Associate Degree Level Research Articles

From college to university: A practical exploration of tertiary vocational education at Shenzhen Polytechnic University

The emerging phenomenon of tertiary vocational education is a category of education positioned within vocational education. In China, tertiary vocational education has passed through the stages of "associate degree level" and "permitted establishment". Shenzhen Polytechnic University (SZPU), serving as an exemplary model of tertiary vocational education, plays a pivotal role in providing valuable insights for the transformation and development of other vocational institutions in China. This research aims to collect policy documents from SZPU and, through interviews from multiple stakeholder perspectives, gain an understanding of the perceptions and experiences of those involved in tertiary vocational education. It conducts an in-depth analysis of SZPU's motivations, trajectory, challenges, impacts, and countermeasures in initiating undergraduate vocational programs. On this basis, the study compares the educational practices of other institutions offering tertiary vocational education, synthesizes the pedagogical rationale and developmental directions of this type of education at a theoretical level, and proposes empirical and feasible developmental strategies at a practical level.

Evaluation of Microbiota Awareness Among the Healthcare Professionals in Kars Harakani State Hospital

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate microbiota awareness among the healthcare professionals in Kars Harakani State Hospital by their gender, educational status, marital status, and occupational groups. Methods: This descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted between 1-31 December 2023 with the participation of the healthcare professionals (n=329) working at Kars Harakani State Hospital. In the study, a questionnaire form inquiring about sociodemographic characteristics and Microbiota Awareness Scale (MAS) were used. MAS consists of the subfactors of “general information”, “product information”, “chronic disease”, and “probiotic and prebiotic”. Results: Product information, chronic disease, and probiotic and prebiotic subscale scores and MAS total scale scores of females were found to be higher than males. The general information mean score of those with graduate education levels was higher than those with associate degree levels. The product information score of the married participants was determined to be higher than the single participants. The general information mean score of physicians was higher compared to the mean scores of nurses and technicians, while the product information mean score of technicians was lower than the mean scores of physicians, nurses, and midwives. The chronic disease mean score of nurses was higher than that of physicians, and their probiotic and prebiotic mean score and MAS total scale mean score were higher compared to the mean scores of technicians. Conclusion: Microbiota awareness levels among healthcare professionals vary according to their occupational groups.

The effect of e-commerce, the use of accounting information systems and financial knowledge in decision making for entrepreneurship

An entrepreneur is said to be able to compete in the business world when they are able to adapt to the changes that occur, including technological developments. The development of information technology in today's business world plays an important role for entrepreneurs in running and developing their businesses. This is because information technology provides convenience for transactions in an efficient and effective manner. The existence of information technology today has led to an increase in entrepreneurs utilizing and using information technology. This study aims to obtain evidence regarding the effect of e-commerce, the use of accounting information systems, and financial knowledge on decision-making for entrepreneurship. This research was conducted at Warmadewa University. The data collection method used in this study was a survey method with a questionnaire technique. The population in this study were accounting students at Bachelor Degree, Diploma Degree, and Associate Degree levels at Warmadewa University who have status as active students. The data used in this study is primary data obtained by distributing questionnaires directly to respondents using a purposive sampling technique. The data analysis used is multiple linear regression.

