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This phenomenological study investigates the lived experiences of Chinese international students during the initial outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. It aims to delve into how these individuals articulate their experiences during the pandemic, with a particular focus on how their geographical location influenced their experiences. To achieve this, the study employs an innovative approach, integrating a phenomenological method with comparative analysis to elucidate the similarities and differences between students who remained in the US and those who returned to China. The analysis identified four principal themes among students in the US: (1) Online Learning Challenges, (2) Social Life Adaptation, (3) Self-Coping and Entertainment, and (4) Support and Resource Needs. Conversely, three themes emerged for students in China: (1) Online Learning Challenges, (2) Social Life Adaptation, and (3) Opportunities for Development. While certain experiences, such as (1) Online Learning Challenges, (2) Impact on Academic Discipline, (3) Technological Challenges, (4) Communication Challenges within School, and (5) Reflections on Decision, were common across both groups, distinct differences were observed in several areas, including (1) Social Life and Interaction, (2) Self-Care and Entertainment, (3) Racism and Safety Concerns, and (4) Reflection and Personal Growth. This study pioneers in exploring Chinese international students' experiences across different locations, offering insights for educators to enhance teaching and support strategies. As online learning solidifies its role, this study's findings can equip future students with essential guidelines for navigating university life in the US, aiming for better academic and personal outcomes. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

This doctoral capstone project assesses the impact and effectiveness of using peer mentoring workbooks as a tool to enhance the transition of college students with intellectual and developmental disabilities. A peer mentoring workbook was developed using theoretical frameworks to guide its design and identification of primary occupations, roles, and routines of college students. From here, four domains of college student life (dorm living, college social life, classroom management and participation, and community engagement and transportation) were developed to act as a framework for the workbook. Through the usage of Participatory Action Research, key stakeholders provided essential feedback that allowed for workbook modifications to better meet the needs of peer mentors and mentees. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected to assess the workbook's performance and the ability of peer mentors to successfully implement the workbook. Thematic analyses revealed the importance of role understanding, continued education, and volition of both mentors and mentees. The results of this project show that given the right contributing factors of role understanding, support, attitudes, and buy-in from both peer mentors and mentees, peer mentoring workbooks can be used as a tool to support students with intellectual and developmental disabilities in their new role of college student. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

This study explores the importance of holistic health practices based on evidence from various studies ranging from stress and burnout prevention from holistic practices to administrative support in an educational setting. Through researching these studies, new questions arose as to whether a limit exists to the preventative measures that may be taken to help alleviate stress and the subsequent impact. Current resources appear unclear if there are compounding benefits that may be achieved by attempting multiple paths to correct the impact of COVID-19-induced stress and burnout. The research conducted during this study explored the causes of stress and burnout along with the many ways that stress and burnout reduction occur. The researcher then designed a survey that collected data from 68 educators on perceived stress and burnout levels, holistic health practices employed by educators, educator logging practices, and the administrative support given to educators. The survey produced significant data that indicated the employment of activity, social interaction, adequate rest, and a nutritious diet correlated the most with lower levels of stress. The researcher then suggested different ways to practically apply the findings in an educational setting, like having activity options available in schools, making nutritious eating more accessible, moderating work-life balance to ensure recovery time, and creating time to socialize. As a result, this study hopes to encourage educators to employ holistic health practices, administrators to develop cultures that promote holistic health practices, and researchers to further explore the benefits and interactions of holistic health practices specific to educators. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

This qualitative case study explored the perceptions of college students at Cooper University, a large state university in the Northeastern United States, regarding connectedness, sense of belonging, and campus climate. Data were collected through a student questionnaire (n=104), interviews (n=6), and digital journals (n=6). Four major themes emerged from the analysis: social/personal connectedness, academic connectedness, sense of belonging, and campus climate, each with three subthemes. The findings indicate that the meaning and authenticity of connections, rather than the quantity of connections, impact students' perceptions of connectedness. A strong sense of belonging is linked to basic needs being met, such as safety, acceptance, and access to human rights. Success in academic and social settings also contributes to a sense of belonging. The campus climate, including inclusivity, equity, representation, safety, and warmth, influences students' ability to connect and belong in the community. The findings highlight the need for authentic connections, representation of minoritized and marginalized groups, cohesiveness between social and academic life on campus, and opportunities for students to explore their identity in a diverse community. Additionally, the results emphasize the importance of meeting basic needs for students to feel a sense of belonging. First-year opportunities, such as mentorship, efficient communication of available resources, and avenues for connecting with peers in academic departments, may also benefit students. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

This dissertation qualitatively studied the social interactions students with IDD had in Inclusive Postsecondary Education (IPSE) programs. Through a DSE lens, I analyzed the experiences of 15 current and former IPSE students to determine the phenomena of social interaction while at IPSE. Methods included focus groups, participant observations, and interviews with the participants. Adaptations of social circle diagrams and photovoice were also utilized. Findings illustrated the presence of ableism surrounding the lives of individuals with IDD. This ableism was apparent within many aspects of the participants lives and experiences during IPSE. Ableism across larger systems was impacting access to higher education spaces as well as social opportunities and personal relationships. Additionally, I discuss findings that implicate how to ensure future research with individuals with IDD is done inclusively and accessibly. Implications are given for higher education and K-12 policy and practice, as well as for research. Future directions for IPSE research are also discussed. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

Positive relationships can facilitate the adjustment to college. However, it is uncertain what specific characteristics of college students' personal networks of fellow college students lead to increased social connectedness and college wellbeing. Thus, the role of emerging personal networks in new students' transition to and adjustment to college was explored. Participants included 140 University of Georgia first-year students aged 18-24 who identified members of their personal networks between 6 and 11 weeks after arriving to campus. They were then asked a series of questions about those individuals, including demographic information, interaction context(s), and whether they knew the person prior to arriving to campus. They also completed a series of outcome and adjustment measures (e.g., connectedness, college wellbeing). Results indicated that larger personal networks (i.e., more social ties with whom to discuss important matters) predicted higher levels of connectedness and college wellbeing. This effect was more pronounced for men than for women. The number of interaction contexts in which students knew others did not predict connectedness or wellbeing during the initial transition to college. Racial heterogeneity (i.e., having a racially heterogenous personal network) predicted college wellbeing over and above the effect of network size. This effect was more pronounced for non-White (i.e., minority-race) students. Those with no new connections (i.e., all connections in their college network known prior to college) reported lower levels of college wellbeing but similar levels of connectedness compared to their peers with at least half of their network comprised of new connections. Implications are discussed. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

Campus police are ubiquitous: 95% of postsecondary institutions operate their own campus police department (Reaves, 2015). The rapid growth of campus policing in the last 50 years has coincided with rising enrollments of students from racially diverse and immigrant communities. Campus policing is generally framed as an instrument of crime control, yet this may overshadow how underrepresented students are surveilled and punished in ways similar to the policing of communities of color in broader society. In three empirical papers, I applied concepts from critical race theory, sociology, and ethnic studies to examine interview data from campus police officers, staff, administrators, faculty, and students. The first study compares all four groups' perceptions of campus policing. The findings illustrate how campus constituents perceived policing was justified through exploiting fear of victimization and constructing racialized meanings of who was a criminal and who was to be protected--what I call policing effects. The findings also described how campus police were embedded into structures of the university that expanded their power and authority to determine how campus constituents related to one another and the institution, what I refer to as "policed relations." In the second study, I examine the effects of campus policing further through the experiences of Black undergraduate men. I found that campus policing operates as a "racial boundary project" through shaping Black student social life to remain safe from police violence. In the third study, I examine how campus police officers respond to allegations of racism, finding that their racial beliefs are the product of a dialectical interaction between social location and structure, shaping how campus police negotiate reform efforts within an unequal social structure. Ultimately, I argue that campus policing functions as a race-making process that employs institutionally sanctioned force and violence to shape structural positions and social identities according to a racial hierarchy. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

