Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Doctoral studies'

Increases in the employment of women in administrative and managerial careers have drawn attention to a need for research that examines the interdependency of work and family roles, a need that is particularly crucial in the area of academic administration. This was a qualitative study of the strategies and support systems women educational administrators use to deal with the multiple roles they perform in life and work while pursuing doctoral studies. Forty-four women educational administrators enrolled in Virginia Tech's fall 1996 dissertation seminar were selected to participate in a telephone interview. Each participant's responses were recorded and transcribed. Data were sorted using a variable-oriented format. Matrices were used to categorize and analyze the data, note emerging patterns of strategies and support systems, and compare and contrast roles across personal and situational variables. The women in this study cited time as the common factor in most role conflicts occurring during their years of doctoral study. Strategies that centered around time management (prioritize, delegate, compartmentalize,) were used to deal with their multiple roles. Feelings of guilt, stress, exhaustion, and isolation were common. They depended on positive and affective support systems that included family, friends, co-workers, and cohort members to deal with responsibilities of home, work, and doctoral study. A strong sense of commitment, determination, and spiritual faith was credited most often as the one thing that kept them going as they responded to the problems, issues, concerns, and challenges of performing multiple roles in life and work.
Ed. D.

Thesis (MPhil)-- Stellenbosch University, 2013.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Limited research in South Africa has been conducted on factors contributing to doctoral success, particularly on how doctoral candidates and graduates experience their studies and the transformation of candidates that can be associated with doctoral studies. This lack of information pertains to the successful completion of a doctoral study within a minimum period of time. It is difficult to predict who will eventually successfully complete their doctoral studies if the prediction is merely based on the results of previous qualifications. Such previous achievements are often insufficient and inadequate to ensure the successful completion of a doctoral study. Knowledge institutions such as universities seem not to pay adequate attention to the transformation of the person of the doctoral candidate and his or her becoming an independent researcher. Often, a narrow concept of the intellect of doctoral candidates is over-emphasised. Knowing, although limited, is transformative as it can often change who candidates are (or become) as graduates. Such transformation and the idea of a doctoral identity has rarely been the focus in doctoral education, as epistemological gain is regarded as being more important. The aim of this study was to establish a basic understanding of doctoral success at Stellenbosch University, mainly directed at exploring the challenges faced by doctoral candidates and thereby possibly contributing to the future support of doctoral candidates at the institution. By using an interpretive reseach paradigm and narrative analysis, a number of characteristics were identified as being useful by contributing to a clearer theoretical and conceptual understanding of doctoral success at Stellenbosch University. In the study a number of factors that facilitated doctoral success were also identified, and factors contributing to such success as indicated by participants themselves were defined. A conceptual framework of understanding that may underscore and justify strategies and actions promoting doctoral success are suggested in the study.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Daar bestaan tans beperkte navorsing in Suid-Afrika oor faktore wat tot die sukses van doktorale studies bydra, veral ten opsigte van hoe doktorale kandidate en gegradueerdes hulle studies ervaar en die transformasie van kandidate wat deur doktorale studies meegebring word. Hierdie gebrek aan inligting het ʼn impak op die suksesvolle voltooiing al dan nie van ʼn doktorale studie binne ʼn minimum tydperk. Dit is moeilik om te voorspel wie uiteindelik hulle doktorale studies suksesvol sal voltooi as die voorspelling bloot op die resultate van vorige kwalifikasies gegrond is. Sodanige vorige prestasies is dikwels onvoldoende en ontoereikend om te verseker dat ʼn doktorale studie suksesvol voltooi sal word. Kennisinstellings soos universiteite gee skynbaar nie voldoende aandag aan die transformasie van die doktorale kandidaat as persoon of aan die proses waardeur hy of sy gaan om ʼn onafhanklike navorser te word nie. Dikwels word ʼn eng konsep van die intelligensie van doktorale kandidate oorbeklemtoon. Kennis, selfs al is dit beperk, is transformerend van aard omdat dit dikwels kan verander wie die kandidate as gegradueerdes is (of word). Sodanige transformasie en die konsep van ʼn doktorale identiteit was nog selde die fokuspunt in doktorale studie omdat epistemologiese voordele as belangriker beskou word. Die doel van hierdie studie, wat hoofsaaklik gerig was op ʼn ondersoek van die uitdagings wat doktorale kandidate moet aanspreek, was om ʼn basiese begrip van doktorale sukses aan die Universiteit Stellenbosch te vestig. Dit was dus ʼn poging om by te dra tot die toekomstige ondersteuning van doktorale kandidate aan hierdie instelling. Deur ʼn interpretatiewe navorsingsparadigma en narratiewe ontleding te gebruik, is ʼn aantal waardevolle eienskappe geïdentifiseer wat tot ʼn duideliker teoretiese en konsepsuele begrip van doktorale sukses aan die Universiteit Stellenbosch kan bydra. In die studie is ʼn aantal faktore geïdentifiseer wat doktorale sukses vergemaklik, terwyl ʼn oorsig ook gegee word van faktore wat volgens die deelnemers aan die studie tot sukses sal bydra. Hierdie studie stel ʼn konsepsuele begripsraamwerk voor wat strategieë en optrede wat doktorale sukses sal verhoog, ondersteun en regverdig.

A review of the literature indicates that Latinos lag behind Whites and Blacks in college degree attainment. This educational disparity is of concern because Latinos are currently the largest minority group in the United States, and the Latino population is expected to increase exponentially in the future. College degree attainment for Latinos is imperative because statistics show an undeniable relationship between degree attainment and income level. In order to ensure the economic wellbeing of Latinos, it is important that Latinos persist through college degree programs. This is especially true for Puerto Ricans because they are the second largest Latino subgroup. The majority of college persistence and departure literature applies to students in general and some of the studies focus on Latino College students. However, fewer studies explore the perspectives of Latinos with the process of graduate or doctoral degree attainment. This is especially true of Latinos of specific ethnic backgrounds such as Cuban, Mexican, or Puerto Rican. I conducted this study in order to address this gap in the literature. This study described and explained the perspectives of a purposive sample of Puerto Rican doctoral graduates on their education by exploring those social and cultural factors that influenced their perceptions, and served as educational facilitators or barriers to their doctoral attainment. The questions that guided the study were: 1.What are the components of their perspectives? and; 2. What social-cultural variables influenced their perspectives?  In order to answer the research questions, I interviewed eight Puerto Ricans with doctorates who were affiliated with the GOTHAM educational system in the state of New York. In order to collect the data, I went to New York in February and March 2010 and conducted face to face interviews with the participants, which were recorded. After I recorded the interviews, I transcribed the data, which I analyzed using a software program called Atlas.ti. I analyzed the data by coding the excerpts, which I identified as the subthemes or variables of this study. The subthemes were coalesced into major themes, which were validated by peer review, several iterations of member check, and data triangulation. After coming to a consensus at all levels of validation, I determined that the emergent themes were in fact evidence of the components of the perceptions of the participants‟ experiences with doctoral attainment. Those components are Personal Factors, Social Role Factors, Cultural Factors, and Social Factors. Based on the analysis of the data, the most profound influence to the perception of the participants‟ lived doctoral experiences was that of the interaction of being a doctoral student, or Adult Learner, with at least one other social role. The most commonly reported negative interaction was being an Adult Learner and a Worker at the same time. Having a lack of Finances, No Latino Role Models, experiencing Negative Events by Ethnicity, and struggling with Self-Efficacy served as barriers to most of the participants. Having Peer Networks and Faculty Support served as facilitators to most of the participants. In order to add to the usefulness of this study, I asked the participants for their advice to future or current doctoral students, and for suggestions to faculty and administrators of higher education. I included their responses as part of this study.

In recent years, mentoring has emerged as a research domain, however, the preponderance of mentoring research has been situated first, in the business or organizational settings and second, in the K-12 educational setting, focusing on protégé experiences, using quantitative survey instruments to collect data. Thus, mentoring research literature includes a paucity of formal studies in the arena of graduate education. Situated in the higher education setting, this study investigated the perspectives of faculty-mentors who provided mentoring to doctoral students who completed the doctoral degree, employing the qualitative research methodology known as phenomenology, as an orthogonal but complimentary epistemology to previous quantitative studies. Located specifically in the College of Education of a large research university, the study asked 262 College of Education doctoral graduates to nominate College of Education faculty who provided mentoring to them during their degree pursuit. A total of 59 faculty were nominated as mentors. Six of the most frequently nominated mentors participated in two semi-structured interviews (Berg, 2004). The interviews addressed the mentor's experience of the mentoring endeavor, seeking to gather a description of their lived experience (Creswell, 1998) of mentoring and the meanings (Cohen & Omery, 1994) they garnered from it. The interviews yielded several shared perspectives on mentoring, including: a Gratifying Perspective, an Intentional Perspective, an Idiographic Perspective, a Teleological Perspective, and a Dynamic Perspective. Other noteworthy concepts that emerged from the mentors' data were: values, motivations, symbiotic relationship, and contextual negotiation. Implications for mentoring theory and practice as well as mentor development were described. The study contributed to development of a fuller phenomenological understanding of the perspectives of faculty-mentors in a mentoring relationship with doctoral students.

