Contributing factors to women's sustained participation on varsity athletic teams /

This study explores the factors contributing to female athletes' sustained participation on varsity athletic teams. Ten open-ended interviews were conducted with female varsity athletes to investigate what contributes to their sustained involvement in sport until and throughout university. Each interview was transcribed and then coded for emergent themes and categories. Grounded in the data were themes such as socialization, support systems, motivational factors, passion, opportunity to play, and physical ability. The results demonstrate that for women to continue to participate in sport, a positive learning environment must be created in which the women may share and grow in their experiences as a collective whole. Relationships are a dominant factor for sustained participation in athletics. There are a number of questions presented that may lead to further research, specifically in regard to what physical educators and coaches may implement in an educational, athletic, or practice setting to enhance females' positive experiences.

A Needs Assessment: Language Instruction Stakeholders Engaging in Project Based Learning Outside the Classroom for Effective Strategic Problem Solving

Abstract A noted benefit of Project Based Learning (PBL) as a teaching strategy is how it engages the student and enhances learning outcomes as a result of working through challenges intended to depict dilemmas outside the classroom. PBL has seldom been applied outside the parameters of the classroom curriculum. The current needs assessment carried out in this research project examined current practices of language instruction and International Administrative Professionals of both the private and public Language Industry. Participants responded to survey questions on their current administrative practices, strategies, and program characteristics. The study investigated the usefulness of a handbook on the procedure of assisting administrative service teams in language instruction settings to an engaged approach to PBL for student service issues. The diverse opinions, beliefs, and ideas, along with institutional policy, can provide beneficial framework ideas for future tools.