Modes of Diversification in Bulgarian Higher Education: Case Studies in four Disciplines

This project was stimulated by the unprecedented speed and scope of changes in Bulgarian higher education since 1989. The rapid growth of the student population and the emergence of a new private sector in higher education led to tightening governmental control and a growing criticism of autonomy and academic freedom. This raised questions about the need for diversification in the field, about the importance of recent innovations in terms of strategic choices for future development and so of how higher education governance could maintain diversity without the system deteriorating. The group first traced the extent of spontaneous processes of innovation at the level of content, of institutions, and the organisation of teaching and learning processes. They then identified the different parties in the struggle for institutionalisation and against diversification, and promising mechanisms for maintaining diversity in higher education. On this basis they outlined a basis for a wide-ranging public discussion of the issue which may serve as a corrective to the mechanisms of state control. Their work included analysis of the legislative framework laid down in the Higher Education Act, which effectively dispenses with the autonomy of universities. They then surveyed the views of both high-level executives in the field and the academics actually involved in the process, as well as of the "consumers" of the educational product, i.e. the students. In considering diversification, they focused on four different types of programmes, including those where diversification is largely limited to content level (e.g. Law), those where it operates mainly on structural levels (e.g. Industrial Management), those where it is often feigned (e.g. Social Work), and those where it is at best formal and sporadic (e.g. Mechanical Engineering). They conclude that the educational system in Bulgaria has considerable internal resources for development. The greatest need is for adequate statutory regulation of academic life which will provide incentives for responsible academic development of higher education institutions and create conditions for the institutionalisation of academic self-organisation and self-control, which will in turn limit the pathological trends in the diversification processes.

Community College Student Participation in Undergraduate Research: An Explanatory Case Study for Faculty and Research Mentors

This study adapted the current model of science undergraduate research experiences (URE's) and applied this novel modification to include community college students. Numerous researchers have examined the efficacy of URE's in improving undergraduate retention and graduation rates, as well as matriculation rates for graduate programs. However, none have detailed the experience for community college students, and few have employed qualitative methodologies to gather relevant descriptive data from URE participants. This study included perspectives elicited from both non-traditional student participants and the established laboratory community. The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of the traditional model for a non-traditional student population. The research effort described here utilized a qualitative design and an explanatory case study methodology. Six non-traditional students from the Maine Community College System participated in this study. Student participants were placed in six academic research laboratories located throughout the state. Student participants were interviewed three times during their ten-week internship and asked to record their personal reflections in electronic format. Participants from the established research community were also interviewed. These included both faculty mentors and other student laboratory personnel. Ongoing comparative analysis of the textual data revealed that laboratory organizational structure and social climate significantly influence acculturation outcomes for non-traditional URE participants. Student participants experienced a range of acculturation outcomes from full integration to marginalization. URE acculturation outcomes influenced development of non-traditional students? professional and academic self-concepts. Positive changes in students? self-concepts resulted in greater commitment to individual professional goals and academic aspirations. The findings from this study suggest that traditional science URE models can be successfully adapted to meet the unique needs of a non-traditional student population – community college students. These interpretations may encourage post-secondary educators, administrators, and policy makers to consider expanded access and support for non-traditional students seeking science URE opportunities.

The Relationship of Student Demographics to 10th Grade MCAS Test Anxiety

The intensification of consequential testing situations is associated with an increase in anxiety among American students (Casbarro, 2005). Test anxiety can have negative effects on student test performance (Everson, Millsap, & Rodriguez, 1991). If test anxiety has the potential to decrease students’ test scores, it becomes a factor that can threaten the validity of any inferences drawn between test scores and student progress (Cizek & Burg, 2006). There are several factors that relate closely to test anxiety (Cizek & Burg, 2006). Variables of key influence include gender, socioeconomic status, and teacher-manifested anxiety (Hembree, 1988). Another influence upon test anxiety is students’ participation in academic support programs to prepare them for exit examinations. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between 10th grade high school student gender, socioeconomic status, perceived teacher anxiety, and student preparedness with levels of the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) test anxiety. It appears that few studies have examined levels of high school test anxiety in regards to this specific high-stakes MCAS exit exam required for high school graduation. A two-phase sequential mixed-methods research design was used to survey (N=156) 10th grade students represented by a sampling of (n=80) students with low socioeconomic status and (n=76) students with high socioeconomic status regarding their levels of test anxiety in relation to upcoming MCAS testing. A multiple regression analysis was used to measure the relationship between the predictor variables (gender, socioeconomic status, perceived teacher anxiety, and student preparedness) with the criterion variable of student test anxiety using the Test Anxiety Inventory (TAI). Personal interviews with (n=20) volunteer students provided rich explanations of students’ academic self-efficacy, their perceptions of their performance on the upcoming MCAS exam, and their use of strategies to reduce their levels of test anxiety. Personal interviews with (n=12) volunteer school administrators and teachers provided descriptions of their perceptions of how test anxiety affected their students’ performance. A major quantitative finding of this study was that the variables of student socioeconomic status and student ratings of teacher anxiety accounted for the variance in students’ levels of surveyed test anxiety (R2 = .06, p = .033, small to medium effect size). These results indicate that different student populations vary in their readiness skills to successfully participate in consequential testing situations. Consequently, high-test anxious students would require emotional preparation as well as academic preparation when confronting high-stakes testing. The results have the potential to re-shape the format of schools’ MCAS test preparation efforts.

