Dissertations / Theses: 'Study skills in higher education'

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Spencer, Peter. "Towards a reconceptualisation of skill : a study of skills in higher education." Thesis, Sheffield Hallam University, 2004. http://shura.shu.ac.uk/3467/.

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The concept of skill has become increasingly important in the discourse of education over recent years and now appears to have assumed a central position in the debate surrounding the purpose and function of higher education. Skill is a construct which is now required to function as a unifying principle and conflates into one notion, previously separate understandings of national economic competitiveness, skilled performance and higher education. It is a construct which is over-used and under-theorised and paradoxically (for such a 'unifying' concept) appears to be fractured by fundamental inconsistencies and structural ambiguities. The aim of this study is to reveal the nature of the problem which impacts on higher education and skill, and to place skill in an appropriate context within higher education. This is undertaken by analysing the literatures which hold skill as a central concept; by attempting to construct a logical framework to provide greater clarity and focus in the use of skill within the discourse of education; to establish an appropriate underpinning rationale for delimiting the use of skill in educational discourse; and to seek to influence educational debate on the appropriate and incommensurable uses of skill within the discourse of education. The research deploys discourse analysis - notably the social constructionist theories of Ernesto Laclau and Chantale Mouffe (1985) - and argues that skill has become a nodal point both within the discourse of education and a floating Signifier between the several discourses which hold skill as a central concept. The study argues that the current conception of skill is both antithetical to skill production within higher education and inimical to the purposes and function of higher education. And further, that skill now functions as a social myth, embodying a new ideology which continues to inflict serious bilateral damage on both higher education and skill.

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America, Carina. "Management education via the internet: factors facilitating and inhibiting the adoption of WEBCT at a faculty in a higher education institution." Thesis, University of the Western Cape, 2006. http://etd.uwc.ac.za/index.php?module=etd&action=viewtitle&id=gen8Srv25Nme4_2432_1188476943.

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The emergence of the Internet and the World Wide Web in particular, impact increasingly on the activities of commerce and industry and in the process also change the manner in which courses are delivered in higher education. The aim of this study ws to investigate the relationship between certain antecedent factors and the adoption of a specific technology called WebCT among lecturers within a business faculty at a higher education institution.

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Rankhumise, EM, FG Netswera, and TR Mavundla. "Employee retention factors for South African higher education institutions: a case study." South African Journal of Human Resource Management, 2005. http://encore.tut.ac.za/iii/cpro/DigitalItemViewPage.external?sp=1000924.

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The success of the most competitive companies throughout the world, including higher education institutions, lies in their highly skilled employees on which these institutions spend millions to retain. Literature reveals the cost of losing best employees to be enormous – beyond monetary quantification. Also worth noting is that the loss of one competent employee to a competitor institution strengthens the competitor’s advantage. This case study analysed human resources turnover data, and interviewed academic managers and employees in order to examine the possible employee retention factors for a higher education institution in South Africa. The findings reveal different institutional interests between institutional managers and employees. The former are concerned more about profits, business sustenance and justification for spending, while the latter are driven by introverted interests such as development, monetary rewards and personal fulfilment.

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Woodard, Eric W. "Soft Skills, In Turn| An Exploratory Qualitative Study of Soft Skill Development Through Individual Internship Experiences in a Workplace Setting." Thesis, The George Washington University, 2018. http://pqdtopen.proquest.com/#viewpdf?dispub=10784634.

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It is increasingly being recognized that students are not developing all the skills in school that employers need. Much of this skill gap stems from students not developing soft skills such as the ability to communicate, form interpersonal relationships, and act professionally. This is a problem for students because it limits their employability, a problem for employers because it limits the capabilities of the emerging workforce, and a problem for educators because it limits the practical value of the degree programs they offer.

While soft skills are difficult to develop in the classroom, it is known that internships provide an effective alternative. However, the nature of internship experiences that develop interns’ soft skills has been largely unexplored. Therefore, the purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore the research question: What is the nature of internship experiences that develop interns’ soft skills? Sub-questions included: (a) What internship experiences contribute to interns’ soft skill development? and (b) How do these internship experiences develop interns’ soft skills?

To investigate these questions, data for this study was collected through semi-structured interviews with a diversity of 19 research participants engaged in internships at a large scientific and cultural organization. Based on a review of experiential learning, internship, soft skill, and experiential learning theory literature, questions posed to participants were specifically designed to explore a variety of factors relevant to the research question of this study. These factors included communication, relationships, professionalism, mentorship, biography, context, sensation, reflection, comprehension, and action.

Based on analysis of the data, this study offered three principal conclusions. (1) interns develop soft skills when they interact, relate, and are professional with others; (2) interns develop soft skills by pushing boundaries, reflecting with mentors, being motivated, and repeating action; (3) the nature of internship experiences that develop intern soft skills is their capacity to offer a full range of opportunities to practice soft skills.

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Ebrahimian, Jennifer Carlene King. "The effect of study skills instruction on the study strategies and attitudes of college students with learning disabilities." FIU Digital Commons, 1993. http://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/etd/3113.

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The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of participating in an existing study skills course, developed for use with a general college population, on the study strategies and attitudes of college students with learning disabilities. This study further investigated whether there would be differential effectiveness for segregated and mainstreamed sections of the course. The sample consisted of 42 students with learning disabilities attending a southeastern university. Students were randomly assigned to either a segregated or mainstreamed section of the study skills course. In addition, a control group consisted of students with learning disabilities who received no study skills instruction. All subjects completed the Learning and Study Strategies Inventory (LASSI) before and after the study skills course. The subjects in the segregated group showed significant improvement on six of the 10 scales of the LASSI: Time Management, Concentration, Information Processing, Selecting Main Ideas, Study Aids, and Self Testing. Subjects in the mainstreamed section showed significant improvement on five scales: Anxiety, Selecting Main Ideas, Study Aids, Self Testing, and Test Strategies. The subjects in the control group did not significantly improve on any of the scales. This study showed that college students with learning disabilities improved their study strategies and attitudes by participating in a study skills course designed for a general student population. Further, these students benefitted whether by taking the course only with other students with learning disabilities, or by taking the course in a mixed group of students with or without learning disabilities. These results have important practical implications in that it appears that colleges can use existing study skills courses without having to develop special courses and schedules of course offerings targeted specifically for students with learning disabilities.

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Chiu, Man-ming Joseph, and 趙敏明. "The design of an ESL academic reading skills programme." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 1986. http://hub.hku.hk/bib/B3862638X.

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Mokhele, Paul Rampaola. "Developing teaching and learning skills at a Higher education institution: a collaborative action research study." Thesis, Walter Sisulu University, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/11260/d1007960.

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The thesis which was originally undertaken to improve my teaching skills and determine ways of allowing me space to live my academic values also turned out to become the enquiry to investigate students’ learning and study skills. Students and I collaborated in a year-long self-study action research where we were trying different teaching-learning strategies in order to improve our practice(s). Throughout the study I kept a reflective journal and students also reflected in a portfolio of learning their impressions about the new teaching-learning strategies. In addition to these data gathering methods data from students were gathered using chats, observation, and open-ended questionnaire. Data was analysed using a narrative method, reflexivity principle, and grounded theory. There are two major steps I followed in this study which are aimed at improving students’ basic study and learning skills, and my teaching skills. The first relates to action research into student learning at the school of Mathematics Science and Technology (MSTE) at a rural university. The study reveals that: Students have their own different and unique styles of learning, implementing various learning styles afford students an opportunity to find a style that matches their own. The second action step relates to my own self-study research trying different teaching methods based on my academic and personal values. Here, the study reveals that: The best teaching-learning practice is the one developed and agreed upon between the teacher educator and his or her students. These ‘action’ steps were not mutually exclusive – they were conducted in parallel. After the description of developing student learning skills at undergraduate level my reflections on the study followed in relation to theories and methods of teaching-learning and further revealed that what works with one group of students will not necessarily work with another group. The best teacher educator is constantly seeking ways of improving the learning experience of his or her students. The recommendations that teacher educators should become self reflective practitioners and improve their professions using self-study collaborative approach will benefit other teacher educators who are keen to study and improve their practice.

