Where are the women? Campus climate and the degree aspirations of women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics programs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schulz, Phyllis

Women remain underrepresented in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) at all levels of higher education, which has become a concern in the competitive global marketplace. Using both quantitative and qualitative analysis, this dissertation sought to learn more about how the campus climate and self-concept influence the degree aspirations of female undergraduate students majoring in STEM programs. Using the Beginning Post-Secondary dataset, regression analyses showed that a student's initial degree aspirations, SAT scores, and interactions with faculty were all positively related to their degree aspirations three years later. Interviews with seven current STEM undergraduates confirmed the importance of interaction with faculty and suggested undergraduate research and classroom experiences also play a role in the degree aspirations of STEM students. Three of the seven students interviewed began their undergraduate educations as non-STEM majors, suggesting that the traditional STEM pipeline may no longer be the norm. These findings suggest that both future research and current practitioners should focus on undergraduate STEM classroom and research experiences. Additionally, the characteristics of students who switch into STEM majors should be explored so that we may continue to expand the number of students pursuing STEM degrees.

Report on the American Association of Medical Physics Undergraduate Fellowship Programs

PubMed Central

Avery, Stephen; Gueye, Paul; Sandison, George A.

2013-01-01

The American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) sponsors two summer undergraduate research programs to attract top performing undergraduate students into graduate studies in medical physics: the Summer Undergraduate Fellowship Program (SUFP) and the Minority Undergraduate Summer Experience (MUSE). Undergraduate research experience (URE) is an effective tool to encourage students to pursue graduate degrees. The SUFP and MUSE are the only medical physics URE programs. From 2001 to 2012, 148 fellowships have been awarded and a total of $608,000 has been dispersed to fellows. This paper reports on the history, participation, and status of the programs. A review of surveys of past fellows is presented. Overall, the fellows and mentors are very satisfied with the program. The efficacy of the programs is assessed by four metrics: entry into a medical physics graduate program, board certification, publications, and AAPM involvement. Sixty‐five percent of past fellow respondents decided to pursue a graduate degree in medical physics as a result of their participation in the program. Seventy percent of respondents are currently involved in some educational or professional aspect of medical physics. Suggestions for future enhancements to better track and maintain contact with past fellows, expand funding sources, and potentially combine the programs are presented. PACS number: 01.10.Hx PMID:23318397

Physiology undergraduate degree requirements in the U.S.

PubMed

VanRyn, Valerie S; Poteracki, James M; Wehrwein, Erica A

2017-12-01

Course-level learning objectives and core concepts for undergraduate physiology teaching exist. The next step is to consider how these resources fit into generalizable program-level guidelines for Bachelor of Science (BS) degrees in Physiology. In the absence of program-level guidelines for Physiology degree programs, we compiled a selective internal report to review degree requirements from 18 peer BS programs entitled "Physiology" in the United States (U.S.). There was a range of zero to three required semesters of math, physics, physics laboratory, general biology, biology laboratory, general chemistry, chemistry laboratory, organic chemistry, organic chemistry laboratory, biochemistry, biochemistry laboratory, anatomy, anatomy laboratory, core systems physiology, and physiology laboratory. Required upper division credits ranged from 11 to 31 and included system-specific, exercise and environmental, clinically relevant, pathology/disease-related, and basic science options. We hope that this information will be useful for all programs that consider themselves to be physiology, regardless of name. Reports such as this can serve as a starting point for collaboration among BS programs to improve physiology undergraduate education and best serve our students. Copyright © 2017 the American Physiological Society.

Prediction of Participation of Undergraduate University Students in a Music and Dance Master's Degree Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bebetsos, Evangelos

2015-01-01

The aim of the study was the investigation of students' attitudes and intention towards their possible participation in a graduate Music and Dance Distance Learning Master's Degree Program. The sample consisted of consisted of 229 undergraduate University students, between the ages of 20 to 63 yrs. of age (M = 34.24, SD = 10.70). More…

Oceanography and Geoscience Scholars at Texas A&M University Funded through the NSF S-STEM (Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Richardson, M. J.; Gardner, W. D.

2016-02-01

Over the last seven years we have led the creation and implementation of the Oceanography and Geoscience Scholars programs at Texas A&M University. Through these programs we have been able to provide scholarship support for 92 undergraduates in Geosciences and 29 graduate students in Oceanography. Fifty-seven undergraduate scholars have graduated in Geosciences: 30 undergraduate students in Meteorology, 7 in Geology, and 20 in Environmental Geosciences. Two students have graduated in other STEM disciplines. Twenty-four students are in the process of completing their undergraduate degrees in STEM disciplines. Twenty-three students have graduated with MS or PhD degrees in Oceanography and five PhD students are completing their dissertations. As specified in the program solicitation all of the scholars are academically talented students with demonstrated financial need as defined by the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). We have endeavored to recruit students from underrepresented groups. One-third of the undergraduate scholars were from underrepresented groups; 28% of the graduate students. We will present the challenges and successes of these programs.

Psychology Students' Interest in Graduate Training: A Need for Partnership among Undergraduate Psychology and Graduate School Psychology Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stinnett, Terry A.; Solomon, Benjamin G.

2014-01-01

An initial point of contact for recruitment of qualified persons into school psychology is undergraduate psychology degree programs. Unfortunately, the discipline of school psychology appears to receive at best only cursory coverage in undergraduate psychology texts, curriculum, and discussion by psychology department faculty even though school…

Successful strategies for building thriving undergraduate physics programs at minority serving institutions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Williams, Quinton

2013-03-01

After having been pulled back from the brink of academic program deletion, Jackson State University (Jackson, Mississippi) is now the only HBCU (Historically Black College and University) listed as a top producer of B.S. degrees earned by African Americans in both fields of physics and geoscience. Very pragmatic, strategic actions were taken to enhance the undergraduate degree program which resulted in it becoming one of the most productive academic units at the university. Successful strategies will be shared for growing the enrollment of physics majors, building productive research/educational programs, and improving the academic performance of underprepared students. Despite myriad challenges faced by programs at minority serving institutions in a highly competitive 21st century higher education system, it is still possible for undergraduate physics programs to transition from surviving to thriving.

Post-Secondary Education and Rural Women Enrolled in Liberal Arts Undergraduate Degrees

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bourgeois, Monique; Kirby, Dale

2012-01-01

The significance of post-secondary education is investigated for rural Newfoundland women enrolled in undergraduate liberal arts degree programs. Data collection for this research involved comprehensive, detailed semi-structured biographical interviews with rural women studying liberal arts disciplines during the 2006-2007 academic year at…

Anthropogenic Climate Change in Undergraduate Marine and Environmental Science Programs in the United States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vlietstra, Lucy S.; Mrakovcich, Karina L.; Futch, Victoria C.; Stutzman, Brooke S.

2016-01-01

To develop a context for program-level design decisions pertaining to anthropogenic climate change, the authors studied the prevalence of courses focused on human-induced climate change in undergraduate marine science and environmental science degree programs in the United States. Of the 86 institutions and 125 programs the authors examined, 37%…

A distance education in undergraduate dietetic education.

PubMed

Benton-King, Carrie; Webb, Derek F; Holmes, ZoeAnn

2005-01-01

Distance education is an exploding phenomenon that allows people to pursue higher education on their own time, at a pace that meets their needs, in locations where there are no colleges and universities, or where there is not a desired program of study. This study examined the use of distance education in undergraduate dietetic education programs and the opportunities for obtaining an undergraduate degree in dietetics solely via distance education. A survey was sent to all directors (n = 279) of undergraduate programs accredited/approved by the Commission on Accreditation for Dietetics Education to determine the current status and projected future use of distance education in their institutions' on-campus programs. The survey had a 54% response rate. Approximately 32% (n = 150) of undergraduate dietetics programs offer distance education courses in some format. Institutions that offer nondietetics distance education courses were more likely to offer dietetics distance education courses. The most common distance education format utilized in dietetics was 100% Internet courses (48%). The most common distance education dietetics course offered was a basic or introductory nutrition course (31%). From the data of courses offered, or permitted to be transferred, it would not be possible for a student to complete an undergraduate degree in dietetics solely via distance education methodologies at the time this study was conducted.

Women in Physics in Perú

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Loayza, María Luisa Cerón; Vásquez, Yezeña Huaypar; Cabrejos, Jorge Aurelio Bravo

2009-04-01

The numbers of women receiving undergraduate and master's degrees in physics from San Marcos National University and undergraduate physics degrees from San Luis Gonzaga National University in Perú are reported. The number of undergraduate degrees in physics has increased for women in San Marcos University, but not for women earning master's degrees. Why don't women complete their post-degree studies? Economics and gender stereotypes are factors that women in Perú have to fight each day. Perú does not have a good scholar program in science, so few students are interested in beginning their university careers in science. Improvements in science education are needed for our country to reach its potential.

Evolutionary Losses? The Growth of Graduate Programs at Undergraduate Colleges.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCormick, Alexander C.; Staklis, Sandra

This study examined the addition and expansion of graduate programs at primarily undergraduate colleges. The primary approach of the study was quantitative, consisting of descriptive and multivariate analysis of master's degree programs at colleges that were classified in 1994 as Baccalaureate Colleges. Data came from the 1994 and 2000 Carnegie…

Animal Use in Undergraduate Psychology Programs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hull, Debra B.

1996-01-01

Discovers little change concerning the use of animals in undergraduate psychology programs that do not offer a graduate degree. Few institutions have had any contact with animal rights activists and most chairpersons report that students generally favor the use of animals. Lists alternatives to animal use. (MJP)

Predictors of performance of students in biochemistry in a doctor of chiropractic curriculum.

PubMed

Shaw, Kathy; Rabatsky, Ali; Dishman, Veronica; Meseke, Christopher

2014-01-01

Objective : This study investigated the effect of completion of course prerequisites, undergraduate grade point average (GPA), undergraduate degree, and study habits on the performance of students in the biochemistry course at Palmer College of Chiropractic Florida. Methods : Students self-reported information regarding academic preparation at the beginning of the semester using a questionnaire. Final exam grade and final course grade were noted and used as measures of performance. Multivariate analysis of variance was used to determine if number of prerequisites completed, undergraduate GPA, undergraduate degree, hours spent studying in undergraduate study, and hours spent studying in the first quarter of the chiropractic program were associated significantly with the biochemistry final exam grade or the final grade for the biochemistry course. Results : The number of prerequisites completed, undergraduate degree, hours spent studying in undergraduate study, and hours spent studying in the first quarter of the chiropractic program did not significantly affect the biochemistry final exam grade or the final grade for the biochemistry course, but undergraduate GPA did. Subsequent univariate analysis and Tukey's post hoc comparisons revealed that students with an undergraduate GPA in the 3.5 to 3.99 range earned significantly higher final course grades than students with an undergraduate GPA in the 2.5 to 2.99 range. Conclusion : No single variable was determined to be a factor that determines student success in biochemistry. The interrelationship between the factors examined warrants further investigation to understand fully how to predict the success of a student in the biochemistry course.

Gaining Access or Losing Ground? Socioeconomically Disadvantaged Students in Undergraduate Engineering, 1994-2003

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lundy-Wagner, Valerie C.; Veenstra, Cindy P.; Orr, Marisa K.; Ramirez, Nichole M.; Ohland, Matthew W.; Long, Russell A.

2014-01-01

Expanding access to engineering for underrepresented groups has by and large focused on ethnicity/race and gender, with little understanding of socioeconomic disadvantages. In this study, we use economic, human, and cultural capital theories to frame and then describe access to undergraduate engineering degree programs and bachelor's degrees.…

Case Study: Creation of a Degree Program in Computer Security. White Paper.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Belon, Barbara; Wright, Marie

This paper reports on research into the field of computer security, and undergraduate degrees offered in that field. Research described in the paper reveals only one computer security program at the associate's degree level in the entire country. That program, at Texas State Technical College in Waco, is a 71-credit-hour program leading to an…

Mindsets of Leadership Education Undergraduates: An Approach to Program Assessment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ho, Sarah P.; Odom, Summer F.

2015-01-01

Students (N = 313) in undergraduate leadership degree programs at Texas A&M University were surveyed to determine their leadership mindset using hierarchical and systemic thinking preferences. Significant differences in thinking were found between gender and academic classification. Male leadership students scored greater in hierarchical…

Cultivating and Nurturing Undergraduate IS Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tams, Stefan

2014-01-01

Assurance of student motivation and retention is a central challenge for Information Systems faculty. A promising means of stimulating interest in the Information Systems major and in subsequent graduate degree programs is undergraduate Information Systems research. Undergraduate Information Systems research allows students to engage more deeply…

Mathematics in Colleges and Universities. A Comprehensive Survey of Graduate and Undergraduate Programs. Final Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lindquist, Clarence B.

Presented is a comprehensive survey of graduate and undergraduate programs in mathematics in effect during Winter and Spring of 1961. Questionnaires were mailed to 1,069 institutions which awarded degrees in mathematics or offered substantial programs in mathematics. Junior colleges and such specialized schools as Bible Colleges and seminaries,…

An IDeA for enhancing undergraduate research at rural primarily undergraduate institutions.

PubMed

Sens, Donald A; Cisek, Karen L; Conway, Pat; Doze, Van A

2017-09-01

This study documents the efforts of the North Dakota (ND) IDeA Networks of Biomedical Research Excellence (INBRE) program to assist in the development of undergraduate research programs at four state-supported primarily undergraduate institutions (PUIs) in ND. The study was initiated in the 2004-2005 academic year and continues to the present. The study shows that gaining initial institutional support for undergraduate research was assisted by providing salary support for faculty involved in undergraduate research. Once research was ongoing, each institution evolved their own unique plan for the use of support from the ND INBRE. Undergraduate student researchers have prepared, presented, and defended their research results on 188 unique posters since initiation of the program, with many posters being presented at more than one meeting. PUI faculty have authored 35 peer-reviewed manuscripts. Evaluation has shown that over 95% of the undergraduate students performing research matriculated with their bachelor's degree. Career choices of 77.2% of these graduates was determined, and 37% pursued a career in the health professions. Of the students not pursuing a post-baccalaureate degree, 81.2% chose careers directly linked to science. The study reinforces the concept that undergraduate research can be performed directly on the PUI campus and be of value in preparing the next generation of health professionals in research, service, and teaching. Copyright © 2017 the American Physiological Society.

Admitting At-Risk Students into a Principal Preparation Program: Predicting Success.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Malone, Bobby G.; Nelson, Jacquelyn S.; Nelson, C. Van

2001-01-01

Study of graduation rates of at-risk students admitted to a master's degree program at a doctoral-degree-granting university found that the best predictor of degree completion was the product of the undergraduate GPA multiplied by the GRE Verbal score. (Contains 41 references.)

A Comparison of Student Confidence Levels in Open Access and Undergraduate University Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Atherton, Mirella

2017-01-01

Confidence levels of students enrolled in open access programs and undergraduate courses were measured at the University of Newcastle. The open access science students aimed to gain access to undergraduate studies in various disciplines at University. The undergraduate students were enrolled in a variety of degrees and were surveyed during their…

An Undergraduate Nanotechnology Engineering Laboratory Course on Atomic Force Microscopy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Russo, D.; Fagan, R. D.; Hesjedal, T.

2011-01-01

The University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada, is home to North America's first undergraduate program in nanotechnology. As part of the Nanotechnology Engineering degree program, a scanning probe microscopy (SPM)-based laboratory has been developed for students in their fourth year. The one-term laboratory course "Nanoprobing and…

Men's and Women's Intentions to Persist in Undergraduate Engineering Degree Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Concannon, James P.; Barrow, Lloyd H.

2010-01-01

This is a quantitative study of 493 undergraduate engineering majors' intentions to persist in their engineering program. Using a multiple analysis of variance analysis, men and women had one common predictor for their intentions to persist, engineering career outcome expectations. However, the best sociocognitive predictor for men's persistence…

EOP and SAA Undergraduates Who Left UC Davis without a Degree.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rasor, Marianne

Undergraduate students enrolled in the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) or the Student Affirmative Action (SAA) program at the University of California (UC), Davis, who withdrew before graduation were surveyed in 1981. Attention was directed to the respondents' educational experiences after leaving, their current employment, and their…

Manpower Assessment Brief #44: NUCLEAR ENGINEERING Enrollments Decreased at All Levels in 1998. Undergraduate and Doctoral Degrees Decreased, While Master's Degrees Increased Slightly.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Shirley, Duveen

1999-05-04

The survey of "Nuclear Engineering Enrollments and Degrees, 1998" was sent to 45 institutions offering a major in nuclear engineering or an option program in another discipline or department (for example, electrical or mechanical engineering) equivalent to a major that qualifies the graduates to perform as nuclear engineers. This document provides statistical data on undergraduate and graduate enrollments and degrees, employment and post-graduation plans, and foreign national participation.

Lessons Learned: Creating an Online Business Degree from a Successful On-Campus Business Degree

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cordeiro, William P.; Muraoka, Dennis

2015-01-01

The horse has left the barn. Distance education is here to stay and the number of degree programs offered online is growing rapidly. California State University Channel Islands (CI) admitted its first students in 2002, and the undergraduate and graduate degrees in business were among its first program offerings. From its inception, the…

The New Mexico EPSCoR Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program: A Successful Summer Research Program for Community College and PUI College Students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pullin, M. J.

2013-12-01

The statewide NSF New Mexico EPSCoR Program (Climate Change and Water in New Mexico) sponsored a summer undergraduate research program from 2009 to 2013. This program was open to undergraduates attending the state's community colleges and primarily undergraduate institutions (PUIs). Participants who are chosen for the program attend a week of workshops on climate change, hydrology, water quality and professional development. Following that, they spend eight weeks working with an EPSCoR-funded scientist at a research intensive university or related field site. Participants are paired during their research project. This strategy has been shown to be a key factor in the success and comfort level of the participants. The program concludes with a research conference and many of the participants later present their work at national and regional conferences. The program has shown to be effective at introducing students from non-research institutions to authentic research in the Earth and Environmental Sciences and improving their confidence in future success at higher degree levels. The program is also successful at recruiting underrepresented minority students, mainly from Hispanic and Native American populations. We will also present data on participant degree completions, transfers to four year colleges, STEM career attainment, and graduate school admissions.

Interdisciplinary training in mathematical biology through team-based undergraduate research and courses.

PubMed

Miller, Jason E; Walston, Timothy

2010-01-01

Inspired by BIO2010 and leveraging institutional and external funding, Truman State University built an undergraduate program in mathematical biology with high-quality, faculty-mentored interdisciplinary research experiences at its core. These experiences taught faculty and students to bridge the epistemological gap between the mathematical and life sciences. Together they created the infrastructure that currently supports several interdisciplinary courses, an innovative minor degree, and long-term interdepartmental research collaborations. This article describes how the program was built with support from the National Science Foundation's Interdisciplinary Training for Undergraduates in Biology and Mathematics program, and it shares lessons learned that will help other undergraduate institutions build their own program.

Undergraduate Certificate Programs of Less than Two Years: 1991-92. Research Briefs, Volume 6, Number 1, 1995.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Henderson, Cathy

Many higher education institutions serve students enrolled in specialized training courses who receive undergraduate certificates rather than degrees. In academic year 1991-92, almost 65,000 postsecondary students earned certificates for programs of less than 1 year, and nearly 117,000 completed requirements for programs lasting between 1 and 2…

Profile of Undergraduate Students: 2011-12. Web Tables. NCES 2015-167

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Skomsvold, Paul

2014-01-01

These Web Tables provide comprehensive information on undergraduates who were enrolled in U.S. postsecondary institutions during the 2011-12 academic year. Estimates for enrolled students are presented by attendance status, degree or certificate program, undergraduate major field of study, average grades, student demographic characteristics,…

Profile of Undergraduate Students: 2007-08. Web Tables. NCES 2010-205

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Staklis, Sandra

2010-01-01

These tables provide comprehensive information on undergraduates who were enrolled in U.S. postsecondary institutions during the 2007-08 academic year. Estimates for enrolled students are presented by attendance status, degree program, undergraduate major, average grades, student characteristics, financial aid status and credit card debt, work,…

Preparation of the Professional Athletic Trainer: A Descriptive Study of Undergraduate and Graduate Degree Programs.