Quality of Life in Remitted Patients with Schizophrenia: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Assessment of the Quality of Life (QOL) is increasingly performed as an efficient method to assess the quality of care provided for patients with schizophrenia. Also, the QOL assessment performed by patients themselves is more affected by the symptoms of schizophrenia. Therefore, a mental health professional evaluation may provide more objective information. This study was undertaken to objectively assess QOL in a group of remitted patients with schizophrenia in Iran by using Quality of Life Scale (QLS).
 Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was performed on 85 remitted patients with schizophrenia consecutively referred to Roozbeh Hospital. The mean age of the participants was 37.81±9.92 years, 54 (63.53%) were male, 16 (18.8%) were married, and 19 (22.4%) were employed. The Quality of Life Scale (QLS) was used to collect data through face-to-face interviews.
 Results: The total score of QLS for patients is 2.95±0.93. Among subscales, the interpersonal relations scores (2.44±1.10) and intrapsychic foundations scores (2.90±1.07) were lower than the other domains scores. The QLS score was higher in patients with an associate degree or higher level of education (p-value<0.01) and those living with family members (p-value<0.01). The overall employment rate was low among the patients. There was no significant relationship between current doses of various medications and any QLS domain scores; however, a significant inverse relationship was between the current doses of first- and second-generation antipsychotics and the instrumental role domain score.
 Conclusion: The findings of this study showed that the scores of different domains of QLS were low in the remitted patients with schizophrenia. The impact of different antipsychotic treatments and their side effects on the QOL should be addressed in future studies.

A New Roadmap for Reskilling and Upskilling (R&U) in Türkiye: Vocational Training Center Skill Development Programs

Purpose: The skills that adults possess are very important for their adaptation to the technological transformation and contribution to the economy. Therefore, large-scale projects are implemented to develop theseskills within a lifelong learning approach. The Ministry of National Education (MoNE) has initiated “Vocational Training Center (VTC) Skill Development Programs” to improve the skills within the paradigm shift in VET system. This study aims to evaluate the performance of these programs in the first six months through the data collected from the participants. Design/Methodology/Approach: The study compares the number of students in VET skill development programs and the change of demographic characteristics in the last six months. Therefore, the data in the programs were used anonymously. The study is designed as descriptive research. Findings: The findings show that adults demand greatly for skill development programs in just four months and the number of participants has increased from approximately 6000 to 79000. The adults aged 31 and above constituted largest share of participants. The gender distribution of the participants is quite balanced and it is mostly valid at different age levels. In addition, 19% of participants graduated from associate degree and higher education levels. This reveals that adults need to develop their skills and are in high demand regardless of their education level. The service sector and creativity-related fields are highly preferred by adults and this pattern is valid for adults from different education levels. Highlights: VTC skill development programs have a great potential for upskilling and reskilling of adults in Türkiye. For the last six months, these programs are demanded from adults and the percentage of females have reached the peak level in VET. The fact that 19% of the participants are tertiary graduates indicates that adults who have graduated from tertiary education have a demand for acquiring new skills. The findings in the first six months show that the skills development programs reach the target group and meet an important need in skills development.

Countering Structural Racism Through Alternative Approaches to Baccalaureate Nursing Education.

The baccalaureate degree has been touted as the preferred minimum entry into professional nursing practice in the United States. Although the number of Black registered nurses is increasing overall, Black nurses are disproportionately represented at the associate degree level. This article describes how structural racism and Eurocentric gatekeeping have historically created barriers in nursing education. We propose alternative pathways to diversify nursing education that promote equitable access to the profession.

Renewable Energy Education at Associate Degree Level in Turkey and Comparison with Equivalents in Some Other Countries

Renewable Energy Education at Associate Degree Level in Turkey and Comparison with Equivalents in Some Other Countries

Avrupa’da Üniversite Düzeyinde Önoloji Eğitiminin Yapısı ve Türkiye ile Karşılaştırılması

Turkey is an appropriate country for viticulture due to its favourable climatological characteristics. Although Turkey produces plenty of grapes in the fertile soil and is one of the world's leading countries in terms of vineyard area, it is known that only 11% of the grapes produced are used in wine production. The difficulties encountered at every stage of the wine sector in Turkey are reflected in oenology education briefly defined as the science of wine and it is observed that the number of schools training qualified personnel in the field of wine is low. However, Turkey's closest rivals in terms of vineyard area and production quantities of grapes take place on the European continent where the situation is quite different. In these countries, the education of oenology is of great importance, and those who have completed the oenology education are given the title of oenologist. The purpose of this study prepared with content analysis method was to compare the oenology education in Turkey to oenology education in Europe and put forward some suggestions for oenology education in Turkey. As a result of the study, the following conclusions have been reached: Oenology education in Turkey is a neglected area of study for a lot of different reasons, oenology education is not given at undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral levels, and wine production technology education is given only in one state university at the associate's degree level. It is thought that the study will contribute to the literature, next researchers, the wine sector, and especially the institutions that provide education on wine.