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Eakman, Teresa L. "Education Level and Critical Thinking Skills Among Substance Use Counselors Nationwide| A Descriptive Comparative Study." Thesis, Capella University, 2017. http://pqdtopen.proquest.com/#viewpdf?dispub=10641234.

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As a high percentage of substance use counselors are in recovery, using adult learning methods such as constructivism and transformational learning are needed to neutralize any preestablished views of treatment modalities that may exist, as well as combat any possible issues of countertransference. Teaching critical thinking leads to student improvement in critical thinking, and critical thinking has been positively correlated with competency level, thus teaching these skills is imperative to the field. However, these skills taught and methods utilized are typically taught in advanced education, something not necessarily required to practice substance use counseling. As the progression of the field of substance use counseling continues to mature, the separation gap between the fields of mental health and substance use counseling continues to close. This study indicates although we have not set nationwide standards for practice as substance use counselors, and the field has not kept pace with mental health counselors in terms of standardization, those in the field are aware of the need for heightened professionalism and are preparing to treat patients to the best of their ability by going above and beyond the current requirement in many cases. The unification of these separate counseling practices would aid in in preparing substance use counselors to work with the complexities of co-occurring disorders as well as streamline the licensing process, aid in resolving current substance use counseling workforce issues, and create more adherence to evidence-based practices, thereby affecting the true bottom line: treatment outcomes. A descriptive comparative research design using the survey method was utilized in this study to answer the overarching research question, is there a difference in critical thinking skills in substance use counselors based on education level as measured by two validated critical thinking skill survey instruments, the Critical Thinking Disposition Scale and the Actively Open-Minded Thinking Scale. The population for this study are professional level NAADAC members, actively working substance use counselors across the United States with varying levels and types of education. Results of the study supported the null hypothesis, there is no difference in critical thinking skills based on education. However, 73% of the population surveyed had obtained a Master’s degree or higher, which could explain these results.

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Cleveland, Rachel. "Understanding Employability Development Skills through Co-Curricular Activities." Thesis, University of North Texas, 2018. https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1404619/.

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Employability skill development is being increasingly investigated among higher education scholars, corporate hiring managers, and governments around the world. Understanding employability skill development is important because it has implications on educational policy, teaching techniques, curriculum designs, and recruitment practices. This study was conducted at a public research university in a southwestern state of the United States. It was designed to understand the difference in employability skill development among students who participated in a leadership development program compared to those who did not. Additionally, the study investigated what skills were seeing the most change among student participated in the leadership development program, and if a student's major of study played any role in their overall employability development over the course of a year. Eight employability skills were tested in a pre- and post-test model. Results indicated that students in leadership development programs are more likely to see an increase in employability skill development. From the skills tested among participates, those in the leadership program found the most change over time in the area of problem solving skills. Finally, the results also indicate that a student's major does have an impact on their overall employability skill development. Students who major in business had significantly higher employability scores than those in other majors at the university.

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Loew, Sandra Ann. "Promoting the cognitive development of high-risk college students through a study/life skills seminar." W&M ScholarWorks, 1998. https://scholarworks.wm.edu/etd/1550154120.

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Hilsdon, John. "The significance of the field of practice 'Learning Development' in UK higher education." Thesis, University of Plymouth, 2018. http://hdl.handle.net/10026.1/10604.

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This thesis analyses Learning Development (LD), a field of practice designed to support students’ learning, and explores what this relatively new field can tell us about certain aspects of higher education in the UK. Theoretical work deriving from Foucault underpins the research. The empirical data is constructed from interviews, observation and reflexive autoethnographic sources, and the analytical thrust employs sociolinguistic tools from critical discourse analysis. The result is a case study of identity, offering unique insights into the field of LD itself and, through the ‘lens’ of LD, an original focus upon the production of relationships and their effects, as policies are enacted, within HE in the UK in the early 21st century. Although previous studies have examined the identities and practices of different university workers in terms of concepts such as ‘tribes’ and ‘territories’, and the impact of neoliberalism, this thesis takes a more relational approach. By combining a problematising theoretical framework with discourse analysis, it sheds light upon the mutual construction of relations between LDs, academics, students and university managers, as HE policy is produced, interpreted and enacted through practice at institutional levels. These insights also contribute to an understanding of the operation of ‘governmentality’ within universities. The LD lens brings into focus: i) the continuing drive towards commodification of all aspects of HE, including approaches to learning, under neoliberal economic and political conditions ii) the lack of preparation on the part of UK universities for some aspects of ‘diversity’ and the failure to fulfil the broad mission to widen participation commonly expressed by successive government policies since the 1990s iii) the persistence of traditional approaches to HE practices (particularly the privileging of ‘essayist’ literacy) iv) the tendency to limit student subject positions in respect of how HE is conceived and delivered The thesis concludes by offering some suggestions for further research and practice that may be useful for Learning Developers (LDs), academics and policy-makers in addressing these issues.

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Miser, Rachael Spiker. "A Phenomenological Study of Secondary Teachers' Experiences with Assessing Higher Order Thinking Skills." University of Dayton / OhioLINK, 2017. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=dayton1512131411020263.

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Hanlon, O'Connell Kathleen A. "Predictive Validity of the Learning and Study Skills Inventory on Developmental Community College Student Success." Thesis, Northcentral University, 2014. http://pqdtopen.proquest.com/#viewpdf?dispub=3630418.

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Community colleges provide access to all, yet face the challenge of improving student academic performance and completion rates. This becomes increasingly difficult when considering the increasing number of students enrolling in developmental coursework upon entering a 2-year institution. Although placement tests can determine a students' academic skills, many developmental students are at-risk for succeeding in college and have been found deficient in the area of study skills. Given that lack of skill, will, and self-regulation are strongly correlated with several negative outcomes among college students, and students with lower placement test scores report low academic success, it is important to understand how these factors influence academic success among community college students. This retrospective quantitative study was conducted to examine how the Learning and Study Strategies Inventory (LASSI-2) components of skill, will, and self-regulation may influence academic success among community college students with low placement test scores. A nonexperimental correlational research design was used. This retrospective quantitative study involved use of full-time first semester developmental matriculated and nonmatriculated community college students (N = 112) to examine the effect of skill, will, and self-regulation on first semester grade point average (GPA) of students with low placement scores. The correlation between skill and GPA was not significant (p > .05). The correlation between self-regulation and GPA was not significant (p > .05). The correlations among the independent variables of skill, will, and self-regulation were significant (p < .001). Results indicated that only the component of will was statistically significant in predicting GPA (r = .21, p = .01). The results will possibly be an influence as to how postsecondary institutional leaders address the nonacademic needs of this population with the possibility of improving academic success and graduation rates. The findings of this study indicate future research utilizing community college students is needed. Further evaluation of nonintellective factors to determine student success is also recommended.

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Popp, Jennifer K. "The effect of peer education on learning and performing athletic training psychomotor skills." Virtual Press, 2005. http://liblink.bsu.edu/uhtbin/catkey/1312661.