Since the release of the Missouri Model for Trauma-Informed Schools approved by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) in 2019, school leaders were given the opportunity to start the process of meeting the emotional and fundamental needs of students. With the effects of trauma reaching all diverse groups of race, gender, economic status, and community surroundings, there is an increased need to use the education system to reach students emotionally. Though the model is a blueprint for schools, school districts are not required to adopt this model and implement it within their districts. Due to the recent pandemic, trauma has reached everyone across the world. The recent COVID-19 pandemic has caused some type of disruption to everyday life and social norms. Other traumas that children in the community have faced include incarceration, abuse, and neglect. Saint Louis, where this study took place, poverty is higher than that of the national and state averages. This mixed-methods study examined how different types of schools and roles within education systems used trauma-informed practices and how participants believe these practices can dismantle the ongoing effects of the School-to-Prison Pipeline. Through interviews and surveys, the researcher examined various types of questions to reflect how public, private, and charter schools and teachers, administrators, and support staff understand and implement these practices. The survey and interview addressed the definition of trauma, if and how participants use trauma-informed practices, as well as their discipline methods. There were just under 200 participants included across the city of St. Louis in public, private, and charter schools. To analyze this the researcher used the survey to differentiate between administration and staff, public, charter, and private school employees, and those who identify as trauma-informed and those who do not identify as trauma-informed. Using an ANOVA, the researcher analyzed survey questions. This analysis found there is no difference in their level of understanding as it pertains to trauma-informed practices. However, there was a significant difference in how participants enforce them and how fair and consistently they address students' social and emotional needs. The researcher recommends that school leaders work together to create consistency and accountability for their staff and students. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

FGCS experience barriers to college completion, graduate at lower rates, and drop out before the second year compared to non-FGCS. Previous research showed FGCS socially involved in programs, clubs, and organizations persist at higher rates than FGCS who are not socially involved. Astin's (1984) student involvement theory proposes students who are involved in different activities, on varying levels, flourished in a way that improved their chances of college completion. Thus, the purpose of this qualitative exploratory single-case study was to explore how FGCS, enrolled beyond their first year at a large urban community college in southeastern United States, described the role social involvement played in their persistence in higher education. The researcher utilized Yin's (2014) 5-step analysis process to analyze data from three sources and presented themes to address RQs. Social involvement provided an increased sense of belonging, feelings of support, opportunities to connect, and career related experiences. FGCS who were not formally involved in programs, clubs, and organizations described the same benefits from engagement and interaction with faculty and staff on campus. Results confirmed the positive impact of engagement and interaction with faculty and staff. FGCS described feeling valued, acknowledged, and appreciated that led to a stronger investment to the college, academics, their future, and persistence. Exploring FGCS social involvement experiences and the role of social involvement in relation to persistence is key, to develop social involvement activities including programs, and strategies to increase FGCS persistence. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

There is existing literature on college choice factors, as well as college choice factors specifically for students of color. However, limited literature exists on the college choice of students of color in the Deep South, an area historically plagued by racial tension and presently seeing an increase in racial diversity (Bankston, 2007; Adelman & Tsao, 2016). Framed through standpoint theory (Harding, 1992) and existing models of college choice (Cabrera & La Nasa, 2001; Chapman, 1981; Hossler & Gallagher, 1987), this study sought to understand why students of color choose to attend colleges and universities in the Deep South through the standpoint of the student. This study examined what factors affect the college choice of students of color attending institutions in the Deep South based on gender, race, and institution type (HBCU vs. PWI) by analyzing data from the 2014 version of "The Freshman Survey." Descriptive statistics and multivariate analyses of data were conducted, and the results indicated that, in general, the academic reputation of an institution, the jobs graduates receive, and the college's reputation for social activities were the top factors affecting the college choice of students of color choosing to attend institutions in the Deep South. Recognizing it is problematic to aid admissions professionals in recruiting students of color to institutions that may not be built to support them, this study provides admissions professionals with recommendations on how to recruit and retain students of color at their institutions. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

The persistent difficulty of retaining college students through graduation has become a global problem. The purpose of this quantitative, descriptive, and retrospective study was to apply data mining methods, tools, and algorithms to analyze enrollment data for issues affecting STEM students' retention at an historically black college (HBCU). The data source was a Johnson C. Smith University (JCSU) database containing demographic data, background data, commitment behavior, and social data. Students' enrollment data from JCSU were a useful data source to identify students who would most probably leave the institution. Results showed data mining approaches explained and predicted retention of all STEM students at JCSU. Results confirmed findings reported in the research literature that multiple factors affect undergraduate retention at HBCUs. The study showed that first semester GPA, number of class hours, and students' financial situations were important factors. Other factors such as lack of family emotional support and too many activities of social life might place students at risk of failing to complete their degree. The research also showed that institutional assistance in solving students' personal problems needs to be moderate; otherwise the effort might produce negative results. A secondary purpose of the study was to demonstrate the appropriateness and efficiency of data mining methodology applied to STEM students' retention. By providing insight into why students drop out before completing their degree, successful identification of students at risk could result in a program of directed retention intercession services. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

This study investigated the challenges of international students at Wilmington University in Delaware. It also discovered the opportunities to establish recruitment strategies domestically and internationally in order to increase enrollment. The experiences of two groups of students (international non-Turkish and Turkish students) were analyzed by using a mixed methods research technique. While the survey results revealed the experiences of international students, conducting interviews with a subgroup of Turkish students enhanced the study with more in-depth answers. The total number of participants was 162 international non-Turkish and 18 Turkish (n = 180) from 30 countries. It was found that both groups had common challenges while studying at Wilmington University. These challenges were social, cultural, language, financial, communication, academic, and visa related. More specifically, international non-Turkish students indicated a higher level of concern about maintaining contact with their families at home, understanding spoken American English, and learning how to understand and respond to American behavior. On the other hand, Turkish students indicated a higher level of concern about finding a good balance between schoolwork and social life, keeping up with the writing assignments, and securing jobs in the U.S. after graduation. In addition, the support mechanisms were discussed in order to provide assistance to international students. Lastly, the recruitment strategies were discovered domestically and internationally in order to increase international student enrollment. The recruitment strategies included the backyard recruitment, recruitment in emerging markets and recruitment through a work and travel cultural exchange program. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

Individuals with severe disabilities often face significant challenges after high school. During the last years of secondary school, transition teams develop plans for individuals who are receiving special education services. Little is known about the outcomes of those efforts. In this qualitative multiple case study, the researcher examined the lives of five individuals with multiple disabilities who have graduated high school in Middle Tennessee. Due to a common lack of emancipation for this population, a guardian of each individual was interviewed regarding their child's experiences thus far in adulthood. Topics of discussion included their child's outcomes in post-secondary education, employment, social life, transportation, independent living, and overall quality of life. Interviewees also discussed the greatest challenges in adulthood and the perceived effectiveness of the transition teams. Guardians also offered suggestions on how transition teams can improve their efforts, having now experienced life on the other side of their child's transition from high school. The theoretical framework for this study is Lev Vygotsky's social constructivism, also referred to as social development, in conjunction with his concepts of scaffolding and a zone of proximal development. Results of the study aligned with previous research, emphasizing a need for interest-driven employment, age-appropriate social opportunities, and dependable resources for individuals with severe disabilities after graduating high school. Some of the greatest challenges included a lack of dependable transportation and a need for more challenging day programs. Recommendations for future practice include placing a high value on the individual's unique passions and interests during the planning stage. Additionally, transition teams should bridge the gap between high school and adulthood by connecting students and families with possible employers or assistive agencies prior to graduation. Future research should analyze the impact of high expectations among the transition members and a student's outcomes in adulthood. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