Investigating University Students’ Views on Distance Education at Associate Degree Level

The study aimed to determine the associate degree students’ views on the dimensions of personal suitability, effectiveness, teaching, and predisposition towards teaching offered in distance education environments and examine whether their views differed significantly according to gender, class, and vocational school type. 
 
 The data of the study were collected from 2061 students studying in vocational schools of a state university located in eastern Turkey. All students in the study population were aimed to be reached; however, 2061 out of 2963 students who participated voluntarily and answered all the questions were included. Among these 2061 students, 1152 were male and 909 were female. When classified according to school type, 1429 participants were studying at vocational schools, 401 at health, 136 at justice, and 95 were studying at tourism. Learners’ Views on Distance Education Scale (LVoDE) was used as the data collection tool. LVODE included 18 items and four factors as personal appropriateness, effectiveness, informativeness and predisposition. The scale was on 5-point Likert rating scale ranging from 1 to 5 indicating 1 (never agree), 2 (rarely agree), 3 (sometimes agree), 4 (usually agree), 5 (always agree). The reliability coefficients of the scale including four sub-dimensions as personal suitability, effectiveness, teaching, and predisposition varied between .81 and .91. The descriptive statistics were used to ascertain the opinions on the sub-dimensions of personal appropriateness, effectiveness, informativeness and predisposition offered to students in distance education environments. A factorial ANOVA test was performed for independent samples to check whether students’ views on teaching offered in distance education settings differed significantly according to gender, grade level, and type of school. According to the research results, it was noticed that the students did not find themselves sufficient for distance education activities in terms of personal convenience and effectiveness and thought that face-to-face education was more effective than distance education. They regarded themselves insufficient in completing their homework and similar tasks given during their online classes by teachers. There was no significant difference in views of the students upon distance education in terms of both gender and grade levels. However, a significant difference was found in their views on distance education according to the types of vocational schools. The opinions of the students studying in health and justice vocational schools were found to be at a more positive level than the ones enrolled in hotel and tourism vocational schools.

DEVELOPMENT AND VALIDATION OF AN INDUSTRY 4.0 ADAPTATION POTENTIAL SCALE (4IRAPS)

The aim of this study was to develop a scale that can measure the potential of adapting to Industry 4.0, which refers to the fourth industrial revolution described as a combination of the innovation of various digital technologies rapidly developed in recent years. In addition, the reliability and validity of the Industry 4.0 Adaptation Potential (4IRAPS) is demonstrated. This research was conducted in two stages of a pilot and a main study. The data was collected from 174 participants enrolled in technical and management departments at the graduate and associate degree levels of two different universities. A 50-item questionnaire concerning Industry 4.0 prepared by experts experienced in this field was applied to the participants. As a result of a factor analysis, 30 items and 11 subscales with low a factor load and reliability level were removed from the questionnaire. The reliability and validity of 4IRAPS were verified by” the analyses via PLS-SEM. Finally, the remaining four sub-dimensions referring to Industry 4.0 were labelled as interested, effort for adaptation, readiness, and pessimism. This study developed the first scale of the industry 4.0 adaptation potential. The scale consists of four sub-dimensions and 17 items. It was determined that this scale was statistically reliable and valid.