PubMed

Cavallario, Julie M; Van Lunen, Bonnie L

2015-07-01

The examination of the appropriate professional degree for preparation as an athletic trainer is of interest to the profession. Descriptive information concerning universal outcomes is needed to understand the effect of a degree change. To obtain and compare descriptive information related to professional athletic training programs and a potential degree change and to determine if any of these factors contribute to success on existing universal outcome measures. Cross-sectional study. Web-based survey. We contacted 364 program directors; 178 (48.9%; 163 undergraduate, 15 postbaccalaureate) responded. The survey consisted of 46 questions: 45 questions that dealt with 5 themes (institutional demographics [n = 13], program admissions [n = 6], program outcomes [n = 10], program design [n = 9], faculty and staff [n = 7]) and 1 optional question. Descriptive statistics for all programs were calculated. We compared undergraduate and postbaccalaureate programs by examining universal outcome variables. Descriptive statistics demonstrated that 33 programs could not support postbaccalaureate degrees, and a substantial loss of faculty could occur if the degree requirement changed (553 graduate assistants, 642 potentially underqualified instructors). Postbaccalaureate professional programs had higher 2011-2012 first-time Board of Certification (BOC) passing rates (U = 464.5, P = .001), 3-year aggregate first-time BOC passing rates (U = 451.5, P = .001), and employment rates for 2011-2012 graduates employed within athletic training (U = 614.0, P = .01). Linear multiple-regression models demonstrated that program and institution type contributed to the variance of the first-time BOC passing rates and the 3-year aggregate first-time BOC passing rates (P < .05). Students in postbaccalaureate athletic training programs performed better in universal outcome measures. Our data supported the concerns that this transition could result in the loss of some programs and an additional immediate strain on current staff due to potential staffing changes and the loss of graduate assistant positions.

Understanding the Experience of Women in Undergraduate Engineering Programs at Public Universities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Perez, Jessica Ohanian

2017-01-01

Women earn bachelor's degrees in engineering at a rate of less than 17% at public universities in California. The purpose of this study was to understand how women experience undergraduate engineering programs at public universities. To understand this lack of attainment, a qualitative methodology and Feminist Poststructuralist perspective were…

Lived Body Knowledge: Disciplinary Knowledge for Preservice Physical Education Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Tyler G.

2015-01-01

The American Kinesiology Association has constructed an undergraduate core for degree programs that reside in kinesiology-based academic units. Since many Physical Education Teacher Education programs are housed in such units, there is a need to prioritize the areas of the undergraduate core, particularly the place of the scientific dimensions of…

Implementation and Assessment of a Molecular Biology and Bioinformatics Undergraduate Degree Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pham, Daphne Q. -D.; Higgs, David C.; Statham, Anne; Schleiter, Mary Kay

2008-01-01

The Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside has developed and implemented an innovative, multidisciplinary undergraduate curriculum in Molecular Biology and Bioinformatics (MBB). The objective of the MBB program is to give students a hands-on facility with molecular biology theories and laboratory techniques, an…

On Solid Legal Ground: Bringing Information Literacy to Undergraduate-Level Law Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ryesky, Kenneth H.

2007-01-01

The complexities of the Internet and other electronic data technologies have greatly heightened the information literacy needs of students in all subjects. Law courses are common components of many undergraduate programs and other settings external to a law degree program. The field of law has many information literacy aspects which are…

Business without the Math: Competing Discourses and the Struggle to Develop an Undergraduate Leadership Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McLaren, Patricia Genoe; McGowan, Rosemary A.; Gerhardt, Kris; Diallo, Lamine; Saeed, Akbar

2013-01-01

Despite widespread acknowledgement of the importance of leadership education, undergraduate leadership degree programs in Canada are limited and, in some cases, struggling for survival. This case study examines the ways in which competing discourses of careerism, postsecondary corporatization, liberal arts education, and business education impact…

Framing Undergraduate Public Health Education as Liberal Education: Who Are We Training Our Students To Be and How Do We Do That?

PubMed

Kiviniemi, Marc T; Mackenzie, Sara L C

2017-01-01

The rapid development of the undergraduate major in public health over the past 15 years has led to a debate about the most appropriate framing for the degree. Should it be viewed as a liberal education degree (akin to academic disciplines such as psychology and political science) or as a professional training degree (akin to disciplines such as nursing and management)? This paper presents an overview of both the liberal education and the professional training degree approaches to the undergraduate public health degree. The reality of public health work in the modern era and the constraints on undergraduate-level training lead to our conclusion that the liberal education framing is a more optimal way to design the degree program. Such a framework optimizes career opportunities, especially long-term opportunities, for graduates, acknowledges the reality of the complex and diverse career paths that one can take under the general umbrella of public health, and accounts for the important role of critical thinking skills in undergraduate education. Ultimately, the distinction between liberal education and professional training may be fuzzier than the debate often highlights-an intentional, well-designed, and thoughtfully implemented undergraduate public health curriculum can address the range of student needs underlying both the liberal education and professional training approaches to the degree, thus optimizing both learning goals and career outcomes for undergraduate public health students.

Framing Undergraduate Public Health Education as Liberal Education: Who Are We Training Our Students To Be and How Do We Do That?

PubMed Central

Kiviniemi, Marc T.; Mackenzie, Sara L. C.

2017-01-01

The rapid development of the undergraduate major in public health over the past 15 years has led to a debate about the most appropriate framing for the degree. Should it be viewed as a liberal education degree (akin to academic disciplines such as psychology and political science) or as a professional training degree (akin to disciplines such as nursing and management)? This paper presents an overview of both the liberal education and the professional training degree approaches to the undergraduate public health degree. The reality of public health work in the modern era and the constraints on undergraduate-level training lead to our conclusion that the liberal education framing is a more optimal way to design the degree program. Such a framework optimizes career opportunities, especially long-term opportunities, for graduates, acknowledges the reality of the complex and diverse career paths that one can take under the general umbrella of public health, and accounts for the important role of critical thinking skills in undergraduate education. Ultimately, the distinction between liberal education and professional training may be fuzzier than the debate often highlights—an intentional, well-designed, and thoughtfully implemented undergraduate public health curriculum can address the range of student needs underlying both the liberal education and professional training approaches to the degree, thus optimizing both learning goals and career outcomes for undergraduate public health students. PMID:28239603

The Experimental Teaching Reform in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology for Undergraduate Students in Peking University Health Science Center

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yang, Xiaohan; Sun, Luyang; Zhao, Ying; Yi, Xia; Zhu, Bin; Wang, Pu; Lin, Hong; Ni, Juhua

2015-01-01

Since 2010, second-year undergraduate students of an eight-year training program leading to a Doctor of Medicine degree or Doctor of Philosophy degree in Peking University Health Science Center (PKUHSC) have been required to enter the "Innovative talent training project." During that time, the students joined a research lab and…

"Please Remember We Are Not All Brilliant": Undergraduates' Experiences of an Elite, Research-Intensive Degree at a Research-Intensive University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Howitt, Susan; Wilson, Anna; Wilson, Kate; Roberts, Pam

2010-01-01

Undergraduate research experiences are being incorporated into degree programs with increasing frequency. However, there has been little study into their effectiveness in preparing students for research or into the learning gains that students realise from one or more research experiences. We surveyed science students in an elite, research-based…

Correlation of admissions statistics to graduate student success in medical physics

PubMed Central

McSpadden, Erin; Rakowski, Joseph; Nalichowski, Adrian; Yudelev, Mark; Snyder, Michael

2014-01-01

The purpose of this work is to develop metrics for evaluation of medical physics graduate student performance, assess relationships between success and other quantifiable factors, and determine whether graduate student performance can be accurately predicted by admissions statistics. A cohort of 108 medical physics graduate students from a single institution were rated for performance after matriculation based on final scores in specific courses, first year graduate Grade Point Average (GPA), performance on the program exit exam, performance in oral review sessions, and faculty rating. Admissions statistics including matriculating program (MS vs. PhD); undergraduate degree type, GPA, and country; graduate degree; general and subject GRE scores; traditional vs. nontraditional status; and ranking by admissions committee were evaluated for potential correlation with the performance metrics. GRE verbal and quantitative scores were correlated with higher scores in the most difficult courses in the program and with the program exit exam; however, the GRE section most correlated with overall faculty rating was the analytical writing section. Students with undergraduate degrees in engineering had a higher faculty rating than those from other disciplines and faculty rating was strongly correlated with undergraduate country. Undergraduate GPA was not statistically correlated with any success metrics investigated in this study. However, the high degree of selection on GPA and quantitative GRE scores during the admissions process results in relatively narrow ranges for these quantities. As such, these results do not necessarily imply that one should not strongly consider traditional metrics, such as undergraduate GPA and quantitative GRE score, during the admissions process. They suggest that once applicants have been initially filtered by these metrics, additional selection should be performed via the other metrics shown here to be correlated with success. The parameters used to make admissions decisions for our program are accurate in predicting student success, as illustrated by the very strong statistical correlation between admissions rank and course average, first year graduate GPA, and faculty rating (p<0.002). Overall, this study indicates that an undergraduate degree in physics should not be considered a fundamental requirement for entry into our program and that within the relatively narrow range of undergraduate GPA and quantitative GRE scores of those admitted into our program, additional variations in these metrics are not important predictors of success. While the high degree of selection on particular statistics involved in the admissions process, along with the relatively small sample size, makes it difficult to draw concrete conclusions about the meaning of correlations here, these results suggest that success in medical physics is based on more than quantitative capabilities. Specifically, they indicate that analytical and communication skills play a major role in student success in our program, as well as predicted future success by program faculty members. Finally, this study confirms that our current admissions process is effective in identifying candidates who will be successful in our program and are expected to be successful after graduation, and provides additional insight useful in improving our admissions selection process. PACS number: 01.40.‐d PMID:24423842

Blurred Boundaries: Negotiating a Common Core Subject in a Multi-Faculty Bachelor of Environments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Onsman, Andrys; Newton, Clare

2015-01-01

In 2008, the University of Melbourne rolled out its restructured undergraduate degree program offerings. Rather than offering a multitude of faculty-specific degrees, the University started to offer a limited number of generalist degrees that serve as developmental pathways to specialist masters programs as well as stand-alone employment…

Non-traditional vs. Traditional Academic Delivery Systems: Comparing ETS Scores for Undergraduate Students in Business Programs, 1996-1999. AIR 1999 Annual Forum Paper.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jonas, Peter M.; Weimer, Don

This two-year study involving five colleges and universities compared the academic achievement, as measured by the Educational Testing Service (ETS) Major Field Achievement Test (MFAT) in Business of students in traditional undergraduate programs and those in non-traditional accelerated adult degree programs. The study also compared the subjects'…

The Undergraduate Origins of PhD Economists

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Siegfried, John J.; Stock, Wendy A.; Walstad, William

2007-01-01

The authors document the types of undergraduate colleges and universities attended by those who earned a doctorate in economics from an American university from 1966 through 2003. They examine relationships between type of undergraduate institution and attrition and time-to-degree in PhD programs. The total number of new economics PhDs awarded to…

Are They Ready to Teach with Technology? An Investigation of Technology Instruction in Music Teacher Education Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haning, Marshall

2016-01-01

The purpose of this research was to investigate the type, quantity, and effects of technology instruction currently being provided to undergraduate music education majors. Undergraduate participants (n = 46) at 10 degree-granting institutions completed an online survey on the technology instruction received during their undergraduate degree…

Brief 76 Nuclear Engineering Enrollments and Degrees Survey, 2015 Data

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None, None

The 2015 Nuclear Engineering Enrollments and Degrees Survey reports degrees granted between September 1, 2014 and August 31, 2015. Enrollment information refers to the fall term 2015. The enrollments and degrees data comprises students majoring in nuclear engineering or in an option program equivalent to a major. Thirty-five academic programs reported having nuclear engineering programs during 2015, and data was received from all thirty-five programs. The report includes enrollment information on undergraduate students and graduate students and information by degree level for post-graduation plans.

Brief 77 Health Physics Enrollments and Degrees Survey, 2015 Data

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None, None

The 2015 Health Physics Enrollments and Degrees Survey reports degrees granted between September 1, 2014 and August 31, 2015. Enrollment information refers to the fall term 2015. Twenty-two academic programs were included in the survey universe, with all 22 programs providing data. The enrollments and degrees information comprises students majoring in health physics or in an option program equivalent to a major. The report includes enrollment information on undergraduate students and graduate students and information by degree level for post-graduation plans.

Testing the Efficacy of a Scholarship Program for Single Parent, Post-Freshmen, Full Time Undergraduates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carpenter, Dick M., II; Kaka, Sarah J.; Tygret, Jennifer A.; Cathcart, Katy

2018-01-01

This study examines the efficacy of a scholarship program designed to assist single parent, post-freshmen, full time undergraduate students and predictors of success among a sample of said students, where success is defined as progress toward completion, academic achievement, and degree completion. Results of fixed effects regression and…

STEERing an IDeA in Undergraduate Research at a Rural Research Intensive University

PubMed Central

Sens, Donald A.; Cisek, Karen L.; Garrett, Scott H.; Somji, Seema; Dunlevy, Jane R.; Sens, Mary Ann; Conway, Pat; Doze, Van A.

2017-01-01

This study documents outcomes, including student career choices, of the North Dakota Institutional Development Award Networks of Biomedical Research Excellence program that provides 10-week, summer undergraduate research experiences at the University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences. Program evaluation initiated in 2008 and, to date, 335 students have completed the program. Of the 335, 214 students have successfully completed their bachelor’s degree, 102 are still undergraduates, and 19 either did not complete a bachelor’s degree or were lost to follow-up. The program was able to track 200 of the 214 students for education and career choices following graduation. Of these 200, 76% continued in postgraduate health-related education; 34.0% and 20.5% are enrolled in or have completed MD or PhD programs, respectively. Other postbaccalaureate pursuits included careers in pharmacy, optometry, dentistry, public health, physical therapy, nurse practitioner, and physician’s assistant, accounting for an additional 21.5%. Most students electing to stop formal education at the bachelor’s degree also entered fields related to health care or science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (19.5%), with only a small number of the 200 students tracked going into service or industries which lacked an association with the health-care workforce (4.5%). These student outcomes support the concept that participation in summer undergraduate research boosts efforts to populate the pipeline of future researchers and health professionals. It is also an indication that future researchers and health professionals will be able to communicate the value of research in their professional and social associations. The report also discusses best practices and issues in summer undergraduate research for students originating from rural environments. PMID:29057317

STEERing an IDeA in Undergraduate Research at a Rural Research Intensive University.

PubMed

Sens, Donald A; Cisek, Karen L; Garrett, Scott H; Somji, Seema; Dunlevy, Jane R; Sens, Mary Ann; Conway, Pat; Doze, Van A

2017-01-01

This study documents outcomes, including student career choices, of the North Dakota Institutional Development Award Networks of Biomedical Research Excellence program that provides 10-week, summer undergraduate research experiences at the University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences. Program evaluation initiated in 2008 and, to date, 335 students have completed the program. Of the 335, 214 students have successfully completed their bachelor's degree, 102 are still undergraduates, and 19 either did not complete a bachelor's degree or were lost to follow-up. The program was able to track 200 of the 214 students for education and career choices following graduation. Of these 200, 76% continued in postgraduate health-related education; 34.0% and 20.5% are enrolled in or have completed MD or PhD programs, respectively. Other postbaccalaureate pursuits included careers in pharmacy, optometry, dentistry, public health, physical therapy, nurse practitioner, and physician's assistant, accounting for an additional 21.5%. Most students electing to stop formal education at the bachelor's degree also entered fields related to health care or science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (19.5%), with only a small number of the 200 students tracked going into service or industries which lacked an association with the health-care workforce (4.5%). These student outcomes support the concept that participation in summer undergraduate research boosts efforts to populate the pipeline of future researchers and health professionals. It is also an indication that future researchers and health professionals will be able to communicate the value of research in their professional and social associations. The report also discusses best practices and issues in summer undergraduate research for students originating from rural environments.

The Development of a Program of Study for a Bachelor's Degree in Early Childhood Education in Belize

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mendez Valladares, Melissa Dilieth

2017-01-01

Presently, the highest degree a person interested in teaching at the early childhood level in Belize is the Associate's Degree in Early Childhood Education. The purpose of this project was to design a program of undergraduate coursework in the area of teacher preparation that will meet university qualifications for a Bachelor's Degree in Early…

Experiences Gained Creating a Biophysics Major at a Predominately Undergraduate Institution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Link, Justin; Herbert, Steven

2014-03-01

Xavier University, a liberal arts predominately undergraduate institution (PUI) located in Cincinnati, OH, implemented a Biophysics major in the Department of Physics in spring 2012. The program is built upon foundational physics courses and is unique due to the possible selection of upper-division courses that students elect to take towards their undergraduate degree. A capstone course is offered to bring all prior knowledge in the fundamental sciences together to approach complex problems in biology. Due to the flexibility of the program, it serves students well who are interested in pursuing advanced degrees in Biophysics or Biomedical Engineering. It also offers students interested in the health professions an alternate path towards medical school which can be advantageous in the application process. This session will express some of the advantages and challenges to creating such a program at a liberal arts PUI and discuss the capstone course within the major.

What Works! Encouraging Diversity in Science, Mathematics, Engineering, and Technology through Effective Mentoring. A 5-Year Overview of the Research Careers for Minority Scholars Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Science Foundation, Arlington, VA. Directorate for Education and Human Resources.

The National Science Foundation's (NSF) Research Careers for Minority Scholars (RCMS) program was initiated to encourage individuals from underrepresented groups in science, mathematics, engineering and technology (SMET) disciplines to complete undergraduate degree programs and matriculate to SMET graduate degree programs. This report describes…

Remediation Trends in an Undergraduate Anatomy Course and Assessment of an Anatomy Supplemental Study Skills Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schutte, Audra Faye

2013-01-01

Anatomy A215: Basic Human Anatomy (Anat A215) is an undergraduate human anatomy course at Indiana University Bloomington (IUB) that serves as a requirement for many degree programs at IUB. The difficulty of the course, coupled with pressure to achieve grades for admittance into specific programs, has resulted in high remediation rates. In an…

Draft SEI Program Plans: 1994-1998

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-08-01

process must depersonalize risks so they are viewed as opportunities for program success. Factors for communication are in all the method devel...and the undergraduate level to adequately prepare new soft- ware engineers entering the work force. Educators and trainers of current professionals...learning opportu- nities. The technical foundation for many of these products is the evolving SEI model curricula for graduate and undergraduate degree

An Analysis of Retention Factors in Undergraduate Degree Programs in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Michael H.

2012-01-01

This mixed-methodological study explored the factors that predict a student's likelihood to complete an undergraduate program in a STEM discipline at one campus reliant upon that mission. Offered in response to a national imperative for the U.S. to compete globally, researchers contend educators must better prepare a STEM foundation and inspire…

Nursing Student Retention in Associate Degree Nursing Programs Utilizing a Retention Specialist

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schrum, Ronna A.

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine specific variables associated with nursing student retention in Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) Programs. Jeffreys (2004) Nursing Undergraduate Retention and Success (NURS) conceptual model provided the framework for this descriptive correlational study. One hundred sixty eight pre-licensure associate degree…

The Relationship between Participation in Campus Recreation Programs and College Student Academic Success

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kiss, Jessica E.