Auto-atribuciones académicas: diferencias de género y curso en estudiantes de educación secundaria

El análisis de las autoatribuciones académicas constituye un aspecto esencial del componente afectivo y emocional de la motivación escolar en estudiantes de educación secundaria obligatoria (ESO). El objetivo de este estudio fue analizar, mediante un diseño transversal, las diferencias de género y curso y el papel predictivo de estas variables en las atribuciones causales académicas de los alumnos medidas a través de las escalas generales de la Sydney Attribution Scale (SAS). El cuestionario fue administrado a 2.022 estudiantes (51.08% chicos) de 1º a 4º de ESO. El rango de edad fue de 12 a 16 años (M = 13.81; DT = 1.35). Los resultados derivados de los análisis de varianza y de los tamaños del efecto (índice d) revelaron que los chicos atribuyeron sus éxitos significativamente más a su capacidad, mientras las chicas los atribuyeron significativamente más al esfuerzo. Respecto a las atribuciones de fracaso escolar, los resultados indicaron que los chicos los atribuyeron significativamente más a la falta de esfuerzo que las chicas. Asimismo, se hallaron diferencias de curso académico en la mayoría de las atribuciones causales analizadas. Los análisis de regresión logística indicaron que el género y el curso fueron predictores significativos de las atribuciones causales académicas, aunque los resultados variaron para cada una de las escalas de la SAS. Los resultados son discutidos en relación a la necesidad de diseñar programas de intervención que tengan en cuenta las variables sexo y curso académico.

Diferencias de género y edad en autoconcepto en estudiantes adolescentes chilenos

Investigaciones previas han puesto de manifiesto la importancia del estudio del autoconcepto durante la adolescencia. El objetivo de este estudio consistió en analizar las diferencias de género y edad en las distintas dimensiones del autoconcepto en una muestra de 1414 estudiantes chilenos de entre 13 y 18 años. El autoconcepto fue evaluado mediante la versión breve del SDQII. Los resultados evidenciaron diferencias de género para las dimensiones Autoconcepto Verbal, Apariencia Física, Sinceridad/Veracidad y Autoestima en favor de las jóvenes, así como diferencias en el Autoconcepto Matemático, Habilidades Físicas, Estabilidad Emocional y Relación con los Padres en favor de los varones. También se observó una tendencia en los alumnos de mayor edad a puntuar más alto en Autoconcepto Académico General, Habilidades Físicas, Apariencia Física, Relaciones con el Sexo Opuesto y Autoestima, que sus iguales de menor edad. Este mismo patrón, pero a la inversa, se obtuvo para las dimensiones de Autoconcepto Matemático, Verbal y Estabilidad Emocional. Los resultados no replicaron la tendencia de los varones, reportada en estudios previos, a valorar más positivamente su físico y a poseer una autoestima más elevada que las mujeres, así como a percibir más negativamente sus relaciones paterno-filiales.

Capacidad predictiva de la autoeficacia académica sobre las dimensiones del autoconcepto en una muestra de adolescentes chilenos

El objetivo de este estudio fue analizar la capacidad predictiva de la autoeficacia académica sobre las dimensiones del autoconcepto en una muestra de 860 estudiantes chilenos. El análisis de regresión logística reveló que la autoeficacia académica fue un predictor positivo y significativo de las escalas académicas (Matemáticas, Verbal y Académica General), no académicas (Habilidades Físicas, Apariencia Física, Relaciones con el Sexo Opuesto, Relaciones con el Mismo Sexo, Relación con los Padres, Sinceridad- Veracidad), y de la escala de Autoestima, excepto de la escala de Estabilidad Emocional. Esta relación de predicción fue de mayor magnitud con las escalas académicas y autoestima.

