Graduate Degree Programs Research Articles

Marsh Flies, Snails, and Blood Flukes: Biology of the Ecologically Connected

Marsh Flies, Snails, and Blood Flukes: Biology of the Ecologically Connected

SoTL Inquiry in Broader Curricular and Institutional Contexts: Theoretical Underpinnings and Emerging

Universities around the world increasingly recognize the importance of offering high quality, high-engagement student learning experiences in their undergraduate and graduate programs. While the SoTL movement and literature has gained considerable recognition and momentum over the past two decades, much less inquiry has focused on institutional and program-level educational reforms. This paper calls for a more expansive view and strategic use of SoTL inquiry in order to make substantive contributions to curriculum renewal, educational leadership practices, and, most importantly, the quality of undergraduate and graduate degree programs. Theoretical underpinnings, emerging trends, challenges, and strategic supports to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of curricula within and across diverse disciplinary contexts are discussed.

The role of Social Psychology in Brazilian undergraduate and graduate education

The purpose of this paper is to contextualize the role played by Social Psychology in the framework of Brazilian undergraduate and graduate education. With respect to undergraduate degree programs, we analyzed the Degree Pedagogical Project (DPP). Regarding graduate degree programs, the organizational structure of Brazilian programs was analyzed. The study is divided into five parts. In the first part, we present a brief introduction on the status of higher education in Brazil. In the second part, we provide an equally brief overview of the status of undergraduate and graduate education in Psychology. Next, we approach the key topic of the paper, Social Psychology in undergraduate (third part) and graduate (fourth part) education. We conclude with some notes for discussion.

Strengths vs. Strong Position: Rethinking the Nature of SWOT Analysis

The analysis of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) has long been recommendedas the foundation for strategy. In spite of this popularity, the actual procedure remains vaguelyoperationalized, and both descriptive and empirical accounts of its use (as noted here) indicate bothconceptual and procedural problems. After reviewing the development of SWOT in the strategyliterature, examples of SWOT analyses are noted. A variety of criticisms of the SWOT method areexamined, leading to a summary of key principles for SWOT analysis. A new, five-step method forcarrying out SWOT is proposed based on critical customer values and competitor comparisons,producing an assessment of organizational strengths in terms of strong product positioning. Thismethod is illustrated by a case analysis of a graduate degree program. The implications of SWOTanalysis for analyzing threats are considered in some detail, stressing the importance of competitiveintelligence as part of this process.

The Fall and Rise of Medical Students’ Attitudes to Communication Skills Learning in Ireland: A Longitudinal Approach

Many studies have explored attitudes to communication skills learning before and after a teaching intervention but there remains a dearth of published longitudinal studies. An area currently unexplored is medical student’s attitudes to communication skills teaching and learning over the entirety of the undergraduate programme. A longitudinal approach was utilized in this study involving all medical students (n= 128) entering a Medicine Under Graduate Degree Programme in 2007 in a Dublin Medical School. Participants completed a previously validated Communication Skills Attitudinal Scale (CSAS) on Day 1 of the second medical year prior to clinical exposure. Once baseline attitudes were established, the tool was completed sequentially at the end of the 2, 3, 4 and 5 (final) medical years. Results indicated a mean Positive Attitude Score (PAS) of 51.9 (range 13-65) at the beginning of 2nd year declining to 45.5 at the end of this year. This decline in positivity was statistically significant with p < 0.035. Results indicated a mean Negative Attitude Score (NAS) of 29.8 (range 13-65) at the beginning of 2nd year rising to 33.8 at the end of this Research Article British Journal of Education, Society & Behavioural Science, 3(4): 467-477, 2013 468 year. However, the longitudinal approach taken highlighted that attitudes rose again by the end of the 3 year -mean PAS 48.7, and 4th 49.3 and attitudes almost returned to baseline by the end of the 5 Year mean PAS 49.3. The NAS score remained constant at 31.4 at the end of 3rd year, 31.4 at the end of 4th and 29.6 at the end of the 5th year .These changes in NAS were not statistically significant. A qualitative study is indicated to investigate the causation of the fall in positive attitude scores and rise in negative attitudes at the end of the second year. As communication skills are a core requirement for practicing in a professional discipline further research into these findings is warranted.