2017-01-01

The academic success of undergraduate students is necessary for degree attainment and fulfilling career goals. Universities recognize factors that affect academic achievement and promote strategies that support satisfactory grades, progression through degree programs, and graduation for students. It is essential to determine predictors of success…

Recent Enrollment Trends in American Soil Science Programs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brevik, Eric C.; Abit, Sergio; Brown, David; Dolliver, Holly; Hopkins, David; Lindbo, David; Manu, Andrew; Mbila, Monday; Parikh, Sanjai J.; Schulze, Darrell; Shaw, Joey; Weil, Ray; Weindorf, David

2015-04-01

Soil science student enrollment was on the decline in the United States from the early 1990s through the early 2000s. Overall undergraduate student enrollment in American colleges and universities rose by about 11% over the same time period. This fact created considerable consternation among the American soil science community. As we head into the International Year of Soil, it seemed to be a good time to revisit this issue and examine current enrollment trends. Fourteen universities that offer undergraduate and/or graduate programs in soil science were surveyed for their enrollments over the time period 2007-2014 (the last seven academic years). The 14 schools represent about 20% of the institutions that offer soil science degrees/programs in the United States. Thirteen institutions submitted undergraduate data and 10 submitted graduate data, which was analyzed by individual institution and in aggregate. Simple linear regression was used to find the slope of best-fit trend lines. For individual institutions, a slope of ≥ 0.5 (on average, the school gained 0.5 students per year or more) was considered to be growing enrollment, ≤ -0.5 was considered shrinking enrollment, and between -0.5 and 0.5 was considered to be stable enrollment. For aggregated data, the 0.5 slope standard was multiplied by the number of schools in the aggregated survey to determine whether enrollment was growing, shrinking, or stable. Over the period of the study, six of the 13 schools reporting undergraduate data showed enrollment gains, five of the 13 showed stable enrollments, one of the 13 showed declining enrollments, and one of the 13 discontinued their undergraduate degree program. The linear regression trend line for the undergraduate schools' composite data had a slope of 55.0 students/year (R2 = 0.96), indicating a strong overall trend of undergraduate enrollment growth at these schools. However, the largest school had also seen large growth in enrollment. To ensure that this one institution was not masking an overall declining enrollment trend, the regression was also run with that institution removed. This gave a linear trend line with a slope of 6.6 students/year (R2 = 0.90), indicating more moderate growth but still a trend towards growth in undergraduate enrollment. Four of the 10 graduate programs showed enrollment gains, five of the 10 showed stable enrollments, and one of the 10 showed declining enrollments. The linear regression trend line for the composite graduate school data had a slope of 12.0 students/year (R2 = 0.97), indicating an overall trend of enrollment growth at these schools. As a whole, both the undergraduate and graduate programs investigated showed moderate growth trends, which represent a reversal of enrollment trends reported at the beginning of the 21st Century. Challenges in obtaining the data used for this study included 1) differences in data collection and archiving by institutions and 2) only some schools still offer a soil science degree; many schools offer another degree (e.g., agricultural studies, agronomy, environmental resource science, environmental science, plant and soil science, etc.) with a soils option or emphasis. In the second case it was necessary to identify which students in these other degree programs pursued the soil science option or emphasis.

SPIN-UP and Preparing Undergraduate Physics Majors for Careers in Industry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Howes, Ruth

2011-03-01

Seven years ago, the Strategic Programs for Innovations in Undergraduate Physics (SPIN-UP) Report produced by the National Task Force on Undergraduate Physics identified several key characteristics of thriving undergraduate physics departments including steps these departments had taken to prepare students better for careers in industry. Today statistical data from AIP shows that almost 40% of students graduating with a degree in physics seek employment as soon as they graduate. Successful undergraduate physics programs have taken steps to adapt their rigorous physics programs to ensure that graduating seniors have the skills they need to enter the industrial workplace as well as to go on to graduate school in physics. Typical strategies noted during a series of SPIN-UP workshops funded by a grant from NSF to APS, AAPT, and AIP include flexible curricula, early introduction of undergraduates to research techniques, revised laboratory experiences that provide students with skills they need to move directly into jobs, and increased emphasis on ``soft'' skills such as communication and team work. Despite significant success, undergraduate programs face continuing challenges in preparing students to work in industry, most significantly the fact that there is no job called ``physicist'' at the undergraduate level. supported by grant NSF DUE-0741560.

Professional Preparation in Athletic Administration and Sport Management: Undergraduate and Graduate Programs in Canada.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parkhouse, Bonnie L.; Stoy, Christopher J.

1979-01-01

Programs in athletic administration and sport management offered by four Canadian institutions are briefly outlined with information including availability of financial aid, degree requirements, and program description. (JMF)

A Comparison of the Cognitive Moral Development of Christian University Seniors in Traditional versus Adult Degree Completion Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Loomis, Michael J.

2009-01-01

This research uses the Defining Issues Test-2 (DIT-2) to investigate the cognitive moral development of college seniors in adult degree completion (ADC) programs and traditional undergraduate (TU) programs at three Council of Christian College and University institutions. Overall, TU students had significantly higher scores on the DIT-2, TU…

Going Modular--For Better or Worse? AIR 1994 Annual Forum Paper.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McLachlan, Jeffrey E.; Wood, Vivienne

A modular system for undergraduate programs was implemented in three degree programs at Napier University in Scotland. This paper describes the degree course structure prior to 1992-93 and factors leading to change, including university response to government policy encouraging wider access to higher education. A rationale for modularization is…

Nuclear education and training: marriages that work

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hanson, H.D.

1985-11-01

Public Service Electric and Gas Company is meeting the education and training needs of its nuclear department operations, support, and services personnel through a variety of activities in association with institutions of higher education. Activities include credit or credit recommendation programs at the associates, undergraduate, and graduate degree level. The paper emphasizes the process of working with a local college in the development of a new degree program for submission through the State Board of Education. The development, review, evaluation, and approval process is detailed as well as lessons learned. Plans for further development of the program toward ABET accreditationmore » are also described. Samples of the surveys conducted to determine employee interest in terms of academic area, academic level, offering strategies, etc. are presented. The process of soliciting program proposals from universities and colleges, the selection process, and implementation of the programs are also discussed. More briefly described is the preparation for credit recommendation process from regionally accredited groups. External degree programs, off-hours course presentations on-site for undergraduate and graduate credit, faculty extern, student intern, and co-op activities are also discussed.« less

Reformulation of Engineering Education at Undergraduate Level in the Faculdad de Ingenieria y Ciencias Hidricas Universidad Nacional del Litoral--Water Resources and Engineering Degrees.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Theiler, Julio; Isla, Miguel; Arrillaga, Hugo; Ceirano, Eduardo; Lozeco, Cristobal

This paper explains the educational changes in the Water Resources Engineering program offered by the Universidad Nacional del Litoral in Santa Fe, Argentina, for the last 20 years at the undergraduate level. The need for modernizing the engineering teaching program occurred due to changes in the social system in which the concepts of development…

Insights for undergraduates seeking an advanced degree in wildlife and fisheries sciences

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kaemingk, Mark A.; Dembkowski, Daniel J.; Meyer, Hilary A.; Gigliotti, Larry M.

2013-01-01

In today's job market, having a successful career in the fisheries and wildlife sciences is becoming more dependent on obtaining an advanced degree. As a result, competition for getting accepted into a graduate program is fierce. Our objective for this study was to provide prospective graduate students some insights as to what qualifications or attributes would best prepare them for obtaining a graduate position (M.S.) and to excel once they are enrolled in a graduate program. A survey was sent to 50 universities within the National Association of University Fisheries and Wildlife Programs (NAUFWP) where both faculty and undergraduate students were asked questions relating to graduate school. Faculty rated the importance of various criteria and attributes of graduate school, and students answered the questions according to how they believed faculty members would respond. Overall, undergraduate students shared many of the same graduate school viewpoints as those held by faculty members. However, viewpoints differed on some topics related to admittance and the most important accomplishment of a graduate student while enrolled in a graduate program. These results indicate that undergraduate students may be better prepared for graduate school—and they may understand how to be successful once they are enrolled in a program—than was initially thought.

The Curriculum Planning Process for Undergraduate Game Degree Programs in the United Kingdom and United States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McGill, Monica M.

2012-01-01

Digital games are marketed, mass-produced, and consumed by an increasing number of people and the game industry is only expected to grow. In response, postsecondary institutions in the UK and the U.S. have started to create game degree programs. Though curriculum theorists provide insight into the process of creating a new program, no formal…

Acoustics: A branch of engineering at the Universidad Austral de Chile (UACh)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Poblete, Victor; Arenas, Jorge P.; Sommerhoff, Jorge

2002-11-01

At the end of the 1960s, the first acousticians graduating at UACh had acquired an education in applied physics and musical arts, since there was no College of Engineering at that time. Initially, they had a (rather modest) four-year undergraduate program, and most of the faculty were not specialized teachers. The graduates from such a program received a sound engineering degree and they were skilled for jobs in the musical industry and sound reinforcement companies. In addition, they worked as sound engineers and producers. Later, because of the scientific, industrial and educational changes in Chile during the 1980s, the higher education system had massive changes that affected all of the undergraduate and graduate programs of the 61 universities in Chile. The UACh College of Engineering was officially founded in 1989. Then, acoustics as an area of expertise was included, widened and developed as an interdisciplinary subject. Currently, the undergraduate program in acoustics at UACh offers a degree in engineering sciences and a 6-year professional studies in Civil Engineering (Acoustics), having two main fields: Sound and Image, and Environment and Industry.

Resident Graduate Charges at California's Public Universities. Factsheet 07-02

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

California Postsecondary Education Commission, 2007

2007-01-01

California charges students enrolled in academic graduate degree programs more to attend the State's public universities than it charges undergraduate students. The rationale for this differential stems from two principle factors. First, providing graduate courses is generally more expensive than the cost of providing undergraduate courses.…

Resident Graduate Charges at California's Public Universities. Factsheet 05-02

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

California Postsecondary Education Commission, 2005

2005-01-01

California charges students enrolled in academic graduate degree programs more to attend the State's public universities than it charges undergraduate students. The rationale for this differential stems from two principle factors. First, providing graduate courses is--on average--more expensive than the cost of providing undergraduate courses.…

Students' Understanding of Alkyl Halide Reactions in Undergraduate Organic Chemistry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cruz-Ramirez de Arellano, Daniel

2013-01-01

Organic chemistry is an essential subject for many undergraduate students completing degrees in science, engineering, and pre-professional programs. However, students often struggle with the concepts and skills required to successfully solve organic chemistry exercises. Since alkyl halides are traditionally the first functional group that is…

Students' Understanding of Alkyl Halide Reactions in Undergraduate Organic Chemistry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cruz-Ramírez de Arellano, Daniel; Towns, Marcy H.

2014-01-01

Organic chemistry is an essential subject for many undergraduate students completing degrees in science, engineering, and pre-professional programs. However, students often struggle with the concepts and skills required to successfully solve organic chemistry exercises. Since alkyl halides are traditionally the first functional group that is…

Differential Pricing in Undergraduate Education: Effects on Degree Production by Field

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stange, Kevin

2015-01-01

In the face of declining state support, many universities have introduced differential pricing by undergraduate program as an alternative to across-the-board tuition increases. This practice aligns price more closely with instructional costs and students' ability to pay postgraduation. Exploiting the staggered adoption of these policies…

Authentic Science Research Opportunities: How Do Undergraduate Students Begin Integration into a Science Community of Practice?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gardner, Grant E.; Forrester, Jennifer H.; Jeffrey, Penny Shumaker; Ferzli, Miriam; Shea, Damian

2015-01-01

The goal of the study described was to understand the process and degree to which an undergraduate science research program for rising college freshmen achieved its stated objectives to integrate participants into a community of practice and to develop students' research identities.

New Directions in Undergraduate and Graduate Education in Kinesiology and Physical Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ennis, Catherine D.

2010-01-01

New opportunities exist in graduate and undergraduate kinesiology programs for both enhancement and innovation. Professional master's degrees prepare students for careers at the intersections of academic disciplines and the business world. Interdisciplinary study can result in opportunities not only for innovative research discoveries, but also…

Reports of the Hope College Conference on Designing the Undergraduate Curriculum in Communication.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rosenthal, Ann

2002-01-01

Presents in full a consensus document produced from the 2000 Hope College National Communication Association Faculty Development Institute conference. Agrees that all graduates of an undergraduate degree program in communication should meet conceptual and competency standards in eight different areas: theoretical approaches, sensitivity to diverse…

Validation and Application of the Survey of Teaching Beliefs and Practices for Undergraduates (STEP-U): Identifying Factors Associated with Valuing Important Workplace Skills among Biology Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marbach-Ad, Gili; Rietschel, Carly; Thompson, Katerina V.

2016-01-01

We present a novel assessment tool for measuring biology students' values and experiences across their undergraduate degree program. Our Survey of Teaching Beliefs and Practices for Undergraduates (STEP-U) assesses the extent to which students value skills needed for the workplace (e.g., ability to work in groups) and their experiences with…

Degree of vertical integration between the undergraduate program and clinical internship with respect to cervical and cranial diagnostic and therapeutic procedures taught at the canadian memorial chiropractic college.

PubMed

Leppington, Charmody; Gleberzon, Brian; Fortunato, Lisa; Doucet, Nicolea; Vandervalk, Kyle

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine if diagnostic and therapeutic procedures for the cervical and cranial spine taught to students during the undergraduate program at Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College are required to be used during their internship by their supervising clinicians and, if so, to what extent these procedures are used. Course manuals and course syllabi from the Applied Chiropractic and Clinical Diagnosis faculty of the undergraduate chiropractic program for the academic year 2009-2010 were consulted and a list of all diagnostic and therapeutic procedures for the cranial and cervical spine was compiled. This survey asked clinicians to indicate if they themselves used or if they required the students they were supervising to use each procedure listed and, if so, to what extent each procedure was used. Demographic information of each clinician was also obtained. In general, most diagnostic procedures of the head and neck were seldom used, with the exception of postural observation and palpation. By contrast, most cervical orthopaedic tests were often used, with the exception of tests for vertigo. Most therapeutic procedures were used frequently with the exception of prone cervical and "muscle" adjustments. There was a low degree of vertical integration for cranial procedures as compared to a much higher degree of vertical integration for cervical procedures between the undergraduate and clinical internship programs taught. Vertical integration is an important element of curricular planning and these results may be helpful to aid educators to more appropriately allocate classroom instruction.

Workforce Readiness: Changes in Critical Thinking Skills of Adult Learners in an Accelerated Undergraduate Degree Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Slemp, Kathleen N.

2012-01-01

This mixed-method case study explored the change in critical thinking skills over the span of the adult student's accelerated lock-step cohort experience pursuing an organizational management and leadership degree completion program at a liberal arts institution in the Midwest. Three areas of research informed this study: workforce readiness,…

A Renewed Approach to Undergraduate Worship Leader Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hendricks, Allen Sherman

2012-01-01

The church music degree program at Charleston Southern University, based on a European traditional/classical sacred music degree model, has been attracting fewer and fewer students. The last two students pursuing this degree were graduated in May, 2011. Prior to their graduation, the administration encouraged the music department to investigate…

MEXUS Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Branan, Alvord; Hergert, Michael

The MEXUS program, a transnational, undergraduate, dual-degree program in the United States and Mexico, addresses the problem of how universities can better prepare students to manage business in an interdependent global marketplace. The program was initiated as a consortium of four institutions (San Diego State University and Southwestern College…

Scholarships for scientific initiation encourage post-graduation degree.

PubMed

Pinto, Gabriela S; Nascimento, Gustavo G; Mendes, Matheus S; Ogliari, Fabrício A; Demarco, Flávio F; Correa, Marcos B

2014-01-01

This study aimed to evaluate the factors associated with the decision to attend an academic post-graduation program by dental students. A cross-sectional study was conducted in 2012, last-year undergraduate students from Dental Schools of Southern Brazil. A closed questionnaire was applied including questions grouped in three different blocks: pre-graduate, undergraduate period and future perspectives. The outcome was the decision to pursuit an academic post-graduation degree. Associations were tested using chi-squared test and chi-squared test for linear trends when appropriate. Multivariate Poisson regression was also performed. The sample was composed by 671 students (response rate of 69.9%, n=467). In relation to future perspectives, 68% of the interviewed students intended to attend a post-graduation program, but only 17.5% would choose a program with academic and research post-graduation program (Master and PhD programs). In the final model, students from public universities (PR 2.08, 95%CI 1.41-3.08) and students that received scientific initiation scholarship (PR 1.93 95%CI 1.14-3.27) presented a twice greater prevalence to seek academic post-graduate programs. Students with higher family incomes showed a lower prevalence to seek these programs (PR 0.50, 95%IC 0.28-0.90). Scholarships seem to encourage undergraduate students to pursue stricto sensu post-graduation.

Factors Influencing Achievement in Undergraduate Social Science Research Methods Courses: A Mixed Methods Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Markle, Gail

2017-01-01

Undergraduate social science research methods courses tend to have higher than average rates of failure and withdrawal. Lack of success in these courses impedes students' progression through their degree programs and negatively impacts institutional retention and graduation rates. Grounded in adult learning theory, this mixed methods study…

A Phenomenological Investigation of the Academic Persistence of Undergraduate Hispanic Nontraditional Students at Hispanic Serving Institutions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arbelo-Marrero, Floralba; Milacci, Fred

2016-01-01

This study focused on understanding the factors of academic persistence for 10 undergraduate Hispanic nontraditional students enrolled at two Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs) in the southeast, each in their last year of a baccalaureate degree program. Using a phenomenological design, findings indicated that family context, personal…

Computer Programming in the UK Undergraduate Mathematics Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sangwin, Christopher J.; O'Toole, Claire

2017-01-01

This paper reports a study which investigated the extent to which undergraduate mathematics students in the United Kingdom are currently taught to programme a computer as a core part of their mathematics degree programme. We undertook an online survey, with significant follow-up correspondence, to gather data on current curricula and received…

76 FR 4906 - Agency Information Collection Request; 60-Day Public Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-01-27

... Health Care Workforce Program: University-Based Training--OMB No. 0090-NEW--Office of the National... Workforce Program: University-Based Training. The Workforce Program, created under Section 3016 of the..., undergraduate, and masters degree programs, for both health care and information technology students.'' The...

Finally! Distance Education for Library Support Staff.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rau, Kirk

1998-01-01

Discusses distance undergraduate education programs for paraprofessional librarians and suggests how to evaluate institutions: accreditation, academic program, communication, curriculum, and delivery methods. Highlights the AS degree in Library and Information Technology distance-education program offered by the University of Maine at Augusta.…

Education through Experience.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fowler, Brian D.

1995-01-01

Describes the Langley Aerospace Research Summer Scholars Program, a 10-week internship program for junior and senior undergraduates and first-year graduate students who are pursuing degrees in engineering or science. The program enables participants to conduct research under the supervision of NASA scientists and engineers. Profiles American…

Between Cultures: Using Curriculum Assessment to Develop and Deliver the Integrated Core of an Arts and Sciences Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pennee, Donna Palmateer

2007-01-01

How does one develop and deliver the integrated core of a cross-disciplinary arts and sciences undergraduate degree when the degree program has no departmental or college home and no full-time faculty, but plenty of enthusiastic students who are looking for a unique educational experience? This article outlines how a formalized curriculum…

Institutional Characteristics Contributing to the Effectiveness of 4-Year Business Degrees

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Book-Ellard, Tracy Lynn

2012-01-01

Over $8 billion is spent yearly, on college education in one Southern U.S. state, yet the employment effectiveness of public and private 4-year undergraduate business degrees (effectiveness defined as obtaining employment or entering into a degree program requiring a 4-year business degree by the end of Year 1 and remaining employed or in a degree…

Education of speech-language pathologists and audiologists in Brazil.