In order to comfortably and effectively function in U.S. classrooms, both international students and domestic students benefit from the development of interactive and intercultural communication skills. At Purdue University, a large, public, R1 institution with a substantial international population, the internationalization of the student body is a priority. To examine the relationship between academic and social integration of international and domestic students on campus, international (ESL) undergraduate students (L2 English, n=253) from the Purdue Language and Cultural Exchange Program (PLaCE), and domestic undergraduate students (L1 English n=50) from the first-year composition program (ICaP), participated in a voluntary survey. The framework for investigating students' interaction with peers and teachers was derived from Severiens and Wolff (2008). Four aspects of new, incoming students' adaptation (Global Perspective, Intercultural Competence, Acculturation Mode, and Willingness to Communicate) were addressed by the survey. Although there were similarities between international and domestic students, the results revealed international students had more opportunities to interact with peers from diverse language backgrounds in formal academic contexts, including classroom activities, peer-group work in first-year programs and language programs. However, in informal, social contexts, neither international nor domestic students took advantage of opportunities to interact with each other. The tendency to prefer social interactions with co-nationals may contribute to social isolation and limited integration of international and domestic students within broader social contexts outside of classrooms. Yet, rather than resisting this trend, instructors and administrators might enhance opportunities for interaction in academic contexts where both groups are most willing to participate. Findings from this study can contribute to the development of first-year programs that provide realistic solutions for the enhanced internationalization of both domestic and international students on campus. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

This study used focus groups to investigate the perceived impact of dating and courtship rituals on academic achievement in the form of grade point average (GPA). Using the phenomenological method, the conversation of participants served as an opportunity to learn about the lived experience of African American female students that attended a Historically Black College University (HBCU). As their identities were formed through interactions at home, in church, and within their social circle, students utilized dating practices learned during adolescence to support and guide them while dating during young adulthood on the college campus. Using the dialogue of focus group participants, the study provides a sense of how the 7 participants formed their dating practices and their experiences once they began to date while attending college. The study also explored solutions such as mentoring, to help with a phenomenon that has a potential retention issue for campuses working to retain and support emerging adults. Based on participant responses results showed that addressing the the need for mentoring support and modeling of dating and courtship rituals can potentially help students be more successful academically by equipping them with courtship practices and thus avoid shame and guilt often associated with the "hook-up" culture. By addressing the deficits of dating practices for emerging adults' schools can impact a student's emotional state and consequently a student's ability to establish and maintain a strong GPA as they work towards graduation. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

Social movements on college campuses often encounter resistance by supporters of the status quo because change can be viewed as a threat to the traditions, power, and privilege afforded to the dominant population. This is evident in one case at a university where the Greek life social climate was heavily influenced by gender inequity issues and environmental factors that, over time, fostered conditions that enabled sexual assault to become normalized as part of its recruitment process. For at least two decades, the final round of Greek fraternity recruitment incorporated "Progressive" parties where the risks associated with the event escalated as students progressed through rooms involving excessive alcohol consumption, drug use, and sexually-charged themes and activities. Normalized as an honor to be invited and beneficial to a sorority's social status to have its members attend, the structure of these parties resulted in years of sexual assault of Greek women and men but was covered up to protect its values and traditions. This climate persisted until several women came forward to lead a social movement to enact a cultural shift and put an end to the Progressive parties that promoted sexual violence within the Greek community. Through interviews and analyses of documents, this dissertation will illustrate the extent to which elements of Feminist Identity Development Theory, Social Cognitive Theory, and Organizational Change research were evident in a social movement that was both publicly and covertly initiated by students and supported by Student Affairs professionals to alter the short and long-term cultural landscape of the Greek community. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

This phenomenological study is about the lived experiences of rural mothers who are pursuing their educational goals via online learning. How and why they negotiate the often conflicting roles of mother and of student in the ways that they do is the primary focus of this research. Cultural Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) is used to further analyze the data and in order to unpack the effects of the participants' rich cultural and historical backgrounds on their current daily lives. Five student-mothers each participated in three interviews and completed a daily journal for up to two weeks. The student-mothers shared details of their lives from birth to the present. In their first interviews, they recalled their life histories. Particular attention was paid to where they lived, whom they lived with, gender roles in their childhood homes, and their educational backgrounds. They shared details from their current lived experiences as student-mothers in their second interviews. A portrait of their experiences was created by focusing on the most pertinent aspects of their lives: their families, online programs, paid employment, division of domestic labor, extended families, and social lives. The student-mothers reflected on the meaning that was made and on themes that arose in their first and second interviews, during their third interview. They used their journals to note any reflections they had on balancing school, work, and family. The student-mothers who participated in this study prioritized their families and children above all else in their lives. They sacrificed sleep, friendships, and free time, along with many other things, to achieve their goals of earning a degree and to fulfill what they believed to be their purpose: to raise healthy, happy, well-adjusted children who feel loved. This study shows how and why. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

Much of the research about college student engagement is based upon self-reported surveys, but little is known about how students formulate responses to these instruments. The purpose of this study was to specifically address this dearth of knowledge by deepening our understanding of how students' perceptions of their environments and demographic characteristics influenced their response patterns on self-reported surveys. Bronfenbrenner's (2005) human ecology model of development, Bourdieu and Passeron's (1990) theory of social reproduction, and Tourangeau, Rips, and Rasinski's (2000) four phase survey response process were used, as the theoretical framework to better understand this phenomenon. This was an explanatory sequential mixed methods study, and the participants were first-year undergraduate students at a four-year, private institution in New England. Students completed the College Student Report (CSR) as well as a series of time-use diaries, and the results of the instruments were compared using descriptive and multivariate analyses. Finally, semi-structured individual interviews were conducted, which included aspects of retrospective cognitive interviewing, with twenty-seven (27) students to understand how their experiences and response processes were shaped by their individual campus experiences and identities. Findings from this study suggest the construct validity of self-reported survey data measuring behavioral frequency patterns is questionable, as students statistically significantly under reported time spent preparing for class, engaging in co-curricular activities, commuting to campus, and relaxing and socializing. Furthermore, student characteristics such as racial/ethnic identity and satisfaction with college choice statistically significantly explained some of the variance in the reporting behaviors of students after controlling for other factors. This information coupled with the data gleaned from the semi-structured individual interviews indicate factors related to how students differentially experience the campus environment based upon their unique ecological niches affects how they respond on self-reported surveys, which means the data provided by such instrumentation is likely providing substantively different information than how it is most commonly interpreted and applied. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

What does it mean to be "constantly connected" or to work for a "24/7" company? What does it mean to "disconnect" in an era of "always on" connectivity? This dissertation examines some of the textures of American life in an historical moment marked both by the arrival of ubiquitous computing and the development of a broad-based conversation about the value and merits of "disconnection." Taking a multi-sited ethnographic approach, I trace "connection" and "disconnection" as they manifest in discourse, practice, and lived experience across multiple scenes of American life--the suburban household, the contemporary workplace, disconnection retreats, and the wilderness of the Pacific Crest Trail. One of the central empirical findings of this dissertation is that connectivity was not "constant" for the participants in this research. Rather, observed patterns of technology use were "punctuated" and "variegated". Yet, many of these same participants also often described their lives as "constantly connected" and expressed desires to disconnect. The dissertation thus argues for the importance of separating analytically the diffuse and pervasive experiences of computing from moments of "interaction" and "use" that have traditionally been the focus Informatics and related fields. By attending to "computing as the context" for social life and human action, I argue that we can better attend to the ways that people situationally "arrange" computing artifacts and leverage constraints to shape their lived experience. This perspective also suggests a new understanding of "disconnection" as something less about unplugging from technological objects, and more about "a context shift, and social reconfiguration". When people disconnect, they are also altering possibilities for social interaction, and concomitant expectations and obligations. That is, disconnection appears as a "proxy" for short-circuiting habits and patterns of social life that exceed moments of device interaction and tool use. More broadly, this research draws attention to the ways that social values are produced through computing use and adoption, rather than perfectly embedded within technological artifacts through the intentions of the designer, and suggests that there are significant limits to the possibilities of design to intervene in contemporary scenes of busyness and overwhelm. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