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The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of an intentional, formal peer education program on the performance of psychomotor skills of 22 undergraduate students enrolled in an upper extremity assessment course. Using a randomized pretest-posttest control group design, student performance on a practical exam of psychomotor skills related to the orthopedic assessment of the wrist and hand was evaluated. Both the peer teacher and Approved Clinical Instructor (ACI) groups received an instructor-led introduction and practice of psychomotor skills in the traditional laboratory classroom setting. Participants in the peer teachers groups attended two one-hour review sessions over the course of two weeks that were staffed by upper division peer teachers, while participants in the ACI group attended similar sessions that were staffed by an ACI. There were no differences between the groups on the pretest scores as indicated by a t-test (p>.05). A repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed a significant difference (p<.05) in the scores of participants of both groups on all tasks from the pretest to the posttest. ANOVA measures indicated no significant differences (p>.05) between the groups on any of the posttest tasks related to wrist and hand assessment. The Athletic Training Peer Education Assessment Survey revealed that most (n=8, 66.7%) of the students in the peer teachers group indicated that they felt less anxious when performing laboratory skills in the presence of peer teachers as compared to performing them in front of the classroom instructor, and most (n=7, 58.3%) felt more self-confident when practicing laboratory skills with a peer teacher. Over half (n=8, 66.7%) of the students also responded that being taught laboratory skills by peer teachers increased their interaction and collaboration with other students more than being taught by the classroom instructor. Peer education appears to be a valid teaching-learning method that may be incorporated into an athletic training education program as a means to foster the learning and performing of athletic training psychomotor skills, encourage collaboration among students, and decrease anxiety of novice learners.
Department of Educational Leadership

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Black, Zachary R. "Student Perceptions of Short-Term Study Abroad Experiences." Bowling Green State University / OhioLINK, 2013. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1377268605.

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Stephens, Jan (Jan Ellen). "A Study of the Effectiveness of Supplemental Instruction on Developmental Math Students in Higher Education." Thesis, University of North Texas, 1995. https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc279019/.

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This quasi-experimental study examined the effects of participation in a Supplemental Instruction (SI) program on student test performance in a second-level developmental mathematics class in a four-year university setting. This research deviated from past research on Supplemental Instruction in that it examined effects of the program at the end of each test block rather than at the end of the course only. The quasi-experimental design was precipitated by an inability to control factors of participation and limited sample size. Test data were analyzed using analysis of variance; final course grades were analyzed using chi-square.

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Drewett, Michael. "The integration of academic skills/support programmes into university department structures: a case study in the sociology of education." Thesis, Rhodes University, 1993. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003115.

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This research focuses on the extent to which the Rhodes University Academic Skills Programme (ASP), now known as the Academic Development Programme, is able to act as an agent of progressive change within Rhodes University. In so doing it concentrates on the potential of the strategy of integrated academic development for dealing with the academic needs of university students within the context of South Africa as a society in transition. The candidate considers the inability of structuralist educational theory to account for the potential of human agency at the site of formal education. It is shown that structuralist theories provide deterministic and pessimistic accounts of the role of institutions of formal education. In support of this contention this study explores the history of ASP at Rhodes University, demonstrating that significant change in student academic development has already taken place. ASP has contributed to change within the said University through challenging traditional notions of academic development. This thesis suggests that the non-structuralist critical theory of Jurgen Habermas provides a more holistic account of ASP than do structuralist theories of formal education. Through the incorporation of Habermas's theory of communicative action a process of critical integration is explored, showing that a strategy of integrated academic development has the potential to involve all those who have an interest in university education through a process of rational discourse. This potential is strengthened by the fact that many students and staff have expressed an awareness of the need for an integrated academic development strategy. This thesis subsequently explores the possibility of there being a process of democratic and rational discourse which could lead to a progressive integration programme in the Rhodes University Department of Sociology and Industrial Sociology. This thesis stresses the contested nature of the integration process within departments. It is indicated that Habermas's critical theory is able to account for the changes which have taken place in the past and which are presently under way. It is argued that it not possible to predict future outcomes, but that if ASP pursues a process of rational discourse, it will indeed be able to stimulate a critical integrative approach to academic development in the Rhodes University Department of Sociology and Industrial Sociology.

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Lecca, Helga. "The changing higher education environment in England : a study of student perceptions." Thesis, Brunel University, 2015. http://bura.brunel.ac.uk/handle/2438/12173.

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The English Higher Education system continues to face many political and organisational changes with respect to funding, fees, student numbers and quality controls. Within this changing landscape, the introduction of up to £9,000 annual tuition fees for Home/EU undergraduates probably has the highest impact on students’ perceptions, their decision-making and, most of all, expectations in relation to their university experience. To investigate the implications of recent changes, an exploratory research approach is applied, using mixed methods across three distinct research phases. An initial study aims to measure the expectations of commencing students in light of the fee changes and to explore how demographic and other personal characteristics influence student expectations in relation to their overall university experience and specifically to the ancillary services offered by Higher Education Institutions. Through this, services related to student employability are identified as an area of increasing concern for students. The second study aims to further investigate this area from a student perspective through the exploration of students’ motivations to participate in an extra-curricular employability programme. The expectations regarding such a programme are also investigated prior to the programme and the satisfaction levels of students after the completion of the programme are evaluated. The analysis of the second study suggests that confidence is a key factor within the context of student employability. Consequently, the final study aims to explore the role and importance of confidence within employability from a student point-of-view and to evaluate how confidence and employability may be developed throughout the university experience. From this study, it is argued that Higher Education Institutions should focus on the development of confidence within students in order to improve their employability. As an outcome, recommendations are formed on how to support such development through general and course-specific activities within and outside the curriculum. Overall, the research addresses various gaps within the fields of interest, particularly through the focus on a student perspective, and provides methodological, theoretical and practical contributions. The different stages of the research suggest that it is important to the competitiveness and strength of universities to understand student expectations and to design and develop high-quality university experiences which meet the needs and demands of students. Based on the data collected, recommendations are given on how Higher Education Institutions can manage and meet student expectations and develop activities to enhance student employability and increase confidence.

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Alanazi, Mohammad Gyadh. "The use of higher order thinking skills in Islamic education : a case study of secondary education in Saudi Arabia." Thesis, University of Birmingham, 2004. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.497865.

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Crawford, Karin. "Continuing professional development in higher education : voices from below." Thesis, University of Lincoln, 2009. http://eprints.lincoln.ac.uk/2146/.

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The purpose of this research is to further understanding of faculty-based academics’ views on what influences their understandings, behaviours and attitudes towards their continuing professional development. Informed by critical realist ontology, it is argued that it is necessary to explore academics’ understandings and accounts of professional development in their practice context in order to gain a better understanding of the complexity and differential practices that underlie professional development in academia. In doing so, the research addresses the current under-representation in the literature of the voices of faculty academics about what influences their approaches to professional development. The data collection was carried out during the academic year 2007-8, using a qualitative multi-case study approach. Methods included semi-structured, narrative interviews with academics, more structured interviews with ‘key informants’ and examination of relevant institutional documents. Findings from this research have enabled new themes and areas for reflection to emerge about the constraints and enablements academics perceive in respect of their professional development. In particular, themes such as issues of interpretation and meaning; concepts of professional status and academic values; misaligned initiatives and priorities; the influence of supportive networks; and emergent personal, individual concerns have surfaced. The conclusion is drawn that the significance of agency raises the importance of opening the debate and responding to the ‘voices from below’.

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Bailey, Richard. "Student writing and academic literacy development in higher education : an institutional case study." Thesis, Northumbria University, 2009. http://nrl.northumbria.ac.uk/3077/.