PubMed

Behlau, Mara; Gasparini, Gisele

2006-01-01

The field of speech-language pathology (SLP) in Brazil, named 'fonoaudiologia', comprises both a therapeutic approach to communication disorders and audiology and was officially recognized on December 9, 1981 (law No. 6965). University programs exist since the 1960s. The undergraduate level is a 4-year honors Bachelor of Science program and requires at least a 3,700 h of coursework. Since 1996 four areas of specialization were established: language, audiology, voice and oral myology, requiring a minimum of 500 h of course. Graduate programs in the narrower sense,master's degree and doctorate, exist since the 1970s. Brazil is a 180-million inhabitant country with approximately 25,000 speech-language pathologists, of which 2,700 are specialists, 800 masters and 210 doctors. There are almost 100 undergraduate programs and 70 specialization courses; however, for master's degree and doctorate purposes there are only 8. Copyright (c) 2006 S. Karger AG, Basel.

INVENTORY OF COUNSELOR EDUCATION PROGRAMS, 1965-66.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

HOUGHTON, HUBERT W.; TREXLER, LAURA M.

INSTITUTIONS OFFERING COUNSELOR EDUCATION PROGRAMS RESPONDED TO A SURVEY QUESTIONNAIRE. THE DATA OBTAINED IS PRESENTED IN TABLES ORGANIZED IN THE FOLLOWING AREAS--(1) UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAM PARTICIPATION, (2) PRACTICUM EXPERIENCE, (3) FIELD EXPERIENCE, (4) NUMBER OF MASTER'S AND DOCTORATE DEGREES CONFERRED, (5) NUMBER OF SPECIALIST CERTIFICATES…

Emergency Administration and Planning Institute.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reed, Robert R.

The Emergency Administration and Planning program at the University of North Texas (Denton) is the only undergraduate degree-granting program in emergency management and training in the country. It is a 128-hour program based on a public administration curriculum, with additional coursework in behavioral analysis, sociology, rehabilitative…

Alliance for Computational Science Collaboration HBCU Partnership at Fisk University. Final Report 2001

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Collins, W. E.

2004-08-16

Computational Science plays a big role in research and development in mathematics, science, engineering and biomedical disciplines. The Alliance for Computational Science Collaboration (ACSC) has the goal of training African-American and other minority scientists in the computational science field for eventual employment with the Department of Energy (DOE). The involvements of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) in the Alliance provide avenues for producing future DOE African-American scientists. Fisk University has been participating in this program through grants from the DOE. The DOE grant supported computational science activities at Fisk University. The research areas included energy related projects, distributed computing,more » visualization of scientific systems and biomedical computing. Students' involvement in computational science research included undergraduate summer research at Oak Ridge National Lab, on-campus research involving the participation of undergraduates, participation of undergraduate and faculty members in workshops, and mentoring of students. These activities enhanced research and education in computational science, thereby adding to Fisk University's spectrum of research and educational capabilities. Among the successes of the computational science activities are the acceptance of three undergraduate students to graduate schools with full scholarships beginning fall 2002 (one for master degree program and two for Doctoral degree program).« less

Degree of Vertical Integration Between the Undergraduate Program and Clinical Internship With Respect to Cervical and Cranial Diagnostic and Therapeutic Procedures Taught at the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College

PubMed Central

Leppington, Charmody; Gleberzon, Brian; Fortunato, Lisa; Doucet, Nicolea; Vandervalk, Kyle

2012-01-01

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine if diagnostic and therapeutic procedures for the cervical and cranial spine taught to students during the undergraduate program at Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College are required to be used during their internship by their supervising clinicians and, if so, to what extent these procedures are used. Methods: Course manuals and course syllabi from the Applied Chiropractic and Clinical Diagnosis faculty of the undergraduate chiropractic program for the academic year 2009–2010 were consulted and a list of all diagnostic and therapeutic procedures for the cranial and cervical spine was compiled. This survey asked clinicians to indicate if they themselves used or if they required the students they were supervising to use each procedure listed and, if so, to what extent each procedure was used. Demographic information of each clinician was also obtained. Results: In general, most diagnostic procedures of the head and neck were seldom used, with the exception of postural observation and palpation. By contrast, most cervical orthopaedic tests were often used, with the exception of tests for vertigo. Most therapeutic procedures were used frequently with the exception of prone cervical and “muscle” adjustments. Conclusion: There was a low degree of vertical integration for cranial procedures as compared to a much higher degree of vertical integration for cervical procedures between the undergraduate and clinical internship programs taught. Vertical integration is an important element of curricular planning and these results may be helpful to aid educators to more appropriately allocate classroom instruction PMID:22778531

Accreditation standards for undergraduate forensic science programs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miller, Marilyn Tebbs

Undergraduate forensic science programs are experiencing unprecedented growth in numbers of programs offered and, as a result, student enrollments are increasing. Currently, however, these programs are not subject to professional specialized accreditation. This study sought to identify desirable student outcome measures for undergraduate forensic science programs that should be incorporated into such an accreditation process. To determine desirable student outcomes, three types of data were collected and analyzed. All the existing undergraduate forensic science programs in the United States were examined with regard to the input measures of degree requirements and curriculum content, and for the output measures of mission statements and student competencies. Accreditation procedures and guidelines for three other science-based disciplines, computer science, dietetics, and nursing, were examined to provide guidance on accreditation processes for forensic science education programs. Expert opinion on outcomes for program graduates was solicited from the major stakeholders of undergraduate forensic science programs-forensic science educators, crime laboratory directors, and recent graduates. Opinions were gathered by using a structured Internet-based survey; the total response rate was 48%. Examination of the existing undergraduate forensic science programs revealed that these programs do not use outcome measures. Of the accreditation processes for other science-based programs, nursing education provided the best model for forensic science education, due primarily to the balance between the generality and the specificity of the outcome measures. From the analysis of the questionnaire data, preliminary student outcomes, both general and discipline-specific, suitable for use in the accreditation of undergraduate forensic science programs were determined. The preliminary results were reviewed by a panel of experts and, based on their recommendations, the outcomes identified were revised and refined. The results of this study were used to identify student outcomes and to suggest accreditation standards and an accreditation process for undergraduate forensic science programs based on those outcomes.

Collaborative, Early-undergraduate-focused REU Programs at Savannah State University have been Vital to Growing a Demographically Diverse Ocean Science Community

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gilligan, M. R.; Cox, T. M.; Hintz, C. J.

2011-12-01

Formal support for undergraduates to participate in marine/ocean science research at Savannah State University (SSU), a historically-Black unit of the University System of Georgia, began in 1989 with funding from the National Science Foundation for an unsolicited proposal (OCE-8919102, 34,935). Today SSU, which has offered B.S degrees since 1979 and M.S. degrees since 2001 in Marine Sciences, is making major contributions nationally to demographic diversity in ocean sciences. 33% of Master's degrees in marine/ocean sciences earned by African Americans in the U.S. from 2004-2007 were earned at SSU. 10% of African American Master's and Doctoral students in marine/ ocean sciences in 2007 were either enrolled in the Master's program at SSU or were former SSU students enrolled in Doctoral programs elsewhere. Collaborative REU programs that focus on early (freshman and sophomore) undergraduate students have been a consistent and vital part of that success. In the most recent iteration of our summer REU program we used six of the best practices outlined in the literature to increase success and retention of underrepresented minority students in STEM fields: early intervention, strong mentoring, research experience, career counseling, financial support, workshops and seminars. The early intervention with strong mentoring has proven successful in several metrics: retention in STEM majors (96%), progression to graduate school (50%), and continuation to later research experiences (75%). Research mentors include faculty at staff at SSU, the Skidaway Institute of Oceanography, Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary and Georgia Tech-Savannah. Formal collaborative and cooperative agreements, externally-funded grants, and contracts in support of student research training have proven to be critical in providing resources for growth and improvement marine science curricular options at the University. Since 1981 the program has had four formal partnerships and 36 funded grant awards and contracts totaling 11.7 million. HBCUs are disproportionately more effective in training significant numbers of African American students in the sciences. Although they enrolled only 11.1% of African-American undergraduates and 9.4% of African American graduate students in fall 2007 in the U.S., they awarded 33.3% of undergraduate and 24% of master's degrees earned by African-Americans in Biological, biomedical and, physical sciences, and science technologies in 2006 and 2007. Commitments to the development of non-traditional academic and research programs at HBCUs and other minority serving institutions should be expanded to increase demographic diversity in the ocean sciences.

Why Study Geoscience? Identifying Effective Recruitment and Retention Strategies for an Undergraduate Earth & Environmental Sciences Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vajoczki, S.; Eyles, C. H.; Stewart, J.; Dasilva, L.

2005-12-01

McMaster University is a `research intensive' university with 17,000+ full time undergraduate students. The School of Geography and Earth Sciences (SGES) is located within the Faculty of Science, offers B.Sc., B.A., M.Sc., M.A. and PhD degree programs and teaches more than 70 undergraduate courses on an annual basis. The Honours B.Sc program in Earth and Environmental Sciences (EES) graduates approximately 25 students per year. Students enroll in undergraduate SGES programs in their second year, after completion of an introductory first year in the Faculty of Science in which they take compulsory science courses including math, physics, chemistry, and biology. First year students, as well as those in upper years, may also elect to take one or more of three introductory courses offered by SGES (Earth & the Environment, The Living Environment, Atmosphere & Hydrosphere) to complete their science requirements. Most students entering the Faculty of Science know little about geoscience as it does not form an important part of the Ontario secondary school curriculum. Hence, recruitment into the EES program is primarily via the first year courses. In order to establish reasons why students elected to take the introductory courses offered by SGES, and their reasons for considering subsequent entry to the B.Sc program, a survey of students taking one of the courses was conducted in the fall of 2003. Results from the survey indicate that students enroll in the course, and subsequently the EES program, for a variety of reasons including: general interest in how the planet works, concern for the environment, interesting title of the course and reputation of the instructor. Student concern over lack of potential jobs is cited as the main reason for not pursuing a degree in geoscience. This survey has helped to direct the multifaceted recruitment strategies used by SGES to continue to develop its undergraduate program through delivery of high quality first year courses. Additional recruitment strategies used to recruit and retain high quality students include an active undergraduate society and departmental events that contribute towards a culture of learning and sense of belonging that is sought by students.

Is That Graduate Degree Worth It? Comparing the Recruitment of Undergraduate and Graduate Degree Job Applicants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Richardson, R. M.

2001-12-01

One could argue from a business prospective that colleges and universities are not working hard enough to train students for life in the business and civic world, at either the undergraduate or graduate levels. What is it that employers are looking for in students? How different are the skills and attributes employers are looking for between undergraduate and graduate students? How unique are the geosciences in this respect? At the undergraduate level recruiters have spoken loud and clear about what they want. According to the dean of the business school here at the University of Arizona, recruiters at the undergraduate degree level in business base less than half of their hiring decision on specific content knowledge in the discipline, and correspondingly more than half on the so-called soft skills ... ability to apply knowledge in new situations, ability to think critically, ability to communicate with others in both written and oral forms, ability to work in teams, ability to work with a diverse set of employees and customers (especially, but not limited to, the global job market), etc. How true is this at the graduate level, where students have typically spent 4-6 years specializing in a discipline? Is there a set of fundamental knowledge that employers are looking for at the graduate level? Are the so-called soft skills correspondingly less important? I will present results from a survey of graduate programs and industry recruiters addressing these questions, and highlight the areas of overlap and difference between undergraduates and graduates looking for jobs. I will concentrate specifically on jobs in the oil industry and on both masters and Ph.D. programs.

An Exploratory Study of Online Teaching in For-Profit Undergraduate Education Degree Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Butler, Rufina E.

2013-01-01

Throughout the history of higher education, measurement of learning was based on face-to-face delivery. Today, delivery of higher education through distance learning is moving to the forefront, and the quality of education offered in this venue has become a contentious topic. This is especially true with the undergraduate population, a population…

Wise Women: A Narrative Study of Former Living-Learning Community Participants' Experiences as STEM Majors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grays, Shaefny D.

2013-01-01

Over the past few decades, higher education has attempted to address the issue of underrepresentation of women in STEM undergraduate degree programs. Living-learning communities represent one strategy to help address low persistence for women in undergraduate STEM majors. The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of undergraduate…

The Management Skills of Exam Process for Undergraduate Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cetin, Filiz; Cetin, Saban

2017-01-01

This study aims to identify to what degree undergraduate students are able to manage the exam process to be successful in exams. The study group of the research, which utilizes the survey model, consists of 350 students in total, 185 female and 165 male, attending 4 different teaching programs in Faculty of Education, Gazi University. "The…

Using Peer Teaching to Support Co-Operative Learning in Undergraduate Pharmacology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Depaz, Iris; Moni, Roger W.

2008-01-01

We report findings from the second phase of a study of co-operative, group-based assessment in Pharmacology for second-year undergraduates at The University of Queensland, Australia. Students (n = 285) enrolled in the 2006 Bachelor of Science degree program completed a group-based assessment task (weighted 10% of their course). Blended teaching…

Comparing Stress Levels of Graduate and Undergraduate Pre-Service Teachers Following Their Teaching Practicums

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Geng, Gretchen; Midford, Richard; Buckworth, Jenny

2016-01-01

In comparison to undergraduate pre-service teachers (PSTs), graduate PSTs have previously completed a three-year bachelor degree and are enrolled in initial teacher education (ITE) programs to become a teacher. Following a review of literature on teachers' sense of stress, reflection and identity development, this study compared the stress levels…

Improving Undergraduate Online Retention through Gated Advisement and Redundant Communication

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clay, Melanie N.; Rowland, Stacey; Packard, Abbot

2009-01-01

The University of West Georgia implemented a successful research-based initiative, Project DEW (Developing eCore Winners) to improve retention in its eCore courses. eCore courses are those offered through a collaborative University System of Georgia program, and includes courses required to complete the first two years of an undergraduate degree.…

Minimum Competencies for Teaching Undergraduate Sport Philosophy Courses. Guidance Document

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Association for Sport and Physical Education, 2004

2004-01-01

Although sport philosophy is considered to be a sub-discipline with its own unique body of knowledge, sport philosophy is more commonly offered as a single course rather than a degree program. Therefore, these guidelines are offered specifically for the teaching of a single course at the undergraduate level. In order to be effective, the course…

Building an undergraduate physics program with Learning Assistants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Price, Edward

2013-04-01

In 2007, the CSUSM Physics Department began offering a B.S. in Applied Physics, its first physics bachelors degree program. The program has grown from 11 majors in 2008 to over 80 in 2012, due in part to recruiting students from local high schools and community colleges. More broadly, because most CSUSM students come from the local region, the longer-term health of the Department is coupled with the vitality and strength of local high school physics education. In addition, establishing a new physics degree required curriculum development and offered the opportunity to incorporate recent innovations in physics education when developing courses. A Learning Assistants (LA) Program, established by the Department in 2008, has been a critical component in these efforts to recruit students, build local educational networks, and implement innovative curricula. In an LA Program, undergraduate Learning Assistants assist faculty in class, meet regularly with the course instructor, and participate in a weekly seminar on teaching and learning, which provides guidance on effective instruction and an opportunity to reflect on their experiences in the classroom. The LA program promotes course transformation, improved student learning, and teacher recruitment. This talk will describe the CSUSM LA Program and its role in support of our growing applied physics degree program.

A unique degree program for pre-pharmacy education: An undergraduate degree in pharmaceutical sciences.

PubMed

Jafari, Mahtab

2018-02-01

Within the coming decade, the demand for well-trained pharmacists is expected to only increase, especially with the aging of the United States (US) population. To help fill this growing demand, the University of California, Irvine (UCI) aims to offer a unique pre-pharmacy degree program and has developed a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences to help achieve this goal. In this commentary, we share our experience with our curriculum and highlight its features in an effort to encourage other institutions to enhance the learning experience of their pre-pharmacy students. The efforts of the UCI Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences has resulted in UCI being consistently ranked as one of the top feeder institutions by the Pharmacy College Application Service (PharmCAS) in recent years. The UCI Pharmaceutical Sciences Bachelor of Science offers a unique pre-pharmacy educational experience in an effort to better prepare undergraduates for the rigors of the doctorate of pharmacy curriculum. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Undergraduate Game Degree Programs in the United Kingdom and United States: A Comparison of the Curriculum Planning Process

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McGill, Monica M.

2010-01-01

Digital games are marketed, mass-produced, and consumed by an increasing number of people and the game industry is only expected to grow. In response, post-secondary institutions in the United Kingdom (UK) and the United States (US) have started to create game degree programs. Though curriculum theorists provide insight into the process of…

Report of Progress toward Development of the Plan Required in § 23.1-909 for a Cooperative Online Degree Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Trent, Dietra; Blake, Peter

2016-01-01

§ 23.1-909 requires the Secretary of Education and the Director of the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) to report, by October 1, 2016, their progress toward development of a plan for a "combined cooperative degree program" whereby any enrolled undergraduate student at any public or private nonprofit institution of…

Teacher Education Accreditation Council Brochure

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Teacher Education Accreditation Council, 2009

2009-01-01

The Teacher Education Accreditation Council (TEAC), founded in 1997, is dedicated to improving academic degree programs for professional educators--those who teach and lead in schools, pre-K through grade 12. TEAC accredits undergraduate and graduate programs, including alternate route programs, based on (1) the evidence they have that they…

Institutional and ethnic variations in postgraduate enrollment and completion

PubMed Central

Tienda, Marta; Zhao, Linda

2017-01-01

Using the B&B:93/03 longitudinal cohort survey, we investigate (1) whether and how much variations in the timing of enrollment, the type of undergraduate institution attended, and type of graduate program pursued contribute to observed racial and ethnic differentials in post-baccalaureate enrollment, and (2) whether the observed enrollment differentials carry over to degree attainment. Dynamic event history methods that account both for the timing of matriculation and the hazard of enrolling reveal that compared to whites underrepresented minorities enroll earlier and also are more likely to enroll in doctoral and advanced professional degree programs relative to nonenrollment. Our results reveal sizable differences in the cumulative probability of advanced degree attainment according to undergraduate institutional mission, with graduates from research institutions enjoying a decided advantage over liberal arts college graduates. The conclusion discusses limitations of the analysis, directions for further research, and implications for strengthening the minority pipeline to graduate school. PMID:28890573

Negative Impact of Employment on Engineering Student Time Management, Time to Degree, and Retention: Faculty, Administrator, and Staff Perspectives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tyson, Will

2012-01-01

Interviews with faculty, administrators, staff, and students at four engineering programs reveal the role of undergraduate student employment on retention and timely degree completion among engineering students. Dueling narratives reveal how student approaches to earning an engineering degree differ greatly from faculty, administrator, and staff…

Developing a Four-Year Baccalaureate Degree in Applied Psychology: Experiences in Degree Development at a Former Two-Year Postsecondary Institution

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hamilton, Kevin; Charlton, Steve; Elmes, Roger

2008-01-01

Population growth and demographic trends in North American urban centers combined with job markets demanding higher levels of education have placed considerable pressure in recent years on postsecondary institutions to provide better access to undergraduate and graduate degree programs (Levin 2004; Zhang 2005). Kwantlen University College,…

The Changing Landscape of Undergraduate Physics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Howes, Ruth

2006-11-01

The National Task Force on Undergraduate Physics was convened by APS, AAPT and AIP to study the steep decline in the number of physics majors that occurred during the 1990s. The Task Force conducted project SPIN-UP (Strategic Programs for Innovations in Undergraduate Physics) to investigate why some departments were thriving while others are losing majors. With support from the ExxonMobil Foundation, we conducted site visits to 21 ``thriving'' departments and have worked with the AIP statistics program to survey the 562 departments that grant undergraduate degrees in physics. The results of the study identified key ingredients in thriving departments and essential elements needed to make changes that respond to the changing environments in which physics departments find themselves. Today, enrollments in undergraduate physics are climbing again. We need to ensure that this positive trend continues and ensure that we attract women and members of underrepresented groups to the study of physics.

