In present study interviews with five officials and the gathering of documentation carried out in a reception center for newly arrived refugees located in a medium-sized municipality in central Sweden. The aim has been on the basis of the collected empirical data to evaluate how the municipality worked to promote the integration of newcomers, what measures were available, whether there were existing goals, and how they were formulated, and the extent to which they were implemented. This constituted, together with earlier research and systems theory based framework for the study's conclusions. The study showed that communication between and within the investigated unit was partly flawed. It has also showed that there was a degree of conflict in organizational approaches within the examined entity which could cause bottlenecks in the activity. The current study also showed the difficulty in estimating the resources currently needed to cover the need of, among others, Swedish for immigrants. / I föreliggande studie har intervjuer av fem tjänstemän samt insamlande av styrdokument genomförts i en mottagningsenhet för nyanlända flyktingar beläget i en medelstor kommun i Mellansverige. Syftet har utifrån insamlad empiri varit att utvärdera hur kommunen arbetat för att främja integrationen av de nyanlända, vilka insatser som stod till buds, huruvida det existerat uppsatta mål, samt hur dessa var formulerade och i vilken utsträckning de efterlevts. Detta utgjorde tillsammans med den utvalda forskningen och den systemteoretiska basen ramverket för studiens slutsatser vilka resultat- och analysdelen grundat sig på. Studien visade att kommunikationen mellan och inom undersökt verksamhet till viss del var bristfällig. Den har även påvisat att det förekom ett visst mått av stridande organisatoriskt synsätt inom den undersökta enheten vilket kunde orsaka flaskhalsar i verksamheten. Den genomförda studien visade även på svårigheten i att beräkna vilka resurser som för tillfället behövdes för att täcka behovet av bland annat SFI-platser.

The purpose of this study was to build on the research already completed by the Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE) in the development of ACTE’s quality Program of Study Framework and accompanying evaluation instrument to examine the validity of the instrument’s results and its utility when used independently by local educators in a pilot test. The study used a two-phase mixed-methods design. In the first phase, 39 participating programs were evaluated using the instrument, consisting of 102 items organized into 12 elements. Representatives of participating programs, either teachers or administrators, then provided quantitative and qualitative feedback about the instrument, and 23 of the programs submitted Perkins program performance data. Results on the program evaluation instrument were correlated with the Perkins performance data to determine the criterion validity of the instrument. Correlations were significant for two of the performance measures, student technical skill attainment and completion, and positive but not statistically significant for student placement. Results related to the utility of the instrument, including for ease of use, practicality across programs, and usefulness of information, were all positive, and participants provided suggestions to further increase the possibility of wide scale future use. In Phase Two of the study, results of Phase One were used to inform in-depth interviews with a sample of five participants. These interviews provided further insight on the validity and utility questions guiding the study. The study is significant because it helps to more clearly define the characteristics of a high-quality CTE program and provide a standardized way to determine and improve the quality of CTE programs for millions of students around the country.

Syftet med studien var att utvärdera vad tidigare klienter på Lenagården HVB, ett behandlingshem för vuxna med psykiska problem, upplevde som värdefullt, respektive vad de upplevde som negativt eller saknade i sin behandling. Utvärderingsfrågorna utgick från Lenagårdens programteori samt aspekter som tidigare forskning kring institutionsbehandling pekat ut som viktiga för framgångsrik behandling. Data samlades in via kvalitativa intervjuer med fyra tidigare klienter. Systemteorin har använts som utgångspunkt för resultaatanalysen. Utvärderingen visar bland annat att gott bemötande i termer av vänlighet och respekt samt personalens kompetens ansågs vara värdefulla faktorer i behandlingen. Själva terapin och behandlingsmetoden ansågs av samtliga intervjupersoner vara givande. Individanpassade lösningar, delaktighet och en förtroendefull relation till terapeuten eller behandlaren var i sin tur avgörande faktorer för en positiv upplevelse av terapin och behandlingen. Andra faktorer som värdesattes var meningsfulla aktiviteter, att bo med andra klienter samt fortsatt kontakt med Lenagården efter avslutad behandling. Några negativa aspekter i behandlingen beskrevs som för lite personaltid, för kort vistelse samt brist på gemensamma aktiviteter. / The aim of this evaluation was to find out what former clients at Lenagården HVB, an institution for treatment of adults with psychological problems, experienced as important in their treatment and what they experienced as negative or missing. The questions answered by the former clients were based on the program theory of Lenagården as well as earlier research about residential treatment. Data was gathered by qualitative interviews with 4 former clients.System theory was used as a theoretical framework for the analysis of the results. The evaluation points out that the experience of being treated in a friendly and respectful manner, the staffs level of professional training and the treatment method in itself were considered important. A trustful relation to the therapist and participation in the treatment were essential for a positive experience of the treatment. Other important aspects of treatment were activities, living with other clients and continued relations with Lenagården after completed treatment. Some negative aspects that were mentioned were not enough time with the staff, too short stay and lack of organized activities.