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The aim of this study was to determine how student writing and academic literacy are experienced and perceived in a university by academic staff and students and how pedagogical interactions are influenced by institutional discourses and practices. The research is a form of institutional case study realised through a qualitative, ethnographic-style inquiry. The methodology comprised semi-structured interviews with forty-eight academic staff from a range of disciplinary backgrounds and thirty-five student respondents from diverse areas of study, and discourse-based analyses of textual materials at both the institutional and departmental levels. The findings of the present research revealed that there is variation in the way academic staff perceive the nature and the learning of student academic literacy and their understanding of the practices which support that learning in a university. Students face significant challenges in adapting to variable expectations and managing the requirements of writing and assessment in the contemporary context. The research also revealed that there are structural aspects of higher education practice which appear to have adverse effects on the learning and development of student academic literacy and the capabilities of academic teaching staff to actively support and foster student learning in that domain. There are implications for the role of writing in learning and teaching and its position in the curriculum. It is argued that a more explicit approach should be taken to student academic literacy by embedding it in disciplinary teaching and learning. A number of ways, based on the evidence of this research, are suggested to advance pedagogical research and develop appropriate practice to that end. The findings are linked to wider debates about teaching, learning and educational reform in higher education. The thesis concludes by comparing and contrasting two disparate research paradigms for investigating the higher education experience. A new paradigm is conceptualised which draws on existing models theoretically and empirically but adds dimensions which address the exigencies of research in the contemporary context of higher education. It is argued that this reframing has the potential to raise and enhance the profile of pedagogical and student writing research consonant with current higher education policy aims and ambitions.

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Sarkisian, Aram Paul. "The knowledge and skills of freshman writers." CSUSB ScholarWorks, 2003. https://scholarworks.lib.csusb.edu/etd-project/2424.

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Charity, Ian. "PhD and professional doctorate : higher degrees of separation?" Thesis, Northumbria University, 2010. http://nrl.northumbria.ac.uk/837/.

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This thesis presents an exploration of the "purpose and process" of doctoral education and has twin, equally valuable, purposes: to make an original theoretical contribution and to improve professional practice in this area. This work addresses the lack of pedagogical research into doctoral education at a time when changing perspectives are reshaping the doctoral education landscape. A number of alternatives to the traditional research PhD now exist and this has generated debate as to the specific differences between the various programmes. This research explores the purpose and process of doctoral education from the perspective of the traditional PhD and the professional doctorate and uses Northumbria University as the case study institution. This research is timely since at Northumbria new doctoral programmes are being established and existing professional doctorate programmes are undergoing significant revisions to try and provide distinctive alternatives to the PhD. The current debates regarding the strengths and weaknesses of the PhD and professional doctorates are presented and three key processes of doctoral study are critically reviewed; knowledge generation, supervision and assessment. A distinguishing feature of this research is my own position within the research setting: I am both a DBA student and a member of staff involved with the delivery of doctoral programmes. Furthermore, the product of the research itself is enmeshed with the research topic and I introduce the concept of "compounded insiderness" to describe this situation. Methodologically, this has lead to the adoption of a constructivist ontological stance coupled with an interpretivist theoretical perspective for analysis. The subjectivity of this research and my influence on the research process has been acknowledged as a central feature, demonstrated through reflexive behaviour. The research strategy is inductive in nature with data generated through twenty-two ethically conducted interviews with purposively selected participants in the doctoral research community at Northumbria University. Software has been used to store, organise and manipulate the data that were then analysed using a combination of concept driven and data driven coding structured using Nigel King's template analysis method. Student perceptions were analysed separately within PhD and professional doctorate subgroups and then compared across the two programmes whereas the staff interview data were analysed as a whole. I argue that this research is highly transparent and has the potential to be transferable to other higher education intuitions. This research makes an original theoretical contribution by concluding that, at a broad level of comparison, the taught stage of the professional doctorate separates the routes initially but once the research phase is underway, the PhD and professional doctorate at Northumbria University overlap considerably. Where differences exist, these are subtle and more likely to be related to the purpose of the programmes rather than any tangible differences that would be experienced by students in terms of process. Staff may see the programmes as "notionally different", but the interpretation of the purpose of a professional doctorate is subject to debate, particularly with regard to "making an original contribution to knowledge" and the role of theory. As a consequence, this raises serious questions regarding assessment. Professional doctorates are caught in a difficult position, since they desire to be different to a PhD and to attract different candidates, but must maintain a level of academic parity in order to be attractive. This research aims to improve professional practice at Northumbria University by raising awareness of similarities and differences between the programmes and it has already made an impact in this respect.

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Thomas, Kevin. "How international are we? : a study of the internal barriers to internationalisation of UK higher education." Thesis, Northumbria University, 2012. http://nrl.northumbria.ac.uk/11365/.

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As the landscape of UKHE undergoes yet another significant change, currently related to the funding of home students, the importance of a university’s international activities have been placed in a sharper focus. Although the direct economic impact of international student recruitment is of interest and importance, how institutions approach and organise themselves in relation to wider internationalisation is critical. This study has investigated in detail the internal barriers that exist to restrict or prevent that internationalisation process. A mixed methods approach, aligned with a realist ontology and pragmatist epistemology, has utilised a rigorous, sequential, three phase primary investigation. The earlier phases informing, although also allowing data to be transferred to other stages, the follow-on phases. An initial phase of content analysis of internationalisation strategies was utilised to identify the enablers to internationalisation and also to allow the formulation of a probability sampled questionnaire to staff involved with, and interested in, internationalisation. The phase two questionnaire results were then utilised to identify the barriers to internationalisation and to formulate detailed questions to be asked at a series of purposive sampled interviews, these interviews confirming the previously identified barriers. A series of internal barriers have been identified as follows; Resources; senior management support and leadership; staff interaction/engagement; use of a strategy and monitoring; complicated and over- bureaucratic procedures; internationally focused curriculum; internationalisation at home; staff and student mobility; communication and clarification. The degree of impact of these barriers will vary between institutions and suggestions have been made how to approach and deal with them. This study has therefore made a direct contribution to higher education practice but has also made a contribution to knowledge by utilising the sequential primary data gathering and closing the evident knowledge gap associated with the identification of the internal barriers to internationalisation of higher education in the UK.

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Benzie, D. H. "A longitudinal study of the development of information technology capability by students in an institute of higher education." Thesis, University of Exeter, 2000. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.324764.

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Wehrlin, Sonia E. "Teaching Interpersonal Communication Skills in Athletic Training Professional Education: A Mixed Methods Study." University of Findlay / OhioLINK, 2018. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=findlay1532450364663942.

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Ng, Lai Ling. "Research-based communities of practice (CoP) in UK higher education : the value to individuals." Thesis, Northumbria University, 2006. http://nrl.northumbria.ac.uk/2373/.