The Relationship between Selected Institutional Characteristics and Proportion of Female Degree Recipients in Medical and Dental Degree Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Faust, William Bryant, IV

2017-01-01

Participation by women in undergraduate higher education in the U.S. has been steadily increasing over the last decade. These increases are now extending into graduate and professional education where more women than men now earn degrees at the doctoral level. While U.S. institutions overall are awarding degrees in the fields of medicine and…

Social Work Education: Accessible to the Handicapped?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stilwell, Doris N.; And Others

A survey of professional training programs accredited by the Council on Social Work Education was conducted to determine the degree to which the institutions and programs are accessible to students with handicaps. Responses to a 34-item questionnaire were obtained from 21 to 40 graduate programs, 91 of 230 undergraduate programs, and 20 of 46…

A Study of The Influence of Advising on Underrepresented Minority Undergraduate Student Persistence in STEM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weir, Michael J.

In the United States, undergraduate underrepresented minority (URM) students tend to change out of declared majors in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) disciplines at a rate of nearly sixty percent prior to earning a post secondary degree. This phenomenon contributes to a general concern that the United States is not producing enough STEM trained skilled workers to meet future employment needs of industry and government. Although there has been research developed to examine how to increase the numbers of URM students enrolling in STEM programs at higher education institutions, retention of these students remains critical. One area of increasing focus for researchers is to understand how multiple factors impact the college experience of URM students and how those factors may contribute to the student decision to persist in earning a STEM disciple degree. This research study is a phenomenological mixed method study that examines how students experience the phenomenon of advising and the influence of the advising experience of undergraduate URM students on their likelihood of persisting in STEM at a northeast US technology oriented post secondary institution. Persistence, from the perspective of the student, is driven by cognitive psychological attributes such as confidence, motivation and self-efficacy. Utilizing a Social Cognitive theoretical framework, this study examines how three distinct undergraduate URM student populations enrolled in; an Academic Services Program, Honors College, and the general undergraduate population at this institution experience advising and how their experiences may influence their propensity to persist in earning a STEM oriented degree.

TEAC's Accreditation Process at a Glance, 2009-2011

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Teacher Education Accreditation Council, 2011

2011-01-01

The Teacher Education Accreditation Council (TEAC), founded in 1997, is dedicated to improving academic degree programs for professional educators--those who teach and lead in schools, pre-K through grade 12. TEAC accredits undergraduate and graduate programs, including alternate route programs, based on (1) the evidence they have that they…

The McNair Program as a Socializing Influence on Doctoral Degree Attainment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gittens, Cheryl Bailey

2014-01-01

The quality of doctoral students' academic and social experiences is a key element of their success in graduate school programs. These experiences support the completion of doctoral programs, especially for first-generation college students from low-income backgrounds. Framed by Weidman's (1989) undergraduate socialization model, the author…

Texas A&M Geosciences and the growing importance of transfer students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Riggs, E. M.

2012-12-01

Texas A&M University at College Station is the flagship university for the Texas A&M System, and is a major destination for transfer students, both from inside and outside the A&M system. The College of Geosciences consists of four academic departments and organized research centers spanning geoscience disciplines of Geology & Geophysics, Geography, Oceanography and Atmospheric Sciences. Two additional interdisciplinary degree programs offer undergraduate degrees in Environmental Geosciences and Environmental Studies and graduate degrees in Water and Hydrological Sciences. The College has increased its undergraduate enrollment and graduation numbers substantially in recent years, growing from 105 Baccalaureate graduates in 2006-07 College-wide to 187 in 2010-11. This 80% growth over this time period has greatly outpaced the undergraduate degree completion growth rate of 10% for the University as a whole. While the College of Geosciences is still the smallest at A&M in terms of overall B.S. graduation rate, it is by far the fastest growing of the nine undergraduate degree-granting colleges over the last five years. A significant number of our incoming and graduating undergraduate students are transfers from primarily 2-year colleges, mostly concentrated in the southeastern portion of Texas. University-wide between 2006 and 2010, 23-25% of degree recipients entered as transfer students. In the College of Geosciences transfer students are an even more significant portion of our graduating students, making up 34-35% of graduates during the same period. Most of the recent undergraduate enrollment growth in the College, however, has come from an increase in first-time freshmen and not from an increase in transfer admissions. Recent efforts to reinvigorate transfer admissions have sharply reversed this trend. Current enrollment data shows that incoming transfer students this year once again more closely mirror historic graduation rates with 34% of our new students entering by transferring in. Beyond the numbers, there are other observations, concerns, and opportunities for partnerships between Texas A&M Geosciences and our surrounding community college students and programs. Through careful tracking of admitted transfer students, we have seen an unfortunate but consistent drop in GPAs among most transfers after arriving at Texas A&M. This results from gaps in preparation, mismatches in expectations, or curricular stumbling blocks. Recognition of this problem has provided an opportunity to spur efforts to help this incoming third of our student body reach their highest potential. Community college populations in our region also tend to be more diverse than first-time freshmen in general, and we are actively working to build stronger formal ties to community college feeder programs within the Houston metro area and other targeted regions within southeast Texas as part of our broader strategy to enhance diversity across our College. Seeing after the proper preparation and "onboarding" of this increasingly diverse and varied group of transfer students will be important for ensuring their success and the vitality of undergraduate programs in the geosciences as the entire university moves toward an increased emphasis on community college transfers.

Strength Through Options: Providing Choices for Undergraduate Education in the Geosciences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Furman, T.; Freeman, K. H.; Faculty, D.

2003-12-01

Undergraduate major enrollments in the Department of Geosciences at Penn State have held steady over the past 5 years despite generally declining national trends. We have successfully recruited and retained new students through intensive advising coupled with innovative curricular revision aimed to meet an array of students' educational and career goals. Our focus is on degree programs that reflect emerging interdisciplinary trends in both employment and student interest, and are designed to attract individuals from underrepresented groups. In addition to a traditional Geosciences BS program we offer a rigorous integrated Earth Sciences BS and a Geosciences BA tailored to students with interests in education and environmental law. The Earth Sciences BS incorporates course work from Geosciences, Geography and Meterology, and requires completion of an interdisciplinary minor (e.g., Climatology, Marine Sciences, Global Business Strategies). A new Geobiology BS program will attract majors with interests at the intersection of the earth and life sciences. The curriculum includes both paleontological and biogeochemical coursework, and is also tailored to accommodate pre-medicine students. We are working actively to recruit African-American students. A new minor in Science and Technology in Africa crosses disciplinary boundaries to educate students from the humanities as well as sciences. Longitudinal recruitment programs include summer research group experiences for high school students, summer research mentorships for college students, and dual undergraduate degree programs with HBCUs. Research is a fundamental component of every student's degree program. We require a capstone independent thesis as well as a field program for Geosciences and Geobiology BS students, and we encourage all students to pursue research as early as the freshman year. A new 5-year combined BS-MS program will enable outstanding students to carry their undergraduate research further before pursuing employment or doctoral programs. Enrollments in courses for non-majors have also increased substantially over the past 5 years, while those of other PSU science departments have decreased. We attribute this success to changes in pedagogic approaches, focusing on active learning exercises in large (200+) and small (<75) courses. Innovative use of an electronic personal response system has also improved attendance, enrollment and student learning in our general education courses. This approach was developed by a fixed-term faculty hire in Geoscience Education. As per our departmental strategic plan, we plan to hire again in this area to further these successes and implement new approaches to learning and teaching in our undergraduate educational programs.

An Engineering Degree Does Not (Necessarily) an Engineer Make: Career Decision Making among Undergraduate Engineering Majors. Research Brief

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lichtenstein, Gary; Loshbaugh, Heidi G.; Claar, Brittany; Chen, Helen L.; Jackson, Kristyn; Sheppard, Sheri

2009-01-01

This paper explores the career-related decision making of seniors enrolled in undergraduate engineering programs at two nationally recognized institutions. This strand of the Academic Pathways Study (APS) research revealed that many engineering students were undecided about their career plans, even late into their senior years and that many were…

Gender Rationales in Selecting a Major in Information Technology at the Undergraduate Level of a University Program: A Focus Group Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mishra, Sushma; Draus, Peter; Caputo, Donald; Leone, Gregory; Kohun, Frederick; Repack, Diana

2014-01-01

Previous research studies of women applying to, enrolling and completing computing degrees at the undergraduate collegiate level suggest a significant underrepresentation of females in the Information Technology domain in the past decade. This study employs a focus group approach to the gender gap that encompasses forays into the qualitative…

Survey and Results: Most-Used Theory Texts in U.S. Colleges and Universities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Killam, Rosemary; And Others

The task of choosing the right text(s) for an undergraduate music theory program is difficult, at best. Sixty-seven U.S. institutions of higher learning offering graduate degrees in music theory were surveyed to determine what undergraduate textbooks were used, how long they have been used, and how satisfied the schools were with the texts. The…

Foreign Language Training in U.S. Undergraduate IB Programs: Are We Providing Students What They Need to Be Successful?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Jim

2017-01-01

A growing number of U.S. business schools now offer an undergraduate degree in international business (IB), for which training in a foreign language is a requirement. However, there appears to be considerable variance in the minimum requirements for foreign language training across U.S. business schools, including the provision of…

The Development, Pilot, and Field Test of the Core HIV/AIDS Knowledge Assessment for Undergraduate and Graduate Students in Counseling-Related Degree Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Acklin, Carrie

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to develop a core HIV/AIDS knowledge assessment (CHAKA) for students enrolled in counseling-related degree programs. Although there are studies that examined counseling HIV/AIDS knowledge, the instruments that were used were limited in ways that may compromise the accuracy of the inferences that were made. This study…

Why Do Students Switch from One University to Another: The View of Students Studying for a Foreign Degree in Hong Kong

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Willis, Mike

2005-01-01

Over 300 Foreign (non Hong Kong) universities deliver undergraduate degree programs in Hong Kong either on campus in that city or via distance education (or both). Although this topic has been studied from a variety of perspectives, the issue of why Hong Kong students might switch from one locally provided foreign university program to another has…

Lincoln Advanced Science and Engineering Reinforcement (LASER) program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Williams, Willie E.

1989-01-01

Lincoln University, under the Lincoln Advanced Science and Engineering Reinforcement (LASER) Program, has identified and successfully recruited over 100 students for majors in technical fields. To date, over 70 percent of these students have completed or will complete technical degrees in engineering, physics, chemistry, and computer science. Of those completing the undergraduate degree, over 40 percent have gone on to graduate and professional schools. This success is attributable to well planned approaches to student recruitment, training, personal motivation, retention, and program staff. Very closely coupled to the above factors is a focus designed to achieve excellence in program services and student performance. Future contributions by the LASER Program to the pool of technical minority graduates will have a significant impact. This is already evident from the success of the students that began the first year of the program. With program plans to refine many of the already successful techniques, follow-on activities are expected to make even greater contributions to the availability of technically trained minorities. For example, undergraduate research exposure, broadened summer, and co-op work experiences will be enhanced.

Summer research training provides effective tools for underrepresented minorities to obtain doctoral level degrees

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The ethnic, racial, and cultural diversity of the USA is not reflected in its healthcare and biomedical workforce. Undergraduate research programs are used to encourage underrepresented minorities to pursue training for biomedical careers, but there is limited published data on doctoral degree compl...

I Scratch and Sense but Can I Program? An Investigation of Learning with a Block Based Programming Language

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Simpkins, N. K.

2014-01-01

This article reports an investigation into undergraduate student experiences and views of a visual or "blocks" based programming language and its environment. An additional and central aspect of this enquiry is to substantiate the perceived degree of transferability of programming skills learnt within the visual environment to a typical…

GT-SUPREEM: the Georgia Tech summer undergraduate packaging research and engineering experience for minorities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

May, Gary S.

1996-07-01

The Georgia Tech SUmmer Undergraduate Packaging Research and Engineering Experience for Minorities (GT-SUPREEM) is an eight-week summer program designed to attract qualified minority students to pursue graduate degrees in packaging- related disciplines. The program is conducted under the auspices of the Georgia Tech Engineering Research Center in Low-Cost Electronic Packaging, which is sponsored by the National Science Foundation. In this program, nine junior and senior level undergraduate students are selected on a nationwide basis and paired with a faculty advisor to undertake research projects in the Packaging Research CEnter. The students are housed on campus and provided with a $DLR3,000 stipend and a travel allowance. At the conclusion of the program, the students present both oral and written project summaries. It is anticipated that this experience will motivate these students to become applicants for graduate study in ensuring years. This paper will provide an overview of the GT-SUPREEM program, including student research activities, success stories, lessons learned, and overall program outlook.

Hierarchical Mentoring: A Transformative Strategy for Improving Diversity and Retention in Undergraduate STEM Disciplines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wilson, Zakiya S.; Holmes, Lakenya; Degravelles, Karin; Sylvain, Monica R.; Batiste, Lisa; Johnson, Misty; McGuire, Saundra Y.; Pang, Su Seng; Warner, Isiah M.

2012-02-01

In the United States, less than half of the students who enter into science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) undergraduate curricula as freshmen will actually graduate with a STEM degree. There is even greater disparity in the national STEM graduation rates of students from underrepresented groups with approximately three-fourths of minority students leaving STEM disciplines at the undergraduate level. A host of programs have been designed and implemented to model best practices in retaining students in STEM disciplines. The Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) Professors Program at Louisiana State University, under leadership of HHMI Professor Isiah M. Warner, represents one of these programs and reports on a mentoring model that addresses the key factors that impact STEM student attrition at the undergraduate level. By integrating mentoring and strategic academic interventions into a structured research program, an innovative model has been developed to guide STEM undergraduate majors in adopting the metacognitive strategies that allow them to excel in their programs of study, as they learn to appreciate and understand science more completely. Comparisons of the persistence of participants and nonparticipants in STEM curricular, at the host university and with other national universities and colleges, show the impact of the model's salient features on improving STEM retention through graduation for all students, particularly those from underrepresented groups.

College and University Earth System Science Education for the 21st Century (ESSE 21)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnson, D. R.; Ruzek, M.; Schweizer, D.

2002-12-01

The NASA/USRA Cooperative University-based Program in Earth System Science Education (ESSE), initiated over a decade ago through NASA support, has led in the creation of a nationwide collaborative effort to bring Earth system science into the undergraduate classroom. Forty-five ESSE institutions now offer over 120 Earth system courses each year, reaching thousands of students annually with interdisciplinary content. Through the course offerings by faculty from different disciplines and the organizational infrastructure of colleges and universities emphasizing cross disciplinary curricula, programs, degrees and departments, the ESSE Program has led in systemic change in the offering of a holistic view of Earth system science in the classroom. Building on this successful experience and collaborative infrastructure within and among colleges, universities and NASA partners, an expanded program called ESSE 21 is being supported by NASA to extend the legacy established during the last decade. Through its expanded focus including partnerships with under represented colleges and universities, the Program seeks to further develop broadly based educational resources, including shared courses, electronic learning materials and degree programs that will extend Earth system science concepts in both undergraduate and graduate classrooms and laboratories. These resources emphasizing fundamentals of Earth system science advance the nation's broader agenda for improving science, technology, engineering and mathematics competency. Overall the thrust within the classrooms of colleges and universities is critical to extending and solidifying courses of study in Earth system and global change science. ESSE 21 solicits proposals from undergraduate institutions to create or adopt undergraduate and graduate level Earth system science content in courses, curricula and degree programs. The goal for all is to effect systemic change through developing Earth system science learning materials, courses, curricula, minors or degree tracks, and programs or departments that are self-sustaining in the coming decades. Interdisciplinary college and university teams are competitively selected through a peer-reviewed Call for Participation. ESSE 21 offers an infrastructure for an interactive community of educators and researchers including under represented participants that develops interdisciplinary Earth system science content utilizing NASA resources involving global change data, models, visualizations and electronic media and networks. The Program provides for evaluation and assessment guides to help assure the pedagogical effectiveness of materials developed. The ultimate aim of ESSE 21 is to expand and accelerate the nation's realization of sound, scientific interdisciplinary educational resources for informed learning and decision-making by all from the perspective of sustainability of the Earth as a system.

Forensic odontology education:from undergraduate to PhD - a Brazilian experience.

PubMed

Dietrichkeit Pereira, J G; Frontanilla Recalde, T S; Barreto Costa, P; Jacometti, V; Vigorito Magalhães, L; Alves Da Silva, R H

2017-12-01

Forensic Odontology is a topic present in the majority of Dental Schools in Brazil, and due to this reality, some universities develop activities related to undergraduate and graduate students, from the Dentistry course until the Ph.D. degree. To present the education experience related to Forensic Odontology at School of Dentistry of Ribeirão Preto (USP - University of São Paulo), showing the strategies and activities in the different degrees (Dental course, Forensic Odontology Specialization Program, Specific Professional Training, Master, and Ph.D.). To the undergraduate students, many activities are developed in order to demonstrate all the possibilities that Forensic Dentistry allow, including theoretical and practical activities; in the Forensic Odontology Specialization Program, the dentists are trained to act as Forensic Odontologists in all its amplitude; in the Specific Professional Training, some courses are available, related to specific topics as DVI, Forensic Facial Reconstruction, Auditor in Dental Care Insurance and others; and in the Master and Ph.D. Programs, the professionals receive training in skills like teaching, research, student's guidance and others. In Brazil, Forensic Odontology is a well-known field in Dentistry and universities develop an important role in training a qualified workforce.

Segmenting the MBA Market: An Australian Strategy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Everett, James E.; Armstrong, Robert W.

1990-01-01

A University of Western Australia market segmentation study for the masters program in business administration examined the relationship between Graduate Management Admission Test scores, work experience, faculty of undergraduate degree, gender, and academic success in the program. Implications of the results for establishing admission criteria…

Conceptual Frameworks in Undergraduate Nursing Curricula: Report of a National Survey.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McEwen, Melanie; Brown, Sandra C.

2002-01-01

Responses from 300 accredited nursing schools indicated that they used eclectic conceptual frameworks for curriculum; the most common component was the nursing process. Associate degree programs were more likely to use simple-to-complex organization. Diploma programs were more likely to use the medical model than baccalaureate programs. Frameworks…

A Learning Research Informed Design and Evaluation of a Web-Enhanced Object Oriented Programming Seminar

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Georgantaki, Stavroula C.; Retalis, Symeon D.

2007-01-01

"Object-Oriented Programming" subject is included in the ACM Curriculum Guidelines for Undergraduate and Graduate Degree Programs in Computer Science as well as in Curriculum for K-12 Computer Science. In a few research studies learning problems and difficulties have been recorded, and therefore, specific pedagogical guidelines and…

Undergraduate Summer Research Programs and Graduate School Outcomes: Don't Ignore Rejected Program Applicants

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sibulkin, Amy E.; Butler, J. S.

2015-01-01

We tracked a sample of primarily Black psychology baccalaureates' advanced degree enrollments and completions and estimated the association of those outcomes with summer research experience by merging three data sets: (a) summer research program participants, (b) a comparison group of alumni, mostly without summer research, and (c) degree…

Comparative Service Quality Metrics in Regular and Nonregular Undergraduate Marketing Programs: Implications for Marketing Education and Professionalism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Okpara, Gazie S.; Agu, Agu G.