This thesis is about the molecular structure of minerals, their surface modification and the dispersion of selected minerals of a ceramic nature as sols and gels. The theme that permeates through this work and connects the different elements of the work is the search for fundamental knowledge and understanding of mineral structure and mineral surface structure. The underlying principal is that of molecular structure of surfaces and the changes in that molecular structure through modification of the surfaces. There are seven research divisions of study reported in this thesis: (A) Molecular structure and spectroscopy ofkaolinite (B) Molecular surface structure modified through intercalation with polar molecules (C) Molecular surface structure modified through intercalation with potassium and cesium acetates (D) Structure and spectroscopy of alumina phases and colloids (E) Structure and spectroscopy of titania and zirconia colloids (F) Synthesis, characterisation and spectroscopy of double layered hydroxides (hydrotalcites) (G) Spectroscopic and molecular structural studies of selected minerals of interest

Schools of social work are facing a challenge of a lack of social workers with a doctorate to fill faculty positions expected to open due to faculty retiring. There is also a need for more ethnic diversity among social work faculty and schools are struggling to recruit and retain more faculty. This qualitative study used phenomenological methods to explore the factors that 20 Black women attribute to earning their doctorate degree in social work. It used Tinto’s theory of graduate persistence, critical race theory, and Black feminist thought to contextualize the findings.

All of the participants were first generational doctoral students. Two factors motivated them to earn their doctorates (1) influence of family, friends and mentors and (2) their desire to help others. Findings also revealed that participants encountered a number of internal and external obstacles during their studies. While these obstacles delayed many of the women, they did not stop them. The women perceived these obstacles to be connected to their race, gender, and class. All of the women prevailed against the obstacles they encountered utilizing internal supports such as their faith and determination. They also relied on external supports from those with whom they had interpersonal relationships, including family, friends, and their institutions. These findings suggest that having support from their institution and encouragement from their family and friends served as a protective factor to the obstacles they encountered. These findings also outline the dichotomy of finances in this study. Overall 90% of participants received some type of funding for their, however all of accumulated financial debt in pursuit of their doctorate. Based on the findings of this study the following suggestions are made for schools of social work. A) Address issues of institutional racism by providing mentorship training courses for faculty. B) Conduct research to test the effectiveness of recommendations outlined in this study. C) Provide more training and resources to prepare Black women who aspire to pursue their Ph.D. in social work.

This study is situated within a context of the changing role and value of the university, particularly in terms of a renewed focus on the importance of 'practical' research. It seeks to explore candidates' experiences of the culture of three doctoral research degrees in the School of education, RMIT University. The degrees in question are the Doctor of Philosophy by thesis, the Doctor of Philosophy by project and the Doctor of Education. The research sought to problematise and contest current understandings of doctoral candidates' experiences by highlighting complexities in the process and identifying differences and similarities between each of the three degrees. The main research question is 'How do candidates perceive the respective cultures of traditional, practice-based and professional doctoral education?' A nested, multiple-case study of the three doctoral modes was used to address three sub-questions, which focused on the norms and practices of candidates ; the extent to which their needs and expectations were met; and differences in their notions of research and practice. Differences and similarities between the degrees are analysed, leading to answers to the fourth sub-question which sought to identify what can be learned in terms of supervisor pedagogy and learning support. The research design was underpinned by a Bourdieuian epistemology and a critical theoretical perspective. Bourdieu's theory of practice with its conceptual tools of habitus, field, capital, agent and practice allowed analysis of candidates' experiences and the doctoral structures within which their practice resides through one critical lens. The data revealed many issues common to all doctoral programs. These include the importance of understanding the various habitus' and relative amounts of cultural capital of candidates, and the impact of a perceived lack of learning community. Other findings related to ambivalence regarding the types of cultural and social capital appropriate for do ctoral candidates not aiming to work in an academic environment where these are in conflict with the workplace. Three meta-themes were developed: tensions between and within the field; challenges to autonomous principles; and the importance of habitus and cultural capital in doctoral study. The study added to the literature aimed at increasing understanding of candidates' trajectories toward success in the doctoral field, thereby informing supervisor and learning support pedagogy. Five recommendations were proposed, aimed at producing a vibrant doctoral learning community with a deeper understanding of candidates' issues.

The aim of this multiple and independent quantitative and qualitative methods study was to investigate the relevance of Facebook groups for doctoral students during their dissertation process. A convenience sampling approach was used to survey quantitatively the Texas A&M Ed.D. online doctoral students who met the inclusion criteria. The participants completed a valid, web-based survey using the Doctoral Student Connectedness Scale (DSCS, Terrell et al., 2009). Purposeful sampling was used to recruit a sub-sample of participants who subsequently responded to semi-structured interview questions via web conferencing. Quantitative data analysis involved descriptive statistics using SPSS for Mac. Content analysis of the qualitative data was performed using QSR NVivo 11 software. Ethnographic and Thematic analysis used Saldaña’s (2013) two-stage eclectic coding, where emergent themes helped explain the quantitative analysis results. These results revealed that student-to-student regular communications was the only DSCS indicator proven to be statistically/practically significant. While the quantitative results of this study were inconsistent with the results of previous studies, the qualitative data provided additional understanding of the indicators regarding the student-to-student connectedness factor and the CoP by offering their theoretical themes and their emerging themes described as alternate communications. These preferred forms of communication added perspective to low-quality relationships by further explaining that students abandoned the cohort Facebook group due to an institutional procedure designed to divide the cohort into smaller thematic groups. Because the success expressed by the doctoral student cohort group failed to be reproduced in the smaller thematic groups, it is recommended that newly structured thematic constructs incorporate the student input presented in this study.

Pagrindinis lietuvos doktorantūros tikslas yra išmokyti doktorantus vykdyti aukščiausios kokybės, originalius mokslinius tyrimus. Kokie studijų aspektai turi įtaką šiam procesui? Šiai problemai analizuoti ir skirtas atliekamas tyrimas. Darbo tikslas: įvertinti kmu doktorantūros studijų organizacinius aspektus ir jų efektyvumą. Uždaviniai: Išanalizuoti doktorantų požiūrį į vadovo, universiteto ir jų pačių vaidmenį doktorantūros studijų procese. Išsiaiškinti doktorantų nuomones apie studijose dėstomus dalykus ir atsiskaitymą. Palyginti atskirų mokslo krypčių ir skirtingų metų doktorantų nuomones apie doktorantūros studijų proceso organizacinius aspektus. Įvertinti kmu doktorantūros studijų efektyvumą. Tyrimo metodika. Norėdami ���vertinti doktorantūros studijų efektyvumą atlikome kauno medicinos universiteto doktorantų anoniminę anketinę apklausą. Kmu doktorantams buvo išdalyta 222 anketos, gautos užpildytos 137. Atsakymų į anketas dažnis – 61,7 proc. Surinktų duomenų matematinė statistinė analizė atlikta taikant ,,spss/w 13.0“ programą. Skirtumas tarp grupių vertintas taikant tradicinį statistikos metodą χ2. Skirtumas laikytinas statistiškai reikšmingu, kai p <0,05. Rezultatai. Analizuojant apklausos duomenis galima teigti, kad didžioji dalis doktorantų domisi moksliniu tiriamuoju darbu, tikisi pagilinti savo žinias, užsiimti moksline veikla ateityje. Net 74 proc. Doktorantų mano, jog vadovas savo pareigas atlieka kokybiškai. Beveik pusė (48 proc.) Doktorantų nurodė, kad... [toliau žr. visą tekstą]
The main aim of the doctoral studies in lithuania is to teach the students to pursue the original scientific studies of highest quality. This study was designed to analyze which aspect of doctoral studies may influence the process. The aim of the study: to evaluate the organizational aspects and the efficacy of the doctoral studies in kaunas university of medicine. The goals: To analyze the view of the doctoral students on the role of their supervisor, university and the student himself in the process of doctoral studies. To find out the view of the doctoral students on the disciplines of the doctoral studies and accounts of them. To compare the view on the organizational aspects of the doctoral study process between the students in different science trends and in different years of studies. To evaluate the efficacy of the doctoral studies in kaunas university of medicine. Methods. In order to evaluate the efficacy of doctoral studies the anonymous inquiry by questionnaire was performed in kaunas university of medicine. 222 forms were distributed, and 137 forms were received back. The incidence of the answers was 61.7 %. The statistical analysis of collected data was performed by ,,spss/w 13.0“. The difference between groups was evaluated using χ2 criteria. The difference considered to be statistically significant if p <0.05. Results. The data analysis suggests that most of the doctoral students are interested in scientific work; they hope to deepen their knowledge and be... [to full text]

Research on second-generation Mexican American males who attain a doctoral degree is limited. Often, the data presented clusters Mexican Americans under the Latina/o or Hispanic ethnic group, focuses on factors that hindered educational attainment or details Latino male experiences in context of their Latina female counterparts. Mexican-Americans are the largest subgroup of this ethnic group yet little is known about their post-secondary educational experiences. Rather than focusing on barriers, this study concentrated on the factors that influenced eight Mexican American males from California who attained their doctorates from a doctoral-granting university within California.