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Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) are knowledge-intensive organisations competing in the context of knowledge and research activities, as well as programmes and services offered. Research is integral to institutional competition to determine their status and standing and it underpins academics' responsibilities in developing intellectual skills and capacity of learners. Whilst universities adopt formalised approaches to developing research activities, there is a growing trend towards informal groupings or communities of practice (CoPs) where like-minded individuals seek to share common interests in particular research areas. These CoPs offer an alternative approach to developing research within HEIs, especially where efforts to improve faculty research have met with mixed success as there are no clear guidelines and relatively little is known about the mechanisms that facilitate research amongst academics. While there have been past research in various sectors on how CoPs benefit organisations, little has been focussed in the HE sector, in particular how it benefits individuals in terms of doing research and this forms the distinctiveness of this research. The aim is to illuminate, explore and gain insights of individuals' perceptions of the value and impact of CoP membership within research communities in HE and the potential impact on subsequent research. The CoP concept and the benefits identified in past research in general sectors serve as the focal framework of this research and other theories i.e. value, perception and HE, are included to support and ground further analysis in the overall study. This research takes the social constructionist standpoint, trying to understand individuals' experience of participating in these research communities, through the interpretive lens. It adopts the qualitative approach using observation and interviews (supplemented by storytelling and critical incident technique) to gather data which are then analysed using the narrative analysis approach paying attention to individuals' experience expressed through their stories and incidents. An analysis of data revealed that individuals found these research communities' membership valuable as it has helped and supported them in terms of doing research and have impacted them personally, professionally, intellectually and socially. Twenty perceived values have been discovered; twelve of which are supported by past organisational research, but mirrored also in HE i.e. autonomy and freedom to think beyond; sources to ideas; sounding board; intellectual discussion; like-mindedness; alternative perspective and cross pollination of ideas; informal ground for learning and training; networking, information sharing and updates; support and guidance; sense of belonging; identity; and intrinsic fulfilment. Although, there are some similarities in these twelve perceived values, they have benefited and impacted on individuals in their own way. The other eight perceived values i.e. overcoming intellectual isolation; move towards collaborative research; response to research pressure; synergy and leverage; time and energy saving; foster tangible returns; drive research; and opportunity to meet, have emerged from doing research in the HE sector and provide new insights not previously discussed. Thus, the contributions of this research are it has drawn on a wide range of literature put together in a unique way; it has extended the CoP concept by applying it to HE for the purpose of doing research; and further understanding on how individuals benefit from their membership, which was never conducted in such a way in past research. Above all, it has offered new insights and raised awareness of the values of research-based CoPs' membership to individuals and this adds to the research literature in CoP as well as the HE context.

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Whitefield, Despina, and Despina Whitefield@vu edu au. "Personal and interpersonal skills development in an accounting degree : a case study of accounting education." Swinburne University of Technology, 2003. http://adt.lib.swin.edu.au./public/adt-VSWT20050502.170936.

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This thesis examines the perceptions of lecturers, graduates and employers of personal and interpersonal skills development in an accounting degree at Victoria University. The development of personal and interpersonal skills in students in higher education has been the focus of discussion amongst accounting educators, accounting practitioners and the accounting profession for many years. There is a general consensus on what skills are necessarily sought to ensure success within the accountancy profession but very few previous studies on how those personal and interpersonal skills are being developed. This research study presents a research framework which emphasises the complex interrelationships between an accounting curriculum, accounting lecturers, accounting graduates and employers of graduate accountants and their perceptions of how personal and interpersonal skills are developed. A case study approach, combining archival, qualitative and quantitative methods, is used to investigate how a Bachelor of Business Accounting degree in one Australian university facilitates personal and interpersonal skills development. The case study results indicate that the curriculum, as the vector for skills development, has both explicit and implicit references to skills outcomes. Graduates� perceptions of many of the personal and interpersonal skills considered in this study are closely related to the curriculum findings. However, there appears to be a lack of convergence between lecturers� perceptions, the curriculum and graduates� perceptions. Employers generally agree that graduates display most of the personal and interpersonal skills, albeit at a low level, in the workplace. There are curriculum implications arising from the results of this research for accounting academics who design and develop accounting programs where the value of graduates� personal and interpersonal skills are acknowledged. As a first step, academics need to improve accounting curricula by explicitly integrating personal and interpersonal skills in their subjects. Communicating to students the explicit nature of personal and interpersonal skills development and making them aware is the next step.

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Calitz, André Paul. "A model for the alignment of ICT education with business ICT skills requirements." Thesis, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, 2010. http://hdl.handle.net/10948/1418.

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The Information and Communications Technology (ICT) skills shortage is of national and international concern. Modern business practices require the implementation of new technologies supported by a workforce with current and diversified ICT skill-sets. Acquiring suitable ICT skills has become a difficult task and employers are seeing government intervention at all levels. The school system in South Africa is under increased pressure and is faced with continuously declining matriculation pass rates, specifically in subjects such as science and mathematics. Schools are experiencing a decline in the number of scholars (learners) enrolling for the Information Technology (IT) school curriculum. The IT curriculum at school level is being criticised; under-prepared teachers are blamed and lack of suitable facilities highlighted. Surveys conducted amongst grade 9 and grade 12 scholars in the Eastern Cape have shown that scholars are not considering careers in ICT. Teachers, career/guidance counsellors and parents contribute to scholars' career decisions and are not encouraging scholars to pursue careers in ICT. Tertiary institutions in South Africa and internationally, are experiencing a decline in student enrolments and in pass and throughput rates. Industry is holding tertiary institutions responsible for not providing the “correct” ICT graduate skill-sets and passing an insufficient number of quality ICT graduates desperately required by industry. The accreditation of computing degree programs, such as Computer Science (CS), Information Systems (IS) and Information Technology (IT), collectively referred to as CIT, offered by tertiary institutions is becoming an international requirement. The ICT industry is constantly changing and new job requirements and new career opportunities are frequently introduced. Graduates entering the ICT industry should have acquired knowledge about ICT career tracks in order to specialise and choose a suitable career path. Tertiary CIT degree programs should further be linked to specific career tracks and provide a multi-disciplined education to graduates. ii ICT graduates working in industry utilise skills obtained in under-graduate and post-graduate CIT degree programs. The ICT graduates have also obtained valuable skills working in industry, including business skills and soft skills. ICT skill surveys have identified the graduate skills gap, indicating ICT skills industry requires from graduates completing tertiary level qualifications. ICT graduates working in industry, for example indicated that programming in some cases is over-emphasised at school and tertiary level and that soft skills are ignored by tertiary institutions. An ICT Graduate Skills Classifications Framework is developed to address the graduate ICT skills gap and highlight important business skills, soft skills, technical skills and programming skills required by industry. In this thesis, an Industry ICT Value Chain Model is further developed that suggests a holistic approach to the problems experienced at all levels of ICT skills development, including government, industry, tertiary education institutions and at school level. Results from a number of research surveys conducted along the proposed Industry ICT Skills Value Chain Model indicated that problems exist at all stages in the value chain and that the problems can only be addressed involving government, industry and tertiary institutions collectively. A number of interventions is required and the support from industry is essential in achieving overall success in addressing the ICT skills shortage in South Africa. A proposed Industry ICT Skills Value Chain Model that can be utilised to address the ICT skills shortage in South Africa is presented.

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Kirby, Linda. "Another look at reflection : promoting student voice, self-efficacy and student/teacher dialogue through structured, guided reflection prompts in a college reading and study skills course /." [Boise, Idaho] : Boise State University, 2009. http://scholarworks.boisestate.edu/td/19/.

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Kelly, Danielle. "The individual and social complexities of metacognition in education-based learning." Thesis, University of Stirling, 2018. http://hdl.handle.net/1893/27627.

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Metacognition, the knowledge and regulation of our cognitions, is an essential part of our learning. Metacognition has been linked to academic performance at all levels of education. Metacognitive skills, however, are likely to differ depending on that level. The current thesis aims to address four key questions. Firstly, how do metacognitive skills differ between undergraduate and postgraduate education? The metacognitive experiences and skills of 20 doctoral students were examined through semi-structured interviews. Thematic analysis indicated that, whilst doctoral students score above average on metacognitive skills questionnaires, doctoral students’ metacognitive development is influenced by peer interaction and environment. Considering the findings presented at postgraduate level, the second question addressed was what role does social context play in metacognition at undergraduate level? The relationship was measured using both experimental and self-report measures in a first-year undergraduate population. The findings suggested that first year students are not capable of working effectively with others. The lack of capability stems, in part, from normative beliefs suggesting that the participants’ peers think in a similar way to them. These relationships could also be due to individual differences, for example personality. The third question addressed, therefore, was do individual differences play a part in these relationships? Self-report measures of metacognition and personality were administered to undergraduates in all years of study. Correlational and moderation analyses indicated that conscientiousness plays a role in the implementation of metacognition in the later years of study. First-year performance, in comparison, was strongly related to extraversion, suggesting that the previous relationships found between social context and metacognition could potentially be impacted by a person’s personality. Finally, can we implement the information achieved here into an intervention to improve the metacognitive skills of secondary school students? An intervention designed to promote metacognitive skills in group contexts was implemented in a secondary school classroom of 20. The intervention lasted for 6 weeks. By the end of the intervention, analysis of Think Aloud Protocols indicated a marked difference in student’s problem-solving ability and their communication skills. Overall, the findings support the idea that metacognitive skills differ between levels and years of study. Yet, the role of social context and individual differences in metacognition could be key to improving academic performance at all levels of education.