2017-01-01

Nonregular higher education in Nigeria became an integral part of the university manpower development since 1960, when the Ashby Commission recommended establishing evening degree programs. These ubiquitous programs have contributed to national capacity-building and remain relatively unmonitored by the National Universities Commission. This…

Aligning Biochemistry to the Interests of Biology Students Using Haloperoxidase to Illustrate Reactions of Environmental and Biomedical Importance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jervis, Les; Jervis, Loretta M.; Giovannelli, Donato

2005-01-01

Undergraduate degree programs in the biosciences almost always include elements of biochemistry. In the United Kingdom, biosciences programs often have optional pathways to accommodate students of diverse interests. These programs rarely require students to demonstrate any school-level chemistry knowledge, and many students find biochemistry…

A Health Informatics Curriculum Congruent with IS 2010 and IMIA Recommendations for an Undergraduate Degree

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Longenecker, Herbert E., Jr.; Campbell, S. Matt; Landry, Jeffrey P.; Pardue, Harold; Daigle, Roy J.

2012-01-01

In addition to being a relevant program for health information technology workers, a recently proposed Health Informatics program was designed with additional objectives in mind: that the program is compatible with the IS 2010 Model Curriculum and that it satisfies the International Medical Informatics Association recommendation for undergraduate…

Demographics of undergraduates studying games in the United States: a comparison of computer science students and the general population

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McGill, Monica M.; Settle, Amber; Decker, Adrienne

2013-06-01

Our study gathered data to serve as a benchmark of demographics of undergraduate students in game degree programs. Due to the high number of programs that are cross-disciplinary with computer science programs or that are housed in computer science departments, the data is presented in comparison to data from computing students (where available) and the US population. Participants included students studying games at four nationally recognized postsecondary institutions. The results of the study indicate that there is no significant difference between the ratio of men to women studying in computing programs or in game degree programs, with women being severely underrepresented in both. Women, blacks, Hispanics/Latinos, and heterosexuals are underrepresented compared to the US population. Those with moderate and conservative political views and with religious affiliations are underrepresented in the game student population. Participants agree that workforce diversity is important and that their programs are adequately diverse, but only one-half of the participants indicated that diversity has been discussed in any of their courses.

Opportunity to Participate in ESSE 21: The 2003 Call for Participation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruzek, M.; Johnson, D. R.

2003-12-01

Earth System Science Education for the 21st Century (ESSE 21), sponsored by NASA through the Universities Space Research Association (USRA), is a collaborative undergraduate/graduate education program offering small grants to colleges and universities to engage a diverse interdisciplinary community of faculty and scientists in the development of courses, curricula and degree programs and sharing of learning resources focused on the fundamental understanding and application of Earth system principles for the classroom and laboratory. Through an expanded focus including partnerships with minority institutions, ESSE 21 is further developing broadly based courses, educational resources, electronic learning materials and degree programs that extend Earth system science concepts in both undergraduate and graduate classrooms and laboratories. These resources emphasizing the fundamentals of Earth system science advance the nation's broader agenda for improving science, technology, engineering and mathematics competency. The thrust to establish Earth system and global change science within the classrooms of colleges and universities is critical to laying and extending the foundation for knowledge-based decision making in the 21st century by both scientists and society in an effort to achieve sustainability. ESSE 21 released a Call for Participation (CFP) in the Fall of 2002 soliciting proposals from undergraduate institutions to create and adopt undergraduate and graduate level Earth system science content in courses, curricula and degree programs. In February 2003, twelve college and university teams were competitively selected through the CFP as the Year 1 and Year 2 Program participants. Eight of the participating teams are from minority institutions. The goal for all is to effect systemic change through developing Earth system science learning materials, courses, curricula, degree tracks or programs, and departments that are self-sustaining in the coming decades. ESSE 21 offers an expanded infrastructure for an interactive community of educators and researchers including minority participants that develops interdisciplinary Earth system science content. Emphasis is on the utilization of NASA resources involving global change data, models, visualizations and electronic media and networks. The ultimate aim of ESSE 21 is to expand and accelerate the nation's realization of sound, scientific interdisciplinary educational resources for informed learning and decision-making by all from the perspective of sustainability of the Earth as a system. The next Call for Participation will be released in late 2003.

The UCAR SOARS Program: Strategies for Supplementing Undergraduate Research Experience

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pandya, R. E.

2005-12-01

Many REU programs have a goal of recruiting students to continue in the sciences. Undergraduate research is a successful strategy for engaging talented undergraduates to think about a career in science, encouraging them to purse graduate degrees, and for preparing them to succeed in graduate school. In the Significant Opportunities for Atmospheric Research (SOARS) program, we supplement undergraduate research with several strategies as part of an undergraduate-to-graduate bridge program aimed at broadening participation in the atmospheric and related sciences. In addition to a 10-week research program, SOARS also includes a formal mentoring program, writing workshop, vigorous learning community, and extensive professional development opportunities. Our presentation will describe these research-extending strategies in SOARS in more detail, with an eye toward how such strategies might be adapted for other programs. To do this, we will draw on the results of a major, independent evaluation of the SOARS program to determine the relative importance of these strategies in the overall success of the SOARS program. In the 10 yeas since SOARS creations, 98 students have participated in the program. Of those participants, 18 are still enrolled as undergraduates, and 55 have gone on to purse graduate school in the atmospheric sciences. Overall, this represents a graduate school placement rate of 69% and an overall retention rate of 82%. Of the 27 SOARS participants who have entered the workforce, 23 are in STEM related disciplines. Finally, 3 SOARS participants have already earned their PhD, and 32 have earned Master's. These numbers are especially significant given that SOARS participants come from groups that have been historically under-represented in the atmospheric sciences.

Inter-Institutional Partnerships Propel A Successful Collaborative Undergraduate Degree Program In Chemistry

PubMed Central

Wang, Qiquan

2013-01-01

Small private liberal arts colleges are increasingly tuition-dependent and mainly attract students by creating student-centered learning communities. On the other hand, larger universities tend to be trendsetters where its faculty tend to seek intellectual independence and are involved in career focused cutting-edge research. The Institutional Development Awards (IDeA) and Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) are federal-state-university partnerships that builds basic research infrastructure and coax the state-wide higher education institutions to collaborate with each other in order to enhance their competitiveness. As a result in Delaware, Wesley College instituted curricular and operational changes to launch an undergraduate program in biological chemistry where its students take three upper division chemistry courses and can choose to participate in annual summer undergraduate internships at nearby Delaware State University. PMID:24273464

Size of Undergraduate Physics and Astronomy Programs: Data from the AIP Enrollments and Degrees and Academic Workforce Surveys. Focus On

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mulvey, Patrick; Tyler, John; Nicholson, Starr; Ivie, Rachel

2017-01-01

This report provides data on the size of degree-granting physics and astronomy departments by examining the number of bachelor's degrees awarded and the number of full-time equivalent (FTE) faculty members employed. The benchmarking data in this report is intended to allow physics and astronomy departments to see how they fit in the national…

The Struggle to Succeed: Factors Associated with the Persistence of Part-Time Adult Students Seeking a Master's Degree

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cohen, Marian A. O.; Greenberg, Scott

2011-01-01

Studies of student persistence at the undergraduate level are numerous and well known to those in the field, but at the graduate level, they are far more limited. The latter generally focus on doctoral candidates or those enrolled in professional programs. Master's-degree candidates, especially those who pursue a degree on a part-time basis at a…

Relations between Study and Employment: Music Graduates in Puerto Rico

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Latorre, Ileana S.; Lorenzo, Oswaldo

2013-01-01

Higher education programs in Puerto Rico include undergraduate degrees in music, music education, composition, popular music, jazz and Caribbean music, and, most recently, a master’s degree in music education. However, little is known about what music graduates do after concluding college. Do they work in music-related areas? Are they satisfied…

Factors That Affect Initial Enrollment of Working Adult, Graduate Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adrignola, Matt Nolan

2010-01-01

What factors lead working adults to initially enroll in graduate programs? Is the undergraduate degree no longer enough to sustain a rewarding career? Little is known as to why this segment of graduate students are building careers and pursuing advanced degrees simultaneously. Traditional institutions of higher learning have primarily focused on…

In Italy, Have Higher-Education Reforms Created a "Big Bordello"?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rocca, Francis X.

2006-01-01

This article focuses on Italy's Higher Education reforms and hotly debated developments. These developments are experience credits and online universities. The reform replaced the existing degree system, in which most undergraduate programs lasted four years--although the average graduate actually took more than seven years to earn a degree--with…

Starting and Running an REU for Minorities and Women

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davenport, Dennis E.; Porter, Bonita

2008-01-01

The decreasing number of U.S. citizens with advanced degrees in the mathematical sciences is a growing concern. Also of concern is the small number of advanced degrees in the sciences going to African Americans, Latinos, and women. Several Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) programs have been developed to address these issues. In this…

Using Prior Learning Assessment in Adult Baccalaureate Degrees in Texas

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Freed, Rusty; Mollick, George M.

2010-01-01

Undergraduate enrollment has grown and changed drastically over the past two decades, with a significant portion coming from nontraditional students who have returned to campuses to pursue a college degree. To better meet the needs and demands of nontraditional students, many institutions have implemented programs that allow for the awarding of…

Determining the Deacetylation Degree of Chitosan: Opportunities to Learn Instrumental Techniques

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pérez-Álvarez, Leyre; Ruiz-Rubio, Leire; Vilas-Vilela, Jose Luis

2018-01-01

To enhance critical thinking and problem-solving skills, a project-based learning (PBL) approach for "Instrumental Techniques" courses in undergraduate physical chemistry was specifically developed for a pharmacy bachelor degree program. The starting point of this PBL was an open-ended question that is close to the student scientist's…

Marketing an Alternate Model for Science and Mathematics Initial Teacher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Seen, Andrew; Fraser, Sharon P.; Beswick, Kim; Penson, Margaret; Whannell, Robert

2016-01-01

An innovative initial teacher education undergraduate degree has been offered for the first time in 2016 at an Australian University. The degree provides for qualification as a secondary science and mathematics teacher through the completion of a four-year-integrated science, mathematics and education program of study where the synergies available…

Guide to Accreditation, 2010

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Teacher Education Accreditation Council, 2010

2010-01-01

The Teacher Education Accreditation Council (TEAC), founded in 1997, is dedicated to improving academic degree and certificate programs for professional educators--those who teach and lead in schools, pre-K through grade 12, and to assuring the public of their quality. TEAC accredits undergraduate and graduate programs, including alternate route…

[Shortening undergraduate medical training: now and for all medical schools in Chile?].

PubMed

Reyes B, Humberto

2016-01-01

In Chile, undergraduate medical education starts after High School, it lasts seven years, with the final two dedicated to a rotary internship, taking to an M.D. degree that allows the graduate to enter working activities. The country needs more M.D.s in primary care, but there is also a shortage of specialists, mainly out of the main cities. In recent decades, post graduate programs leading to specialty titles have become competitively adopted by a large proportion of medical graduates. This is the case at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, stimulating its faculties and medical students to develop a collaborative review of their teaching programs, leading to a curricular reform with a new graduate profile and a new curriculum oriented to learning objectives, that will allow to obtain the M.D. degree in six instead of seven years of undergraduate education. This new program awakened expectations in other universities in Chile, that will have to face the attraction of this shortened program for future candidates to enter medical schools. However, any shortening of medical school careers should first consider the local conditions in quality of applicants, number of accepted students, the training of teachers in integrated teaching programs, the availability of adequate campuses. Furthermore, for students with different academic backgrounds and diverse personal and familial interests, the seven years programs may still be necessary to gain the expertise required to become medical doctors.

Curriculum Mapping: A Method to Assess and Refine Undergraduate Degree Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Joyner-Melito, Helen S.

2016-01-01

Over the past several decades, there has been increasing interest in program- and university-level assessment and aligning learning outcomes to program content. Curriculum mapping is a tool that creates a visual map of all courses in the curriculum and how they relate to curriculum learning outcomes. Assessment tools/activities are often included…

Social Work Program Review: State University System of Florida. Consultant's Report and Recommendations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Khinduka, Shanti K.

This review of graduate and undergraduate social work degree programs in the State University System of Florida (SUS) focuses on quality of curriculum, composition and caliber of students and faculty, nature and adequacy of facilities and resources, and overall progress of social work education since the previous program review in 1988. Florida…

Foreign Language and International Public Service at SIU-C: An Interdisciplinary B.A. Degree Program under Development.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Timpe, Eugene F.

A model for undergraduate programs designed to integrate foreign language instruction with training for an international public service occupation is outlined. The language component and professional training, taught separately at first, are brought together at the end of the program in an internship in an international public service…

Designing Sustainable Funding for College Promise Initiatives. Policy Information Report and ETS Research Report Series No. RR-17-39

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Millett, Catherine, Ed.

2017-01-01

College promise programs are spreading throughout this United States. These programs fund tuition and/or fees for eligible students who are actively progressing toward earning postsecondary certificates and undergraduate degrees. While existing college promise programs have varying designs, each one appears to be seeking continuous and long-term…

Graduate School Learning Curves: McNair Scholars' Postbaccalaureate Transitions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Willison, Scott; Gibson, Emily

2011-01-01

The federally funded Ronald B. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program (McNair Program) prepares first-generation, low-income, and underrepresented college undergraduates to pursue terminal graduate degrees. This study examines 22 McNair scholars' transitions into graduate school in an attempt to identify factors that influence alumni…

The Safety "Use Case": Co-Developing Chemical Information Management and Laboratory Safety Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stuart, Ralph B.; McEwen, Leah R.

2016-01-01

The 2015 edition of the American Chemical Society's "Guidelines and Evaluation Procedures for Bachelor's Degree Programs" identifies six skill sets that undergraduate chemistry programs should instill in their students. In our roles as support staff for chemistry departments at two different institutions (one a Primarily Undergraduate…

Impact of Military Deployment and Distance Learning on Soldier-Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murray, August T.

2013-01-01

Soldiers face complex challenges, issues, and decisions when pursuing distance learning while deployed. These challenges are encountered frequently while completing undergraduate and graduate degree programs on active duty overseas. Many learning programs and benefits are available and utilized by military online learners in a war zone. Education…

Distance Education: The Application of Technology to Education and Training (APTEC).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mizell, Al P.; And Others

Nova University (Florida), offers off-campus undergraduate and graduate degree programs in education, business and public administration, psychology, and computer sciences. This paper describes one of these offerings, the Application of Technology to Education and Training (APTEC) specialization in the Ed.D. program in Child and Youth Studies…

Work-Integrated Curricula in University Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bates, Merrelyn

2008-01-01

Higher education is under increasing pressure to re-evaluate the place of practice in its programs and there are increasing demands for workplace-based experiences to be built into undergraduate degrees. The paper reports on an extended responsive case study conducted in the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice at Griffith University between…

Rural Adapted Physical Education Teacher Preparation Programs: A Pilot Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Palma, Gloria M.; DePauw, Karen

1990-01-01

Among 22 teacher educators of adapted physical education, 10 reported that their institutions offered a degree program in adapted physical education; 4 of these required practical training in rural districts. Eighteen institutions required an undergraduate course in adapted physical education; 12 of these courses contained a rural-oriented…

34 CFR 668.2 - General definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

.... (Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1078-1) Federal Work Study (FWS) program: The part-time employment program for students... degree; and (3) Has completed the equivalent of at least three years of full-time study either prior to... of study to eligible financially needy undergraduate students who successfully complete rigorous...

A Program to Improve Student Engagement at Research-Focused Universities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whillans, Ashley V.; Hope, Sally E.; Wylie, Lauren J.; Zhao, Bob; Souza, Michael J.

2018-01-01

Promoting undergraduate engagement is an important and challenging obstacle at large research-focused universities. Thus, the current study evaluated whether a peer-led program of student-geared events could improve engagement among a diverse group of psychology students early on in their degrees. We randomly assigned interested second-year…

International Dimensions of Nursing and Health Care in Baccalaureate and Higher Degree Nursing Programs in the United States.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mooneyhan, Esther L.; And Others

1986-01-01

Results of a national survey of undergraduate and graduate nursing programs to determine the extent of curriculum content and faculty training in international health issues are reported. The importance of this aspect of nursing education is discussed. (MSE)

Renewable Energy Certificate Program

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gwendolyn S. Andersen

2012-07-17

This project was primarily to develop and implement a curriculum which will train undergraduate and graduate students at the University seeking a degree as well as training for enrollees in a special certification program to prepare individuals to be employed in a broad range of occupations in the field of renewable energy and energy conservation. Curriculum development was by teams of Saint Francis University Faculty in the Business Administration and Science Departments and industry experts. Students seeking undergraduate and graduate degrees are able to enroll in courses offered within these departments which will combine theory and hands-on training in themore » various elements of wind power development. For example, the business department curriculum areas include economic modeling, finance, contracting, etc. The science areas include meteorology, energy conversion and projection, species identification, habitat protection, field data collection and analysis, etc.« less

Policy Changes in Brunei Teacher Education: Implications for the Selection of Trainee Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mundia, Lawrence

2012-01-01

To improve quality, teacher education programs in Brunei were recently eliminated at the undergraduate level and changed to master of teaching degree courses. Prospective teachers are required to obtain content-rich initial degrees prior to applying for teacher training. This study argues that the high entry qualification to teaching may, in…

Policy Levers to Strengthen Community College Transfer Student Success in Texas. Policy Brief

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bailey, Thomas; Jenkins, Davis; Fink, John; Cullinane, Jenna; Schudde, Lauren

2017-01-01

Texas relies heavily on its community colleges to provide low-cost access to undergraduate coursework for students pursuing a bachelor's degree. Yet, while the majority of Texas students who enter higher education through a community college enroll in transfer programs, only 35 percent transfer and only 15 percent earn a bachelor's degree within…

Transitioning a bachelor of science in nursing program to blended learning: Successes, challenges & outcomes.

PubMed

Posey, Laurie; Pintz, Christine

2017-09-01

To help address the challenges of providing undergraduate nursing education in an accelerated time frame, the Teaching and Transforming through Technology (T3) project was funded to transition a second-degree ABSN program to a blended learning format. The project has explored the use of blended learning to: enable flexible solutions to support teaching goals and address course challenges; provide students with new types of independent learning activities outside of the traditional classroom; increase opportunities for active learning in the classroom; and improve students' digital literacy and lifelong learning skills. Program evaluation included quality reviews of the redesigned courses, surveys of student perceptions, pre- and post-program assessment of students' digital literacy and interviews with faculty about their experiences with the new teaching methods. Adopting an established quality framework to guide course design and evaluation for quality contributed to the efficient and effective development of a high-quality undergraduate blended nursing program. Program outcomes and lessons learned are presented to inform future teaching innovation and research related to blended learning in undergraduate nursing education. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Morehouse Physics & Dual Degree Engineering Program: We C . A . R . E . Approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rockward, Willie S.

2015-03-01

Growing the physics major at any undergraduate institution, especially Morehouse College - a private, all-male, liberal arts HBCU, can be very challenging. To address this challenge at Morehouse, the faculty and staff in the Department of Physics and Dual Degree Engineering Program (Physics & DDEP) are applying a methodology and pedagogical approach called ``We C . A . R . E '' which stands for Curriculum,Advisement,Recruitment/Retention/Research, andExtras. This approach utilizes an integrated strategy of cultural (family-orientated), collaborative (shared-governance), and career (personalized-pathways) modalities to provide the momentum of growing the physics major at Morehouse from 10-12 students to over 100 students in less than 5 years. Physics & DDEP at Morehouse, creatively, altered faculty course assignments, curriculum offerings, and departmental policies while expanding research projects, student organizations, and external collaborations. This method supplies a variety of meaningful, academic and research experiences for undergraduates at Morehouse and thoroughly prepares students for graduate studies or professional careers in STEM disciplines. Thus, a detailed overview of the ``We C . A . R . E . '' approach will be presented along with the Physics & DDEP vision, alterations and expansions in growing the physics major at Morehouse College. Department of Physics and Dual Degree Engineering Program, Atlanta, Georgia 30314.

