A comparison of the academic performance of students with General Educational Development credentials and high school diplomas at a selected community college

This study compared the performance of students who earned GED credentials in Florida with that of graduates of Florida high schools, when members of both groups enrolled for the first time in fall 1992 at an urban multicultural community college in south Florida. GED's and HSD's were matched on gender, race, age range, placement levels, and enrollment in college preparatory courses (reading, English, mathematics). The paired samples t-test compared course grades, first semester GPA, and total college GPA for the groups and subgroups of matched students at a probability level of .05. The McNemar test compared how many students in each group and subgroup re-enrolled for a second and third term, or ever; how many were placed on special academic status during their college enrollment; and how many graduated within 16 semesters. Differences between groups were found only for placement on probation—with HSD's on probation in significantly higher proportion than GED's. ^ Additional findings among subgroups revealed that male and Caucasian HSD subjects earned higher math grades than their GED counterparts. Male HSD's were more likely than male GED's to return to the college at some point after the first term. However, male HSD's were placed on probation in greater proportion than the GED's with whom they were matched. ^ Female GED's earned higher English grades and higher first semester and cumulative GPA's and returned to the college in greater proportion than their HSD counterparts. Black GED's earned higher first-semester GPA's, re-enrolled in terms 2 and 3 and graduated from the college in higher percentages than Black HSD's. Black HSD's were placed on probation in higher proportion than Black GED's. Lastly, greater percentages of HSD than GED subjects in the lowest age range (16–19) were placed on probation. ^ Results connected to the performance of Black GED subjects are likely to have been affected by the fact that 50% of Black study subjects had been born in Jamaica. The place of the GED in the constellation of methods for earning credit by examination is explored, future implications are discussed, and further study is recommended. ^

The effect of instruction on the study behaviors and academic achievement of community college students

The purpose of this study was twofold. It was designed to determine (a) the efficacy of an intervention designed to increase the frequencies of appropriate study behaviors on the part of community college students who were preparing for academic mathematics activities and (b) whether any increase in appropriate study behavior frequency was accompanied by increased academic achievement in college preparatory mathematics classes. A total of 126 Miami Dade College students participated in this study. Two developmental (remedial) mathematics classes were randomly assigned as the experimental group, and two others were assigned as the control group. All students also took a College Survival (SLS) class. The Study Behavior Inventory (SBI) and the Computerized Placement Test (CPT) were administered to the four classes. The SBI was used as a pre- and post-test. The SLS curriculum and classroom time were the same for both groups. However, students in the treatment groups received instruction designed to increase the frequency of effective study behaviors associated with the three factors identified in the SBI, while the students in the control group participated in activities that did not emphasize study behaviors. A series of analysis of covariance procedures were used to analyze four hypotheses. The first three hypotheses proposed that students who were instructed in the use of appropriate study behaviors would score higher on the three factors of the Study Behavior Inventory than those who were not. The fourth hypothesis proposed that a greater proportion of mathematics students who were instructed in the use of appropriate study behaviors would receive a passing grade in their course than students who were in the control group. The four hypotheses were tested at the .05 level of significance. This study revealed that students who received instruction in appropriate study behaviors scored higher in the use of appropriate study behaviors and in mathematics achievement than students who did not. Additional research is needed to investigate whether these effects would persist over time, or be found in subjects other than mathematics.

From foster care to college: Young adults' perceptions of factors that impacted their academic achievement

Despite increased Federal, state, and local efforts in the United States to improve outcomes among young adults who emancipate from foster care, low educational achievement and attainment continue to characterize this vulnerable subpopulation. Approximately 50% of foster children do not obtain a high school diploma or a general equivalency diploma (GED). Only about 20% of former foster children enroll in college, compared to 60% of youth not in foster care. The purpose of this study was to explore, describe and explain the perceptions of college students who had lived in foster care regarding the external and internal influences that impacted their academic achievement and attainment. Interviews with a purposefully selected sample of 24 Florida college students were conducted; transcripts were coded and analyzed thematically. Findings included that participants experienced a particular set of external and internal influences at school, in foster care settings, and in the community. External influences include interactions with (a) multiple non-relative guardians and case workers, (b) relatives, especially siblings, (c) mentors, (d) teachers and school administrators, and (e) school counselors. Internal influences include the barriers of anger and bad behavior and a newly identified set of internal characteristics, called success strengths by the researcher, that promote academic achievement and college attainment. Implications are as follows: (a) Future theory on academic achievement concerning foster youth should reflect the importance of the affective aspect of school interactions. (b) Policy should mandate awareness training for educators, social workers, and other adults who work with former foster youth to increase professionals' awareness of the barriers, supports and success strengths that impact the academic lives of children and youth in foster care. (c) Adult educators and human resource development professionals should develop and implement appropriate new education and training materials and interventions. Future research may include a similar interview with former foster youth who graduated from college and with foster youth who leave school before graduating. Finally, a study with a nationally representative sample of college enrolled former foster children should be conducted to determine the relative importance of the barriers, supports and success strengths identified in this study.