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Denizli, Serkan. "The Role Of Hope And Study Skills In Predicting Test Anxiety Levels Of University Students." Master's thesis, METU, 2004. http://etd.lib.metu.edu.tr/upload/12604758/index.pdf.

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This study aimed at investigating the role of hope and study skills in predicting test anxiety levels of female and male university students. The sample consisted of 442 students from four different undergraduate programs of Faculty of Education at Ege University. Turkish version of State Hope Scale (SHS, Snyder, 1996), Turkish form of Dispositional Hope Scale (DHS, Akman &
Korkut, 1993), Study Skills Scale (SSI, Y*ld*r*m, Do*anay &
Tü
rko*lu, 2000) and Turkish form of Test Anxiety Inventory (TAI, Albayrak-Kaymak,1985
Ö
ner, 1986
1990
Ö
ner &
Albayrak Kaymak, 1986) were used for data collection. Adaptation study of the SHS and validity and reliability studies of the SSI were also conducted as part of the study. For the purpose of investigating the role of hope and study skills in predicting worry and emotionality dimensions of test anxiety, four stepwise multiple regression analyses were conducted separately for the worry and emotionality subscales scores of females and males. SHS scores, DHS scores, Course Participation subscale scores and Effective Reading subscale scores appeared as significant predictors for the emotionality scores, whereas SHS scores, Course Participation subscale scores and Effective Reading subscale scores emerged as significant predictors of the worry scores for the female group. The State Hope Scale (SHS) scores, Preparation for Exams subscale score, the Dispositional Hope Scale Scores (DHS), and Listening Subscale scores predicted the emotionality scores of the male students, and the State Hope Scale (SHS) scores, Preparation for Exams subscale, the Dispositional Hope, Motivation subscale, Health and Nutrition subscale and Writing Subscale scores predicted the worry scores of the male students.

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Blackwood, Tony. "Metaknowledge in higher education : self-assessment accuracy and its association with academic achievement." Thesis, Northumbria University, 2010. http://nrl.northumbria.ac.uk/2233/.

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An appreciation of the extent of one's own knowledge is known as metaknowledge and it has been argued that students' ability to distinguish between what they know, and what they do not, is an important influence on academic success. However, previous research suggests a general tendency for individuals to display overconfidence in their knowledge, by overestimating how much they know. This study assessed the ability of learners studying business in higher education to appreciate the extent of their own knowledge and investigated the association between this capability and academic achievement. It therefore contributes towards answering broader questions regarding how well individuals are able to assess their own capabilities and what the implications of this are. Quantitative methodology was employed and multiple-choice tests used to investigate how accurately students were able to assess the extent of their knowledge of issues addressed in their study programmes. Analysis of over 12,500 judgements provided by 508 respondents revealed a general tendency for overconfidence and indicated that this was greater for males, older participants and particularly, for Chinese students. Consequently, interventions designed to moderate overconfidence may be particularly valuable for these sub-groups. In terms of its potential implications for learning, the research indicated that better metaknowledge was positively associated with higher levels of academic performance, particularly for those in their first year studying at the university. Consequently, while metacognitive skills, such as accurate self-monitoring, are typically poorly addressed in business schools, the findings from this study suggest that initiatives to improve self monitoring accuracy may be effective in enhancing student learning. Additionally, such interventions have other potential benefits for learners, since metacognitive monitoring skills may also usefully inform lifestyle decisions, as well as improving the chances of success in business and may therefore be particularly beneficial for business students.

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Buys, Nelia. "An interactive, multimedia, web-based program to develop proficiency in specific reading skills for English first-year university students : an empirical study." Thesis, Link to the online version, 2004. http://hdl.handle.net/10019/2935.

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Mortimore, Tilly. "The impact of dyslexia and cognitive style upon the study skills and experience of students in higher education." Thesis, Cardiff University, 2006. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.544225.

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This study examined the impact of dyslexia and cognitive style upon the study skills and learning experiences of students in higher education. It aimed to investigate whether there are any significant differences in cognitive style between students with and without dyslexia and whether style has a significant part to play in a student's levels of success in learning from lectures. Increasing numbers of students with dyslexia are studying at degree level and Part IV of the Disability Discrimination Act (2001) has led to the introduction of a range of support services in Higher Education. The research therefore also sought to investigate the particular difficulties posed by study at degree level for learners with dyslexia, the extent to which they have utilised and benefited from support measures currently in place and the effect of dyslexia upon their experience of higher education. Its emancipatory aim was to contribute to the ways in which barriers within higher education might be removed and students enabled to fulfil their potential. Accordingly the project took a multi-method approach to investigate the experiences of 137 male students, sixty with dyslexia and 77 without, in 17 higher education institutions. Cognitive style did not differ significantly between students with and without dyslexia nor was it implicated in the students' performance in the lecture based tasks. However, the students with dyslexia, completed these tasks less successfully and were slower to process the tasks involved in the cognitive style analysis than the controls. Dyslexic students also reported significantly more difficulties with study skills across their education than the non-dyslexic group and significantly higher need and utilisation of learning support. However, many needs have yet to be met. The academic success achieved by students with dyslexia masks concerns about difficulties across the range of academic skills, tasks and activities which impact upon their relationships with peers and lecturers and their sense of their identity as students. The findings are discussed in the light of the impact of dyslexia upon the individual and the position of dyslexia within current models of disability. Suggestions are offered as to how policy within higher education institutions could be developed to individualise support and broaden access.

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Jones, Gretchen M. Petrie Trent. "The evaluation of Project SCORE a life skills program for an inner city high school /." [Denton, Tex.] : University of North Texas, 2007. http://digital.library.unt.edu/permalink/meta-dc-5158.

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Phipps, Owen Dudley. "The use of a database to improve higher order thinking skills in secondary school biology: a case study." Thesis, Rhodes University, 1994. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003696.

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The knowledge explosion of the last decade has left education in schools far behind. The emphasis in schools must change if they are to prepare students for their future lives. Tertiary institutions as well as commerce and industry need people who have well-developed cognitive skills. A further requirement is that the school leaver must have skills pertaining to information processing. The skills that are required are those which have been labelled higher order thinking skills. The work of Piaget, Thomas and Bloom have led to a better understanding of what these skills actually are. Resnick sees these skills as being: nonalgorithmic; complex; yielding multiple solutions; involving nuanced judgements; involving the application of multiple criteria; involving uncertainty; involving self-regulation of the thinking process; imposing meaning and being effortful. How these can be taught and the implication of doing so are considered by the researcher. The outcome of this consideration is that higher order - thinking entails communication skills, reasoning, problem solving and self management. The study takes the form of an investigation of a particular case: whether a Biology field trip could be used as a source of information, which could be handled by a computer, so that higher order thinking skills could be acquired by students. Students were instructed in the use of a Database Management System called PARADOX. The students then went on an excursion to a Rocky Shore habitat to collect data about the biotic and abiotic factors pertaining to that ecosystem. The students worked in groups sorting data and entering it into the database. Once all the data had been entered the students developed hypotheses and queried the database to obtain evidence to substantiate or disprove their hypotheses. Whilst this was in progress the researcher obtained data by means of observational field notes, tape recordings, evoked documents and interviews. The qualitative data was then arranged into classes to see if it showed that the students were using any of the higher order thinking skills. The results showed that the students did use the listed higher order thinking skills whilst working on the database.