The Effects of Level of Counselor Education on Client Outcomes in the Public Vocational Rehabilitation System of New Jersey

To fulfill the goal of having counselors qualified through the Comprehensive System of Personnel Development (CSPD), the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services in New Jersey (DVRS-NJ) committed to have selected counselors attend a Master’s Degree in Rehabilitation Counseling (MRC) graduate program. This study examines 14 student/counselors who attended the MRC program while employed by DVRS-NJ and the 3,180 clients they served before, during, and after the attainment of their graduate degree. This research provides evidence that a graduate degree in rehabilitation counseling benefits not only the clients receiving services but also the efficacy and fiscal health of the entire rehabilitation services system. In addition, connection of the student to the profession of rehabilitation counseling during the pursuit of a graduate degree may suggest better outcomes. The evidence points to the value of continuing graduate degree programs, even during periods of fiscal restraint.

Agroforestry: a profitable land use. An overview of the 12th North American Agroforestry Conference

This special issue features papers contributed by presenters at the 12th North American Agroforestry Conference held June 4–9, 2011 in Athens, Georgia, USA. The conference brought together agroforestry researchers, educators, practitioners, and students to highlight agroforestry research, implementation, policy, education, and entrepreneurial opportunities across North America. Eight papers cover topics ranging from adoption of silvopastoral systems across eco-regions and countries; economics of pine straw production; and timber and alley crop production in the Southeastern U.S.; reduction of sublimation of snow with shelterbelts in Canada, carbon offset incentives for agroforestry practices; consumer and market dynamics for chestnut and elderberry specialty crops; and web-based graduate degree and certificate programs in agroforestry.

Teaching Receiver Operating Characteristic Analysis: An Interactive Laboratory Exercise

Despite its fundamental importance in the evaluation of diagnostic tests, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis is not easily understood. The purpose of this project was to create a learning experience that resulted in an intuitive understanding of the basic principles of ROC analysis. An interactive laboratory exercise was developed for a class about radiology testing taught within a clinical epidemiology course between 2000 and 2009. The physician students in the course were clinical fellows from various medical specialties who were enrolled in a graduate degree program in clinical investigation. For the exercise, the class was divided into six groups. Each group interpreted radiographs from a set of 50 exams of the peripheral skeleton to determine the presence or absence of an acute fracture. Data from the class were pooled and given to each student. Students calculated the area under the ROC curve (AUC) corresponding to overall class performance. A binormal ROC curve was also fitted to the data from each class year. The laboratory exercise was conducted for 8 years with approximately 20-30 students per year. The mean AUC over the eight laboratory classes was 0.72 with a standard deviation of 0.08 (range, 0.60-0.85). With some simplifications in design, an observer study can be conducted in a laboratory classroom setting. Participatory data collection promotes the intuitive understanding of ROC analysis principles.

Key Factors for Student Recruitment: The Issue of University Branding

Considering the number of universities and the size of the young population targeted for higher education in Turkey, there is an urgent need for further research studies on university branding efforts. The aim of this exploratory research study is to explore specific factors/criteria that Turkish students consider during the process of selecting a graduate degree program at a university in the USA and to contribute to the limited research in the area of university branding. The Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), which is a structured technique for analyzing complex, multi-criteria decisions, has been used for this research. Surveys were applied to students in order to discover specific factors/criteria that Turkish students employ during the process of selecting a graduate degree program at a university in the USA. In this study, there are many decision-criterias that need to be taken into consideration and each criterion must be analyzed with respect to a specific university. The in-depth interviews with professors/education counselors, student survey applications, and the analysis of previous stream of related research has led to identification of criterias to be used in the study. Following the pairwise comparisons, a survey has been designed to assess the relative superiority of the 12-criteria in the model. The most prominent criteria during the process of selecting a graduate degree program was reported as “Post Graduation Job and Career Prospects”. The findings of this study can be used to support those who have the intention to develop a successful university brand.