Parental and cultural influences on Hispanic college women's verbal intimate partner violence victimization: An examination of within group differences

Prior research has shown that college women in the United States are experiencing significantly high rates of verbal intimate partner violence (IPV); estimates indicate that approximately 20-30% of college women experience verbal IPV victimization (e.g., Hines, 2007; Muñoz-Rivas, Graña, O'Leary, & González, 2009). Verbal IPV is associated with physical consequences, such as chronic pain and migraine headaches, and psychological implications, including anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation, and substance use (Coker et al., 2002). However, few studies have examined verbal IPV in college populations, and none have focused on Hispanic college women who are members of the largest minority population on college campuses today (Pew Research Center, 2013), and experience higher rates of IPV victimization (Ingram, 2007). The current dissertation sought to address these gaps by examining the influence of familial conflict strategies on Hispanic college women's verbal IPV victimization. Further, within group differences were explored, with specific attention paid to the role of acculturation and gender role beliefs. A total of 906 from two Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSI) in the southeastern (N=502) and southwestern (N=404) United States participated in the three part study. Study one examined the influence of parental conflict strategies on Hispanic women's verbal IPV victimization in current romantic relationships. Consistent with previous research, results indicated that parental use of verbal violence influenced verbal IPV victimization in the current romantic relationship. A unidirectional effect of paternal use of verbal aggression towards the participant on maternal verbal aggression towards the participant was also found. Study two examined the influence of parental conflict strategies, acculturation, and gender role beliefs on victimization. Acculturation and gender role beliefs were found to not have an influence on participants' verbal IPV victimization. Study three examined within-group differences using Study two's model. Differences were found between the southeastern and southwestern participants; gender role beliefs increased rates of verbal IPV victimization in the southeastern population. The current dissertation fills a gap in the literature on IPV experiences in Hispanic college populations, the importance of examining verbal IPV trends, and highlights importance differing cultural influences within populations traditionally viewed as homogenous. The implications for future research are discussed.^

Diet Self-efficacy and Physical Self-concept of College Students at Risk for Eating Disorders

Background: Both eating disorders and body image dissatisfaction affect a high proportion of college students. Self-esteem and self-efficacy may be protective factors for eating disorders. The aim of this study was to evaluate diet self-efficacy, the confidence to maintain or lose weight, and its association with physical selfconcept using data from an online survey of health literacy, body image, and eating disorders. Study Population and Methods: This cross-sectional study collected online survey data from college students within the United States. The inclusion criteria allowed for 1612 college students, ages 17-35 years (597 males, 1015 females) belonging to the following racial/ethnic categories: Black (187); White, non-Hispanic (244), Hispanic (1035), and other (146). Specifically, the study aimed to examine (a) whether and to what degree diet self-efficacy and physical self-concept were associated with risk of eating disorders; (b) the interaction of gender by ethnicity on diet self-efficacy, physical self-concept and risk of eating disorders; and, (c) the relationship of diet self-efficacy with physical self-description and body mass index (BMI) in college students. Results:Low diet self-efficacy was associated with a lower score on physical self-concept (B = −0.52 [−0.90, −0.15], P = 0.007). Males had a higher physical self-concept as compared to females (B = 14.0 [8.2, 19.8], P Conclusion: College students in this study who had a poor body image were less confident with diet control. Poorer body image and low diet selfefficacy were associated with higher BMI. These findings suggest lifestyle management interventions may be of value to improve physical self-concept and lower risk of eating disorders for college students.

The effect of nutrition education on the nutrition knowledge of college athletes

The relationship between nutrition and athletic performance has become a topic of increasing interest in college athletics. This study assessed the effect of nutrition education on the nutrition knowledge and dietary adequacy of female and male college athletes through a pre-test/post-test, control group design. Six weekly lessons were offered to the experimental groups. For female athletes, a two sample t-test indicated significant differences on gain scores for the experimental group (p

Do the Messages Matter? An Investigation of Classroom Messages and College Students’ Personal Theories about Education

Students hold a number of personal theories about education that influence motivation and achievement in the classroom: theories about their own abilities, knowledge, and the learning process. Therefore, college instructors have a great interest in helping to develop adaptive personal theories in their students. The current studies investigated whether specific messages that instructors send in college classroom might serve as a mechanism of personal theory development. Across 2 studies, 17 college instructors and 401 students completed surveys assessing their personal theories about education at the beginning and end of college courses. Students and instructors reported hearing and sending many messages in the classroom, including instructor help messages, conciliatory messages, uncertainty in the field messages, differential ability messages and generalized positive and negative feedback. Between-class and within-class differences in message reports were associated with students’ personal theories at the end of their courses, controlling for initial personal theories. Students’ initial personal theories were also related to the messages students reported hearing. The findings demonstrate the utility of assessing non-content messages in college classrooms as potential mechanisms for changing students’ personal theories in college. Implications for research and practice are discussed.