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Wilkie, Margaret C. K. "Actions, attitudes and attributes : developing facilitation skills for problem-based learning." Thesis, Coventry University, 2002. http://curve.coventry.ac.uk/open/items/579668cc-9ec4-2005-ac69-eaab234c1396/1.

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Problem-based learning (PBL) is being adopted increasingly as a learning and teaching strategy within the United Kingdom. Although facilitation is recognised as being central to PBL, much of the current literature on facilitation in PBL is conflicting. This study explored the espoused and actual conceptions of PBL adopted by facilitators on a newly-developed pre-registration nursing diploma programme that employed PBL. To explore the lived experience of the PBL curriculum, a constructivist interpretist qualitative research design was adopted. For facilitation in PBL to be effective in promoting independent learning and developing critical thinking, teachers were required to sustain the newly espoused pedagogy and to adapt their actions to match. All participants possessed facilitation skills before the start of the study, however expertise in PBL facilitation took time and practice to acquire as existing skills had to be applied in new ways. Findings identified four broad approaches to facilitation: directive conventionalist, liberating supporter, nurturing socialiser and pragmatic enabler. Over time, most facilitators converged from a directive conventionalist approach towards that of a pragmatic enabler. The transitions were influenced by the need to resolve dissonance between espoused theories and theories-in-use; increased understanding of the dialogic nature of PBL; the use of communicative spaces to share and reflect on experience and an enhanced awareness of student diversity. While the findings relate specifically to PBL facilitation, they also contribute to the understanding of the types of teaching and learning strategies required by the large and increasingly diverse student body.

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Essilfie, Nomalanga V. "Enhancing employability of graduates from Higher Education Institutions in Botswana : a case study of Environmental Science." Thesis, University of Pretoria, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/2263/46162.

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The main aim of this study was to explore and describe the circumstances on the ground concerning employability of Environmental Science (ES) graduates in Botswana and to provide evidence that would either confirm or refute claims that graduates in Botswana, in general, are not employable. The second aim of this study was to describe whose role it is to enhance the employability of graduates. Furthermore it was also the aim of this study to investigate whether or not employability audits could be used as a quality assurance mechanism to ensure the employability of graduates in Botswana. These issues were investigated using the contextual framework of employability which explains the quality of higher education in relation to employability of graduates. This research reports on the findings of a case study of the Environmental Science programme offered by the Department of Environmental Science at the University of Botswana which was conducted in June 2012. The study revealed and confirmed gaps among ES graduates in the knowledge, skills and competencies required for the world of work. As a result of these gaps, ES graduates were found not be immediately employable without further on the job training. This created a lot of discontent among employers interviewed. The study concluded that higher education should go beyond providing education for the general development and well-being of individuals and address issues related to employability of graduating students. Conflicts in the possible roles of higher education and industry in enhancing the employability of ES graduates in terms of the changing expectations of the world of work were identified. The study highlighted the possible role of employability audits in enhancing employability not only of ES graduates but all other graduates in Botswana. Furthermore the study recommended that employability audits should be introduced in the tertiary education system of Botswana as a quality assurance mechanism. It further recommended collaboration and partnership with industry as key to the success of any measures put in place for the enhancement of the employability of graduates in Botswana.
Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2014.
tm2015
Science, Mathematics and Technology Education
PhD
Unrestricted

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Smith, Christina Louise. "Technology Literacy Skills Needed in Further Education and/or Work: A Delphi Study of High School Graduates’ Perspectives." Scholar Commons, 2015. http://scholarcommons.usf.edu/etd/5776.

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Technology and the importance of computers in education have been recognized since the educational reform movement of the 1980’s. Change that acknowledged a need for high school students to: understand the computer as an information, computation, and communication device; use computers for personal and work-related purposes; and understand the world of computers, electronics, and related technologies (A Nation at Risk, 1983, p. 26). The study, A Nation at Risk recognized our nation’s lack of computer technology skills and since, the standards in education have changed to design curriculum and integrate technology to better prepare high school students with necessary ready to work computer technology skills. In a brief review of literature the research studies found that students entering college and the workforce were lacking required necessary information technology literacy skills (Hardy, Heeler, & Brooks, 2006; Hanson, et al., 2011a, 2011b; HR Policy, 2010; Kaminski, Switzer, & Gloeckner, 2009; Tesch, Murphy, & Crable, 2006). In the context of the study, the conceptual framework for the study was driven by a set of eight IT tasks domains that provides the situational context. These IT tasks represent basic competencies that have been deemed critical for successful participation in society, education, and work for all youth (Center for Global Competitiveness and Performance, 2012; OECD, 2012; Partnership for 21st Century Learning, 2011; UNESCO, 2011; U.S. Department of Education, 2010a). The purpose of the modified Delphi study identified the basic information technology literacy skills needed for successful participation in further education and/or work from the perspectives of recent high school graduates.

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Berg-Carramusa, Cara A. "Markers of an Effective Physical Therapist from the Perspective of Key Stakeholders: A Delphi Study." Youngstown State University / OhioLINK, 2019. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ysu1564138007475383.

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42

Denizli, Serkan. "The role of hope study skilss in predicting test anxiety levels of university students." Ankara : METU, 2004. http://etd.lib.metu.edu.tr/upload/12604758/index.pdf.

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Johansson, Henrik. "Texten och talet : En intervjustudie om talboksanvändande hos studenter med dyslexi." Thesis, Uppsala universitet, Institutionen för ABM, 2012. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-183523.

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The aim of this thesis is to investigate how students in higher education use talking books. This has been inves-tigated through qualitative interviews with nine students. The intention has been to find out how they use talk-ing books and why they have chosen to do it in the way they have, looking specifically on whether there are strategies shared by most of the interviewees. As a theoretical basis of the thesis I have chosen a study, described by Sigrid Hongset, where dyslectic pu-pils tried using printed text and text on tape, as well as both simultaneously. George Kingsley Zipfs “Principle of least effort” will act as a supplemental theory. The interviews show that the students use talking books in different ways. Most read them via a computer, either using a program specifically made for talking book reading or a general purpose audio program. Some used portable players, such as mp3-players. None of them used a talking book player at the time and only a few used several of the special functions that the digital DAISY format offers. All the interviewees used printed books alongside the talking books. Some used them concurrently, while others did not. One thing they had in common was that they had, mostly purposefully, made strategies for how to study with the talking books, but these strategies were vastly different between them. It was obvious that different factors were important regarding their choices of technique. They were working towards as hassle free a use as possible. In this aspect there was a noticeable clash between different kinds of effort. The need not to carry around cumbersome equipment might for example be greater than the need to have all the functions of the DAISY format available. Several of them did not have full knowledge of the functions available in the DAISY format, but they did not appear to view that as a problem. Meanwhile there was a certain amount of frustration aimed towards insuf-ficiencies inherit in the talking book format.

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Mitzenmacher, Diane. "A cross cultural survey of study habits and use of campus services by EOPS and non-EOPS community college students." CSUSB ScholarWorks, 1996. https://scholarworks.lib.csusb.edu/etd-project/1272.