The “first-generation effect” on perceptions and academic performance of pharmacy students

IntroductionThe “first-generation effect” refers to familial educational attainment's role in first-generation student academic success. It often implies low academic achievements at associate and bachelor degree levels. Would this be true at the doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) level? This study assessed perceptions and first-professional (P1) year student academic performance of first-generation vs. non-first-generation PharmD cohorts at the Feik School of Pharmacy. MethodsPerceptions (academic and personal support) were assessed via a 49-question survey at the start of the second- and third-professional years. Academic performance was assessed via measures of academic success (course grades, grade point average, supplemental instruction enrollments, and academic infractions) in P1 year. Statistical t-tests and F-tests were used to analyze differences in perceptions and academic performance for the two cohorts. ResultsFrom 132 eligible students, 128 completed the survey (97% response rate) and 58 (45%) were first-generation students. First-generation students had a lower perception of their academic success, and they perceived finances as one of their greatest barriers (86% vs. 64%). Fifteen P1 courses were reviewed for academic performance, and first generations had lower final course grades in only two courses (Anatomy and Physiology 1; Medical Microbiology and Immunology). For measures of academic success, no significant differences were noted. ConclusionsOverall, this study suggested that first-generation status may not be a hindrance to academic performance at the PharmD level, but that financial perceptions and a lower self-perception of academic success seem to be major barriers for first-generation PharmD students.

Günümüz Eğitim Sistemlerinde Büyük Veri Teknolojisi: Öğrenme Analitiği

The concept of learning analytics emerges as a reflection of big data technology in the field of education to improve the quality of learning. Students leave large amounts of data from digital traces, especially during e-learning activities. These data can be processed to facilitate e-learning processes or to use for other educational and administrative purposes. Techniques such as predictive modeling, social network analysis (SNA), user, usage tracking, content analysis, semantic analysis, suggestion systems are among learning analytics techniques and learning analytics are used to identify and improve current learning process performance. Due to today's learning environments are digitalized, students are more lonely, their motivation is lower during e-learning activities, so managing the learning process is more difficult. Therefore, learning analytics applications come to the fore in today's education systems, just like virtual mentors. It will be easier to improve and manage the e-learning process, which has become more individualized through virtual mentors, compared to traditional education. In this study, an application study done before will be discussed in terms of how learning analytics can be adapted to educational institutions, and the adaptation of learning analytics application design (Learning Analytics Application Design, LAID) principles will be discussed with research questions. LAID consists of conceptual and logistical coordination, as well as the principle of coordination, comparison, and customization. The application data consists of the answers given to the learning tests applied in the Mathematics course by Sakarya University Electronic Technology distance education students at the associate degree level in the fall semester of the 2010-2011 academic year. The developed learning tests were first applied to Computer Programming students with similar characteristics, and after the item analysis was completed, updated tests consisting of the best questions were applied to the Electronic Technology students. Since participation in the tests is not compulsory, students who want to learn about their own learning performance participated in the published tests, and the number of participants varies between 88 and 107. Respectively, 107 students participated in sets tests, 93 students participated in numbers test, 101 students in algebra tests, 89 students in inequalities and equations tests, 105 students in functions tests, and 88 students participated in logarithm and trigonometry tests. Findings obtained, evaluation of the application in terms of learning analytics perspective, suggestions for improvement are given in the results section.

Formación contable en Colombia: incidencia del contexto político, económico y social

A diferencia de los modelos contables empresariales implementados en Colombia a través de procesos de normalización, la formación contable todavía no está estandarizada e históricamente ha estado supeditada a demandas particulares del contexto donde operan los programas de formación. Consecuentemente, este estudio pretende analizar la formación contable en Colombia a la luz de la influencia que tienen los contextos económico, político y social en distintos niveles de formación superior y distintas categorías municipales. Para ello, se utiliza una metodología descriptiva y analítica, acompañada de un muestreo aleatorio simple que permita contrastar los programas de formación profesional, técnica y tecnológica en el área contable a la luz de la influencia que ejercen sus entornos. Se encontró que, los programas profesionales tienen mayor influencia del contexto en comparación a los técnicos y tecnológicos; además, de dicho contexto el aspecto que más influye es el político y el que menos es el social.