¿Predice la autoeficacia percibida la ansiedad escolar? Estudio con estudiantes chilenos de Educación Secundaria

Dada la importancia de las creencias de eficacia personal en el desarrollo cognitivo de las personas y su marcada influencia en las reacciones emocionales y conductuales experimentadas sobre todo ante situaciones difíciles, el objetivo de este estudio es analizar la capacidad predictiva de la autoeficacia percibida sobre la ansiedad escolar en una muestra de 1284 estudiantes chilenos de educación secundaria, 634 chicos y 650 chicas (49.4% y 50.6% respectivamente) con edades entre los 14 y 18 años (M = 15.43, DE = 1.24). Para ello, se evaluó la autoeficacia percibida con la Escala de Autoeficacia Percibida Específica de Situaciones Académicas (EAPESA) y la ansiedad escolar con el Inventario de Ansiedad Escolar (IAES). Los análisis de regresión logística revelaron que bajas puntuaciones en autoeficacia académica percibida predicen la alta ansiedad, revelando con ello la influencia de la autoeficacia percibida sobre la ansiedad escolar. A partir de estos resultados, es posible anticipar que la mejora de las expectativas de autoeficacia aumentaría las probabilidades de disminuir los elevados niveles de ansiedad en los estudiantes.

Effectiveness of hospital-based smoking cessation

Study objectives: Smoking cessation for current smokers is a health-care imperative. It is not clear which approaches to smoking cessation are the most effective in the hospital setting and which factors predict long-term abstinence. We hypothesized that a hospital-based smoking cessation program involving behavioral modification and support would provide an effective intervention for smoking cessation. Design: Prospective cohort study. Setting: Smoking cessation clinics in a tertiary referral, cardiothoracic hospital. Patients or participants: Two hundred forty-three smokers and 187 never-smoker control subjects. Interventions: Smokers underwent specific sessions of individual counseling on behavioral modification, including written information, advice about quit aids, and support during the quit attempt. Abstinence was confirmed by exhaled carbon monoxide measurements. Measurements and results: Compared to never-smoker control subjects, smokers were more likely to have grown up with a smoking father or siblings, and to currently live or socialize with other smokers. Two hundred sixteen smokers attended at least two sessions of the smoking cessation program. Of these, 25% were unavailable for follow-up at 12 months and were assumed to be smoking. The point prevalence abstinence rate at 12 months was 32%. Independent factors associated with abstinence at 12 months were self-belief in quitting ability, having a heart condition, growing up without siblings who smoked, and increasing number of pack-years. Conclusions: This prospective study has demonstrated that this hospital-based smoking cessation program was as effective as programs in other settings. Social and psychological factors were associated with a greater chance of abstinence.

Rekindling community spirit and identity:the role of ecoprotestors

One of the features of current society is that of protest against environmental issues and this paper considers protest against road building and the ecoprotest movement. In doing so it considers both the local inhabitants and new age travellers who are involved in such protest to show that not only does ecoprotest, as a form of protest, raise the profile of environmental issues within public discourse but also opens up space for such discourse. Of greater significance is the effect which the ecoprotest, movement has upon a local sense of identity and community. Indeed the travellers themselves, through their action and engagement, demonstrate that the key determinant of community identity is grounded in self-belief and shared aspirations rather than in an externally imposed definition or in any economic imperatives. This paper shows that the migration of this sense of self-belief into mainstream society serves to demonstrate that community spirit and identity are extant in modern society but need a catalyst for their re-emergence. In doing so the role of ecoprotest points towards a possible mechanism for the re-emergence of an active and participatory sense of community identity within society as a whole.