This dissertation responds to the question: How is sexuality organized in elementary schools? I argue that despite the absence of overt discussions on sexuality in elementary schools, sexuality is "organized" through social processes that are recursively linked to ideology. Due to the widely held belief that "children" and "sexuality" occupy separate social realms, the pairing of elementary schools and sexuality rarely makes an appearance in education research. The study focuses on teacher treatment of sexuality as it arises in elementary school sites and offers a critical examination of the ways in which sexuality manifests and is managed, organized, contested, and reproduced in urban elementary schools. The dissertation furnishes a critical examination of the ways in which sexuality manifests and is managed, organized, contested, and reproduced in urban elementary schools. The driving argument of the dissertation is that elementary schools organize the meanings ascribed to sexuality by regulating children's behavior and speech--mainly through punitive measures or by pushing perceived sexual behaviors out of the school--which has the effect of producing normative understandings of sexuality. These actions work in contrast to the idea that "children" and "sexuality" occupy separate social realms, a common belief that has contributed to maintaining a void in education research on elementary schools and sexuality. In this study I further propose that sexuality and gender are organized and structured through enduring systems of race and class. One of the key findings is that while elementary school teachers and administrators do confront ongoing issues of sexuality on school grounds, they have limited strategies to deal with them. As a result, sexuality in its various forms is rendered a problem of social transgression. Methods for this study include ethnographic focus on one school located in an urban area in Northern California and 15 interviews with teachers, the research data and analysis offer practical and theoretical tools for elementary school teachers, curriculum, and policy with regards to sexuality. Participant observation was conducted during the 2010-2011 school year in a main fourth grade classroom on average three days a week for the entire school day. The schoolyard during recesses, around the grounds before and after school, on field trips, and during school assemblies, open houses, and parent-teacher conferences were also observed. Continuous and detailed documentation through field notes and analytic memos written during and after each site visit facilitate in-depth analyses of the complex organization of sexuality on school grounds and beyond with a focus on teacher as the main human subjects of the study. This research demonstrates that sexual ordering is "already" present in all aspects of social life, including spaces like elementary schools where there is an organized silencing of sexuality. Some examples of this are media-driven debates on bullying, sex education, curriculum on homosexuality, and health education in elementary schools. These debates organize sexuality through disciplining efforts that require labels for behavior, frameworks for sexual maturation and development, morality, and normative understandings of the body and mind. Such educational frameworks are based in ideology and produce cultural manifestations, such as dress codes and sex education. The research finds that although sexuality is organized in elementary schools, teachers are under-trained in dealing with the various sexuality-related issues that erupt in schools. They also desire formal instruction in this domain. As a result of feeling unqualified to teach on or discuss sexuality, they default to pushing it out of the classroom and school. Such practices within a liberal framework maintains a culture that is shameful and punishing of sexuality while claiming that it is "natural" and "normal." [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

This dissertation is an examination of the perceptions offered by adults who self-identify as being successfully retired. The increase in the percentage of the retiring population in the United States in the immediate future alerts us to the need to identify strategies that have been reported by retirees to successfully transition into retirement. The findings indicate that several common factors assist in the successful transition into and during retirement. Retirees in this study who had a timetable for prescribed retirement or a purpose that was a determining factor in the choice to retire had an easier transition and reported satisfaction in their retirement lifestyle. Retirees who were involved in an endeavor or activity that challenged them and gave a sense of self-worth and control over their schedule also contributed to a successful retirement. Seniors can use such strategies and make choices to maintain a quality of life as they age. Recommendations include strategies with financing, mental and physical health, and social activities that might yield a sense of purpose leading to improved self-esteem. These self-sufficient and independent seniors would be less of a strain on medical and social services. Findings of this study may be used to design and deliver adult education programs that serve retirees who seek to contribute to society through volunteerism and lifelong learning institutes. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

This dissertation consists of four chapters. Chapter 1 provides an overview of the evolved concept of disability and an introduction of the support needs construct to special education and related disciplines, as well as a summary of studies that examined the support needs of people with intellectual disability. This Chapter also presents research questions that will be addressed in this dissertation. Chapter 2 presents the relationship between individual variables and support needs, both with and without considering the exceptional support needs (medical and behavioral support needs), and investigates the underlying relationships among support needs that form the structure of the Supports Intensity Scale for Adults. The data analyses, using 13,968 protocols from adolescents or young adults with intellectual disability, suggested that age significantly predicts support needs and males tend to have greater support needs than females in Livelong Learning Activities, Employment Activities, Social Activities, and Protection and Advocacy Activities. The findings indicated that the intensity of each domain of support needs varies depending on levels and types of individuals' exceptional support needs. The data also supports the creation of a second-order support-needs construct, using seven factors from both the Support Need Index Scale and the Supplemental Protection and Advocacy Scale. Chapter 3 examined similarities and differences between the Supports Intensity Scale for Adults and the Supports Intensity Scale for Children. The data analyses, using protocols from 142 adolescent students with intellectual disability or related developmental disabilities who completed both versions of the Supports Intensity Scale, suggested the equivalent counterpart indicators and constructs that carry the same information between the two scales. However, the data for this analysis did not fully support the comparability of scores between the two versions of the Supports Intensity Scale. The findings indicated that five pairs of common counterpart constructs are significantly correlated, evidencing that the two scales have similar underlying mechanisms. The analyses also supported that scores of individuals' IQs and adaptive behaviors negatively predict each support needs area, and the degrees to which these scores predicted the equivalent counterpart constructs are the same. Chapter 4 provides the conclusions of Chapters 2 and 3 and overviews implications for future research and practice pertaining to reducing individuals' support needs and improving the fit between personal capacities and demands of environments. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

This study explored how social integration of African immigrants in the Louisville metropolitan area of Kentucky could be a factor in the academic achievements of their children. It involved critically investigating how the process of their adjustments as immigrants might have been shaped by various personal and environmental factors such as physical well-being, personal traits, language development, economic status, social status, and social activities that are known to account for the differences in the academic achievements of children in minority groups. Social integration is conceived as a phenomenon experience of life that could modify how one is impacted by those factors. This yielded some insights into the systemic nature of social integration as a factor in the academic achievement of children of African immigrants. It was found that the social support network of the immigrant families usually cut across categories of social and economic status. Similarly, their social activities are dictated by deliberate attempts to build supportive networks. They tend to have a different perception of their social and economic status; therefore, children of the African immigrants aspire to have college education irrespective of the economic or social status of their parents. Also, the social integration experiences of children of African immigrants provide learning environments for unique language development as distinct from learning English as a second language. Consequently, the children are usually able to communicate and adjust better than adult parents. This is coupled with the finding that mutually reinforcing social integration experiences and personal traits help children adapt faster than their parents, including adapting to food and social activities needed for their physical well-being. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

Over the past ten years, colleges have experienced an influx of parental involvement. Institutions inherit a population of students that have never functioned without the input of their parents and once enrolled, welcome the same level of involvement. Though faculty and administrators perceive the level of parental involvement as encumbering, empirical evidence capturing the perspective of first-year college students is missing. This study employed an interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA) to investigate the influence parental involvement has on first-year of college students' social and academic integration. Guided by the following research question: How do first-year college students make sense of their parents' involvement in their academic and social life? Through qualitative inquiry, this study employed semi-structured interview questions to uncover how first-year college students make sense of their parents' involvement in their academic and social life. The three superordinate themes emerged from the analysis of narratives including 1) Involvement in Everything, 2) Importance of Involvement and 3) Young Adult. The findings in this study offer another perspective towards the phenomena of parental involvement, demonstrate that parental involvement is multidimensional and uncover both the positive and negative outcomes to parental involvement. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