Background: The focus of this dissertation is on methods associated with evaluating a program's merit and worth. There are many approaches documented in the literature for evaluating merit and worth. The focus is only on theory driven evaluation (TDE). The premise of TDE is the program theory (PT) must be understood before being able to evaluate the merit and worth of a program. One of the early limitations in the TDE literature was a lack of methods for deriving PT. Renger has recently published methodology describing how existing source documentation could be to develop a program theory. A key component of Renger's methodology is the validation of the PT. Renger suggested using subject matter experts (SME) and program staff to validate the PT. However, it is uncertain whether relying on SMEs to validate a PT is sufficient. Objectives/Methods: Thus the current work focuses on whether there is empirical (i.e., research) and/or statistical (i.e., correlation analyses) support for a PT generated by SMEs. Results: Findings of the correlation analysis provide some evidence of the effectiveness of SMEs validation process. Specifically, weak or very weak statistical support was found for 56.25% (N=9) of relationships between mechanisms of change depicted in the model from Aim 5 (N=16). The results of targeted literature review indicate a strong relationship between the PT generated by SMEs and targeted literature search. Specifically, research evidence was found for 13 (81%) relationships between mechanisms of change identified in the model from Aim 5. Conclusion: PT can be reconstructed from source documentation. Reconstructed PT should be validated. Validation by SME appears to be time a fast, cost-effective way of getting feedback on the initial draft of PT. However, due to the limited scope of targeted literature search and correlational analysis, it is not possible to conclusively determine whether relying on subject matter experts is sufficient to validate reconstructed Program Theory. More research on TDE validation methods is needed.

The aim of the study was to explore the methods used in horticultural therapy gardens in rehabilitating people suffering from fatigue syndrome. Nine horticultural therapy gardens were contacted of wich three chose to participate. Using case study as method e-mail interviews was carried out with the participants about their establishment and what kind of theories they based their methods upon. The material collected from the interviews was complemented with additional data from the establishments web pages and information pamphlets. Collected data was processed trough content analysis and then formed as background for the development of a program theory for horticultural therapy. The results show some variations in how the different establishments practice horticultural therapy and how they assess and follow up their work. The program theory of horticultural therapy contains gardening and residing in the garden, conversational therapy, autogenic exercise and stress managment. These activities are expected to lead to a higher degree of self perception, a reevaluation of one´s conceptions and higher self esteem. Through these activities the participants are given an increased ability to handle their lives, which in turn is thought to make it possible for them to return to work or studies. The abcense of clearly defined goals with the rehabilitation makes it difficult to determine how effective it is in bringing people with fatigue syndrome back to work. / Syftet med studien var att undersöka hur trädgårdsrehabilitering tillämpas av några verksamheter för att göra en jämförelse i syfte att påvisa likheter och skillnader. Nio verksamheter kontaktades varav tre valde att delta. En fallstudie utfördes där de tre verksamhetsansvariga intervjuades via e-post om sina verksamheters organisation och grundfilosofi samt hur verksamheten utväderades och följdes upp. Som komplement till intervjuerna granskades även verksamheternas presentationer av sig själva på hemsidor och i broschyrer. Resultatet ger en bild av hur tre verksamheter som bedriver trädgårdsrehabilitering för utmattningsdrabbade är utformade, samt i vilken utsträckning de gör utvärderinga och uppföljningar. Gemensamma inslag i rehabiliteringen var trädgårdsvistelse/aktiviteter, hantverksaktiviteter, samtal, stresshantering och avslappningsövningar. Utvärderingar och uppföljningar skedde i varierande grad och med olika mätinstrument. Som en del i att försöka tydliggöra de tänkta verkningsmekanismerna i trädgårdsrehabiliteringen och ge en översiktlig bild av metoden, utformades även en programteori. Den utgår från verksamheternas metoder samt vetenskaplig evidens inom området. Programteorin visar hur de tänkta aktiviteterna förväntas leda fram till slutresultatet. Den, för trädgårdsrehabilitering, utformade programteorin innehåller vistelse i trädgård och trädgårdsarbete, samtalsterapi, avslappningsövningar och stresshantering. Aktiviteterna förväntas leda till en ökad självinsikt, ett ändrat förhållningssätt och en bättre självkänsla, och genom det en ökad förmåga att hantera sin livssituation. Detta antas ge de förutsättningar som behövs för att kunna återgå till arbetsliv eller studier, alternativt fortsätta rehabiliteringen med arbetsträning. Avsaknaden av tydliga, mätbara mål med rehabiliteringen gör det svårt att värdera hur effektiv rehabiliteringsformen egentligen är på att återinföra utmattningsdrabbade i arbetslivet.