The development and analysis of a field project model curriculum and its impact on achievement and attitude toward science and the environment with at-risk eleventh and twelfth grade students

This study was an evaluation of a Field Project Model Curriculum and its impact on achievement, attitude toward science, attitude toward the environment, self-concept, and academic self-concept with at-risk eleventh and twelfth grade students. One hundred eight students were pretested and posttested on the Piers-Harris Children's Self-Concept Scale, PHCSC (1985); the Self-Concept as a Learner Scale, SCAL (1978); the Marine Science Test, MST (1987); the Science Attitude Inventory, SAI (1970); and the Environmental Attitude Scale, EAS (1972). Using a stratified random design, three groups of students were randomly assigned according to sex and stanine level, to three treatment groups. Group one received the field project method, group two received the field study method, and group three received the field trip method. All three groups followed the marine biology course content as specified by Florida Student Performance Objectives and Frameworks. The intervention occurred for ten months with each group participating in outside-of-classroom activities on a trimonthly basis. Analysis of covariance procedures were used to determine treatment effects. F-ratios, p-levels and t-tests at p $<$.0062 (.05/8) indicated that a significant difference existed among the three treatment groups. Findings indicated that groups one and two were significantly different from group three with group one displaying significantly higher results than group two. There were no significant differences between males and females in performance on the five dependent variables. The tenets underlying environmental education are congruent with the recommendations toward the reform of science education. These include a value analysis approach, inquiry methods, and critical thinking strategies that are applied to environmental issues. ^

Supplemental instruction, study habits, and the community college student

The purpose of this study was to demonstrate if the academic assistance program Supplemental Instruction (SI) facilitates the acquisition of effective study behaviors through strategies that transcend simple double-exposure to the course material. Its advocates claim it increases academic achievement using learner-centered knowledge and acquisition of effective study behaviors. SI sessions are specifically related to particular courses that students are taking. Sessions are facilitated by the SI leader who has taken the subject matter course in the past. Students review the content of the previous subject matter class using collaborative learning strategies coordinated by a SI leader. In addition, the SI leader models appropriate study behaviors in his or her interactions with the students. ^ An instructor at a large Florida community college who taught five classes of an Anatomy & Physiology I course (traditionally supported by SI) was identified. Two of the classes were randomly selected to participate in SI activities, and two classes were random chosen to participate in alternate, computer-based activities that dealt with the course content, but did not include work in developing students' study behaviors. These treatments were carried out over the course of an entire semester. Participation was mandatory. ^ Data were collected on two variables. Academic achievement in anatomy and physiology content was measured both pre- and post-treatment using an instructor developed examination. Student study behaviors were measured using pre- and post-treatment administration of the Study Behavior Inventory, a valid and reliable instrument that provides scores on three categories of study behaviors: (a) Academic self-efficacy, (b) Preparation for routine academic tasks, and (c) Preparation for long range academic tasks. Measures obtained at the end of the semester of treatment revealed no significant differences between the SI and alternative treatment groups in post-treatment achievement test score and the post-treatment scores on the three study behaviors categories when adjusted for pre-treatment scores. ^ These results suggest that the development of appropriate study behaviors requires more time than SI, as it is now implemented, can provide. In addition, results indicate that improved academic achievement may be attained through any number of means that include repeated exposure to course material. ^

Does hope matter? The influence of dispositional hope on persistence in a developmental writing course

The purpose of this study was to determine hope’s unique role, if any, in predicting persistence in a developmental writing course. Perceived academic self-efficacy was also included as a variable of interest for comparison because self-efficacy has been more widely studied than hope in terms of its non-cognitive role in predicting academic outcomes. A significant body of research indicates that self-efficacy influences academic motivation to persist and academic performance. Hope, however, is an emerging psychological construct in the study of non-cognitive factors that influence college outcomes and warrants further exploration in higher education. This study examined the predictive value of hope and self-efficacy on persistence in a developmental writing course. The research sample was obtained from a community college in the southeastern United States. Participants were 238 students enrolled in developmental writing courses during their first year of college. Participants were given a questionnaire that included measures for perceived academic self-efficacy and hope. The self-efficacy scale asked participants to self-report on their beliefs about how they cope with different academic tasks in order to be successful. The hope scale asked students to self-report on their beliefs about their capability to initiate action towards a goal (“agency”) and create a plan to attain these goals (“pathways”). This study utilized a correlational research design. A statistical association was estimated between hope and self-efficacy as well as the unique variance contributed by each on course persistence. Correlational analysis confirmed a significant relationship between hope and perceived academic self-efficacy, and a Fisher’s z-transformation confirmed a stronger relationship between the agency component of hope and perceived academic self-efficacy than for the pathways component. A series of multinomial logistic regression analyses were conducted to assess if (a) perceived self-efficacy and hope predict course persistence, (b) hope independent of self-efficacy predicts course persistence, and (c) if including the interaction of perceived self-efficacy and hope predicts course persistence. It was found that hope was only significant independent of self-efficacy. Some implications for future research are drawn for those who lead and coordinate academic support initiatives in student and academic affairs.