An interdisciplinary online certificate and masters program in agroforestry

Over the past two decades, the American education system has experienced profound challenges due to long-term and sustained declines in federal and state funding, coupled with rapid and innovative progress in the development of advanced educational technologies. Concurrently, employers are increasing their expectations and outputs from their employees and as a result, working professionals are seeking affordable opportunities to upgrade their skills for career advancement while maintaining full time job responsibilities. Responding to these challenges, both public and private educational institutions have developed innovative online courses and curricula creating fully accredited undergraduate and graduate degree programs often at lower cost than in campus-based degree programs. These courses and programs enable working professionals and other non-traditional learners to realize their aspirations for advanced training, and breach the traditional barrier for those disadvantaged by limited time or distance. Agroforestry, the intentional mixing of trees with crop and/or animal production systems to create economic, environmental, and social benefits, is gaining recognition as an integral component of multifunctional working landscapes. While gradually gaining attention, widespread agroforestry illiteracy remains and the need for a cadre of well trained professionals is essential to support its continued growth. Short courses and workshops are helpful, but professionals and landowners alike across the U.S., Canada and overseas are seeking more comprehensive graduate degree or certificate programs. A web-based, asynchronous M.S. degree and/or a graduate Certificate will help to fill this void. Presently, there are no comparable comprehensive graduate programs in agroforestry elsewhere in the U.S. To meet the current and future needs of the agroforestry profession, The Center for Agroforestry at the University of Missouri has created an online graduate certificate and master’s degree program in agroforestry. Initial student evaluation data reveals that online agroforestry courses compare favorably with face-to-face courses. This program will serve as a model for other institutions interested in developing online programs in agroforestry and related disciplines.

Which Factors Predict the Likelihood of Reapplying to Medical School? An Analysis by Gender

To explore factors associated with becoming a repeat applicant to medical school--specifically, factors involving alternative educational and career plans and educational indebtedness--and how they differ by gender. Using deidentified 2009 and 2010 American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS) data, the authors determined the potential and actual 2010 repeat applicants among first-time applicants who were not accepted to medical school in 2009. Using logistic regression models, they then analyzed the deidentified 2008 Pre-MCAT Questionnaire (PMQ) responses of those potential 2010 repeat applicants who had participated in the PMQ to examine associations between aspirants' self-reported alternative educational and career (Plan B) options as well as levels of indebtedness and the likelihood of reapplying. Using population-level demographic data from AMCAS, the authors weighted analyses to more accurately reflect the actual population of potential repeat applicants. They also explored gender-related differences. Considering as a Plan B applying to a different graduate degree program--business, law, science, another health profession--decreased the likelihood that an unsuccessful 2009 first-time applicant would reapply to medical school in 2010. Aspirants who had more than $20,000 of educational debt were also less likely to become repeat applicants. In separate analyses for men and women, factors associated with the likelihood of reapplying differed noticeably. The authors' findings provide insight into how medical school aspirants make decisions about their career and educational pathways, and how factors associated with those decisions shape the social composition of the medical school applicant pool.

Acoustic education and its exploration at NPU

School of Marine Engineering (SME), Northwestern Polytechnical University (NPU) offers two undergraduate degree programs bearing on the field of acoustics, including information countermeasure and environmental engineering, of which the former is focused on underwater acoustic signal and information processing and the latter on environmental acoustics and noise control. The SME also provides graduate degree programs involving Acoustics, Underwater Acoustic Engineering, Environmental Engineering and Environmental Science leading to a master's degree, among which the former two also possess competency of doctoral education. As a key subject, the education respect to acoustics has developed its own characteristics of teaching reform. The SME is actively involved in fostering the talent of engineering and internationalization among the students. On the one hand, the school is devoted to improve practical and experimental skills of the students. On the other hand, recent years, Acoustics program at the school is gradually promoting its international teaching program.

Method for Planning Graduate Programs in Construction Management

AbstractUniversity programs in Western countries must be accredited, and although several detailed conceptual methods have aimed to design new programs, no specific quantitative tools are currently available. The purpose of this paper is to describe a method to plan, design, or improve graduate degree programs based on selected requirements and market demands. This method involves two metrics, which are later combined into a final index. The first metric is the completeness index that evaluates the extent to which certain programs cover a discipline, in this case, construction management, according to a model using two variables: infrastructure life cycle and organizational breakdown. The second metric is the adequacy index, which measures how a program addresses the previously identified market demands. The final indicator (summary index) relates both indexes in a plot chart. In this study, the applicability of the method is illustrated by a sample of 21 construction management programs from prestigious ...

