comparative studies on the subject in a comparative perspective between substantially different countries, and because of the relevance of the SRT as discursive practices for the data analysis. Very similar discursive practices were shared by the students, showing how the collective and discursive memories do not depend on geographical limits. The results showed both the teaching profession and teacher education as extremely important to society, a socially and financially devalued profession, with strenuous working conditions, the taste for the profession and the inspiration of good teachers as the major motivations for choosing this career path, that the negative effects of neoliberal policies in education cannot be ignored, and that the quotas in Brazil are seen in a mix of dissatisfaction and social justice in the form of affirmative action. / CAPES: 5145/14-7

The WSCC ADN program had 66.57% persistence rate between the years 2000-2004. This retrospective study analyzed 28 demographic, pre-clinical, and clinical variables to identify correlates for persistence within the WSCC ADN program. The population size was 730 first-time candidates or the entire population of five consecutive clinical classes graduating between the years of 2000-2004. The candidates were identified and the variables tabulated using the WSCC student information system. SPSS 13.0 software was employed to conduct descriptive, frequency, multiple regression, multivariate analysis of variance, and univariate analysis of variance tests. The criterion variables included persistence within the entire population, gender-specific persistence factors, and age-specific factors within the traditional and non-traditional populations that persisted. Descriptive and frequency analysis found that most candidates were female (90.82%), Caucasian (96.44%), and classified as non-traditional (63.97%). Females and particularly non-traditional females maintained the highest persistence rates. The mean pre-clinical and clinical admittance ages were 25.04 and 28.39 years. Seventy percent of the candidates lived within the WSCC service area. The mean distance commuted was 37.71 miles. Statistical tests revealed that nine predictor variables influenced persistence within the entire population. The largest contributors of variance were 2nd semester clinical GPA (η2 = .33), cumulative pre-clinical GPA (η2 = .15), and grades in microbiology (η2 = .14). These variables along with the number of course withdrawals and/or grades of “F” were found to be major indicators for persistence within the female and male sub-populations. The number of full-time semesters was a more significant contributor in the male population (η2 = .12) than the female population (η2 = .02). Data analysis revealed that non-traditional students who persisted had higher human anatomy and physiology II grades while the traditional students had a higher rate of transferring coursework into the nursing program. These findings will aid in the direction of the recruitment, evaluation, and selection of potential candidates for this very demanding program of study while validating the importance of prerequisite core knowledge. The findings should serve as predictive evidence to better identify and inform potential “at-risk” candidates of the factors that affect persistence in this nursing program.

Predictive statistical modeling shows promise in accurately predicting academic performance for students enrolled in online programs. This approach has proven effective in accurately identifying students who are at-risk enabling instructors to provide instructional intervention. While the potential benefits of statistical modeling is significant, implementations have proven to be complex, costly, and difficult to maintain. To address these issues, the purpose of this study is to develop a fully integrated, automated predictive modeling system (PMS) that is flexible, easy to use, and portable to identify students who are potentially at-risk for not succeeding in a course they are currently enrolled in. Dynamic and static variables from a student system (edX) will be analyzed to predict academic performance of an individual student or entire class. The PMS model framework will include development of an open-source Web application, application programming interface (API), and SQL reporting services (SSRS). The model is based on knowledge discovery database (KDD) approach utilizing inductive logic programming language (ILP) to analyze student data. This alternative approach for predicting academic performance has several unique advantages over current predictive modeling techniques in use and is a promising new direction in educational research.

The growth of a country's economy is highly dependent on the levels of skills available in that country. South Africa has a stark shortage of skilled individuals due to an inadequate and failing education system (Horwitz, 2013). As a response to this problem the South African government actively incentivises organisations to develop the skillset of their employees in order to build a strong economy, improve job creation and promote social development (Department of Higher Education and Training, 2019). It is therefore important that all stakeholders involved yield a return on this investment. It is also a global phenomenon that an increasing number of fulltime employees are also engaging in formal further studies due to the rapid changes in the labour market. For example, advancements in technology have had a major impact on traditional business models and the roles, and skills needed. These employees are referred to as non-traditional students and are the subject of this study. Research shows that trying to manage both work and school simultaneously can cause psychological strain for non-traditional students (Adebayo et al., 2008). The psychosocial safety climate (PSC) is an emerging construct which refers to the shared perceptions regarding policies, practices and procedures designed to protect the psychological health of employees (Dollard et al., 2012). This study builds on existing research in the work - school interface by investigating its application within the South African context. Participants in this research (n=127), comprised of non-traditional students (n=40) and employees who are not engaged in further studies (n=87). Correlation analysis demonstrated that PSC had a positive relationship with work school facilitation (WSF) and a negative relationship with work school conflict (WSC). It was further confirmed that job control (JC) mediated the relationship between PSC and WSF and that PSC mediated the relationship between JC and WSF. These findings show that PSC is an antecedent to the work school interface in that it promotes the positive outcomes of studying while working (work school facilitation). It further demonstrates that PSC also reduces the negative outcomes (work school conflict). This study confirmed that the working environment plays a crucial role in the work school interface and introduces PSC as a construct South African organisations should be concerned with and make a priority, based on the resources it provides employees, more especially their non-traditional students. This study's findings will add to the existing body of research and provide practical insights for enhancing the PSC application within South African organisations who have non-traditional students.

This study uses the competing Burton Clark's "Cooling Out Theory" and Daniel Bell's "Theory of the Postindustrial Economy" to examine the function that for-profit colleges and universities (FPCUs) play in American higher education and how it is different from non-profit traditional colleges and universities (TCUs). This was done through three sections of analysis. The first examined if students who enroll at these FPCUs are less academically prepared than those attending non-profit traditional colleges or universities. The second tested if academic preparedness is associated with postsecondary performance at FPCUs to the same degree it is at TCUs. The final section of analysis looked at FPCU graduates to see if they have different short-term job outcomes when compared to traditional college graduates. This research utilizes The Beginning Postsecondary Survey 2009- a restricted-use longitudinal data set produced by the National Center for Education Statistics that followed 16,700 first-time college enrollees from 2003 until 2009. This data set includes information on student demographics, academic performance, enrollment history, and job outcomes. The results of this study indicated that when compared to traditional college students, FPCU students are less likely to be academically prepared for college and are more frequently characterized by risk factors that previous research has shown makes it less likely they will complete their degree. This research also found that unlike TCUs, high school academic performance is not associated with post-secondary performance or likelihood of degree attainment at FPCUs. Finally, it was observed that FPCU graduates were less likely to have jobs related to their degree and earned less income than TCU graduates, but had about the same degree of job satisfaction.

Non-traditional students make up approximately 20% of the undergraduate student population nationwide and are one of few segments of the student population that are not provided with targeted programs and services. To help this cohort achieve their goals whilst universities can increase their retention rates, this research begins a review of the non-traditional student literature to gain an understanding of what this population faces as far as barriers to their education. The literature also provides recommendations and further information in retention efforts to support the student during their academic years. Next, an analysis of non-traditional student support services at 4-year public universities was conducted between 15 different institutions, including the University of Central Florida. Only two of the universities in this study had a department or office specifically to support the needs of this cohort, one being the smallest universities in this research study and the other was one of the largest. Three more universities researched have a program dedicated to these students. The remaining 10 universities had little to no non-traditional student support structures in place at their university. This research provides 34 different methods for providing non-traditional student support to universities across the nation.