The development of branch campuses in higher education is not a new phenomenon. Over the past decades, however, branch campuses have expanded throughout the world as Western universities have begun to deliver their programs and course offerings in countries that expect the West to provide educational (and, by implication, economic) success. Middle Eastern countries in particular have rapidly expanded the number of Western-style branch campuses for native students in their countries. This qualitative research study focused on one specific Middle Eastern country, Qatar, and explored how native students respond to attending a Western university that has been transplanted from the West into their country. This case study/cross case research investigated what is leading native students in Qatar to attend one of the branch campuses of American universities that have been established in their country. The study also explored the impact of this decision on the students' social lives and religious beliefs, as well as what motivates them to remain in school. At a more general level, the study explored how students have integrated Western values encountered while attending the universities with their own family traditions and religious beliefs. Individual student interviews, a focus group, and administrator interviews were the primary methods of data collection, and a cross case analysis was conducted to discover patterns that cut across the individual cases. This study offers insight into motivating factors that led students to choose study at one of the Western universities in Doha, Qatar. Participants described how family influenced their decisions about where to study, and expressed concern about outside influences potentially affecting their culture and beliefs. The study also examined how students describe their educational experience, and the resulting themes focused on factors of influence that contributed to student success, including the effects of a mixed-gender environment, changes in societal and familial beliefs, and participation in extra-curricular activities. Students also considered adjustments related to their educational experience, especially with how they cope with personal cultural changes within an academic setting. Along with changes in perception about their university experience, students considered adjustments to study habits and time management in order to be successful within their chosen academic program. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of four factors that influence African American students to remain enrolled at a southeastern HBCU. Historically Black Colleges and Universities are institutions of higher education in the United States that were established before 1964 with the intention of serving the black community (Hurd, 2001). This study was designed to identify whether or not student involvement, in addition to the quality of academic advising, instruction and customer service contributed towards student retention and persistence. Furthermore, this study is intended to increase literature as it relates to student retention particularly among African American students who attend HBCUs. The data analyzed in the study was collected using student responses from the Student Life Involvement Survey (SLIS) and withdrawal survey data reported by the university. The top four reasons that affected students' decision to withdraw by those students who voluntarily completed the withdrawal survey and were a part of the 2007 to 2011 cohort were identified. According to the data, students listed the lack of quality customer service and lack of quality social activities as the top two reasons why they chose to withdraw from the university. The lack of quality academic advising and lack of quality instruction were both noted equally as reasons the students decided to leave the university. The top four reasons for remaining at the university as identified by those students who were enrolled in the Fall 2011 semester and completed the SLIS were also identified. According to the data, students listed quality of social activities and quality of academic advising as the top two reasons why they chose to remain at the university. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

This study examines the unique experiences of international Korean college students in the Midwest who have gone through the early study abroad (ESA) period in the US during their formative secondary school education and the influence of the experiences into their college lives in the mega campus. Two overarching research questions are: 1) how do international Korean college students retrospect their ESA experiences? And 2) how do their ESA experiences place them in unique and critical ways in their transition period into the US higher education, particularly at Midwestern University (MU)? According to the narratives of the participants, there was a potentially hostile climate for international students who experienced discrimination and segregation for the first time. A "Chilly Climate" of campus environment is not new in the US. As Smith (1989) points out, many studies suggest "some campus environments are chillier than welcoming, more alienating than involving, more hostile than encouraging" (p. 20). Without the understanding of this newly emerging group of students, the slogan of internationalization will be "out of sync with the reality" as Ewell (1998) states, and the Korean ESA students would be easily lost within the system of US higher education. "Case Narrative" method was applied to acquire a thorough knowledge of the daily lives of the participants, their motivation and experiences of ESA, and the way they constructed, and continue to construct, their socio-cultural lives in a US university. Five Korean college students participated in this study. The results revealed that the Korean ESA students experienced not only a severe sense of isolation and loneliness, but a power structure from the host family they lived with and the mainstream students of US high schools or colleges. When the participants encountered the power of race and the English speaking people during their secondary school days in the US they kept silent to avoid problems, disregarding their right to speak and seeking a resolution. Later, on the US campus, the only adaptive strategy the students selected was proactive response to the outer context that was aloof toward international students. It was creating a strong bond with only other Korean international students to make secure their own culture, emotion, and the feeling of solidarity. In this sense, the solidarity of Korean ESA students was involuntary, but at the same time, self-segregation. The significant contribution of this study was that it enhanced the understanding of Korean ESA college students, documenting their detailed life experiences during their ESA period and college years in this global era. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore how adults with mild intellectual disabilities live out their social-sexual lives. Adults with intellectual disabilities (ID) are often assumed to be asexual or incapable of having sexual lives, resulting in a paucity of research-based knowledge. Research and educational efforts with this population have focused largely on basic sexuality education and abuse prevention, defaulting to safety over the possibilities of human connectedness. This case study, informed by heuristic inquiry and guided by an emancipatory research paradigm, was an investigation of self-reported views, values, and desires of five adults with mild intellectual disabilities regarding relationships, romance, and sexuality. Data sources included observations and a series of interviews, which gave participants the chance to give voice to their social-sexual experiences. Data were analyzed utilizing both deductive and inductive coding along with narrative analysis. Results indicated that adults with ID value a life filled with relational passion and connectedness. They desire rich, pleasure-driven social-sexual experiences beyond the typical abuse prevention focus of disability services. Case studies of the five participants are based on their individual perceptions and experiences. Cross-case findings are presented in these eleven areas: 1. Sexual Attitude, 2. Sexual Self-advocacy, 3. Sexual Self-identity, 4. Sexual Experience, 5. Sex Education, 6. Sexual Script, 7. Sexual Vocabulary, 8. Sexual/Relationship Support, 9. Sensuality, 10. Intimacy, and 11. Reproduction. This study offers a more psychologically and socially-aware perspective in an effort to dispel mainstream society's stereotypical portrayal of disability and sexuality. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

This study explores the perception of belonging by Latino undergraduate students attending a predominantly White private university by documenting, in their "own voices," the extent of their participation in the social and academic life of the campus. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

This study investigated the nature of the literacy environment that public libraries construct and how they share the project of children's literacy development with homes and schools. It focuses on library programs for children, particularly story times. Its data came from observations of library activities, interviews with librarians and parents, and documents from four public library systems in the state of Pennsylvania. This study looks at the institution of the public library from an ecological perspective, which considers the impact on children's learning environments of people, organizations, and policies that are not in children's immediate settings. It depicts literacy as embedded in social life, not as a set of individual skills or isolated activities. Public libraries have a culture of literacy learning that values children's development of identities as readers and deeply engrained reading habits based on positive and effective early literacy experiences. Yet as public institutions they are subject to the extra-institutional forces originating in the more primary and powerful institutions, particularly home and school. Public libraries are very concerned with both "parent education" and "school readiness," but their efforts at cooperation are tempered by an ambivalence about some of the literate practices of home and school. Librarians aspired to educate parents, but they also perceived some authoritarianism in certain parenting practices. A shift in attention to parents in public library programming, despite their vital influence on children's learning and growth, may also undermine the library's attempts to level the literacy playing field. Libraries cooperate with schools and prioritize young children's school readiness, but they also emphasize their institutional distinctiveness. Public libraries have incorporated components of the standardsbased reform paradigm and this constitutes the most substantial institutional influence on the development of library's children's programs. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

Nursing is facing a critical shortage and retention of nursing students is of paramount importance. Much research has been completed related to retention in nursing education and student success, but there is very little in current literature related to issues associated with the transition from high school to associate degree nursing (ADN) education. The purpose of this study was to explore this phenomenon through qualitative research involving ADN students who entered the nursing programs immediately after graduation from high school. This qualitative study involved students from a rural associate degree program. The intent was to provide a better understanding of factors that may contribute to students' success or lack of success in order to develop retention programs. Data was collected using interviews and focus groups; analysis was based on a thematic analysis approach. The major themes identified were academic self-confidence, academic preparedness, academic study skills, and time management with social life changes. The results implicated areas for improvement in both high school and community college student preparation and support. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