Arguably, the self-efficacious men of this study believed in their academic prowess, but found ability was not enough. Numerous other strategies were needed to help facilitate degree attainment: 1) Being goal-oriented served as the central cause to remain relentless; 2) Interaction with various types of mentorship which came from all aspects of life (academic, home, work); 3) Involvement from a culturally aligned dissertation chair; 4) Surrounding oneself with an inner circle of family and friends and academic peers; and 5) Viewing student loans as an investment that facilitated future aspirations and not as an obstacle. These factors didn’t clash against one another; rather, they complemented each other by providing different types of encouragement, support and direction at different times throughout their ascent. However, having a culturally aligned dissertation chair was viewed as the most critical factor toward degree attainment.

Företagsforskarskolor syftar till att kunskaps- och kompetensnivån i näringslivet skall höjas och högskolan tillföras kunskap och erfarenheter från näringslivet. Detta är tänkt att ske genom en utvidgad handledning, bestående av både en akademisk handledare och en industrihandledare, vidare ett avhandlingsprojekt som är av intresse för företaget och dessutom genom att företagsdoktoranderna parallellt med sin utbildning till viss del arbetar inom ett företag. Doktorsavhandlingens övergripande syfte är att, genom empiriska undersökningar, få insikt i och förståelse för företagsdoktoranders situation, i vilken handledningen är en central del. Avhandlingens mer specifika syften är att beskriva doktorandernas perspektiv, upplevelser och erfarenheter av sitt deltagande i olika praktiker, parallellt med sin identitetsutveckling till forskare inom ramen för forskarutbildningsprocessen. Av särskilt intresse är att undersöka och belysa de i undersökningarna identifierade framgångsfaktorerna och hindren i termer av förutsättningar samt behov av anpassning till företagsdoktoranders särskilda situation, där samarbetet inom handledningen är en faktor. För att uppnå dessa syften intervjuades år 2001 och år 2004 ett anta  doktorander antagna till fyra olika företagsforskarskolor och några av deras handledare. Stora variationer beroende på företagsmiljö och forskarskoletillhörighet framkommer när det gäller upplevelserna av att vara företagsdoktorand. Detsamma gäller doktorandernas identifikation och deltagande, som resulterar i olika lärsystem med avseende på både dimension och karaktär. Även handledarsamarbetet kring doktoranden varierar och olika handledarkaraktärer framträder. De stora variationerna beror på faktorer som kan hänföras till företagsmiljön, doktorandernas inträde i forskarskolan, avhandlingsprojektet, forskarskoleorganisationen, handledningen och doktorandernas förväntningar inför framtiden. De flesta av dessa faktorer, liksom lärsystemens olika utformning, synliggörs med hjälp av teorier och begrepp inom situerat lärande. Det gör däremot inte de påverkansfaktorer som identifieras och som kan relateras antingen till övergripande strukturer och makt eller till motsättningar mellan olika kunskapsbildningsformer och verksamhets- och lärandelogiker.

There is a lack of accredited doctoral-level counselor education and supervision (CES) programs available to meet the documented and growing need for more qualified and competent professional counselors. The problem addressed via this study is the shortage of trained doctoral-level counselors and counselor faculty to train other counselors due to the lack of accredited doctoral-level CES programs. The purpose of this study was to better understand the factors that may influence or predict an institution's decision to pursue Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) accreditation in order to increase the number of programs that pursue specialized accreditation. The research question focused on understanding the predictive relationship between institutional factors and CACREP accreditation status. A quantitative, cross-sectional correlation design was employed that used existing secondary data provided by institutions on institutional, government, and CACREP websites, as well as existing literature. The target population was 91 doctoral-level CES programs offered through U.S. institutions. Key findings from both correlational and logistic regression analyses indicated that the existence of master's-level CACREP accredited programs was the strongest predictor of CACREP-accredited doctoral-level CES programs. Graduate enrollment and the public/private status of an institution were also found to be predictors of doctoral-level CES CACREP accreditation status. Increased availability of accredited doctoral CES programs would impact the number of highly trained counselors practicing within mental health services, thereby improving quality of life for counseling clients, their families, employers, communities, and society.

Women face many obstacles in their academic careers but there is a gap in the research with regards to their perceptions of science and engineering education and how non/participation in the culture of engineering affects their identities. Moreover, little research has been conducted with female Ph.D. students especially with regard to the reasons they have continued their studies, and their level of satisfaction with their career and lives. This study was guided by the sociocultural approach and theories of learning and identity. Methodologically, the design adopted is a naturalistic qualitative inquiry using two open-ended interviews with participant verification after the first interview. The life history narratives (Mishler, 1999) obtained from the seven doctoral electrical and mechanical women engineers, at various stages in their programs, were the primary source of data. By examining the path of becoming a doctoral woman engineer, this study makes the educational experiences of women intelligible to the general public as well as policy makers. It gives voice to the women engineers whose perspectives are rarely heard in academic settings or mainstream society. The findings of the study lend insight to the importance and necessity of more inclusive engineering education, incorporating not only women's studies courses into the curriculum but anti-racism education as well as including the perspective of 'Other' people of difference. Moreover, multi-perspective approaches to increasing enrolment and retention of women in engineering were more effective and in keeping with addressing notions of 'difference' in engineering populations.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Indiana University, Dept. of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, 2007.
Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 68-10, Section: A, page: 4223. Adviser: George D. Kuh. Title from dissertation home page (viewed May 20, 2008).

Little published research exists about individuals who decide to start their families while enrolled in graduate school. The purpose of this study was to explore with a qualitative methodology the experiences of first time parents in graduate study programs. Graduate student parents were defined as women or men either currently enrolled in a Master’s or doctoral level graduate program, or recent alumni who graduated within the past five years. Participants had to have had their first child while in graduate school, either through childbirth (self or spouse), surrogacy, or infant adoption, and that child must be listed as a dependent. All graduate programs were located in the greater Boston area. Through semi-structured interviews, twelve participants detailed their experiences as student parents with newborn children. Interview data were categorized and coded, which led to the identification of five meta-themes, each of which was then divided into several sub-themes.

Meta-themes included the decision-making process to have a child while a student, which was broken down to age, fertility risk factors, and the academic timeline. The theme of logistical challenges included compounding financial costs, childcare issues, and scheduling conflicts. Physical and psychosocial challenges was another meta-theme regarding the experience of extreme sleep deprivation, cognitive changes, challenges with breastfeeding or pumping, the guilt associated with trying to balance school and family, negative experiences with faculty or the administration, and the social isolation of not knowing other student parents in their programs. Additional meta-themes revolved around the availability of social supports, and adaptations and classroom accommodations they developed in order to complete their degrees. Lastly, student parents outlined suggestions for changes in institutional policies and procedures to ensure basic educational rights, and to prevent future marginalization and discrimination for this largely invisible population.

The advent of the Multicultural and Social Justice Counseling Competencies (Ratts, Singh, Nassar-McMillan, Butler, & McCullough, 2016), the American Counseling Association (ACA) Code of Ethics (2014), and a more comprehensive emphasis on multiculturalism and social justice (Haskins & Singh, 2015; Ratts, 2009, 2011; Ratts & Pedersen, 2014; Smith & Okech, 2016) within the counseling profession highlight a movement towards examining practices and social identities grounded in a formative understanding of intersectionality. The institutionalization of intersectionality emerges from a longstanding history of feminist scholars (Collins & Bilge, 2016; Hancock, 2016) critiquing misconstrued gaps and revolutionizing the meaning of multiple social identities and social justice movements (Anzaldúa, 1987; Collins, 1986, 1990, 2004; Crenshaw, 1989, 1991; hooks, 1981, 1984, 1989; Lorde, 1984; Moraga & Anzaldúa, 1983). Although intersectionality has richened the possibilities of social justice praxis, its theoretical connection has been largely absent in the context of empirical investigations. This current study utilized an intersectionality paradigm and methodological strategies of interpretative phenomenological analysis (Smith, Flowers, & Larkin, 2009; Pietkiewicz & Smith, 2014) to examine the lived intersectional experiences of privilege and oppression of Queer Men of Color in Counselor Education and Supervision doctoral programs. Three participants were interviewed across nine interviews approximately consisting of 90 minutes in length. Findings indicated six superordinate themes emerging from the data analysis: (a) Multiple Dimensions of Privilege; (b) Multiple Dimensions of Oppression; (c) Context/System; (d) Complexities of Intersections; (e) Critical Incidents/Conflict; and (f) Congruity/Change for the Future. The discussion considers the themes emanating from the participants in light of previous forms of implementation utilizing intersectional approaches. Implications broadly for the counseling profession, the social context of counselor education and doctoral education, and the praxis of pedagogy are explored. Future directions for research and limitations of the study are also explicated.