The *validation of an instrument for the assessment of study behaviors of high school students

The purpose of this study is to validate the Study Behavior Inventory-High School, an instrument designed to measure study behaviors of high school students and to determine the stability of its scores across populations and across grades. Numerous studies have shown the relationship between the level of students' use of appropriate study behaviors and their levels of academic achievement and this is particularly relevant at a time of increasing demands for school and teacher accountability for their students' academic achievement. ^ The instrument was administered to 3,336 students in grades 9 through 12 in four high schools in diverse parts of the United States. Factor analysis yielded a four factor structure for the instrument and evidence for its construct validity was obtained using convergent and discriminant methods. The four factors include academic self-perception and feelings of low self-efficacy, academic preparation behaviors, time management, and the social nature of taking tests and studying. Internal consistency reliability for the scores on each of the four factors was calculated and found to range between .68 and .87. Finally, confirmatory factor analysis indicated acceptable levels of fit between the factor structure obtained in this study and an earlier one obtained during a pilot study using 800 participants. ^ The SBI-HS appears to be a valid and reliable instrument for the measure of study behaviors in high school students. ^

Does Hope Matter? The Influence of Dispositional Hope on Persistence in a Developmental Writing Course

The purpose of this study was to determine hope’s unique role, if any, in predicting persistence in a developmental writing course. Perceived academic self-efficacy was also included as a variable of interest for comparison because self-efficacy has been more widely studied than hope in terms of its non-cognitive role in predicting academic outcomes. A significant body of research indicates that self-efficacy influences academic motivation to persist and academic performance. Hope, however, is an emerging psychological construct in the study of non-cognitive factors that influence college outcomes and warrants further exploration in higher education. This study examined the predictive value of hope and self-efficacy on persistence in a developmental writing course. The research sample was obtained from a community college in the southeastern United States. Participants were 238 students enrolled in developmental writing courses during their first year of college. Participants were given a questionnaire that included measures for perceived academic self-efficacy and hope. The self-efficacy scale asked participants to self-report on their beliefs about how they cope with different academic tasks in order to be successful. The hope scale asked students to self-report on their beliefs about their capability to initiate action towards a goal (“agency”) and create a plan to attain these goals (“pathways”). This study utilized a correlational research design. A statistical association was estimated between hope and self-efficacy as well as the unique variance contributed by each on course persistence. Correlational analysis confirmed a significant relationship between hope and perceived academic self-efficacy, and a Fisher’s z-transformation confirmed a stronger relationship between the agency component of hope and perceived academic self-efficacy than for the pathways component. A series of multinomial logistic regression analyses were conducted to assess if (a) perceived self-efficacy and hope predict course persistence, (b) hope independent of self-efficacy predicts course persistence, and (c) if including the interaction of perceived self-efficacy and hope predicts course persistence. It was found that hope was only significant independent of self-efficacy. Some implications for future research are drawn for those who lead and coordinate academic support initiatives in student and academic affairs.

Diagnóstico del rendimiento académico de estudiantes de una escuela de educación superior en México

El objetivo del artículo es realizar un diagnóstico sobre la percepción de los factores que intervienen en el rendimiento académico de los estudiantes de cinco carreras universitarias en una escuela de educación superior en México, para así reconocer las áreas de oportunidad que permitan sugerir políticas y estrategias para elevar su rendimiento. Se utilizó una muestra de 1651 estudiantes, se obtuvieron los datos a partir de un cuestionario con treinta preguntas que estudian la percepción del rendimiento académico en escala tipo Likert. Se realizó un análisis factorial exploratorio que permitiera reducir los datos, facilitar la interpretación y validar el instrumento. Se identificaron tres factores: a) el rol de los profesores, b) la evaluación y c) la motivación de los estudiantes. Se llevó a cabo un análisis comparativo por carrera. Se encontró que los estudiantes perciben que la mayoría de los maestros no se preocupan por la condición de los jóvenes en situación de reprobación. Además, casi no motivan y carecen de expresiones de sentimientos de orgullo por los logros académicos de los estudiantes. La mitad de los participantes piensa que los docentes no cubren el temario en su totalidad. Se detectó que los estudiantes poseen una alta motivación siendo esto positivo porque son alumnos dedicados y responsables. Se concluye realizando una serie de sugerencias y explicando las implicaciones que tiene este trabajo para las instituciones de educación superior.