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Within the academic landscape, distance education is progressively gaining global attention and recognition, and many institutions are committing resources to make it a success. Global enrollments show a steady increase in distance learning. However, the availability of support services and students' technological competence are critical to the success of distance education. One of the important support systems for maintaining effective online education is libraries and information services. As a result, this study investigated the acceptance of e-library and support services. The study was led by the UTUAT model and its accompanying theories, such as the innovation diffusion theory and the theory of planned behaviour. The census technique was used to sample 2003 graduate distance students. The data was examined using multivariate structural equation modeling approach. The study found a negative association between strategic and operational skills and students' intents to use the e-library and support services. However, students' inclination to use the e-library and support services was found to be strongly predicted by social influence. The study concludes by underlining the necessity for distance education institutions to host courses that increase students' operational and strategic skills so that they can properly utilise e-library services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to reveal the strengths and limitations of the WhatsApp application as a support service in distance education, conducted through a learning management system during the Covid-19 pandemic, and make suggestions on improving its use in this capacity. Despite the lack of readiness on the part of the students and the lack of sufficient knowledge regarding distance education during the pandemic, many universities had to revert to emergency remote teaching. This situation necessitated the intensive use of various support services for the students to get the most out of their emergency remote teaching However, their lack of experience with distance education prevented them from using the support services offered by learning management systems. Due to the increasingly widespread use of mobile technologies, one of the support services used by course instructors became the WhatsApp application. The following research is a qualitative case study. The sample for the study was determined through purposive sampling. The data was analyzed using the content analysis method. Nvivo qualitative data analysis software was used to contribute to the detailed and versatile data analysis. The most important results of the study were that the application supported and strengthened distance learning by allowing instant communication, but that the absence of a moderator caused various limitations in this communication. In addition, it was concluded that incorporating natural language processing techniques into learning management systems and clearly stated rules by course instructors improved the use of such instant communication applications as a support service for distance education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista de Ciencias Sociales (13159518) is the property of Revista de Ciencias Sociales de la Universidad del Zulia Venezuela and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Effective support during transition into higher education (HE) can be crucial, especially for traditionally under-represented student groups. Student feedback that the traditional 'welcome week' can be overwhelming due to the quantity and speed of information imparted, coupled with the request for increased support for non-academic skills, led to the development of the 'Skills for Success' (SfS) extended transition support unit. Co-devised with the student body and delivered by a range of academic, clinical and professional support staff, SfS was highly regarded by students, with particular impact reported on mental health and motivation to achieve. Following the introduction of SfS, attainment differences were closed or reversed, in the academic module within which the unit was embedded, for students who were mature, reported a mental health condition, or were from Black, Asian or minority ethnic (BAME) backgrounds. Independent evaluation revealed the initiative had raised awareness of how to access support services and almost half the participants had shared aspects of the learning with peers outside of the cohort. Overall, the success of SfS suggests that an extended package of integrated, holistic support can ease transition into HE and may improve the attainment of students from under-represented groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Pamukkale University Journal of Education is the property of Pamukkale University Journal of Education and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The aim of this qualitative study is to explore how staff at three Icelandic universities attend to the needs of students of immigrant background. The theoretical background includes critical multicultural studies which focus on analysing the position of minority groups in societies and education from a critical perspective [Parekh 2006. Rethinking Multiculturalism: Cultural Diversity and Political Theory. 2nd ed. New York: Palgrave Mcmillan]. Data were collected in interviews with 16 support staff and teachers at three Icelandic universities. Findings indicate that despite the lack of policies, many staff members use their life experience of working, teaching and personal connections with people of diverse background for teaching and for providing support for immigrant students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Student mental health is an issue of growing concern. Past research indicates that many students are not accessing the support they require, which may in part be due to issues surrounding the standards of the available services. Using a participatory framework, the current study utilised a mixed-methods design to examine student experiences of National Health Service (NHS) mental health services and perspectives of peer support. An online survey was completed by 376 UK students to examine their experiences of NHS mental health services, as well as their attitudes towards peer support. Several improvements were identified for future NHS mental health services regarding reduced waiting times, better access to alternative treatments and facilitating more patient-centred communication. Benefits of peer support services were also noted, including the potential to normalise experiences and promote belonging. These findings have implications for understanding how we can best support students experiencing mental health difficulties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the existence of state-funded student support services programs dates to the 1960s, studies on how such programs play a role in student success are scarce. By utilizing unique institutional data and a comprehensive conceptual model integrating multiple theories, this study examines the relationship between the New Jersey educational opportunity fund program and first-semester retention at a community college. Results reveal that educational opportunity fund has a positive effect on student retention, and the effect is consistent across different student subgroups. This study provides empirical evidence for greater government commitment needed to fully fund student support services for historically underserved students in community colleges. Future research is suggested to offer additional insight into the effect of government-funded student support services programs on college student retention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents the results of a study carried out in three universities in Spain, Colombia, and France on the perceptions of