This dissertation addresses the formation of scholar identity as informed by an identity- conscious approach to doctoral student socialization, doctoral student development, and racial identity as expressed through the critical narratives of Asian American and Pacific Islander doctoral students in the field of higher education. The study explored the intersections of race, doctoral student socialization, and doctoral student development — three areas that have been approached as separate entities in existing literature. By using life history methodology and narrative inquiry, this study contributed to a more thorough understanding of racialized experiences in doctoral studies. Critical narrative was used as a methodological approach concerned with power and language in society where individuals can concretely question their own realities and identify the socio-ideological influence of systems on their practices and beliefs (Souto-Manning, 2012). Rather than use terminology of counter-narrative, which positions a narrative as counter to an existing dominant narrative, the use of critical narrative is highlighted as a way to position the stories of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders as their own central story. This inquiry advances our understanding of ways to create and sustain more inclusive and engaging learning environments that support racial diversity in higher education and to better understand the barriers that have socially and historically marginalized Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders both in general and in doctoral education. Recommendations for practice include developing identity-conscious approaches to scholar formation, including but not limited to inclusive pedagogy and curriculum; mentoring and advising; culturally affirming networks; program and organizational orientation; and doctoral student support. A model of identity-conscious scholar formation is presented in which socialization, development, and racial identity must be operationalized as bidirectional and interactional processes.

Research has indicated that African American undergraduate students experience racial microaggressions within their university contexts, and these experiences are associated with negative outcomes such as symptoms of depression and anxiety (Cokely, Hall-Clark, & Hicks, 2011; Nadal, 2011; Nadal, et al., 2014). Little is known about the experience of microaggressions and their effects on African American doctoral students, particularly those within the field of psychology. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between racial microaggressions, sense of belonging, coping strategies (problem solving, social support and avoidance), and psychological well-being among African American doctoral students in psychology. Results revealed that every participant had experienced at least one racial microaggression in their doctoral program within the last six months, with the most common types being related to environment and assumptions of inferiority. Contrary to hypotheses, results from a hierarchical multiple regression analyses suggested that racial microaggressions did not significantly predict psychological well-being in this sample. Findings also did not provide evidence for social support, problem solving, avoidance, or sense of belonging as moderators for the negative impact of microaggressions. Overall, the results of this study suggest that African American doctoral students in psychology experience racial microaggressions, but questions remain about the effects of these experiences on psychological well-being. Implications and future research directions are discussed.

This thesis applies Monte Carlo techniques to the study of X-ray absorptiometric methods of bone mineral measurement. These studies seek to obtain information that can be used in efforts to improve the accuracy of the bone mineral measurements. A Monte Carlo computer code for X-ray photon transport at diagnostic energies has been developed from first principles. This development was undertaken as there was no readily available code which included electron binding energy corrections for incoherent scattering and one of the objectives of the project was to study the effects of inclusion of these corrections in Monte Carlo models. The code includes the main Monte Carlo program plus utilities for dealing with input data. A number of geometrical subroutines which can be used to construct complex geometries have also been written. The accuracy of the Monte Carlo code has been evaluated against the predictions of theory and the results of experiments. The results show a high correlation with theoretical predictions. In comparisons of model results with those of direct experimental measurements, agreement to within the model and experimental variances is obtained. The code is an accurate and valid modelling tool. A study of the significance of inclusion of electron binding energy corrections for incoherent scatter in the Monte Carlo code has been made. The results show this significance to be very dependent upon the type of application. The most significant effect is a reduction of low angle scatter flux for high atomic number scatterers. To effectively apply the Monte Carlo code to the study of bone mineral density measurement by photon absorptiometry the results must be considered in the context of a theoretical framework for the extraction of energy dependent information from planar X-ray beams. Such a theoretical framework is developed and the two-dimensional nature of tissue decomposition based on attenuation measurements alone is explained. This theoretical framework forms the basis for analytical models of bone mineral measurement by dual energy X-ray photon absorptiometry techniques. Monte Carlo models of dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) have been established. These models have been used to study the contribution of scattered radiation to the measurements. It has been demonstrated that the measurement geometry has a significant effect upon the scatter contribution to the detected signal. For the geometry of the models studied in this work the scatter has no significant effect upon the results of the measurements. The model has also been used to study a proposed technique which involves dual energy X-ray transmission measurements plus a linear measurement of the distance along the ray path. This is designated as the DPA( +) technique. The addition of the linear measurement enables the tissue decomposition to be extended to three components. Bone mineral, fat and lean soft tissue are the components considered here. The results of the model demonstrate that the measurement of bone mineral using this technique is stable over a wide range of soft tissue compositions and hence would indicate the potential to overcome a major problem of the two component DEXA technique. However, the results also show that the accuracy of the DPA( +) technique is highly dependent upon the composition of the non-mineral components of bone and has poorer precision (approximately twice the coefficient of variation) than the standard DEXA measurements. These factors may limit the usefulness of the technique. These studies illustrate the value of Monte Carlo computer modelling of quantitative X-ray measurement techniques. The Monte Carlo models of bone densitometry measurement have:- 1. demonstrated the significant effects of the measurement geometry upon the contribution of scattered radiation to the measurements, 2. demonstrated that the statistical precision of the proposed DPA( +) three tissue component technique is poorer than that of the standard DEXA two tissue component technique, 3. demonstrated that the proposed DPA(+) technique has difficulty providing accurate simultaneous measurement of body composition in terms of a three component model of fat, lean soft tissue and bone mineral,4. and provided a knowledge base for input to decisions about development (or otherwise) of a physical prototype DPA( +) imaging system. The Monte Carlo computer code, data, utilities and associated models represent a set of significant, accurate and valid modelling tools for quantitative studies of physical problems in the fields of diagnostic radiology and radiography.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Illinois State University, 2000.
Title from title page screen, viewed July 31, 2006. Dissertation Committee: James Palmer (chair), Barbara Heyl, George Padavil, David Tucker, Al Azinger. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 105-108) and abstract. Also available in print.

This study examined the phenomenon of doctoral student motherhood/mothering in academia in a unique way by utilizing (1) an interdisciplinary theoretical framework, (2) examining the experiences of doctoral students who have become mothers for the first time, and (3) by integrating visual data collection into a phenomenological study. Participants included four doctoral student mothers from across colleges at one university. Three interviews were conducted with each participant and included visual data collection during each interview (e.g., drawing created by the participant). Additional data sources included a demographic/background questionnaire and archival data.

Through phenomenological analysis of the data sources, three invariant themes (Gendered Experience, Strategic Experience, Sense of Belonging ) and seven sub-themes (Realizations, Pregnancy Relationships, Childcare, Multiple Identities, Flexibility, Pushing Through, Informal Policies, and Expectations) were identified. For the doctoral student mothers in this study, doctoral student motherhood/mothering in academia was experienced in multiple ways. Distilled, the essence of doctoral student motherhood/mothering in academia is a gendered experience that is strategic and embedded with a varied sense of belonging. Implications of this study speak to the need to continue examining internal practices and policies to support female doctoral students and promoting recruitment, retention, and equity throughout academia. Recommendations for individuals and departments/institutions are provided, as well as, a suggested research agenda for future studies on motherhood in academia.

Guided by the conceptual framework of self-directed learning and culture, this study investigated the effectiveness of Title IV private, for-profit colleges and universities (FPCUs). Little research has examined this topic, which is problematic considering the disproportionate rate of student loan defaults experienced by Black FPCU borrowers. A phenomenological design was used to explore the meaning of academic achievement for Black doctorate recipients who attained a doctorate in psychology through an FPCU. This study specifically examined how Black students experience the completion of doctoral psychology programs at 2 FPCUs and what factors contributed to these students finishing their degrees. A unique-criterion-purposive sample of 7 Black students who completed doctoral psychology programs at FPCUs within the past 5 years was recruited to participate in telephone interviews. Moustakas' data analysis steps were applied to the data. The results indicated that study participants saw an association between attaining their doctorates in psychology and their self-actualization. They shared the experiences of selecting a suitable FPCU, choosing a specialty area, negotiating transfer credits, completing the doctoral coursework phase, and completing the dissertation phase. Their commitment to achieving self-actualization was a salient experience in finishing their degrees. A core aspect of self-actualization was their cultural knowledge, which helped them to overcome challenges and persevere. However, the results uncovered some insufficiencies in the FPCUs' practices. They have implications for positive social change by highlighting how FPCU academic support services might use cultural knowledge and self-actualization strategies to maximize the successful matriculation of Black students.