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The following study surveyed 111 community college students to identify patterns in study habits and use of services to examine whether differences exist between ethnic backgrounds or grade point averages, in the utilization of skills or services.

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Goh, Wei Wei. "The use of Web 2.0 technologies in developing and enhancing students' critical thinking skills in higher education : a qualitative study." Thesis, University of Derby, 2010. http://hdl.handle.net/10545/196650.

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Elaokali, Zakarya Abdulla. "Developing a Delphi model of the relationship between higher education skills in Libya and labour market needs : a case study of Benghazi, Libya." Thesis, University of Gloucestershire, 2012. http://eprints.glos.ac.uk/3288/.

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Universities in Libya and in other North African and Middle Easter countries have experienced massive expansion in terms of quantitative growth and geographic distribution in recent years (Al-Badri, 2006; El-Hawat, 2007; Mogassbi, 1984). The labour markets in these countries, on the other hand, traditionally suffer from a shortage of skilled manpower (ILO, 2007). Thus, the main questions of this research are formulated as: In what ways could higher education (HE) skills and changing labour market (LM) needs in Libya be better aligned? The research was conducted by collecting and analysing primary and secondary sources of documented material on the case study of Libya, in particular the second city of Benghazi. The secondary data collection largely focused on the generation of continuous datasets on students and graduate numbers in Libya, a country in which the state controls such sectors as HE, but does not make data on the sectors easily available in the public domain. The empirical data collection comprised semi-structured interviews and the application of the Delphi Technique (DT) to develop future scenarios using a panel of experts. The latter activity generated a final key research question: How can the DT be adapted and applied to the understanding of the relationship between HE skills and LM needs in the context of Libya? This research focused specifically on the graduate skills and attributes of job commitment, competitiveness, desire for excellence and teamwork and problem-solving, due to factors relating to the internal and external environment. The DT has been applied effectively on this topic and has developed the analysis from primary data collection research resulting in four potential strategies for both HE and LM, as follows: 1. Survival strategy: to reduce negative effects of external threats. 2. Defensive strategy: to face threats and strengths as a support. 3. Reorientation strategy: to take advantage of opportunities to decrease weaknesses. 4. Radical strategy: to benefit from opportunities by exploiting strengths. In the light of all that has been said about the strategies for Libyan HE and Libyan LM, three kinds of scenarios - optimistic, possible and pessimistic - have been built for HE and three others for LM.

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Collins, Heidi. "The Use of Data and Readability Analytics to Assist Instructor and Administrator Decisions in Support of Higher Education Student Writing Skills." Thesis, University of North Texas, 2018. https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1157590/.

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In 2016 employers hiring four-year college graduates indicate that 27.8% have deficiencies in written communication. Postsecondary learning objectives should focus on improving specific writing skills like grammar, sentence structure, and vocabulary usage for individual students and monitoring text readability as an overall score to measure learning outcomes. Web-based applications and the tools integrated into them have the potential to serve as a diagnostic solution for analyzing the text readability and writing skills of students. Organization and structuring of Canvas data was required before adding text readability and other writing skills analytics as part of the process to develop diagnostic learning analytics that interprets student writing skills in the learning management system. Decision modeling was used to capture and describe the specifics of literacy improvement decisions for instructors and administrators in a graphical notation and structured format.

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Warsame, Abdulla Farah. "The Gap Between Engineering Education and Postgraduate Preparedness." Thesis, Walden University, 2017. http://pqdtopen.proquest.com/#viewpdf?dispub=10634462.

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Engineering students entering the workforce often struggle to meet the competency expectations of their employers. Guided by constructivist theory, the purpose of this case study was to understand engineers’ experiences of engineering education, deficiencies in practical skills, and the self-learning methods they employed to advance their technical and professional competencies. Working engineers were asked about their experiences overcoming practical skill deficiencies and bridging the gap between education and practice. Interviews with 15 chemical, civil, mechanical, and electrical engineers were analyzed by coding for common statements and identifying themes. Firsthand experiences of the participants captured 3 themes: overall perceptions of engineering education, deficiencies in skills, and self-learning experiences. According to study findings, engineering education did not supply sufficient practical skills for working engineers. The study also provided descriptions of training and self-learning methods employed by practicing engineers to advance their technical and professional competencies. The study found that although universities might provide some practical skills through industry collaboration, engineering graduates still required professional development to ensure a smooth transition from academic learner to acclimated working engineer. The project is a practical training, developed for recent graduates, that could achieve positive social change by making strides toward bridging the gap between theory and practice for the participants. This study may also incite positive social change as it contributes to the evidence that there is a lack of practical experience in colleges of engineering, which may therefore improve their curriculum.

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Normandin, Denis G. "The effects of study skills assessment and short-term intervention on student attrition and retention at the two-year college level." Virtual Press, 1993. http://liblink.bsu.edu/uhtbin/catkey/897475.

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The aim of this study was to investigate study skills and its relationship to student attrition and retention. The participants for this research were comprised of students recruited from a small technical college located In Central Maine. All participants were first year, full-time students who were beginning their studies at the college. This study was initiated during the Incoming students' orientation program prior to the commencement of classes, and their progress was monitored for up to two academic years.The primary assessment instrument was the Learnlnq And Study Strategies Inventory (Weinstein et al., 1987). The Learning And Study Strategies Inventory (LASSI) aids the student in becoming aware of their strengths and weaknesses in areas that have been causally related to success in higher education. It is a standardized measure of reading comprehension; a measure of self-concept and self-esteem; as well as a supplementary measure examining various aspects of cognition, anxiety and motivation.Initially, the students' learning and study -strategies were assessed utilizing the LASSI. Each student In the experimental group was then Individually provided with detailed feedback of the assessment results during their first semester. When appropriate, a personalized plan for needed support services or remediation was developed and strongly encouraged. The students In the waiting list control group received their assessment results later In the academic year and did not have the individual sessions.It was hypothesized that the study skills assessment, feedback process, and short-term intrusively delivered intervention would result in increases in students' cumulative grade point average, graduation, and retention, while producing a corresponding decrease in attrition.The data generated from this study suggests that the relationship among the previously mentioned factors are essentially unrelated to students' cumulative grade point average as well as graduation, retention, and attrition.Possible confounding variables are discussed. This discussion centers around a few methodological difficulties as well as an analysis of the unique Interaction of the student and Institutional factors which may have effected the study.
Department of Counseling Psychology and Guidance Services

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Zender, Fabian. "An IPPD approach providing a modular framework to closing the capability gap and preparing a 21st century workforce." Thesis, Georgia Institute of Technology, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/1853/51822.

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The United States are facing a critical workforce challenge, even though current unemployment is around 6.7%, employers find it difficult to find applicants that can satisfy all job requirements. This problem is especially pronounced in the manufacturing sector where a critical skills gap has developed, a problem that is exasperated by workforce demographics. A large number of employees across the various manufacturing sub-disciplines are eligible to retire now or in the near future. This gray tsunami requires swift action as well as long lasting change resulting in a workforce pipeline that can provide Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) majors in sufficient quantity and quality to satisfy not only the needs of STEM industries, but also of those companies outside of the STEM sector that hire STEM graduates. The research shown here will identify overt symptoms describing the capability gap, will identify specific skills describing the gap, educational causes why the gaps has not yet been addressed or is difficult to address, and lastly educational remedies that can contribute to closing the capability gap. A significant body of literature focusing on engineering in higher education has been evaluated and findings will be presented here. A multidisciplinary, collaborative capstone program will be described which implements some of the findings from this study in an active learning environment for students working on distributed teams across the US. Preliminary findings regarding the impact of these measures on the quantity of engineers to the US economy will be evaluated.

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Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Study skills in higher education'

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