Turist Rehberi Adaylarının Uygulama Gezilerinden Beklentilerinin ve Memnuniyet Düzeylerinin Araştırılması

Amaç ve Önem: Bu çalışmanın amacı, turist rehberi adaylarının uygulama gezilerinden beklentilerini ve memnuniyet düzeylerini araştırmaktır. Bu amaçla öncelikle turist rehberliği ile ilgili literatür taraması yapılmıştır. Daha sonra turist rehberi olmak için gerekli şartlar irdelenmiştir. Bu şartlardan biri olan uygulama gezileri çalışmanın temelini oluşturmaktadır.Yöntem: Turist rehberi adaylarının uygulama gezilerinden beklentilerinin ve memnuniyet düzeylerinin belirlenmesi amacıyla Ocak-Şubat 2019 aylarında gerçekleştirilen uygulama gezilerine katılan önlisans, lisans ve yüksek lisans düzeyinde öğrenim gören turist rehberliği öğrencilerine anket uygulanmıştır.Bulgular: Katılımcıların yaşadıkları ülkeyi gezme arzusunda olsalar dahi gezi süresinin uzunluğunun motivasyon kaybına yol açtığı sonucuna ulaşılmıştır. Araştırmadan elde edilen bulgular, bu gezilere katılanların beklentilerinin yüksek ancak memnuniyet düzeylerinin düşük olduğunu, dolayısıyla istenilen düzeyde iyi hizmet alınamadığını ortaya koymuştur. Bu sebeple geziden beklenen verimin alınamadığı ve amacına ulaşamadığı tespit edilmiştir.Özgünlük/Bilimsel Katkı: Çalışmada, Ocak 2019-Şubat 2019 tarihleri arasında gerçekleştirilen uygulama gezisine katılan önlisans, lisans ve yüksek lisans düzeyinde öğrenim gören turist rehberliği öğrencilerinin uygulama gezilerinden beklenti ve memnuniyet düzeyleri incelenmiştir. Literatürde konuyla ilgili çok az çalışmaya rastlanmıştır. Bu doğrultuda, bu çalışmanın ilgili literatüre katkı sağlayacağı düşünülmektedir.Çalışmanın Sınırlılıkları: Araştırma Ocak-Şubat 2019 tarihlerinde gerçekleştirilen uygulama gezisine katılan önlisans, lisans ve yüksek lisans düzeyinde öğrenim gören turist rehberliği öğrencilerinin sorulara verdiği cevaplarla sınırlıdır.

Otel İşgörenlerinin Örgütsel Sinizm Algıları ve İş Performansları Arasındaki İlişki: Kars İlinde Bir Araştırma (The Relationship Between Organizational Cynicism Perception and Work Performance of Hotel Staff; A Research in Kars Province)

Purpose – Employers employed in hotels located in Kars City Center constitute the universe of the study. The main purpose of the study is to determine the relationship between organizational cynicism and job performance of hotel employees. Design/methodology/approach – The questionnaire consists of demographic variables, the Organizational Cynicism Scale adapted to Turkish by Karacaoglu and Ince (2012) and the Business Performance Scale prepared by Avunduk (2016). The questionnaire was applied to hotel employees in the research universe in the form of a simple random sample. From the 153-person universe, 138 people were surveyed and 126 questionnaires were evaluated and data were obtained. The data were analyzed with SPSS and AMOS programs and findings were obtained. Findings – Young employees are considered to be more cynical as a result of being ambitious and wanting to have a position quickly. There was a significant difference between organizational cynicism and education, especially at associate degree level. Discussion – As a result of the literature review, it is estimated that there will be a negative and significant relationship between organizational cynicism and work performance. In the study, it was found that there was no significant relationship between work performance and organizational cynicism, cognitive dimension and emotional dimension, but only a low negative and significant relationship between behavioral subdimension and work performance. It is considered that this situation occurs as a result of the fact that more sincere relations emerge as a result of the low number of employees in the hotels where the application is made.