There is a lack of research on the academic resilience of minority, first-generation, online doctoral students (MFOD) who experienced poverty and parental substance abuse (PSA). The purpose of this study was to explore how MFOD who overcame poverty and PSA developed academic resilience. Resilience theory and Kember's model of attrition in online programs provided a conceptual framework for this study. The research questions guiding this qualitative study concerned how MFOD perceive and interpret their academic resilience and protective factors. A purposeful sample of 6 students participated in semistructured interviews. An interpretative phenomenological analysis was conducted, which included a case by case analysis, and a cross-case analysis. Results indicate that academic resilience is perceived as (a) determination, (b) evolving realization of the value of education, (c) paving the way for others, and (d) leveraging strengths to succeed in an online doctoral program. Protective factors are perceived as (a) resilience in adversity, (b) mindset about school, (c) identity resilience, and (d) transformational experiences. The results of this study reveal that the participants learned to see themselves beyond the context of their immediate environments. Positive social change implications include improving existing social policy to aggressively target high-poverty school districts and communities with PSA. More specifically, at-risk minority students would benefit from targeted interventions focused on family engagement in education and school retention.

Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) have been compellingly counseled by church leaders that motherhood should be women’s greatest ambition, and as such that it should demand mothers’ full-time in the home; at the same time they have been taught to get all of the education that they can. Mothers with young families must decide if they should continue their educational pursuits, or spend their full-time in the home. This study sought to fill a gap in the literature and understand the lived experience of these women by researching how LDS mothers with young children experience the decision to achieve doctoral education given the counsel that women should spend their full-time in the home fulfilling their primary responsibility of mothering, while considering counsel that they should get all of the education that they can. A phenomenological approach was selected to study seven LDS women’s experiences of deciding to achieve doctoral degrees as mothers of young children. As a theoretical perspective, Women’s Ways of Knowing informed this study; the women seemed to occupy a constructed knowing position as they participated in making meaning from church directives concerning their lives. The women appeared to express that spiritual promptings and deep personal desire were most influential in their decisions. Encouragement from family was also emphasized. The women faced challenges of balancing multiple roles while meeting church and family members’ expectations concerning their perceived responsibilities. The women expressed that their greatest benefit from achieving their degree was the influence doing so had on their children.

This qualitative study analyzed mentoring experiences and perceptions of females enrolled in a doctorate program of education, including a Principal Investigator-led peer mentoring group. The snowball technique generated 20 participants who were interviewed for a two-part study to share mentoring experiences by responding to Research Question One: What are the mentoring experiences of a sample of female students enrolled in an Educational leadership doctoral program at a Midwestern University? The conceptual framework explored experiences and perceptions of women at the doctoral level, mentoring support systems, and barriers to doctoral completion. Additional interviews were sought from faculty named as providing mentoring support for students. Faculty shared best practices of mentoring female doctoral students. The second part of the study was a voluntary peer-mentoring group. Research Question Two examined: What are the experiences of a group of doctoral students voluntarily participating in an experimental peer mentoring group in the same doctoral program in education? Emerging themes were participants’ varied perceptions of what constituted their unique mentoring needs, how to define or recognize a mentoring relationship, and why participants did not participate in accessible mentoring opportunities. Findings indicated a range of responses and experiences about mentoring, including for some participants, the perception of not having mentoring. A significant finding in the study was that women desired to be mentored but have different perceptions of what constitutes mentoring. Additionally, women who felt they were mentored expressed positive comments about the professors who mentored them as well as positive experiences as doctoral students. Students who perceived themselves as not being mentored expressed more negative concerns about the doctoral program process. Recommendations are offered on ways the doctoral program can better support both formal and informal mentoring at the doctoral level. Future research focusing on women and mentoring perceptions and experiences at the doctoral level is needed, whether men at the doctoral level have similar or contrasting mentoring needs as women, how diversity of faculty impacts African American women’s mentoring experiences, whether female students benefit from being mentored by female faculty, and how peer mentoring groups can be implemented or academically improved for doctoral students.

Darbo tikslas – įvertinti medicinos ir visuomenės sveikatos mokslų doktorantūros absolventų profesinės ir mokslinės veiklos raidą. Uždaviniai: 1. Atlikti doktorantų mokslinio produktyvumo per 4 studijų metus ir po studijų analizę. 2. Išanalizuoti medicinos ir visuomenės sveikatos mokslų daktarų įsitraukimą į mokslinę, studijų ir praktinę veiklą. 3. Įvertinti absolventų požiūrį į doktorantūrą ir profesinės karjeros galimybes. Tyrimo metodika: Kauno medicinos universiteto medicinos ir visuomenės sveikatos doktorantūros studijų 2004, 2005, 2006 metų absolventų mokslinės ir profesinės veiklos raida vertinta analizuojant absolventų mokslinių publikacijų ir darbinės veiklos duomenis. Absolventų požiūrio į doktorantūrą ir profesinės karjeros galimybes vertinimui atlikta respondentų anketinė apklausa. Anketos atsako dažnis 82,6 proc. Duomenys apdoroti ir analizuoti naudojant MS Excel ir statistinio duomenų analizės paketo SPSS 12.0 versija. Rezultatai. Doktorantai savo mokslinių tyrimų rezultatus publikuoja visų lygių mokslo leidiniuose, paskelbdami vidutiniškai 4,84 mokslinius straipsnius (0,3 MII straipsnio). Didžioji dauguma (82,5 proc.) mokslo daktarų lieka dirbti Kauno medicinos universitete ir jam priklausančiose institucijose, trys ketvirtadaliai (72,6 proc.) absolventų dirba mokslinį ir pedagoginį darbą. Dauguma doktorantų, pasirinkdami doktorantūros studijas, tikisi geresnių darbo perspektyvų, norėdami dirbti mokslinį darbą ir tęsti studijas. Doktorantūros studijų metu... [toliau žr. visą tekstą]
Goal of the study – to evaluate the development of professional and research activities of doctoral graduates in medicine and public health. Objectives: 4. To perform the analysis of scientific productivity of doctoral students during and after the period of studies. 5. To analyze the involvement of PhD graduates in medicine and public health into research, practical and teaching activities. 6. To evaluate the attitude of graduates towards doctoral studies and their perspectives of professional career. Methods: The development of research and professional activity of doctoral graduates in 2004, 2005 and 2006 was evaluated analyzing data of their scientific publications and practical activities. The questionnaire was developed to evaluate the attitude of graduates towards their PhD studies and perspectives of professional career. Response rate was 82,6%. Data was analyzed using MS Excel and SPSS 12.0 software. Results. Doctoral students publish results of their research in scientific journals of all levels, publishing 4,84 publications in average. Majority of graduates (82,5%) stay employed in Kaunas University of Medicine and related institutions, 72,6% of respondents are involved in research and teaching. Most of doctoral students expect better perspectives for work while having the willingness to do research and continue the studies. During the period of studies they usually acquire experience in scientific research and the degree of PhD provides them with self-confidence... [to full text]

En empruntant le corpus théorique de Pierre Bourdieu, la thèse analyse le processus de professionnalisation du doctorat qui s’est mis en place en France à partir du milieu des années 2000. Le mouvement a pour objectifs principaux d’améliorer le devenir professionnel des docteurs, de réduire la précarité dans l’emploi en début de carrière et de favoriser leur intégration dans les entreprises. Au moment où l’insertion professionnelle des diplômés de l’enseignement supérieur et la performance des systèmes d’innovation sont des enjeux majeurs des politiques nationales, le devenir des docteurs se caractérise par une forte précarité dans les emplois de la recherche publique et une faible intégration dans les entreprises. En conséquence, la plus-value du doctorat sur le marché du travail est constamment questionnée. Ce travail établit que la professionnalisation a entraîné une segmentation des cursus doctoraux et des parcours des docteurs. En France, il existe plusieurs régimes de formations doctorales puisque les doctorants n’ont pas les mêmes chances d’accéder aux ressources de la professionnalisation. La segmentation des parcours s’exerce avant, pendant et après la thèse. Entre 2004 et 2013, des docteurs aux profils scolaires déjà professionnalisés ont accédé au doctorat mettant en lumière une transformation morphologique du champ. En considérant la transition de la thèse à l’emploi comme des « chemins à épreuves », selon l’appartenance disciplinaire, plusieurs parcours s’offrent aux docteurs que ce soit dans les carrières de la recherche publique ou dans le privé. L’après-thèse s’apparente pour certains comme une poursuite de carrière et pour les docteurs les plus éloignés des ressources de la professionnalisation plutôt comme une insertion professionnelle. Si la plus forte intégration des docteurs dans les entreprises et la valorisation de certaines ressources dans l’emploi privé incitent à penser la professionnalisation comme une réussite, une partie des docteurs semblent exclus de ces processus
Borrowing from Pierre Bourdieu's theoretical corpus, the thesis analyzes the process of professionalization of the doctorate that took place in France from the mid-2000s. The main objectives of the movement are to improve the professional future of PhDs, to reduce job insecurity at the beginning of their careers and to promote their integration into companies. At a time when the professional integration of higher education graduates and the performance of innovation systems are major challenges for national policies, the future of PhDs is characterized by a high degree of job insecurity in public research jobs and poor integration into companies. As a result, the added value of the PhD on the labor market is constantly questioned. This work establishes that professionalization has led to a segmentation of doctoral curricula and doctoral career paths. In France, there are several doctoral training regimes since doctoral students do not have the same opportunities to access the resources of professionalization. The segmentation of courses is carried out before, during and after the thesis. Between 2004 and 2013, PhDs with already professionalized academic profiles have accessed the doctorate, highlighting a morphological transformation of the field. By considering the transition from thesis to employment as a "testing path", depending on the disciplinary affiliation, several pathways are available to doctors in both public and private research careers. For some, the post-thesis period is seen as a career pursuit, and for those doctors who are furthest from the resources of professionalization, it is more like professional integration. While the greater integration of doctors in companies and the development of certain resources in private employment encourage people to think of professionalization as a success, some doctors seem to be excluded from these processes