disability support staff. In this descriptive study, individual interviews were conducted in which academic directors and disability support workers described how they perceived their work with respect to support provided to students and teachers. Three dimensions are discussed: a) culture; b) policies; and c) inclusive practices in the university. The analysis of the results highlights the obstacles and strengths identified within their work. To conclude, the article lists challenges that may guide future action in each context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conduct a needs assessment to explore the experiences, barriers, and needs of genetic counselors (GCs), who counsel and refer young and metastatic breast cancer (BC) patients to support services, in order to develop resources to address any noticeable gaps. GCs providing care to BC patients were eligible to complete the survey. Support services were defined as resources to address patient-centered healthcare, emotional, and quality-of-life needs. Most participants (n = 117) reported familiarity with cancer prevention services (93%); fewer were familiar with services secondary to a BC diagnosis (e.g., fatigue=16% and sexual health=24%). The volume of GCs indicating familiarity with support services increased significantly as work experience increased for seven services. Many (>50%) never referred patients to most (9/12) support services, excluding cancer prevention, mental health, and financial issues. Open-ended responses highlighted that GCs considered referrals to be outside their scope of practice or that healthcare systems prevent GCs from making referrals. GCs may benefit from curated resources and materials, especially for support services secondary to a BC diagnosis, to better support their patients. Collaboration of GCs with other health professionals through integrative care programs may decrease burdens to accessing support services. • Genetic counselors may refer young and metastatic breast cancer patients to support services that address their needs. • Surveyed genetic counselors reported greatest awareness of cancer prevention services and least familiarity with services secondary to a breast cancer diagnosis. • Many participants reported that they felt referrals to supportive services were outside of their scope of practice. • Genetic counselors may benefit from support services resources and education materials to aid breast cancer patients. • Working with healthcare professionals through integrative care programs may decrease burdens to accessing support services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The University of Surrey Library and Learning Support Services (LLSS) recognised an increasing need to transform its welcome, induction and orientation activities for students. Past activities have entailed delivering information to students in ways which may have led to information overload and lack of engagement by students with library services. The LLSS have been exploring innovative ways to welcome students to university, moving away from didactic approaches. This paper presents one such innovation produced among a series of activities during 2017/18, an educational escape room, informed by the work of Walsh (2017). This activity invited students to solve a series of themed puzzles in the escape room, introducing them to library services and information literacy (IL) skills to support their studies. This report provides an account of the challenges and positive outcomes encountered in designing the escape room, with a view to sharing good learning and teaching practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the influence of the support services on the test anxiety of students and/or their ability to submit assignments in each of the two disability groups, those with vision impairment and those with intellectual disability, who were placed in specialist and mainstream educational settings in South Australia. Interviews were conducted with 14 students with vision impairment and 9 students with intellectual disability, as well as a total of 10 parents and 8 teachers. The findings unfolded that the support services were found to influence positively the test anxiety experienced by students with vision impairment and/or their ability to submit assignments, but appeared to help students with intellectual disability to a much smaller extent. These findings have implications for mainstream teachers and school support staff working with students with vision impairment and those with intellectual disability, to determine what type and kind of support works for these students and helps them to alleviate their test anxieties. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

As the marketplace for higher education changes, attracting and retaining students is of utmost importance. Providing successful course delivery methods (e.g. face-to-face, fully online, hybrid) offers an opportunity for universities to differentiate from each other. This research investigates the relationships involved in student acceptance of online course management systems. Business students at a university located in the southwestern region of the United States completed an online questionnaire. The results indicate support for the core relationships of the technology acceptance model. In addition, personal innovativeness and support services both demonstrated an influence on acceptance. As a response to competition, universities should identify and make use of particular students as champions of the institutions’ online delivery options. Furthermore, there exist the potential to increase the value of online course delivery through the administration of significant support services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Technology integration into educational settings is a multidimensional and complex process affected by many factors. Previous modeling studies focused on mostly factors germane to technological infrastructure and teacher competencies. Only a few studies investigated some school-level factors and suggested further research for others especially those related to socio-cultural characteristics of schools. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to propose and test a structural model explaining teachers' technology integration through school culture, technology leadership and support services. The model was tested using structural equation modeling on a convenience sample of high school teachers (n=396). The results demonstrate that school culture indirectly influences technology integration through the mediation of technology leadership and support services. Also, support services have direct and largest total effect on technology integration. Positive school climate can result in effective leadership behaviors and adequate support and encouragement for the increased use of technology. Implications were discussed within the context of teachers' technology integration into learning and teaching in the schools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article aims to provide the interpretation of the results for two questionnaires applied on pupils and high-school graduates, on the one hand, and students, on the other hand. They explored their perceptions and needs in relation to the activities and programs organized by university career centres and also in relation to career and labour market. The analysis of career centres' activities from the perspective of their direct beneficiaries led to the optimization and reconsideration of these structures by suggesting new directions for action. Last but not least, the types of services offered by the counselling and vocational guidance centres at the level of pre-university education, as well as at the level of university education, especially in terms of their exploitation by the direct beneficiaries could produce changes