An Exploration of Rural Nurses in Decision Making of Academic Progression

Purpose: To explore the meaning that academic progression has for rural RNs and their decision to pursue or not pursue a BSN or higher levels of education. Background:  Mounting evidence has linked a higher educated nurse with improved patient outcomes and decreased patient mortality prompting leaders in healthcare to call for a bachelor of Science (BSN) degree as baseline preparation for nursing practice Yet, the majority of the nation’s registered nurses (RNs) continues to be educated at the associate degree (AD) level. These numbers are even higher in rural areas of the country, where social determinants of health for rural populations places higher demands on rural nurses to provide quality of care. Sample: Nine (n=9) AD RNs from a rural community hospital in Pennsylvania who met inclusion criteria were selected. Methods: A qualitative phenomenological approach was the research design choice which captured the lived experiences of how rural RNs think and feel about pursuing a BSN or higher degree. Findings:  Findings from this study revealed that rural RNs are motivated by the need for a BSN specifically in regard to job security, professional identity, professional development, personal enrichment, and career mobility and feeling prepared for the demands of 21st century nursing practice. The participants conveyed they want their voices to be heard regarding the unique challenges that rural nurses face in pursuit of a BSN. Conclusion: Higher education in nursing is now a key imperative. Understanding academic progression in relation to RNs practicing in rural healthcare institutions should serve to disseminate the identified gaps of knowledge in rural nursing education. This study has direct implications for curriculum development and educational strategies focused on producing a more educated rural nursing workforce to meet the growing needs of rural populations. DOI:  http://dx.doi.org/10.14574/ojrnhc.v20i1.608  Keywords: academic progression, associate degree, bachelor degree, nursing education, role transition, rural health, rural nursing, rural RN workforce.

A Qualitative Research On Rural Tourism Perceptions Of Students Who Have Received Tourism Education At Associate Degree Level

Araştırma amacı kırsal turizmin gelişmesi için bir farkındalık yaratmak ve ön lisans öğrencilerinin kırsal turizm algılarını değerlendirmektir.Araştırmada nitel araştırma desenlerinden olgu bilim deseni yapılarak, amaçlı örnekleme yöntemlerinden kolay ulaşılabilir örnekleme yöntemi uygulanmıştır.Katılımcılar kırsal turizm kavramını doğa, kültür, ekonomi ve tanıtım; Anamur’da ön plana çıkan yöresel ürünleri muz, çilek, portakal, gölevez, mantar, zeytin ve avokado; Anamur’da kırsal turizmin gelişmesi için reklam ve tanıtım, seraların kaldırılması/azaltılması, sosyal turizmin gelişmesi, mevsimsellik sorununun çözülmesi, trekking, kamp, avcılık gibi turizm türlerinin geliştirilmesi, çevrenin korunması ve ulaşım sorununun giderilmesi; Anamur’un kırsal turizmin gelişmesinde güçlü özelliklerini ise toprağın verimli olması, iklimi ve bitki örtüsü, temiz deniz ve sahile sahip olması, yöresel kültürün korunmuşluğu, tarımın devam etmesi, coğrafi konumu, doğal güzellikleri, yeterli kırsal kaynağa sahip olması ve yaylaları olarak belirtmektedirler.Araştırma sonuçlarında öğrencilerin Anamur’da kırsal turizmin uygulanabilirliğine yönelik düşüncelerinin olumlu olduğu; ileriye yönelik yapılacak çalışmalarda toplumun her kesimi için farkındalık yaratılabilmesi için kırsal turizm olgusunun farklı toplumsal grupların algısını ölçmeye yönelik araştırmaların yapılması ve kırsal turizm bilincin arttırılabilmesi için lise ve üniversite müfredatlarında yer verilmesi önerilmektedir.Araştırma Anamur ilçesinde turizm eğitimi alan ön lisans öğrencilerine uygulanmıştır. Anamur’ da kırsal turizm üzerine ilk kez bir nitel çalışma özelliği taşımaktadır. Turizm programı ön lisans öğrencilerinin kırsal turizm algılamaları sektör uygulayıcılarına yol gösterecektir.