Rooted in sixteen months of ethnographic fieldwork in the inner city Neapolitan neighborhood of the Quartieri Spagnoli, this dissertation analyzes the sociocultural and linguistic lifeworlds of five- to twelve-year-old girls as they grow up amid urban poverty. The dissertation demonstrates how Quartieri Spagnoli girls learn and deploy "rhetorical practices of resilience" to cope with chronic adversity, inequality, and risk. It reveals that Quartieri Spagnoli girls develop the protective factors of rhetorical precocity and an overall conflictual style of talk as a means for self empowerment, gaining status in their peer groups, securing social networks, handling life predicaments and otherwise participating in the social life of the street and family. While a majority of resilience scholarship has concentrated on which protective factors exist in risky environments and why certain protective factors are indeed protective, this study offers an additional focus on "how" protective factors are operating on the ground in day-to-day interactions, a topic gone more-or-less unstudied. In addition, it reveals possible implications of the operation of those protective factors for the maintenance of the status quo and intergenerational hardship in the community. In particular, the study argues that girls' communicative oppositional strategies, including monitoring, policing, and counter-attacks deployed through the genre of "appiccecarse" (conflict), while imperative for resistance and survival in this neighborhood, contemporaneously contribute to a gendered conservative project that advances the maintenance of the status quo. It illuminates that girls' "shut down" strategies, which they use to control others' actions and attitudes, discourage deviance and reward conservativism. Girls' ever-present policing and monitoring practices are facilitated by the socio-spatial density of the neighborhood and family homes; girls are always under the gaze of others. Alternatively, the socially porous environment affords girls' access to all the goings on of their neighborhood. As such, girls are socialized at a very young age into the performance of "bravata" (boldness) by older females, as well as a heightened concern for romantic relations and femininity. The study suggests that the socialization of these values and practices among Quartieri Spagnoli girls can have implications for early school dropout, early motherhood, limited access to the labor market and other socioeconomic resources, and ultimately bind girls to their neighborhood, as well as to a cycle of vulnerability. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

Hearing aid devices are worn within people's ears to help them hear the sounds around them. Teachers have to accept the use of hearing aids in the classroom as a device to assist students with hearing loss (Plumley, 2008). Further study is helpful to hearing aid research because it demonstrates the importance of hearing aid benefit awareness in motivating parents and children to properly use hearing aids. The price of hearing aids should be reasonable enough for students to afford or the government should provide them for free. The purpose of this study was to explore male and female students' attitudes toward the use of hearing aids in Al-Ahsa Schools in Saudi Arabia using different predictors that can determine students' attitudes. The researcher identified some factors that may impact these attitudes, namely gender, perceived effectiveness, social life, denial, and adaptation, in order to reliably predict the dependent variable, attitudes of students toward the use of hearing aids. The study also intended to examine which of these predictors is the most important in examining students' attitudes. The design of multiple regression method was used in this study. The survey tool was designed by the researcher to collect and interpret the data for this study. Based on the nature of the study, the quantitative method was employed to obtain information about students' attitudes toward the use of hearing aids. One hundred and thirty-three out of 138 students participated from both special schools, only for students with hearing impairments, and public schools, which had some students with hearing impairments, in Saudi Arabia. One hundred and thirty total responses were used in the analysis after removing three cases of outliers, and the response rate of the study was 92%. The components of the survey focused on six aspects: perceived effectiveness, social life, adaptation, denial, attitudes and certain demographic questions. The results showed that an R[superscript 2] of 0.18 was obtained from the analysis indicating that approximately 18.4% of the variance of the students' attitudes toward the use of hearing aids can be accounted for, based on the sample size, by the linear combination of perceived effectiveness, social life, adaptation, denial, and gender. The adjusted (R[superscript 2]) indicates that the combination of predictors resulted in determining around 15% of the variance in the dependent variable, students' attitudes when considering the whole population. The analysis showed only one of five predictors, the perceived adaptation, significantly predicted the dependent variable (N= 130, beta= 0.3, p less than 0.05). The other predictors were not significantly successful in determining the dependent variable. The results showed there was no significant difference between boys' and girls' attitudes toward the use of hearing aids. Based on the ANOVA table, the combination of the five independent variables significantly predicted the dependent variable. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

This dissertation offers a micro-analytic study of the use of language and body during storytelling in American English and Japanese conversations. Specifically, I focus on its beginning and explore how a story is "projected." A beginning of an action or activity is where an incipient speaker negotiates the floor with co-participants; they pre-indicate their intention to speak while informing the recipients of how they are expected to listen to the following talk. In particular, storytelling involves a specific need to secure long turn space before it begins since unlike other types of talk, a story usually requires more than an utterance to complete. Drawing on conversation analysis, I investigate how various communicative resources, including language, gesture, gaze, and body posture, manage such negotiation of the floor during entry into a story. This study involves two focuses. First, it examines not only vocal means, but also non-vocal devices. Thus, I explore the linguistic resources employed to project the relationship between a forthcoming telling and ongoing talk. Specifically, I investigate how "coherence" and "disjunction" are projected differently--some stories are continuous with prior talk while others may start as a new activity. I also investigate the vocal resources for projection of a return to an abandoned story. Specifically, I demonstrate how a "continuation" and "resumption" are projected differently. Finally, I investigate the employment of non-vocal devices relevant to the projection of story entry. Secondly, this study takes a cross-linguistic perspective. By examining conversations in two typologically different languages, American English and Japanese, I investigate how linguistic resources are consequential to the way projection is accomplished. Also, since only few studies have been conducted on storytelling in Japanese conversation, I aim to contribute to a better understanding of how the previous findings from English storytelling can be applied to Japanese conversations. Storytelling is an important activity for human social life; telling of what we did, saw, heard about, or know helps us build good relationships with our interactants. This dissertation thus aims to explore how interactants co-construct a site for an important interpersonal activity in everyday interaction. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

This study examined the relationship between where undergraduate students live and their academic, math, and verbal self concepts. Students living in on-campus residence halls, a campus-affiliated apartment community, within walking distance to campus, and within driving distance to campus completed the Self-Description Questionnaire III (SDQIII) (Marsh, 1989) at the beginning and end of an academic year. This investigation revealed that the undergraduate living environment was not a predictor for academic and math self-concepts, while living within walking-distance to campus was negatively related to verbal self-concept. Furthermore, living in third-party managed, university-affiliated housing was not a negative predictor of academic, math, or verbal self-concepts, and therefore, did not differ from that of living on-campus. However, peer extracurricular and social activities were related to student academic self-concept in different ways for students living on-campus and within driving-distance to campus than they did for students living in campus-affiliated housing and within walking-distance to campus. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