Are They Connected? Exploring Academic and Social Networks Among MPA Students at a Chinese University

As a complement to traditional scholarship concerned with the production, transfer, and practical utility of management knowledge in a professional graduate degree program, this paper focuses on relational benefits of MPA learning and education.1 In this exploratory study, we investigated the extent to which academic, career advice, friendship, and socio-emotional support networks were developed among a cohort of students at a Chinese university’s MPA program. We applied a social network approach to examining the structural characteristics of the four networks. We found that MPA students at this study site have developed more extensive academic and friendship than career advice and socio-emotional support networks. Students also strengthened their interactions by building multiple relationships across the different networks.

Infusing Research Integrity Principles and Practices into a Regional Master's Degree–Intensive University: A Case Study

The need for institutions of higher education to advance research and scholarly integrity across graduate degree programs involves a strong commitment from each institution to develop a comprehensive approach for promoting responsible conduct of research (RCR). In response to this need, one master's-intensive regional university implemented a three-tier model project (focusing, developing, and evaluating/sustaining) for infusing research integrity principles and practices while promoting RCR. Components of the model and implementation strategies are presented as a case study analysis. Implications of the model for promoting the RCR are projected relative to graduate programs focused on applied research.

An Analysis of Teaching Competencies of Junior Faculty with Different Levels of Graduate Teaching Assistant Experiences

This casual–comparative study was conducted to determine the professional development needs of teaching faculty with fewer than 6 years of university teaching experience (n = 67). Faculty were compared on the level of teaching assistantship responsibility during their graduate degree program. The purpose of this article is to provide faculty development officers with fundamental considerations for achieving quality professional development with junior faculty based on previous teaching experience. This study found professional development needs should be tailored based on teaching assistant experiences.

The process of disengaging from online learning community revealed through examination of threaded discussions

The disengaging process is an important aspect of the lifecycle of distributed collaborative pursuits such as virtual groups, online social networking, and e-learning. To explore the disengaging process in online learning, this research analysed 667 discussion board posts made by a close community of e-learners during the final 1.5 years of their time together in a graduate degree programme. Using a model of disengaging to frame a qualitative analysis of the posts reveals findings about the ways the students change their roles as they near the time of graduation, and demonstrates the complex inter-relationship of elements of the disengaging model that emerges as the students shift their focus away from the online learning community.

Cutting the distance in distance education: Perspectives on what promotes positive, online learning experiences

This qualitative research study was designed to inform the development and implementation of effective online learning environments by exploring, from both teacher and student perspectives, what constitute effective online learning experiences. The study examined course content, tasks, and pedagogical approaches, as identified by students and instructors, which contributed to or hindered positive online learning experiences. Researchers interviewed 6 online course instructors and 10 adult students to understand their experiences in undergraduate and graduate level online degree programs. Using a Cognitive Apprenticeship Model to inform the analysis of data, findings revealed an emphasis on text-based content and lecture; instruction that led to disconnect between students, teachers, and course content and goals; and one innovative program that links real-world experiences with online classroom learning. Given the growing number of online programs, the study provides insight for course development and pedagogy as well as offers possibilities for additional research.

On Safari in Policy-Land

No abstract available.

Building Managerial and Organizational Capacity in Nonprofit Human Service Organizations Through a Leadership Development Program

Highly skilled managers are needed to lead organizations and enable them to survive in changing times, especially in this era when members of the baby boom generation are retiring from senior positions. Most short-term in-service management training programs for practicing managers reflect the abbreviated versions of content found in either undergraduate or graduate degree programs in nonprofit management. Recognizing the limitations of these traditional approaches to training future senior managers, a group of directors of nonprofit human service agencies serving children and families collaborated with a university to develop and implement a training program for their middle and senior managers to enhance their managerial leadership capacities. The program design and evaluation differs from traditional professional development programs in terms of the: 1) extensive involvement of agency directors and program participants in the program design; 2) learning projects that address agreed-upon agency issues that focus on both managing and leading; 3) participant-centered learning with individualized coaching; and 4) outcome-focus with respect to identifying new conceptual frameworks for training. This case study of the training design, implementation and evaluation concludes with implications for effectively preparing future generations for leadership roles in nonprofit human service organizations.