Waste-Management Education and Research Consortium (WERC) annual progress report, 1991--1992. Appendixes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1992-04-07

This report contains the following appendices: Appendix A - Requirements for Undergraduate Level; Appendix B - Requirements for Graduate Level; Appendix C - Graduate Degree In Environmental Engineering; Appendix D - Non-degree Certificate Program; Appendix E - Curriculum for Associate Degree Program; Appendix F - Curriculum for NCC Program; Appendix G - Information 1991 Teleconference Series; Appendix H - Information on 1992 Teleconference Series; Appendix I - WERC interactive Television Courses; Appendix J - WERC Research Seminar Series; Appendix K - Sites for Hazardous/Radioactive Waste Management Series; Appendix L- Summary of Technology Development of the Second Year; Appendix M -more » List of Major Publications Resulting from WERC; Appendix N - Types of Equipment at WERC Laboratories.« less

Waste-Management Education and Research Consortium (WERC) annual progress report, 1991--1992

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Maji, A. K.; Thomson, Bruce M.; Samani, Zohrab A.

1992-04-07

This report contains the following appendices: Appendix A - Requirements for Undergraduate Level; Appendix B - Requirements for Graduate Level; Appendix C - Graduate Degree In Environmental Engineering; Appendix D - Non-degree Certificate Program; Appendix E - Curriculum for Associate Degree Program; Appendix F - Curriculum for NCC Program; Appendix G - Information 1991 Teleconference Series; Appendix H - Information on 1992 Teleconference Series; Appendix I - WERC interactive Television Courses; Appendix J - WERC Research Seminar Series; Appendix K - Sites for Hazardous/Radioactive Waste Management Series; Appendix L- Summary of Technology Development of the Second Year; Appendix M -more » List of Major Publications Resulting from WERC; Appendix N - Types of Equipment at WERC Laboratories.« less

Action Research as First Year Faculty: Exploring the Path Less Taken

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Daniels, Emily A.; Squires, Maureen

2014-01-01

Students enter Emily Daniels' and Maureen Squires' combined Bachelor of Arts/Master's in the Science of Teaching Program as undergraduates or move into their MST Program as Master's candidates matriculating after they have earned Bachelor's degree elsewhere. Both groups of students take the research class during their first semester of graduate…

Academic Mentoring and Dropout Prevention for Students in Math, Science and Technology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Larose, Simon; Cyrenne, Diane; Garceau, Odette; Harvey, Marylou; Guay, Frederic; Godin, Fanny; Tarabulsy, George M; Deschenes, Claire

2011-01-01

In this study, we examined the impact of a new academic mentoring program aimed at preventing student dropout in math, science and technology. The MIRES program entails bimonthly meetings between students entering college and university students completing their undergraduate degree in science and engineering. A randomized pretest-posttest control…

Enhancing Student Writing and Computer Programming with LATEX and MATLAB in Multivariable Calculus

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sullivan, Eric; Melvin, Timothy

2016-01-01

Written communication and computer programming are foundational components of an undergraduate degree in the mathematical sciences. All lower-division mathematics courses at our institution are paired with computer-based writing, coding, and problem-solving activities. In multivariable calculus we utilize MATLAB and LATEX to have students explore…

The Tale of Two Degrees: The Need and Power of the Doctor of Arts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Serve, Kinta; Clements, Nathan; Heinrich, Kaleb K.; Smith, Rosemary J.

2013-01-01

Ph.D. programs train students to perform quality research but not necessarily to deliver quality undergraduate instruction. For students who want to develop such skills, and for universities interested in creating programs to combine broad disciplinary instruction with specialization in effective pedagogical practices, there is a Ph.D.…

Reaching REMOTE Learners: Successes and Challenges for Students in an Online Graduate Degree Program in the Pacific Islands

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rao, Kavita; Giuli, Charles

2010-01-01

Access to higher education in the U.S-affiliated Pacific Islands is limited. The island nations and territories in this Pacific region are geographically dispersed and separated by thousands of miles of ocean. Although local and regional colleges offer undergraduate degrees (associate's and bachelor's levels), islanders who seek graduate-level…

How Do Colleges and Universities Assess the Education and Training of Military Service Personnel?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Palmer, James C.; Ludwig, Meredith J.

1991-01-01

In a study of the ways colleges and universities regard prior learning of military service members who apply for admission to undergraduate degree programs, 66 colleges evaluated prototype transcripts and assessed problems in awarding degree credit. A number of problems are seen as needing to be addressed by both schools and the military.…

[Undergraduate and postgraduate studies in the biological sciences in Chile (1985)].

PubMed

Niemeyer, H

1986-01-01

A study group of scientists was convened by the Sociedad de Biología de Chile (Biological Society of Chile) and the Regional Program for Graduate Training in Biological Sciences, PNUD-Unesco, RLA 78/024, to assess undergraduate and graduate studies in life sciences in Chile. The group presented this report at the 28th Annual Meeting of the Society. Discussion centered on the features that should characterize the studies leading to the academic degrees of Licenciado (Licenciate), Magíster (Master) and Doctor (Ph. D) in Sciences, and also on the qualifications that the universities should satisfy in order to grant them. After analyzing the present situation of undergraduate and graduate studies in Biological Sciences in Chilean universities, the group made the following main suggestions: 1. It is recommended that Chilean universities agree on a 4-year plan for the Licenciado degree, without the requirement of a thesis. The importance of providing the students with good laboratory exercises and field experience and with the opportunity to perform short research projects is stressed. In addition, a sound theoretical training on mathematics, physics and chemistry in the education of a modern Biologist is important. Licenciate studies ought to be the basis for professional careers and the universities should offer to the Licenciados free access to their professional schools. 2. It is considered appropriate for Chile and its universities to develop graduate programs in those disciplines that have reached a level of excellence. To accomplish this aim, adequate finance of the universities is necessary to permit them to provide the essential facilities for doing research, and to create a wide system of fellowships for graduate students. Direct government support for research and graduate student fellowships is requested. 3. Research experience of the kind needed for the preparation of a doctoral thesis is recommended as the academic level appropriate for those engaged in teaching undergraduate students in sciences. Teachers in graduate programs should be qualified active researchers. 4. The creation is proposed of a Consejo Nacional de Universidades (National Council of Universities), to be autonomous and composed primarily of outstanding scientists. One of the main functions of this Council would be to licence universities to grant undergraduate and graduate academic degrees in science. 5. The Sociedad de Biología de Chile must maintain an interest in the evaluation of undergraduate and graduate studies in life sciences.

Beliefs and perceptions of mentorship among nursing faculty and traditional and accelerated undergraduate nursing students.

PubMed

Navarra, Ann-Margaret; Stimpfel, Amy Witkoski; Rodriguez, Karla; Lim, Fidelindo; Nelson, Noreen; Slater, Larry Z

2018-02-01

In order to meet the demands of a dynamic and complex health care landscape, nursing education must develop and implement programming to produce a highly educated nursing workforce. Interprofessional honors education in nursing with targeted mentorship is one such model. To describe undergraduate nursing student and faculty perceptions and beliefs of mentorship in the context of interprofessional honors education, and compare and contrast the perceptions and beliefs about mentorship in interprofessional honors education between undergraduate nursing students and faculty. The study used a cross-sectional, descriptive design. Data were collected at an urban university in the northeast US, using a researcher-developed electronic survey. The sample included 24 full-time nursing faculty, and 142 undergraduate nursing students. Perceptions and beliefs regarding mentorship in the context of interprofessional honors education were similar for faculty and students, with both ranking mentorship among the most important components of a successful honors program. Honors education with a dedicated mentorship component may be implemented to improve the undergraduate education experience, facilitate advanced degree attainment, and develop future nursing leaders. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Early Engagement in Course-Based Research Increases Graduation Rates and Completion of Science, Engineering, and Mathematics Degrees

PubMed Central

Rodenbusch, Stacia E.; Hernandez, Paul R.; Simmons, Sarah L.; Dolan, Erin L.

2016-01-01

National efforts to transform undergraduate biology education call for research experiences to be an integral component of learning for all students. Course-based undergraduate research experiences, or CUREs, have been championed for engaging students in research at a scale that is not possible through apprenticeships in faculty research laboratories. Yet there are few if any studies that examine the long-term effects of participating in CUREs on desired student outcomes, such as graduating from college and completing a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) major. One CURE program, the Freshman Research Initiative (FRI), has engaged thousands of first-year undergraduates over the past decade. Using propensity score–matching to control for student-level differences, we tested the effect of participating in FRI on students’ probability of graduating with a STEM degree, probability of graduating within 6 yr, and grade point average (GPA) at graduation. Students who completed all three semesters of FRI were significantly more likely than their non-FRI peers to earn a STEM degree and graduate within 6 yr. FRI had no significant effect on students’ GPAs at graduation. The effects were similar for diverse students. These results provide the most robust and best-controlled evidence to date to support calls for early involvement of undergraduates in research. PMID:27252296

Optics and communication technology major of physics undergraduate degree at King Mongkut's Institute of Technology Ladkrabang

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buranasiri, Prathan

2014-09-01

A physics undergraduate degree major in optics and communication technology has been offered at King Mongkut's Institute of Technology Ladkrabang (KMITL), Bangkok, Thailand. There are nine required three credit hour courses including two laboratory courses plus a number of selections in optics and communication based technology courses. For independent thinking and industrial working skills, nine credit hours of research project, practical training or overseas studies are included for selection in the final semester. Students are encouraged to participate in international conferences and professional organizations. Recently the program, with support from SPIE and OSA, has organized its first international conference on photonic solutions 2013 (ICPS 2013).

A comprehensive mapping of the current capacity for human nutrition training in Cameroon.

PubMed

Sodjinou, Roger; Lezama, Ines; Asse, Marie-Louise; Okala, Georges; Bosu, William K; Fanou, Nadia; Mbala, Ludvine; Zagre, Noel Marie; Tchibindat, Félicité

2016-01-01

There is consensus among stakeholders in Cameroon on the need to develop and strengthen human resource capacity for nutrition. This study was conducted to provide a comprehensive mapping of the current capacity for tertiary-level human nutrition training in Cameroon. Participating institutions included university-level institutions offering dedicated nutrition degree programs or other programs in which nutrition courses were taught. A semi-structured questionnaire administered during in-person interviews was used to collect data on existing programs and content of training curricula. Nutrition curricula were reviewed against the following criteria: intended objectives, coverage of nutrition topics, and teaching methods. In total, five nutrition degree programs (four undergraduate programs and one master's program) were identified. Three additional programs were about to be launched at the time of data collection. We did not find any doctorate degree programs in nutrition. All the undergraduate programs only had little focus on public health nutrition whereas the master's program in our sample offered a good coverage of all dimensions of human nutrition including basic and applied nutrition. The predominant teaching method was didactic lecture in all the programs. We did not find any formal documentation outlining the competencies that students were expected to gain upon completion of these programs. Nutrition courses in agricultural and health schools were limited in terms of contact hours and scope. Public health nutrition was not covered in any of the health professional schools surveyed. We found no institution offering in-service nutrition training at the time of the study. Based on our findings, we recommend that nutrition training programs in Cameroon be redesigned to make them more responsive to the public health needs of the country.

A comprehensive mapping of the current capacity for human nutrition training in Cameroon

PubMed Central

Sodjinou, Roger; Lezama, Ines; Asse, Marie-Louise; Okala, Georges; Bosu, William K.; Fanou, Nadia; Mbala, Ludvine; Zagre, Noel Marie; Tchibindat, Félicité

2016-01-01

Background There is consensus among stakeholders in Cameroon on the need to develop and strengthen human resource capacity for nutrition. This study was conducted to provide a comprehensive mapping of the current capacity for tertiary-level human nutrition training in Cameroon. Design Participating institutions included university-level institutions offering dedicated nutrition degree programs or other programs in which nutrition courses were taught. A semi-structured questionnaire administered during in-person interviews was used to collect data on existing programs and content of training curricula. Nutrition curricula were reviewed against the following criteria: intended objectives, coverage of nutrition topics, and teaching methods. Results In total, five nutrition degree programs (four undergraduate programs and one master's program) were identified. Three additional programs were about to be launched at the time of data collection. We did not find any doctorate degree programs in nutrition. All the undergraduate programs only had little focus on public health nutrition whereas the master's program in our sample offered a good coverage of all dimensions of human nutrition including basic and applied nutrition. The predominant teaching method was didactic lecture in all the programs. We did not find any formal documentation outlining the competencies that students were expected to gain upon completion of these programs. Nutrition courses in agricultural and health schools were limited in terms of contact hours and scope. Public health nutrition was not covered in any of the health professional schools surveyed. We found no institution offering in-service nutrition training at the time of the study. Conclusions Based on our findings, we recommend that nutrition training programs in Cameroon be redesigned to make them more responsive to the public health needs of the country. PMID:26818193

Exploration of the lived experiences of undergraduate science, technology, engineering, and mathematics minority students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Snead-McDaniel, Kimberly

An expanding ethnicity gap exists in the number of students pursuing science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) careers in the United States. The National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering revealed that the number of minorities pursuing STEM degrees and careers has declined over the past few years. The specific origins of this trend are not quite evident; one variable to consider is that undergraduate minority students are failing in STEM disciplines at various levels of education from elementary to postsecondary. The failure of female and minority students to enter STEM disciplines in higher education have led various initiatives to establish programs to promote STEM disciplines among these groups. Additional funding for minority STEM programs have led to a increase in undergraduate minority students entering STEM disciplines, but the minority students' graduation rate in STEM disciplines is approximately 7% lower than the graduation of nonminority students in STEM disciplines. This phenomenological qualitative research study explores the lived experiences of underrepresented minority undergraduate college students participating in an undergraduate minority-mentoring program. The following nine themes emerged from the study: (a) competitiveness, (b) public perception, (c) dedication, (d) self-perception, (e) program activities, (f) time management, (g) exposure to career and graduate opportunities, (h) rigor in the curriculum, and (i) peer mentoring. The themes provided answers and outcomes to better support a stronger minority representation in STEM disciplines.

The Southern California Earthquake Center/Undergraduate Studies in Earthquake Information Technology (SCEC/UseIT) Internship Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perry, S.; Jordan, T.

2006-12-01

Our undergraduate research program, SCEC/UseIT, an NSF Research Experience for Undergraduates site, provides software for earthquake researchers and educators, movies for outreach, and ways to strengthen the technical career pipeline. SCEC/UseIT motivates diverse undergraduates towards science and engineering careers through team-based research in the exciting field of earthquake information technology. UseIT provides the cross-training in computer science/information technology (CS/IT) and geoscience needed to make fundamental progress in earthquake system science. Our high and increasing participation of women and minority students is crucial given the nation"s precipitous enrollment declines in CS/IT undergraduate degree programs, especially among women. UseIT also casts a "wider, farther" recruitment net that targets scholars interested in creative work but not traditionally attracted to summer science internships. Since 2002, SCEC/UseIT has challenged 79 students in three dozen majors from as many schools with difficult, real-world problems that require collaborative, interdisciplinary solutions. Interns design and engineer open-source software, creating increasingly sophisticated visualization tools (see "SCEC-VDO," session IN11), which are employed by SCEC researchers, in new curricula at the University of Southern California, and by outreach specialists who make animated movies for the public and the media. SCEC-VDO would be a valuable tool for research-oriented professional development programs.

Designing and implementing an undergraduate health administration program for nontraditional students.

PubMed

Borkowski, Nancy; Gordon, Jean; Rushing, John

2005-01-01

This paper describes the development and implementation of an undergraduate health administration program for nontraditional students at a Hispanic serving institution. The program had to meet the needs of a diverse, adult student population, the local community, and the future leadership requirements of the healthcare industry. As such, the program was designed as a "bridge" for full-time employed healthcare licensed professionals seeking to complete a baccalaureate degree and obtain positions in the healthcare management field. It answered the call of the local community to strengthen partnerships between business and education by offering the program at healthcare employer worksites. Furthermore, the program addressed three needs of the healthcare industry: (1) the recognized shortage of future healthcare leaders, (2) the under-representation of minorities in the industry, and (3) proposed changes in health administration programs' curricula to focus on competencies in the areas of communication skills, decision making, ethical leadership, and self-development.

Defining new aims for BME programs in Latin America: the case of UAM-Iztapalapa.

PubMed

Azpiroz-Leehan, J; Martinez, L F; Urbina, M E G; Cadena, M M; Sacristan, E

2016-08-01

The need for upkeep and management of medical technology has fostered the creation of a large number of under graduate programs in the field of biomedical Engineering. In Latin America alone, there are over 85 programs dedicated to this. This contrasts with programs in other regions where most of the undergraduates continue on to pursue graduate degrees or work as research and development engineers in the biomedical industry. In this work we analyze the situation regarding curricular design in the 48 BME programs in Mexico and compare this to suggestions and classifications of programs according to needs and possibilities. We then focus on a particular institution, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana and due to its characteristics and performance we propose that it should redefine its aims from the undergraduate program on, in order to not only generate research but also to provide a nurturing environment for a budding biomedical industry in Mexico.

Assessing the Impact of Supplemental Instruction on the Retention of Undergraduate Students after Controlling for Motivation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Terrion, Jenepher Lennox; Daoust, Jean-Luc

2012-01-01

The University of Ottawa (UofO) in Ottawa, Canada offers a formal supplemental instruction program, called the residence study group program (RSGP), to residence students registered in first year courses that are associated with a high degree of failure or attrition. The objective of this study was to assess the impact of this program by comparing…

Building on the Success of Increasing Diversity in the Geosciences: A Bridging Program From Middle School to College

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kovacs, T.; Robinson, D.; Suleiman, A.; Maggi, B.

2004-12-01

A bridging program to increase the diversity in the geosciences was created at Hampton University (HU) to inspire underrepresented minorities to pursue an educational path that advances them towards careers in the geosciences. Three objectives were met to achieve this goal. First, we inspired a diverse population of middle and high school students outside of the classroom by providing an after school geoscience club, a middle school geoscience summer enrichment camp, and a research/mentorship program for high school students. Second, we helped fill the need for geoscience curriculum content requested of science teachers who work primarily with underrepresented middle school populations by providing a professional development workshop at HU led by geoscience professors, teachers, and science educators. Third, we built on the successful atmospheric sciences research and active Ph.D. program by developing our geoscience curriculum including the formation of a new space, earth, and atmospheric sciences minor. All workshops, camps, and clubs have been full or nearly full each year despite restrictions on participants repeating any of the programs. The new minor has 11 registered undergraduates and the total number of students in these classes has been increasing. Participants of all programs gave the quality of the program good ratings and participant perceptions and knowledge improved throughout the programs based on pre-, formative, and summative assessments. The ultimate goal is to increase the number of degrees granted to underrepresented minorities in the geosciences. We have built a solid foundation with our minor that prepares students for graduate degrees in the geosciences and offer a graduate degree in physics with a concentration in the atmospheric sciences. However, it's from the geoscience pipeline that students will come into our academic programs. We expect to continue to develop these formal and informal education programs to increase our reputation and utilize the network of schools with which we have built relationships to recruit underrepresented minority students into our academic programs. We also plan to continue to enhance our undergraduate minor and graduate degree programs to build a self-sustaining graduate degree-granting program in the geosciences.

The current status of education and career paths of students after completion of medical physicist programs in Japan: a survey by the Japanese Board for Medical Physicist Qualification.