in perception among decision makers, in public policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One aspect of the internationalisation of higher education in Australia has been a large growth in the number of international students enrolled in universities. While this has brought a number of benefits to the institutions, the students themselves report varying levels of satisfaction with their experience. One area which can contribute to satisfaction levels is provision of student support services. This paper describes a study which found that international students and support service providers, while sharing perspectives in some respects, had differing views about student service delivery. The paper argues that providers of services for international students need to be more aligned to students' expectations of service provision, and more centred on students' actual needs, if they are to increase students' levels of satisfaction with their international experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Turkey, the number of students in mainstream education is increasing, and a support service does not exist even though mainstreaming has been implemented for many years. Therefore, within this system, many students with special needs are failing. Thus, there is a need for evidence-based research projects concerning the ways of supporting these students such as the co-teaching approach. In the research detailed in this article, the participants were one regular education teacher and the researcher as special education teacher. The design of the study was action research. Data collection techniques were a checklist, documents (lesson plans, students' products), researcher journal, actual recordings of co-planning and reflection meetings and instructions. The findings were demonstrated based on the co-planning meetings, teaching practices and reflection meetings. Concerning the challenging issues of implementation, support services should certainly be provided in the mainstream classes, and additional research is needed to systematically examine the impacts of teachers taking time to undertake common planning and/or discussing student performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Innovacion Educativa is the property of Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, Servicio de Publicaciones and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Abstract: This research aimed to gain insight into the homelessness experience of children accommodated in transitional support services in an urban setting in Australia. It joins a limited international literature. Interviews incorporating interactive activities were conducted with 20 children aged 6–12 from diverse ethnicities and cultural backgrounds, most of whom were living in supported accommodation. Twelve parents/guardians were also interviewed. Children had experienced between 3 and 11 changes of residence, including hotels or motels, refuges, sleeping rough or in cars, rooming or boarding houses, and caravan parks. It was evident that homelessness adversely affected children''s sense of security, mood, behaviour, physical health, education, and overall experience of childhood. As families moved from one temporary accommodation to the next, they often lost touch with the extended family and their friends, became disconnected from any sense of community, and did without familiar possessions, treasures, toys, and pets. Experiencing chaotic sequences of accommodation could leave children feeling confused, insecure, sad, and angry. It could make children feel responsible for their discouraged and unwell parents and their younger siblings. Homelessness made many children expect instability as a way of life. Children continued to be affected by problems that preceded or precipitated homelessness, such as family violence, broken relationships, and parents grappling with drug and alcohol dependence. The overwhelming conclusion to be drawn from this research is that children affected by homelessness need security, stability, and the chance to become and remain part of a community. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Drawing on the experience of an Engineering School in Singapore, the paper explores the success factors of service quality in higher education by integrating the characteristics of SERVQUAL (an instrument for assessing students’ experience of higher education) and SQA (Singapore Quality Award). Data were collected by means of structured interviewing from a variety of faculty within the School. Customer orientation, quality course design and delivery as well as support services were found to have a direct impact on the total experience of students. The study reinforces the emerging educational paradigms that seek to challenge norms and assumptions, gearing educators to do the right things rather than doing things right. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The purpose of this article is to explore issues that pertain to the needs of gay men, lesbians, and bisexual and transgender (GLBT) students as a subgroup in U.S. dental schools. The increasing visibility of GLBT persons in all aspects of life is one aspect of the changing face of the U.S. population. Increasingly, there is dialogue about issues related to GLBT persons, their nontraditional families, and their full engagement in society. Recent court decisions, changing policies in states and municipalities, and increasing acceptance in society promote inclusion. Likewise, this dialogue has extended into academic life. In medicine and nursing, GLBT issues include the needs of GLBT patients, the mentoring of faculty and administration, and acculturation of students in a dynamic college environment. Increasing the acceptance of GLBT persons and enhancing the value of diversity throughout the community and within the profession are challenges that must be met. In addition, fostering positive behaviors in a multicultural environment is a priority that is recognized in business and academe. In an effort to assess the present situation in U.S. dental schools, a survey was developed to gather data about support services provided for GLBT students. Based on the results of the survey, a series of recommendations are made to meet the needs of GLBT students, faculty, staff, and administrators in dental education institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unique insights of key delivery staff and successful delivery strategies used to overcome cultural barriers were obtained through intensive interviews with fifty staff members. Participants in the study were identified as knowledgeable staff members by project coordinators. An open-ended qualitative methodology was used to interview staff members about barriers they faced in delivering services to new populations and strategies that were used to address these barriers. Fifty interviews were completed. Of those, forty-two interviewees were frontline staff members and eight were “hands-on” administrators. Fifteen of these staff members worked in programs that were targeted to urban dwelling Latino families and ten served urban African-Americans. Of the twenty-five staff members who worked in programs targeted to rural populations, eight worked to provide respite to African-American families while four served rural Latinos. The remaining thirteen interviewees served rural families of all ethnic groups. Interviews were tape recorded for accuracy and later transcribed. Emergent themes include: successful vs. unsuccessful service efforts, diversity of caregivers within ethnic groups, staff members' perceptions of their clients, staffing patterns, cultural views of Alzheimer's disease, service use in general, and government assistance. Concrete examples from staff members' experiences are used to illustrate these themes. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]