This study investigated the leadership experiences of first-generation Latina college alumnae in order to gain insight into the intersection of leadership, gender, and social capital. Using a qualitative approach, it examined the ways in which their leadership positions impacted their collegiate experience and their later lives. This descriptive study adds to the knowledge base given the lack of research on the Latina college experiences, students of color and college leadership, and on the long-term impact of holding a collegiate leadership position. In addition, its results inform higher education professionals who seek to offer leadership opportunities that will provide this population with the skills and experiences to succeed in college and later life. No relationship was found between their leadership roles on campus and being a resident or commuter or working while in college. An overwhelming majority, 11 of the 12, worked either on- and/or off-campus jobs while in school. What is interesting is that they became involved on campus and took on leadership roles despite having to balance both work and school. A majority of the participants did not consider themselves leaders upon entering college. Their decision to take on leadership roles varied, but most often was attributed to their desire to give back in some way and to take advantage of all that the opportunity to attend college offered them. While in college, holding a leadership position(s) was found to have a positive effect on participants' academics, social life, and professional development. A surprising finding was that their first-generation status had little to no effect on their family relationships. The formation of networks among peers, community members, and faculty and staff was a significant result of holding a leadership position in college. Through their experiences alumnae were able to make friends, establish contacts outside of the College, and get to know faculty and staff on a more personal level. These networks not only played a large role in their college experience but also continued to be sources of support after they graduated. In examining the impact of holding a college leadership position after college, four areas were found to have been affected by that experience. The self-perception of alumnae changed greatly from the time they entered college. While a majority did not see themselves as leaders upon coming to MSMC, all but two stated without hesitation that they considered themselves leaders in their current personal and/or professional lives. The area in which college leadership had the most impact after graduation was in the skills, experience, and knowledge that was gained and which alumnae have been able to apply to their current lives. Two participants in the study were even able to attribute getting their first jobs to their leadership experience at the College, which put them in contact with organizations that hired them immediately following graduation. Although alumnae stated that their leadership roles in college had a lasting, positive effect on their lives after college, only five of the twelve stated that they are involved in leadership activities in their current lives. This study supported previous findings that students of color may view leadership differently from their White peers. However, it also brings to light how new definitions and constructs of leadership must go deeper to include students of color. Such definitions should focus less on the individual leader and more on team and group leadership. Specific attention should be paid to constructs that promote the uniqueness of women's leadership and the role of leaders in bringing people together to accomplish group goals. Furthermore, this study addresses the need to build upon previous research by extending an examination of leadership beyond single identity factors such as race and looking at how it intersects with other factors such as first-generation status and gender. (Abstract shortened by UMI.) [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

First-year retention rates have seen minimal gains as high numbers of first-year students are leaving college due to insufficient academic skills and inability to adjust to the academic and social life of college. Programs that provide strategies to improve the transition from high school to college and that help develop skills to facilitate academic success are needed. This study presents a mixed method approach to examine intrusive academic advising and the impact of this program on first-year students enrolled at a four-year, private institution. Semi-structured interviews and the College Self Efficacy Inventory were utilized to gather the data. First-year students in this study did experience measurable increases in academic self efficacy upon completion of the first term of enrollment. The support of faculty, advisors, and other students contributed to the confidence levels of students to earn a degree at the university. The role of advisors in providing structure and organization to help keep students on track to graduation was perceived to be the most valuable role of advisors. The findings support the value of academic advisors on college and university campuses. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

Social inclusion enhances the quality of life of young adults with intellectual disabilities (ID). Young adults with ID continue to face prejudice and discrimination that limit their social inclusion. They experience limited social inclusion because there are not enough appropriate activities available and they have limited opportunities to develop friendships. The social inclusion that people with disabilities experience within their local community varies greatly. There is a deficiency in the literature concerning the social inclusion of young adults with ID. Previous considerations of disability have focused primarily on physical access and reflect the local contexts in which the participants live. There is a need to understand the social inclusion of young adults with ID and to advocate for change. The purpose of the present study was to describe the social inclusion of young adults with intellectual disabilities and to identify contexts that limit or enhance their social inclusion. Social inclusion was defined as being involved in activities, developing and maintaining relationships, and having a sense of belonging. Participants included fourteen adults from 22 to 35 years of age with a mild or moderate intellectual disability who were able to verbally communicate their thoughts and experiences. I used the phenomenological qualitative research design to explore the lived experiences of social inclusion for young adults with ID. I collected data through semi-structured interviews. During the interviews, I asked the participants open-ended questions about their experiences of social inclusion and the context of their experiences. The length of each interview session and number of sessions were flexible to accommodate the needs of the participants. The findings consisted of themes that described their experiences of social inclusion and the contexts of their experiences. Their social inclusion consisted of involvement in work, volunteer, social, recreational, and leisure activities; reciprocal relationships; and the sense of belonging derived from accepting environments and self-determination. Their social inclusion was influenced by the contexts of their experiences including living accommodations, transportation options, personal abilities and skills, financial resources, assistance from family members, and assistance from service providers. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

The purpose of this qualitative study is to identify and explore academic, social, and career-related expectations that first-year college students believe lead to their collegiate success as defined by their perception of persisting in higher education. Further investigation determines how these expectations align with faculty expectations of student success. Eight first-year college students and eight college instructors were interviewed about their expectations at a small, private college. Criteria for first-year students include residing on campus and graduating from high school within the last year. Eligible faculty teach at least one class at the first-year level. The data from student interviews indicate students are optimistic and expect to be academically successful. Students expect college to be more academically difficult than it turns out to be. Furthermore, students expect academic success by managing their time, placing academic responsibilities as the highest priority in their lives, and being responsible for their own learning. These student expectations align with those of faculty who expect students not only to show up for class but also to be active participants in class discussions and to take their academic success seriously. Data regarding social expectations indicate students expect to find both a good quantity and quality of friends. Both students and faculty believe the key to fitting into the college campus is to be authentic. Faculty believe students find friends in more formalized activities, such as joining student organizations while students develop friendships informally, oftentimes in their residence halls. The last category of expectations relates to student career plans. Both students and faculty expect college to prepare students for careers by learning general skills for the work world. In the first year of college, both faculty and students view coursework as building blocks for future classes. Limited examples were given as to how first-year coursework actually prepares students for a career. Yet, both students and faculty trust the educational process of college-level study in preparing students for their careers. While student and faculty expectations of college might align in some ways in terms of academics, social life, and career paths, few themes are firmly identified when assessing why students leave college after the first semester or the first year. Students believe they would leave for unfulfilled social and career reasons. An inability to find friends or changing their major to one not offered at their current institution would lead students to consider changing schools. Faculty mention these similar reasons but offer many more, such as financial reasons or a lack of family support. Some faculty simply do not know why students would leave nor think of it very often. This study shows how setting and communicating reasonable expectations about the college experience is important for first-year students. More collaboration between high schools and colleges would allow students to have a clear understanding of how to achieve success in college. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

There is a void of current research on continuation schools and the students who attend these unique and historic educational institutions (Kelly, 1993). In an era of increased pressure surrounding student performance, of tight financial constraints, and of a changing landscape of student demographics, this study attempts to explore and understand the intimate journey of the at-risk student through the continuation school. Across the state of California there are 521 continuation high schools serving more than 71,345 students. Understanding the student experience is vital to improving conditions for learning (Kessler, 2000;Kelly, 1993;Gonzalez, 2005). There are millions of at-risk students who never make it to a continuation school who would benefit from having teachers and administrators who understand the conditions that encourage students' decisions to leave school prior to graduating. The study explores the experiences of 12 former continuation high school students in Northern California. Engaging in critical conversations and interviews, the young adults share their thoughts on their education, social life, and the challenges that they experienced while attending the continuation school. Listening to their voices is the most authentic way to learn from these young adults and will help guide future decisions for educational leaders. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