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Thesis advisor: Karen D. Arnold / No-excuses charter schools are arguably the most successful and controversial school-choice model of the last quarter century (Cheng et al., 2017). Typically following a college-for-all ethos, they demonstrate sizable gains in test scores and college acceptance rates for marginalized student populations (Davis & Heller, 2019). However, concerns regarding how these schools achieve these short-term outcomes using strict practices warrants further qualitative investigation (Golann, 2015). A paucity of research explores the influence of no-excuses practices on long-term college success outcomes extending beyond graduation and persistence rates to include well-being, career preparation, academic growth, and satisfaction (Mehta, 2020). This three-article dissertation investigates the perceived influence of a no-excuses charter high school on four-year college success from multiple perspectives. Following a qualitative case study approach (Merriam, 1998) grounded in a conceptual model of college success (Perna & Thomas, 2006), the study utilizes observations, document review, and semi-structured interviews––some including photo-elicitation (Harper, 2002). Article One explores the four-year college experiences of no-excuses charter high school alumni. Article Two examines institutional agents’ roles in implementing college-for-all practices within a no-excuses charter high school. Article Three draws on this case study to propose a process for merging qualitative research and program theory development for school improvement (Funnell & Rogers, 2011; Joyce & Cartwright, 2021). These articles identify and expound upon certain no-excuses components that positively and negatively contribute to students’ college success. Aspirational college talk, comprehensive college and financial aid application support, and a caring environment contributed to four-year college matriculation. However, pressure institutional agents experienced to meet short-term outcomes associated with normative definitions of college success resulted in one-size-fits-all approaches to teaching, behavior management, and college preparation that minimized opportunities for students’ identity formation, noncognitive skill development, social-emotional learning, and discovery of intrinsic college-going motivation. This study offers recommendations for (re)envisioning college-for-all policies and school-based practices to be more flexible, student-centered, and culturally responsive in ways that honor a student’s personhood while helping them go to college, thrive, and graduate. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2023. / Submitted to: Boston College. Lynch School of Education. / Discipline: Educational Leadership and Higher Education.

Case study design, employing qualitative research methods, was used to document and examine a mandatory service-learning program at a new, comprehensive, public university. The study examined service-learning from multiple perspectives. Institutional theory provided a framework for examining the influence of the environment on the conceptualization, adoption, and implementation of service-learning. Program theory was used to identify and analyze the program's conceptual underpinnings, including goals and objectives, intended outcomes for students, and program processes. Knowledge of how a program is supposed to work is useful for developing assessment questions, evaluating institutional effectiveness, and improving program performance. The study included a review of the history of service-learning at the university. Data were collected during the fall 2005 semester and were analyzed using both process and variance modes. Data sources included the following: 35 documents, which spanned the years 1991-2005; interviews with seven faculty members and four academic administrators; and observations of three meetings of service-learning courses, a Government and Not-for-Profit Service Learning Job Fair, and five meetings where service-learning was a primary topic of discussion. Previous studies served as the basis for the following researcher-developed constructs used to code text across data sources: social/civic outcomes, personal outcomes, learning outcomes, and career outcomes. Findings suggest that the goals and outcomes associated with service-learning found in university documents clustered around social and civic involvement, while outcomes reported by faculty during interviews focused on students' personal development and learning related to course content. In general, university documents contained goals and objectives written in vague language, a finding consistent with previous studies.

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