The primary purpose of the study was to examine what institutional factors most influenced the decision of African-American male doctoral scholars to persist unto graduation. The literature review showed mentoring, institutional climate, race relations, and social adjustment as key factors in persistence of minorities in graduate studies. An objective specific to the study was to explore the cumulative outcomes that mentoring, social adjustment, institutional climate, and race relations have upon persistence. The population included scholars at both Predominantly White Colleges (PWIs) and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) throughout the United States in Colleges of Education. One hundred sixty-four scholars responded representing a return rate of 96%. The African-American Male Doctoral Scholar Survey was employed to collect data. Analyses of the data included ANOVA, independent sample t-tests, analysis of frequencies, percentages of responses, and Tukey's Post-hoc analysis. Responses to open-ended questions were analyzed and cited from comments written by scholars. There were six major findings. Factors affecting scholars' decision to persist unto graduation at PWIs differed from those who attended HBCUs when considering mentoring, social adjustment, race relations, and institutional climate. No significant differences were discovered between age groups upon the decision of scholars to persist. Employment classification affected persistence of scholars at both types of institutions. Institutional geographical location affected the decision of scholars to persist. Scholars' classification status did not affect persistence at either type of institution. The number of scholars within the department significantly influenced persistence unto graduation. Recommendations were made for replication of the study and refinement of the instrument. A 13-point institutional plan of action was developed toward improving the persistence rate of scholars. A 12-point plan was developed to assist scholars in achieving a successful doctoral experience.

Fourier transfonn (FT) Raman, Raman microspectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy have been used for the structural analysis and characterisation of untreated and chemically treated wool fibres. For FT -Raman spectroscopy novel methods of sample presentation have been developed and optimised for the analysis of wool. No significant fluorescence was observed and the spectra could be obtained routinely. The stability of wool keratin to the laser source was investigated and the visual and spectroscopic signs of sample damage were established. Wool keratin was found to be extremely robust with no signs of sample degradation observed for laser powers of up to 600 m W and for exposure times of up to seven and half hours. Due to improvements in band resolution and signal-to-noise ratio, several previously unobserved spectral features have become apparent. The assignment of the Raman active vibrational modes of wool have been reviewed and updated to include these features. The infrared spectroscopic techniques of attenuated total reflectance (ATR) and photoacoustic (P A) have been used to examine shrinkproofed and mothproofed wool samples. Shrinkproofing is an oxidative chemical treatment used to selectively modifY the surface of a wool fibre. Mothproofing is a chemical treatment applied to wool for the prevention of insect attack. The ability of PAS and A TR to vary the penetration depth by varying certain instrumental parameters was used to obtain spectra of the near surface regions of these chemically treated samples. These spectra were compared with those taken with a greater penetration depth, which therefore represent more of the bulk wool sample. The PA and ATR spectra demonstrated that oxidation was restricted to the near-surface layer of wool. Extensive curve fitting of ATR spectra of untreated wool indicated that cuticle was composed of a mixed protein conformation, but was predominately that of an a.-helix. The cortex was proposed to be a mixture of both a.helical and ~-pleated sheet protein conformations. These findings were supported by PAS depth profiling results. Raman microspectroscopy was used in an extensive investigation of the molecular structure of the wool fibre. This included determining the orientation of certain functional groups within the wool fibre and the symmetry of particular vibrations. The orientation ofbonds within the wool fibre was investigated by orientating the wool fibre axis parallel and then perpendicular to the plane of polarisation of the electric vector of the incident radiation. It was experimentally determined that the majority of C=O and N-H bonds of the peptide bond of wool lie parallel to the fibre axis. Additionally, a number of the important vibrations associated with the a-helix were also found to lie parallel to the fibre axis. Further investigation into the molecular structure of wool involved determining what effect stretching the wool fibre had on bond orientation. Raman spectra of stretched and unstretched wool fibres indicated that extension altered the orientation ofthe aromatic rings, the CH2 and CH3 groups of the amino acids. Curve fitting results revealed that extension resulted in significant destruction of the a-helix structure a substantial increase in the P-pleated sheet structure. Finally, depolarisation ratios were calculated for Raman spectra. The vibrations associated with the aromatic rings of amino acids had very low ratios which indicated that the vibrations were highly symmetrical.

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2004
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: There are indications that the emergence of global trends in the production and dissemination of knowledge is influencing science policies worldwide, and compelling universities and technikons in South Africa to become more market oriented, competitive and entrepreneurial. Some of these trends include new modes of knowledge production, increased financial and academic accountability and distance education. The changing higher education landscape worldwide has implications for South African tertiary institutions. In addition, one of the objectives of the democratic government that took power in 1994 was to transform higher education. The publication of the White Paper on Education in 1997, the establishment of the Council on Higher Education (CHE) and the Higher Education Quality Committee (HEQC), and the National Plan for Higher Education in 2001 heralded the beginning of change. Consequently, it became necessary for higher education institutions to deliberate on the future course of their undergraduate and postgraduate teaching and training programmes. In this context, it is important for universities and technikons to understand the needs of their postgraduate students. The overall aim of this study was to identify the perceptions of ex-Technikon Natal (now the Durban Institute of Technology) postgraduate students on their research experiences with regard to supervision, communication, the Technikon generally, availability of resources, finance, time, departments, faculties, research, research methodology, statistics, library and expertise. The particular focus was on postgraduate students registered at the Technikon Natal in 2001, whether or not they had submitted their research proposals. A postal survey was carried out to determine the students' perceptions of their research postgraduate experiences at the then Technikon Natal. The results of the survey indicate that the majority of postgraduate students have a negative perception of the Technikon. Students feel that there are insufficient experienced supervisors available for consultation, leading to unacceptable delays. With regard to communication, students feel that the Technikon does not disseminate enough information on processes and procedures about postgraduate issues. Overall, students in the Health Sciences are more dissatisfied than students in the other faculties. In fact, the postal survey reveals that students in these other faculties are more positive than negative about their postgraduate experiences. However, it is worth pointing out that a large proportion of Science and Engineering students (38%) are undecided on this matter. It is interesting to note that the open-ended comments section at the end of the questionnaire reveals far more negative perceptions than the closed questions. Students are dissatisfied about the lack of modern computer facilities and available funds. They also feel strongly that it takes too long to get a research proposal approved. The majority feels that a postgraduate information kit would assist greatly. Comments about Research Methodology as a subject are particularly negative with regard to statistics, and the course, which they feel is too general. Students do not seem to have any major difficulties with the library services. The Technikon has to put structures in place to improve these negative perceptions and manage the students' needs. Combined with the impact of the merger of the former Technikon Natal and M.L. Sultan Technikon, the effects of which are not yet fully understood, the new Durban Institute of Technology should give serious consideration to the needs of its postgraduate population, especially in the Faculty of Health.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Globale tendense in die produksie en disseminasie van kennis blyk wereldwyd 'n invloed op wetenskapsbeleid te he en noodsaak universiteite (en ook technikons in Suid-Afrika) om 'n groter markgerigtheid, mededingendheid en ondernemingsgees te openbaar. Hierdie globale tendense behels, onder andere, 'n verskuiwing na nuwe modi van kennisproduksie, sowel as 'n toename in finansiele en akademiese verantwoordbaarheid, en afstandsonderrig. Suid-Afrikaanse tersiere instellings kan hierdie wereldwye veranderinge in die landskap van hoar onderwys moeilik ontsnap. Daarbenewens het die demokratiese regering, wat in 1994 aan bewind gekom het, dit ten doel gestel om hoar onderwys in die land te transformeer. In 1997 het die eerste veranderinge ingetree met die publikasie van die Witskrif op Onderwys, en dit is in 2001 opgevolg met die totstandkoming van die Raad op Hoar Onderwys (CHE), die Hoar Onderwyskwaliteitskomitee (HEQC), en die Nasionale Plan vir Hoar Onderwys. Gevolglik het dit nodig geword dat hoar onderwysinstellings oorleg pleeg rakende die toekomstige verloop van voorgraadse en nagraadse onderrig- en opleidingsprogramme. Binne hierdie konteks is dit nodig vir universiteite en technikons om begrip te he vir die behoeftes van hul nagraadse studente. Die oorhoofse doel van hierdie studie was om die persepsies te identifiseer van nagraadse studente aan die eertydse Technikon Natal (nou deel van die Durban Instituut vir Tegnologie). Die fokus was op studente se navorsingservarings met betrekking tot supervisie, kommunikasie, die technikon in die algemeen, die beskikbaarheid van hulpbronne, finansies, tyd, departemente, fakulteite, navorsingsmetodologie, statistiek, biblioteekfasiliteite en kundigheid. Studente wat in 2001 aan die Technikon Natal geregistreer was, is by die ondersoek betrek, ongeag of die student 'n navorsingsvoorstel ingedien het of nie. 'n Posvraelys-opname is gebruik. Die resultate van die opname toon die meerderheid nagraadse studente het 'n negatiewe persepsie van die Technikon. Die studente voel daar is nie genoeg ervare studieleiers om te raadpleeg nie, en dit lei tot onnodige vertragings. Wat kommunikasie betref, voel die studente dat die Technikon nie genoeg inligting omtrent nagraadse prosesse en prosedures versprei nie. In geheel gesien, het studente in die Gesondheidswetenskappe 'n veel groter ontevredenheid uitgespreek as studente in ander fakulteite. In die ander fakulteite was 'n geringe persentasie studente meer positief as negatief omtrent hul nagraadse ervaring. 'n Redelike persentasie studente in die Natuur- en Ingenieurswetenskappe (38%) was egter besluiteloos in hul opinie. Verder het die oop vrae aan die einde van die vraelys, wat kommentaar versoek, veel meer negatiewe as positiewe persepsies ontlok. Die studente is ontevrede met die gebrek aan moderne rekenaarfasiliteite en beskikbare fondse. Hul voel dat dit te lank neem om 'n navorsingsvoorstel goedgekeur te kry. Die meerderheid is van mening dat 'n nagraadse informasiepakket van groot waarde sou wees. Die kommentaar omtrent Navorsingsmetodologie as 'n vak is besonder negatief, veral wat statistiek bet ref, en hulle voel die kursus is te algemeen. Die studente blyk nie ernstige probleme met biblioteekdienste te he nie. Die technikon moet derhalwe strukture in plek stel ten einde die negatiewe persepsies van die studente aan te spreek en hul behoeftes doeltreffend te bestuur. Tesame met die impak van die samesmelting (waarvan die effek nog nie ten volle begryp word nie), moet die instelling ook ernstige oorweging skenk aan die behoeftes van die nagraadse populasie, veral in die Fakulteit van Gesondheid.