The research in this dissertation focuses on ways to improve the teaching and learning of science in a suburban junior high school on Long Island, New York. The study is my attempt to find ways to achieve parity in my classroom in terms of success in science. I was specifically looking for ways to encourage Black female students in my classroom and in other classrooms to continue their science education into the upper grades. The participants were the 27 students in the class, a friend of one of the students, and I, as the teacher-researcher. In order to examine the ways in which structure mediates the social and historical contexts of experiences in relation to teacher and student practices in the classroom, I used collaborative research; autobiographical reflection; the sociology of emotions; immigration, racialization, and ethnicity, and cogenerative dialogues ("cogens") as tools. Cogenerative dialogues are a way for students and teachers to accept shared responsibility for teaching and learning. This study is of importance because of my school's very diverse student body. The school has a large minority population and therefore shares many of the characteristics of urban schools. In my study I look at why there are so few Black female students in the advanced science courses offered by our district and how this problem can be addressed. I used a variety of qualitative approaches including critical ethnography and micro analysis to study the teaching and learning of science. In addition to the usual observational, methodological, and theoretical field notes, I videotaped and audiotaped lessons and had discussions with students and teachers, one-on-one and in groups. In the first year the cogenerative group consisted of two Black female students. In the second year of the study there were four Black and one White-Hispanic female students in the cogen group. In my research I studied the interactions of the students between lessons and during laboratory activities as well as the cogens themselves in order to get the data needed to identify the role of science cogens in the learning and teaching of science. The students both in my cogen and in my science class collaborated with me as we worked to create new culture through conversations. I also used cogens to examine the influence of immigration, race, ethnicity, and gender in my science class. The students in the cogen were native-born children of immigrants, known as the second generation and/or 1.5 generation. In the first year one of these students was the daughter of Jamaican-born parents and the other native Black. The students in the second year included one each of Haitian and Jamaican descent, one with Dominican parents, and two native Blacks. Interestingly enough, if I had not conducted the cogenerative dialogues, I might never have become aware of their ethnicities. The cogens helped me to become a better teacher by allowing me to understand what racialization was and how it impacted students as well as teachers. The cogens helped students voice their opinions in a manner and in a place that supported their understanding of both the similarities and differences among students in the class in addition to contradictions in their science class as well as in other nested fields. Contradictions are differences between people and groups that arise as a normal part of social life in the classroom (and elsewhere, of course), and I looked for ways to retain these differences as we learned to deal with them. I looked especially for contradictions that were evident between the larger culture of the school and that of the students in the cogen. I studied the dialectical relationship between agency and structure in my science class and within the cogenerative dialogue group. I found that as students gained agency, they were more successful in obtaining entry into accelerated science classes and succeeded in those classes. I found that some marginalized students were shut down in their classrooms. During the common planning time within the science department, we discussed the lack of minority students in our advanced science classes. I introduced the idea of cogens and described how they could encourage more students to become involved in the process of learning. Although my colleagues did not institute cogens with their students, they did listen to the ideas about culturally relevant teaching which I communicated, and I was told by some of my colleagues that they were trying to address the cultural mismatch found in their classrooms. The science faculty and I spoke to administrative personnel, and they saw how their goals and ours were aligned. Soon, all stakeholders were on board: my chairperson, the science department, and the administration. (Abstract shortened by UMI.) [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

This qualitative study explored the impact of having a mentor through the academic and social life of student athletes who were recruited to become mentees in a program called the University of Colorado Athletic Mentorship Program (UCAMP). The sample consisted of 10 randomly selected mentors from the community and 10 mentees who had been matched to these mentors. The mentors and mentees, respectively, expressed their experiences of the mentoring relationship as well as their satisfaction with UCAMP, offering suggestions for its improvement. An interview protocol framed the interview and details of what took place during that time for both the mentor and mentee who worked together. Separate questionnaires were used for the mentors and mentees, respectively, with both sets of questions closely tied to the research questions. Key findings were as follows: (a) engaging and matching played a key role in the success of the mentoring experience; (b) relationship building added to the success of the mentor-mentee relationship; (c) time and persistence in establishing the mentor-mentee relationship seemed to add to the bonding process and positive outcome; and (d) mentees who not only had a mentor but were able to make a meaningful connection perceived that this strengthened their career accomplishment. Foreign students seemed to appreciate and gain even more from having had a mentor and a relationship with someone outside of the university system. Based on the findings, suggestions were provided for a mentoring program model. It was suggested that the experiences and stories shared by the student athletes and their mentors be used to prepare the way for future studies and training regarding replication of this model. Other directions for future research were also recommended. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

This dissertation explores the phenomenon of "ways of speaking" in the Nanti speech community of Montetoni, in southeastern Peruvian Amazonia, between 1999 and 2009. In the context of this study, a way of speaking is a socially meaningful, conventionalized sound pattern, manifest at the level of the utterance, that expresses the speaker's orientation toward some aspect of the interaction. This study closely examines both the sound patterns and patterns of use of three Nanti ways of speaking--"matter-of-fact talk", "scolding talk", and "hunting talk"--and describes each one in relation to a broader set of linguistic, social, and cultural practices characteristic of the speech community at the time. The data for this study is naturally-occurring discourse recorded during multi-party, face-to-face interactions in Montetoni. Bringing together methods developed by linguists, linguistic anthropologists, conversation analysts, and interactional sociologists, this study explores the communicative relations among participants, interactions, situations of interaction, and the utterances that link them all, attending to both the individual-level cognitive (subjective) facets of interpersonal communication and the necessarily intersubjective environment in which communication takes place. In order to disaggregate the multiple levels of signification evidenced in specific utterances, tokens are examined at four levels of organization: the sound form, the sentence, the turn, and the move. The data are presented via audio files; acoustic analyses; sequentially-organized and temporally-anchored inter-linearized transcripts; and composite visual representations, all of which are framed by detailed ethnographic description. Nantis' ways of speaking are shown to consistently and systematically convey social aspects of "meaning" that are crucial to utterance interpretation and, therefore, to successful interpersonal communication. Based on the robust correspondences between sound form and communicative function identified in the Nanti communicative system, this study proposes that ways of speaking are a cross-linguistically viable level of organization in language use that awaits discovery and description in other speech communities. The research project itself is framed in terms of the practical issues that emerged through the author's own experiences in learning to communicate appropriately in monolingual Nanti society, and the ethical issues that motivate community-oriented documentation of endangered language practices. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

For people who are currently under twenty-five years old, it is almost impossible to recall life before the Internet, as they have grown up knowing it to exist all along. For today's college students, the Internet and other new technologies are not only indispensable research tools, but a vehicle for socializing, entertainment, and even defining oneself. Because these technologies are very powerful, relatively new, and prominent in the lives of college students, it is appropriate to examine the ethical issues associated with their use. Some ethical perspectives may change for reasons that have nothing to do with new technologies. But in cases where new technologies do appear to play a direct or indirect role in redefining what we call "right" and "wrong", then it is prudent for us to pay close attention to how this relationship works, examine whom it affects most, and review whether those ethical standards are rational. In an effort to understand the ethical lives of college students in the digital age, I conducted original research projects and discovered the following: (1) Piracy and plagiarism are commonplace. (2) College students desire privacy, are well aware of the dangers of the online world, and find it difficult to know whom to trust online. (3) It can be a significant burden to maintain one's social life on the Internet. (4) Technology is both a link to others and a persistent distraction. These changes, while relatively new and related to technology, contain ethical questions which need further evaluation. This dissertation contains a sampling of empirical data and also explores philosophical questions about the relationship between new technologies and ethics. Having employed both empirical methodology and the inferential reasoning of philosophy, this interdisciplinary dissertation provides a glimpse of the ethical lives of college students in the digital age. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

This mixed-method study identifies cyber high school graduates' perceptions of the effect of a cyber high school education on successful transition to a traditional university. The study examined students' perceptions of the advantages and disadvantages their cyber education experience contributed to their academic and social transition to college. In addition, the level of involvement of cyber high school graduates in university-based social activities was compared to the similar involvement of their university peers. The study was conducted at four universities in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education. The analyses of quantitative data from a survey of 32 cyber high school graduates' academic self-efficacy showed that cyber high school graduates believed they had the academic abilities to succeed in college. Responses from participants for select questions from the 2008 National Survey of Student Engagement were compared to responses by a representative sample of the general student population at study sites to the same questions. Results indicated that involvement of cyber high school graduates in university-based social activities was not significantly different than the involvement of their university peers. Qualitative analysis was applied to data from focus group interviews involving 14 cyber high school graduates. Findings revealed that unique features of cyber education, particularly related to pace and learner independence, had an effect on cyber high school graduates' early college experiences. Negative academic transition experiences resulted from adjustments to a loss of control over the flexibility and pace of their learning. Negative social transition experiences resulted from the increased daily interactions with peers that cyber graduates did not have during their cyber high school experiences. However, students reported more positive than negative effects. The majority of students believed their cyber education adequately prepared them for transition to college. Participants perceived they gained academic skills in cyber high school which enabled successful transition. They also believed themselves to be socially well-adjusted. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]