Best Practices: Lessons Learned by a South Florida Non-Profit Community Based Organization while Designing and Implementing a Career Exploration Evidence Informed Framework in Urban Communities

All A’s was designed to support of the agency’s family strengthening initiatives in South Florida. All A’s uses evidence informed strategies poised to be an inclusive curriculum that teaches self-determination and adaptive behavior skills. The framework incorporates problem based learning and adult learning theory and follows the Universal Design for Learning. Since 2012, the agency has served over 8500 youth and 4,000 adults using the framework. The framework addresses educational underachievement and career readiness in at risk populations. It is used to enhance participants AWARENESS of setting SMART goals to achieve future goals and career aspirations. Participants are provided with ACCESS to resources and opportunities for creating and implementing an ACTION plan as they pursue and ACHIEVE their goals. All A’s promotes protective factors and expose youth to career pathways in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) related fields. Youth participate in college tours, job site visits, job shadowing, high school visits, online college and career preparation assistance, service learning projects, STEM projects, and the Winning Futures© mentoring program. Adults are assisted with résumé development; learn job search strategies, interview techniques, job shadowing experiences, computer and financial literacy programs. Adults and youth are also given the opportunity to complete industry-recognized certifications in high demand industries (food service, general labor, and construction), and test preparation for the General Educational Development Test.

Correlation between anxiety and academic self-concept in interpreter trainees

This paper focuses on two basic issues: the anxiety-generating nature of the interpreting task and the relevance of interpreter trainees’ academic self-concept. The first has already been acknowledged, although not extensively researched, in several papers, and the second has only been mentioned briefly in interpreting literature. This study seeks to examine the relationship between the anxiety and academic self-concept constructs among interpreter trainees. An adapted version of the Foreign Language Anxiety Scale (Horwitz et al., 1986), the Academic Autoconcept Scale (Schmidt, Messoulam & Molina, 2008) and a background information questionnaire were used to collect data. Students’ t-Test analysis results indicated that female students reported experiencing significantly higher levels of anxiety than male students. No significant gender difference in self-concept levels was found. Correlation analysis results suggested, on the one hand, that younger would-be interpreters suffered from higher anxiety levels and students with higher marks tended to have lower anxiety levels; and, on the other hand, that younger students had lower self-concept levels and higher-ability students held higher self-concept levels. In addition, the results revealed that students with higher anxiety levels tended to have lower self-concept levels. Based on these findings, recommendations for interpreting pedagogy are discussed.

Peer tutoring: Cross-age Paired Reading

This is a practical manual for teachers on how to organise peer tutoring in reading

Native Women, Intimate Partner Violence, and Drug Use and Consequences: Prevalence and Associations Among Tribal College and University Students

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Washington, 2016-08

Knowledge of and attitudes toward sexual and reproductive health among college students

Abstract Introduction: Knowledge provides the foundation for values, attitudes and behavior. Knowledge about sexual and reproductive health (SRH) and positive attitudes are essential for implementing protective behaviors. Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate SRH knowledge and attitudes in college students and their association with sexual and reproductive behaviors. Material and methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in a sample of 1946 college students. The data were collected using a self-report questionnaire on the sociodemographics characteristics of the sample, an inventory on SRH knowledge and an attitude scale, and were analyzed with descriptive and inferential statistics (ANOVA and Pearson’s correlation). Results: The sample was 64% female and 36% male, with a mean age of 21 years. The majority were sexually active and used contraception. The SRH knowledge was moderate (22.27 ± 5.79; maximum score = 44), while the average SRH attitude score was more favorable (118.29 ± 13.92; maximum score = 140). Female and younger students studying life and health sciences had higher (P < .05) SRH knowledge and attitude scores. The consistent use of condom and health care surveillance were highly dependent on the students’ SRH knowledge and attitudes. Engagement in sexual risk behaviors was associated with lower scores for these variables. Conclusions: Strategies to increase SRH knowledge and attitudes are important tools for improving protective behaviors, especially with respect to contraception, health care surveillance and exposure to sexual risk. Older males studying topics other than life sciences should be a priority target for interventions due to their higher sexual risk

Práticas escolares e desempenho acadêmico de alunos com TDAH

This article reports the results from the research work which objects the critical and profound study about the ADHD (Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) in the courses for teachers' development in College Education, under its various dimensions - social, cultural, pedagogical, biological. The investigation focused on five adults with diagnosis for ADHD. The methodology used was the Case Study, developed from the Oral History as a source of data. The results that were obtained suggest that the study, proposed in the research, may contribute significantly for the teachers to know determining factors of the school performance of students with this disorder, as well as to guide them in the search of partnership with other professionals - doctors and psychologists, for example - when such partnership becomes necessary.

MH 607 FEF/UNICAMP, onde saude coletiva e performance humana se encontram : uma pesquisa-ação

Universidade Estadual de Campinas . Faculdade de Educação Física

Condições de acessibilidade na universidade: o ponto de vista de estudantes com deficiência

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)