HEALTH TOURISM EDUCATION: THE CASE OF TURKEY AND THE WORLD

The aim of this study is to investigate the university training programs that train professional manpower in the field of health tourism in Turkey and in the world. The study is descriptive and cross-sectional type. Data were collected from the web pages of the universities on February 1-25, 2018. The curriculum content of programs was investigated in terms of the credits of the courses, the process of the programs, the education fees, the language of education and the universities and institutions to which they are affiliated. There are five programs in the field of health tourism, with 3 masters without thesis and 2 masters with thesis. There is no doctoral program and also BSc program in Turkey. There are two programs that associate degree which is called as health tourism management. In the study, in total 12 country and 25 programs were examined. Three of them are doctoral, nine are masters, 11 are BSc degree and three are associate degree level. Considering that health tourism is one of the high value added of the sector in Turkey and the World it can be argued that the number of programs to train professional manpower in this sector is not sufficient.

Meslek Yüksekokulundan Mezun Kadınların Okul Başarı Durumları İle Mezuniyet Sonrası Çalışma Durumlarının Karşılaştırılması: Amasya Meslek Yüksekokulu Örneği (Comparison of School Achievement Status with Employment Status After School of Women Graduating from Vocational School: Amasya Vocational School Example)

Vocational Schools are the two-year colleges of universities with important functions and training at the associate degree level in order to train intermediate staff in various sectors. The fact that Vocational Schools have expanded to the district centers outside provincial centers in recent years has created new opportunities for vocational training of women, especially in small settlements and rural areas. However, in practice it seems that the same increase is not reflected in the employment of women receiving vocational training. Today, however, the development of countries seems to be directly proportional to the extent to which women have participated in their working lives. Despite improvements in working conditions in recent years, it is generally accepted that women have difficulty in finding employment or continuing their working life in private sector enterprises. In this study, it is aimed to determine whether there is an interest between the achievement levels of women receiving vocational training in work and their participation in the workforce. Within the scope of the study, women were taken in the programs of Tourism and Hotel Management, Accounting and Tax Applications, Office Management and Secretariat, which are located in Amasya Vocational School of Amasya University. In the study, the rate of female graduation decreased significantly after 2006, but the rate of leaving school increased. While the highest employment of women graduated being in 2007 (56.5%), fell in the following years, it was 34.1% in 2011. Again, in the study it was found that there was no relationship between women's achievement in vocational education and employment participation.

Overview of the university-based addiction studies programs in the United States

ABSTRACTBackground: The field of addiction studies (AS) has grown in the last several decades. However, little is known about the structure and conditions of current academic programs. Only two studies have examined AS programs in the U.S., and both were conducted almost 15 years ago. The current study was designed to identify AS programs existing in the U.S. universities.Methods: We conducted an Internet search to identify university-based programs according to defined key words. The university program websites were then subjected to content analysis.Results: A total of 333 U.S. universities were identified that offered 392 different academic programs in AS of which 302 were degree programs. Out of these, 161 (53%) programs were offered at the associate degree level, 48 (15,9%) at the bachelor’s level, 55 (18.2%) at the master’s level, and 5 (1.6%) at the doctorate level. The largest number of programs was in California. Two states in the U.S. had no identifiable programs. Only one university located in the state of New York offered comprehensive academic programs across the educational spectrum. Many of the academic programs offered certificates. The most common phrases used in program titles were “substance abuse”, “addiction studies/counseling”, and “chemical dependency”.Conclusions: There is a wide range of academic AS programs in the U.S., although their focus is mostly on clinical training rather than on research or drug policy. Future surveys such as this one would benefit from greater attention to issues related to certification, licensing, and academic curricula.