In the age of print, the book has been considered the criterial medium of communication. Western children have been taught to read books in culturally specific ways. For example, reading education as a field of academic enquiry has been at times based on the premise that print is the predominant medium for carrying author messages, and that these messages are relayed through linear organisations of alphabetic print codes in a left-to-right and top-to-bottom orthodoxy. But as the contemporary textual landscape is reshaped in a post-typographic age, it becomes important to recognise that print is now only one of many media channels in our culture. The thesis argues that the textual artefacts and accompaniments of a computer technology make a significant difference to the way in which texts are read. For example, interactive multimedia texts have created reading contexts where information is relayed through nonlinear and integrated compositions of multimedia. Additionally, digital structures require forms of interactivity which allow readers to take control over their reading in particular ways. These 'ways' are unlike anything possible with paginated text. In the day-to-day pedagogy of schools, reading remains almost exclusively bound to sets of protocols which restrict text and reading to the print page and enduring traditions of the author-controlled message and formulaic, linear structures. The study' s specific concerns are with the textual practices of two eight year old children in their home and school contexts. Although the study makes no claims to generalisibility, the male and female case studies are thought to be typical of many children of their age group. Indeed an extended implication of the study concerns the effects on children of discontinuities resulting from the predominance of electronically-based reading experiences at home, and the predominance of print reading experiences at school. The thesis foregrounds the inseparability of affective and cognitive elements in research about texts and reading. The effects of the human and textual environments on children are dynamic and powerful, and especially for young children, learning to read efficiently and meaningfully is dependent on their developing positive attitudes and emotional states. The study is therefore located at the intersection of technologically different texts, the cognitive reading processes which apply to them, and the affective factors which have influenced two children's reading. A case study methodology is employed to reveal the observable differences employed by the two subjects as they move across interactive multimedia digital texts, and exclusively print texts. The study is located in a contested field which necessitates some degree of clarification of the beliefs and foci of this thesis. Only a relatively short time ago it was inconceivable that anyone would see the need to argue passionately that books epitomize the experience of reading, or that digital texts degrade that experience (Birkerts, 1994). Today, however, there are those who would argue the redundancy of the print book (Stannard, 1997). The thesis makes no suggestion that educational practices associated with teaching children to read linear strings of print are obsolete, nor that the silent, solitary contemplation of the written word is now passe. Nor does the study suggest that the flexible text might be a means of relieving what have been for many readers, the traditional burdens entailed in unravelling alphabetic codes. While there can obviously be no embargo on the place of print texts in the classroom, there can be no parallel denial of the emerging importance of multimedia, digital texts in the community lives of children and adults. Therefore the study argues strongly for a radical, immediate extension of classroom texts, technologies and associated reading pedagogies.

Tinnitus is defined as an auditory stimulus that is unrelated to external stimulation. There are many theories as to what causes tinnitus, therefore, there are many treatment options for tinnitus. This paper attempts to increase the audiologist's knowledge of the etiology, as well as, the most appropriate treatment for tinnitus. There are two types of tinnitus, objective and subjective. Subjective tinnitus is more common, although it is more difficult to treat than objective tinnitus. There are many theories as to what causes tinnitus. Several disorders that have tinnitus as a symptom, such as, Meniere's disease, acoustic neuroma, and dysfunction of serotonin levels, are discussed. Before treatment of tinnitus, the patient must undergo a medical and audiologic evaluation. Tests of tinnitus pitch, loudness, residual masking, and minimal masking are included. The implications of these tests on treatment are also discussed. There are many treatment options available for tinnitus, such as, electrical stimulation, medications, stress and psychological therapy, tinnitus maskers, and hearing aids. This paper focuses on mainly the treatments that are most feasible for an audiologist. In addition, included is an empirical study that was conducted to examine the effects of hearing aids and circuit type on tinnitus relief. To conclude, this paper will summarize the steps to follow in order to manage a patient that exhibits tinnitus. Although there are some treatments that seem to be more appropriate for an audiologist to utilize, (i.e., hearing aids, maskers, and Tinnitus Retraining Therapy, none have been proven to be effective in every patient. Research is still needed in this area.

Afin de mieux appréhender l’expérience doctorale, le présent travail s’intéresse tout particulièrement à trois dimensions : le stress, la santé physique et la relation d’encadrement. Du point de vue théorique, il s’appuie d’une part sur le modèle intégratif et multifactorial de Bruchon-Schweitzer (2002), de l’autre sur le concept d’ « alliance de travail » (Schlosser et Gelso, 2001).La première partie de cette thèse propose un état des lieux des études sur les doctorants. La deuxième partie est constituée de deux études sur le stress et la santé des doctorants. Une première enquête en ligne montre que l’année d’inscription en thèse, la filière disciplinaire et le degré de satisfaction par rapport à l’encadrement sont des prédicteurs significatifs du stress perçu et, dans une certaine mesure, des symptômes somatiques. Par ailleurs le stress perçu joue un rôle médiateur entre l’activité physique et les symptômes somatiques. Une étude qualitative exploratoire sur les facteurs de stress vient compléter la première enquête et montre que la précarité et l’incertitude par rapport à l’avenir professionnel constituent les principales causes de stress qui affectent les doctorants.La troisième partie porte sur la relation d’encadrement et sur son évaluation. Elle comprend également deux études : la première analyse les différentes échelles de mesure de la relation d’encadrement disponibles en anglais, tandis que la deuxième a pour objectif de valider la traduction française de l’Advisory working alliance inventory (Schlosser et Gelso, 2001) et de proposer un modèle prédicitif de la satisfaction par rapport aux études doctorales
In order to gain a better understanding of the doctoral experience, the current work focuses on three dimensions: stress, physical health and mentoring. From a theoretical point of view, it is based on the integrative and multifactorial model of Bruchon-Schweitzer (2002) and on the concept of “working alliance” (Schlosser and Gelso, 2001). The first part of this thesis presents the current state of the art of doctoral studies. The second part consists of two studies on doctoral students’ stress and health. A first online survey conducted among a large sample of participants led to a better understanding of the relationships between socio-demographic factors and health behaviours on the one hand and stress and physical health on the other hand. The results show that thesis year, discipline and satisfaction with supervision are significant predictors of perceived stress and, to some extent, somatic symptoms. In addition, they show that perceived stress plays a mediating role between physical activity and somatic symptoms and that a sustained practice of physical activity helps reduce the harmful effects of stress on physical health. The second study is an exploratory qualitative research on stressors. It completes the first survey and shows that precariousness and uncertainty about their professional future are the main causes of stress affecting doctoral students. The last part deals with the advisory relationship and its evaluation. It also consists in two studies: the first one analyses the different measures of the advisory relationship available in English, while the second study validated the French translation of the Advisory working alliance inventory (Schlosser et Gelso, 2001), and proposed a predictive model of satisfaction with respect to doctoral studies

This thesis employs a multi-disciplinary approach to examine the relationship between Shanghai youth and television. It draws from cultural, media, and communication studies, and ethnographic methods to investigate youth interpretations of the changing value system disseminated through the Chinese Government television system. The television-related interpersonal communication experiences of eight Shanghai youth are examined to understand how these audiences appropriate television content and construct a cultural identity by negotiating the discourses of individualism (western values) and collectivism (traditional Chinese values). Through this examination, it was found that these youth appropriate and mobilise individualistic values in creative and pragmatic ways to address contemporary issues that emerge in relationships, career, business, and education. The synthesis of the two value systems demonstrates the complexity of constructing cultural identities in modern Shanghai society.

The research reported in this thesis is an exploration of parental socialization beliefs and practices and preschool-aged children's social problem-solving skills in Australia and India. The aims of the series of studies were to examine similarities and differences in the role of the family in preschool-aged children's peer experiences, social problem-solving skills of preschool-aged children and the relationship of parenting style and parental control to children's social problem solving skills. The research was conducted in two phases. In the first phase, data were collected in Brisbane, Australia. In Brisbane, 100 preschool-aged children and their parents (100 mothers and 55 fathers) constituted the sample. In the second phase, data were collected in Hisar, India. In Hisar, 178 children and their parents (178 mothers and 149 fathers) participated in the research. In Brisbane, 55% of the children were male, and 45% were female; in India, 48.9% were male 51.1 % were female. The mean age of the Australian children was 59 months, and that of Indian children, 65 months. A questionnaire was compiled to gain information from the parents about a number of dimensions concerned with the socialisation of their children within the family and with peers. The questionnaire enabled parents to provide information on parental socialisation beliefs and practices about friendship characteristics, arrangement of peer contacts and encouragement of social competence. In addition, the questionnaire also enabled parents to provide information on parental control and parental expectations for children's mature behaviour. There were two versions of the parental questionnaire; one for the Australian sample and one for the Indian sample. For the Hisar study, the questionnaires were translated into Hindi, the national language of India. In Brisbane, parental data was collected through questionnaires. Mothers and fathers were requested to complete the questionnaires independently. In Hisar, data was collected through interviews. Separate interviews were conducted with mothers and fathers. To assess the children's social problem-solving skills, in hypothetical situations six stories were used. Two stories were concerned with obtaining access to an object in another child's possession and two stories were concerned with initiating :friendship with an unfamiliar child. Two stories were used to measure children's social problem-solving skills for avoiding the anger of their mothers. The results of this study indicated that although Australian and Indian parents held similar beliefs about the importance of friendship characteristics, cultural differences reflecting cultural values were found to exist. Indian parents believed that their daughters' friends should be from a range of ages. Indian parents also placed more value on the intellect of their children's friends. Compared to Indian mothers, Indian fathers believed that it was important to know and like parents of children's friend's and also to help children to choose friends. In both countries, parents believed that social skills were important for their children and they provided social experiences in order to develop children's social competence and encouraged the development of friendships. Parents, in both countries, for example, expected their children to be friends with well mannered children. The results indicated that, in comparison to Indian children, Australian children had fewer contacts with peers and they were more involved in organised activities. Australian parents arranged social contacts and enrolled their children in organised activities to promote social competence. They helped their children to initiate play sessions and to share toys with other children. In a conflict situation, parents provided their children a chance to settle the problem on their own, intervened when risk was involved and discussed both sides of the problem with the children. In contrast, Indian children's contacts with peers were numerous and occurred within the neighbourhood. The availability of a peer network provided an informal context for the development of peer relationships. Indian parents were less likely to help children start a play session, or to share toys with other children and they arranged fewer social contacts for their children. Where Indian parents did intervene, for instance in children's quarrels, they used direct commands and strategies and imposed their own resolutions. With regard to social problem-solving skills, a number of differences were found between Australian and Indian children in the solutions they provided to dilemmas associated with object acquisition, friendship initiation and avoidance of maternal anger. For object acquisition, Australian children suggested significantly more pro-social strategies than Indian children, while Indian children suggested significantly more agonistic strategies and made appeals to authority to gain access to an object in another child's possession. With regard to initiating friendship with an unfamiliar child, Indian children suggested a significantly higher number of conversation openers than their Australian counterparts. Whereas Australian children were more likely to seek help from adults. In order to avoid maternal anger, Australian children suggested significantly more replacement and repair for the damaged object than Indian children. In contrast, Indian children were more likely to apologise and admit their mistake and also suggested significantly more psychologically based strategies, for example, manipulate affect. It appears that children's experiences with peers and in the home may account for these cultural differences. While parenting style was generally unrelated to children's social problem-solving strategies, in both Australia and India, types of parental control were found to relate to the use of particular social problem-solving strategies. In Australia, the pattern of results was consistent with previous literature showing a positive association between firm control (paternal) and children's social competence. In this study, firm control (paternal) was positively associated with children achieving higher scores on social problem-solving, using direct strategies to initiate friendship, suggesting apology/truth solutions and being less likely to hide in maternal anger situations. In India, while there was some support for the positive influence of firm control (maternal), generally findings were less consistent and appeared to reflect possible cultural differences in the perception and use of harsh control and the appropriateness of particular social problem-solving strategies in the Indian context.

This study investigated the language exchanged in classroom dialogue between primary students about issues of 'Australianness' and 'Asianness' within the field of curriculum referred to as Studies of Asia, a curriculum project designed to problematize both Australia's colonial past and its recent history as a nation-state that must address its dynamic role in the Asian region. Its aim was to examine how this language embodied discourses, or ways of using language that represent particular values and viewpoints about 'being Australian' and 'being Asian'. A review of the current and relevant literature showed that key texts define Studies of Asia as a postcolonial enterprise that aims to raise students' awareness, through dialogue, of how discourses have created and maintained powerful divisions between people. Aligning with other similar definitions of postcolonial education, Studies of Asia so conceived, is informed by theories of discourse and power and pedagogical approaches that centralize students' critique and transformation of discourses. However, these theories present a relatively static and absolute perspective on discourse and power, at some odds with discourse-change. Moreover, they do not foreground the role of the individual in struggling to make meaning from the many and varied social discourses available to them. Accordingly, this study was designed from a perspective on discourse that accounts for the pedagogic role of ongoing dialogue, acknowledges an individual student's struggle for meaning and emphasizes the importance of selfreflection. The study's theoretical framing drew upon Bakhtin's (1981, 1986a,b) conceptualization of language as dialogue. This view of language describes the mutual relationship between the individual and society, between the language she speaks and larger social discourses, and between ongoing dialogue and discourse-change. This concept of language as dialogue provided the theoretical and conceptual framework for the methodology of the study which included the design of a curriculum project and smaller, intimate contexts that centralized dialogue and self-reflection; of research contexts that allowed for a portrait of students' ongoing struggle with discourses to emerge; and of a multi-dimensional framework for the micro-linguistic analysis of the discourses cued in the participants' language. A critical, qualitative case study of the language generated by three particular students was created from the application of dialogue as both a pedagogic and research strategy. In creating interrelated contexts that allowed different discourses of 'Australia' and 'Asia' to 'meet' within and beyond the Studies of Asia curriculum project, it was possible to establish a profile of the ensuing struggle for each case study participant. A method of critical discourse analysis - created from a synthesis of Bakhtin's theory of dialogic relations and the dimensions, tools and techniques which form the basis of Fairclough's (1992a,b, 1995) model of Textually Oriented Discourse Analysis - allowed for a systematic linguistic analysis of the discourses that were both cued in each participant's spoken language and embodied in her body language and gestures. Some sense of each participant's internal and public struggle, and her ongoing engagement with issues of 'Australianness' and 'Asianness,' was thus revealed. The main findings of the study relate to the complexity of the students' dialogic interactions, the contrastive discourses of 'Australia' and 'Asia' revealed in their spoken and embodied language and the various ways that students resisted and appropriated discourses of multiculturalism and racial tolerance that underpinned the Studies of Asia curriculum project. The findings suggest that there was not a wholesale transformation of discourses as proposed in the literature, but rather a more incomplete and 'messy' process of struggle. The findings also point to different degrees of personal investment in the issues raised in the curriculum project and suggest that it is not possible to separate the discursive content of an individual student's language from the manner in which she expresses this content. Consequently, the individualization of such struggle needs to be taken into account in considering the desirability and efficacy of discourse-change. The study's significance is demonstrated by its capacity to show the micro-linguistic elements of ongoing discursive struggle and its presentation of a textured portrait of the complexities and tensions inherent within dialogic interactions. The model of dialectic predagogy consequent on these findings has substantial implications for policy, curriculum design and classroom practice. Dialogue, as central to an individual's 'becoming' as a human being, is demonstrated as an ongoing and unfinished process that has implications not only for for Studies of Asia but more broadly across the primary school and other contexts.