PubMed

Kadoya, Noriyuki; Karasawa, Kumiko; Sumida, Iori; Arimura, Hidetaka; Yamada, Syogo

2015-07-01

To standardize educational programs and clinical training for medical physics students, the Japanese Board for Medical Physicist Qualification (JBMP) began to accredit master's, doctorate, and residency programs for medical physicists in 2012. At present, 16 universities accredited by the JBMP offer 22 courses. In this study, we aimed to survey the current status of educational programs and career paths of students after completion of the medical physicist program in Japan. A questionnaire was sent in August 2014 to 32 universities offering medical physicist programs. The questionnaire was created and organized by the educational course certification committee of the JBMP and comprised two sections: the first collected information about the university attended, and the second collected information about characteristics and career paths of students after completion of medical physicist programs from 2008 to 2014. Thirty universities (16 accredited and 14 non-accredited) completed the survey (response rate 94 %). A total of 209, 40, and 3 students graduated from the master's, doctorate, and residency programs, respectively. Undergraduates entered the medical physicist program constantly, indicating an interest in medical physics among undergraduates. A large percentage of the students held a bachelor's degree in radiological technology (master's program 94 %; doctorate program 70 %); graduates obtained a national radiological technologist license. Regarding career paths, although the number of the graduates who work as medical physicist remains low, 7 % with a master's degree and 50 % with a doctorate degree worked as medical physicists. Our results could be helpful for improving the medical physicist program in Japan.

Business Analytics in Practice and in Education: A Competency-Based Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mamonov, Stanislav; Misra, Ram; Jain, Rashmi

2015-01-01

Business analytics is a fast-growing area in practice. The rapid growth of business analytics in practice in the recent years is mirrored by a corresponding fast evolution of new educational programs. While more than 130 graduate and undergraduate degree programs in business analytics have been launched in the past 5 years, no commonly accepted…

Determining the "Essentials" for an Undergraduate Sustainability Degree Program: A Delphi Study at Dalhousie University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wright, Tarah S. A.; DeFields, Danielle

2012-01-01

Fostering a deep understanding of sustainability in students is critical in order to create a new generation of leaders. Universities have a significant role to play in this endeavour. Dalhousie University has recently developed the Environment, Sustainability and Society (ESS) program, which gives students the opportunity to study sustainability…

Trends and Characteristics of Economics Degrees in a Developing Country: The Case of Mexico

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Duval-Hernandez, Robert; Villagomez, F. Alejandro

2011-01-01

This article documents trends in enrollment in undergraduate economics programs in Mexico in 1970-2007 and discusses the characteristics of the programs--particularly the typical curriculum and graduation requirements--and the entry of graduates into the job market. Recent data show a pattern in enrollment rates surprisingly similar to those of…

Team-Based Programs: The EMP. An Industry/University Partnership-The Educational Model for the 21st Century.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haynes, Ray; And Others

California Polytechnic State University's College of Business and College of Engineering have joined forces to create a joint Engineering Management Program (EMP). Students holding undergraduate engineering or equivalent degrees enter and earn both Masters in Business Administration and Masters of Science in Engineering in 24 months. The program…

Analysis of 2014's Thirty Best Undergraduate Accounting Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adkins, Darlene A.; Geddie, Mary F.; Moore, Paula Hearn; Griffin, Richard B.

2016-01-01

This paper examines primarily the courses in the accounting major and a portion of the business core of the best thirty accounting programs in the United States as identified by the Accounting Degree Review. A thorough examination of each school's web site has been conducted to gather current (2014) information concerning the requirements for a…

Characterizing the Undergraduate Neuroscience Major in the U.S.: An Examination of Course Requirements and Institution-Program Associations

PubMed Central

Pinard-Welyczko, Kira M.; Garrison, Anna C. S.; Ramos, Raddy L.; Carter, Bradley S.

2017-01-01

Neuroscience is a rapidly expanding field, and many colleges and universities throughout the country are implementing new neuroscience degree programs. Despite the field’s growth and popularity, little data exists on the structural character of current undergraduate neuroscience programs. We collected and examined comprehensive data on existing undergraduate neuroscience programs, including academic major requirements and institution characteristics such as size, financial resources, and research opportunities. Thirty-one variables covering information about course requirements, department characteristics, financial resources, and institution characteristics were collected from 118 colleges and universities in the United States that offer a major titled “neuroscience” or “neural sciences.” Data was collected from publicly available sources (online databases, institutions’ neuroscience program websites) and then analyzed to define the average curriculum and identify associations between institution and program characteristics. Our results suggest that the average undergraduate neuroscience major requires 3 chemistry, 3 biology, 3 laboratory, 2–3 neuroscience, 1 physics, 1 math, and 2 psychology courses, suggesting that most neuroscience programs emphasize the natural sciences over the social sciences. Additionally, while 98% of institutions in our database offer research opportunities, only 31% required majors to perform research. Of note, 70% of institutions offering a neuroscience major do not have a neuroscience department, suggesting that most institutions offer neuroscience as an interdisciplinary major spanning several departments. Finally, smaller liberal arts colleges account for the majority of institutions offering a neuroscience major. Overall, these findings may be useful for informing groups interested in undergraduate neuroscience training, including institutions looking to improve or establish programs, students wanting to major in neuroscience and employers hiring neuroscience graduates. PMID:29371843

Hands-On Educational Programs and Projects at SICSA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bell, L.

2002-01-01

The Sasakawa International Center for Space Architecture (SICSA) has a long history of projects that involve the design of space structures, including habitats for low-Earth orbit (LEO) and planetary applications. Some of these projects are supported by corporate sponsors, such as a space tourism research, planning and design study conducted for the owner of national U.S. hotel chain. Some have been undertaken in support of programs sponsored by the State Government of Texas, including current commercial spaceport development planning for the Texas Aerospace Commission and three counties that represent candidate spaceport sites. Other projects have been supported by NASA and the Texas Aerospace Consortium, including the design and development of SICSA's "Space Habitation Laboratory", a space station module sized environmental simulator facility which has been featured in the "NASA Select" television broadcast series. This presentation will highlight representative projects. SICSA is internationally recognized for its leadership in the field of space architecture. Many program graduates have embarked upon productive and rewarding careers with aerospace organizations throughout the world. NASA has awarded certificates of appreciation to SICSA for significant achievements contributing to its advanced design initiatives. SICSA and its work have been featured in numerous popular magazines, professional publications, and public media broadcasts in many countries. SICSA applies a very comprehensive scope of activities to the practice of space architecture. Important roles include mission planning conceptualization of orbital and planetary structures and assembly processes, and design of habitats to optimize human safety, adaptation and productivity. SICSA sponsors educational programs for upper division undergraduate students and graduate students with interests in space and experimental architecture. Many fourth year participants continue in the SICSA program throughout their remaining undergraduate studies, and are joined by other new fifth year students. Selected graduate applicants holding a professional degree in architecture from accredited colleges and universities can earn a Master of Architecture degree with a specialization in space and experimental architecture upon completion of 32 credit hours of study which includes two six-hour design studios. Accepted graduate students seeking a Master of Architecture degree who do not hold a professional architecture degree may enter SICSA studios during the final year of their minimum 72 credit hours of study. Subject to necessary University of Houston and Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board approvals, SICSA and the College of Architecture propose to expand their graduate education role to add a Master of Science in Space Architecture degree program. This new program is primarily being planned in response to known interests of non-architect professionals from NASA and aerospace corporations who wish to pursue advanced space architecture research and design studies. The program will be also available to working professionals holding an undergraduate architectural degree.

DPS Planetary Science Graduate Programs Database for Students and Advisors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klassen, David R.; Roman, Anthony; Meinke, Bonnie K.

2017-10-01

Planetary science is a topic that covers an extremely diverse set of disciplines; planetary scientists are typically housed in a departments spanning a wide range of disciplines. As such it is difficult for undergraduate students to find programs that will give them a degree and research experience in our field as Department of Planetary Science is a rare sighting, indeed. Not only can this overwhelm even the most determined student, it can even be difficult for many undergraduate advisers.Because of this, the DPS Education committee decided several years ago that it should have an online resource that could help undergraduate students find graduate programs that could lead to a PhD with a focus in planetary science. It began in 2013 as a static page of information and evolved from there to a database-driven web site. Visitors can browse the entire list of programs or create a subset listing based on several filters. The site should be of use not only to undergraduates looking for programs, but also for advisers looking to help their students decide on their future plans. We present here a walk-through of the basic features as well as some usage statistics from the collected web site analytics. We ask for community feedback on additional features to make the system more usable for them. We also call upon those mentoring and advising undergraduates to use this resource, and for program admission chairs to continue to review their entry and provide us with the most up-to-date information.The URL for our site is http://dps.aas.org/education/graduate-schools.

Joint Task Force on Undergraduate Physics Programs (J-TUPP): What skills and knowledge are needed for a diverse set of careers and what's the basis for these recommendations?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Woolf, Lawrence

2016-03-01

A wide variety of reports have been issued recently concerning the skills, knowledge, and attitudes needed by employees to be successful. This talk will review findings from reports from the major science and engineering disciplines, from surveys of employers, and from interviews with recent undergraduate physics graduates. Also to be discussed is the correlation between these findings and the detailed J-TUPP recommendations for the skills and knowledge needed by the next generation of undergraduate physics degree holders to be prepared for a diverse set of careers.

An Exploration of How Involvement in a Freshman Retention Program Relates to Intention to Complete an Undergraduate Degree

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clounch, Teresa Lynn

2010-01-01

The study examined the relationship of the level and type of involvement of freshman students in the Hawk Link Retention Program, a first-year program at the University of Kansas, to intent to return and graduate. The study found that participants were retained at a high level but that their type and level of involvement were not related to…

Joint Task Force on Undergraduate Physics Programs (J-TUPP): Overview and Major Findings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heron, Paula

2016-03-01

The Joint Task Force on Undergraduate Physics Programs (JTUPP) was formed in response to growing awareness in the physics community that physics majors pursue a wide range of careers after graduation, with very few ending up in academia. The task force is charged with identifying the skills and knowledge that undergraduate physics degree holders should possess to be well prepared for a diverse set of careers, and providing guidance for physicists considering revising the undergraduate curriculum to improve the education of a diverse student population. Task force members represent large and small universities, professional societies, and industry, and have expertise in a broad range of areas including entrepreneurship, physics education research and systemic change in education. We reviewed employment data, surveys of employers, and reports generated by other disciplines. We also met with physicists in selected industries to get their views on the strengths and weaknesses of physics graduates, commissioned a series of interviews with recent physics graduates employed in the private sector, and identified exemplary programs that ensure that all of their students are well prepared to pursue a wide range of career paths. The findings and recommendations will be summarized.

Can You Earn a Ph.D. in Economics in Five Years?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stock, Wendy A.; Finegan, T. Aldrich; Siegfried, John J.

2009-01-01

We investigate graduate school outcomes for students who entered economics Ph.D. programs in Fall 2002. Students in Top-15 ranked programs and those with higher verbal and quantitative GRE scores are less likely to have dropped out, but no more likely to have graduated. Those with undergraduate degrees from Top-60 U.S. liberal arts colleges and…

Writing Assessment in a Competence-Based Undergraduate Program for Adult Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mirel, Barbara

The School for New Learning (SNL) was established in 1972 at DePaul University especially for adult students. SNL students are adults, age 24 or older, who want to accelerate their progress to a degree by using experience as well as classwork for academic credit, and who want to design their own programs with help from an advisory committee of…

Manufacturing Mississippi's Workforce: An Assessment of Employability Skills as Perceived by Faculty and Senior Students of Four Year Manufacturing Related Degree Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Griffin, Mamie Yvette

2012-01-01

A worldwide concern exists that undergraduate programs are not producing graduates with the kind of lifelong learning and professional skills needed for workplace success. Numerous research studies indicate new employees lack needed employability skills such as teamwork, decision-making, and communication. Similarly, recent national and state…

Alcohol Use Problems Mediate the Relation between Cannabis Use Frequency and College Functioning among Students Mandated to an Alcohol Diversion Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McChargue, Dennis E.; Klanecky, Alicia K.; Anderson, Jennifer

2012-01-01

The present study examined the degree to which alcohol use problems explained the relationship between cannabis use frequency and college functioning. Undergraduates (N = 546) mandated to an alcohol diversion program at a Midwestern United States university completed screening questionnaires between October 2003 and April 2006. Sobel's (1982) test…

Field-Based Internship Models for Alternative Certification of Science and Mathematics Teachers: Views of Interns, Mentors, and University Educators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arbaugh, Fran; Abell, Sandra; Lannin, John; Volkmann, Mark; Boone, William

2007-01-01

In response to shortages of science and mathematics teachers in the U.S., many states have promoted alternative routes to certification in which individuals with non-education undergraduate degrees can become certificated in shorter timeframes than in traditional programs. One consideration in designing alternative programs is how to arrange…

Dimensions of Self-Perceived Employability in First Year IT Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Antonio, Amy; Tuffley, David

2017-01-01

Undergraduate students entering university arrive with certain expectations as to how their degree program will equip them to enter the world of work. Students are aware of the competitive nature of the modern day labor market and, as seen in this study, there is a majority belief that their program of choice and the good reputation of the…

Comparison of Selected Instructional and Classroom Management Practices of Graduates from Two Science Teacher Education Programs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Conrath, Melissa Moorhead

The purpose of this study was to compare graduates of the Undergraduate and Post-Degree Programs in secondary school science at the Ohio State University, with respect to their attitudes toward the use of inquiry activities, use of inquiry activities in the classroom and the use of effective classroom management practices. Teacher characteristics…

The Undergraduate ALFALFA Team: Outcomes for Over 250 Undergraduate Participants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Troischt, Parker; Koopmann, Rebecca A.; Haynes, Martha P.; ALFALFA Team

2016-01-01

The NSF-sponsored Undergraduate ALFALFA (Arecibo Legacy Fast ALFA) Team (UAT) is a consortium of 19 institutions founded to promote undergraduate research and faculty development within the extragalactic ALFALFA HI blind survey project and follow-up programs. In this talk we present outcomes for the more than 250 undergraduate students who have who have participated in the program during the 8 years of funding. 40% of these students have been women and members of underrepresented groups. To date 148 undergraduate students have attended annual workshops at Arecibo Observatory, interacting with faculty, graduate students, their peers, and Arecibo staff in lectures, group activities, tours, and observing runs. Team faculty have supervised 159 summer research projects and 120 academic year (e.g., senior thesis) projects. 68 students have traveled to Arecibo Observatory for observing runs and 55 have presented their results at national meetings such as the AAS. Through participation in the UAT, students are made aware of career paths they may not have previously considered. More than 90% of alumni are attending graduate school and/or pursuing a career in STEM. 42% of those pursuing graduate degrees in Physics or Astronomy are women. This work has been supported by NSF grants AST-0724918/0902211, AST-075267/0903394, AST-0725380, and AST-1211005

Valuing Professional Development Components for Emerging Undergraduate Researchers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheung, I.

2015-12-01

In 2004 the Hatfield Marine Science Center (HMSC) at Oregon State University (OSU) established a Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program to engage undergraduate students in hands-on research training in the marine sciences. The program offers students the opportunity to conduct research focused on biological and ecological topics, chemical and physical oceanography, marine geology, and atmospheric science. In partnership with state and federal government agencies, this ten-week summer program has grown to include 20+ students annually. Participants obtain a background in the academic discipline, professional development training, and research experience to make informed decisions about careers and advanced degrees in marine and earth system sciences. Professional development components of the program are designed to support students in their research experience, explore career goals and develop skills necessary to becoming a successful young marine scientist. These components generally include seminars, discussions, workshops, lab tours, and standards of conduct. These componentscontribute to achieving the following professional development objectives for the overall success of new emerging undergraduate researchers: Forming a fellowship of undergraduate students pursuing marine research Stimulating student interest and understanding of marine research science Learning about research opportunities at Oregon State University "Cross-Training" - broadening the hands-on research experience Exploring and learning about marine science careers and pathways Developing science communication and presentation skills Cultivating a sense of belonging in the sciences Exposure to federal and state agencies in marine and estuarine science Academic and career planning Retention of talented students in the marine science Standards of conduct in science Details of this program's components, objectives and best practices will be discussed.

A social and academic enrichment program promotes medical school matriculation and graduation for disadvantaged students.

PubMed

Keith, L; Hollar, D

2012-07-01

This study assessed the impact of a pre-medical pipeline program on successful completion of medical school and the capacity of this program to address achievement gaps experienced by disadvantaged students. The University of North Carolina (USA) Medical Education Development (MED) program provides intensive academic and test skills preparation for admission to medical, dental, and other allied health professions schools. This retrospective study evaluated the academic progress of a longitudinal sample of 1738 disadvantaged college students who completed MED between 1974 and 2001. Data sources included MED participant data, medical school admissions data for the host school, aggregate data from the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), and individual MED participant data from AAMC. Methods of analysis utilized Chi-square, independent samples t test, and logistic regression to examine associations between factors. Of the 935 students in MED from 1974 to 2001, who had indicated an interest in medical school, 887 (94.9%) successfully matriculated and 801 (85.7%) successfully earned the MD degree. Using logistic regression, factors that were significantly correlated with earning the medical degree included the student's race, college undergraduate total and science grade point averages, with Hispanic, African American, and Native American participants earning the medical degree at rates comparable to Caucasian participants. MED students successfully earned the MD degree despite having significantly lower Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) scores and undergraduate grade point averages compared to all United States medical school applicants: MCAT scores had little relationship with student's success. These findings suggest that an intensive, nine-week, pre-medical academic enrichment program that incorporates confidence-building and small-group tutoring and peer support activities can build a foundation on which disadvantaged students can successfully earn matriculation to and graduation from medical school.

38 CFR 21.7670 - Measurement of courses leading to a standard, undergraduate college degree.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... leading to a standard, undergraduate college degree. 21.7670 Section 21.7670 Pensions, Bonuses, and Veterans' Relief DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS (CONTINUED) VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION AND EDUCATION... leading to a standard, undergraduate college degree. Except as provided in § 21.7672, VA will measure a...

Psychology Degrees: Employment, Wage, and Career Trajectory Consequences.

PubMed

Rajecki, D W; Borden, Victor M H

2011-07-01

Psychology is a very popular undergraduate major. Examining wage data from a range of degree holders reveals much about the expected career trajectories of those with psychology degrees. First, regarding baccalaureates, psychology and other liberal arts graduates-compared with those from certain preprofessional and technical undergraduate programs-generally fall in relatively low tiers of salary levels at both starting and later career points. Salary levels among baccalaureate alumni groups correlate with averaged measures of salary satisfaction, repeated job seeking, and perceptions of underemployment. These patterns seem to stem from the specific occupational categories (job titles) entered by graduates in psychology compared with other graduates, calling into question the employability advantage of so-called generic liberal arts skills. Second, psychology master's degree holders also generally fall in a low tier of salary among their science, engineering, and health counterparts. Third, psychology college faculty (including instructors) fall in low tiers of salary compared with their colleagues from other academic fields. Such broadly based indications of the relative economic disadvantages of psychology degrees have implications for career counseling in the field. © The Author(s) 2011.

Waste-Management Education and Research Consortium (WERC) annual progress report, 1992--1993. Appendices

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1993-02-15

This report contains the following appendices: Appendix A - Requirements for Undergraduate Level; Appendix B - Requirements for Graduate Level; Appendix C - Graduate Degree In Environmental Engineeringat New Mexico State University; Appendix D - Non-degree Certificate program; Appendix E - Curriculum for Associate Degree Program in Radioactive & Hazardous Waste Materials; Appendix F - Curriculum for NCC Program in Earth & Environmental Sciences; Appendix G - Brochure of 1992 Teleconference Series; Appendix H - Sites for Hazardous/Radioactive Waste Management Series; Appendix I - WERC Interactive Television Courses; Appendix J - WERC Research Seminar Series Brochures; Appendix K - Summarymore » of Technology Development of the Third Year; Appendix L - List of Major Publications Resulting From WERC; Appendix M - Types of Equipment at WERC Laboratories; and Appendix N - WERC Newsletter Examples.« less

Waste-Management Education and Research Consortium (WERC) annual progress report, 1992--1993

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Eiceman, Gary A.; King, J. Phillip; Smith, Geoffrey B.

1993-02-15

This report contains the following appendices: Appendix A - Requirements for Undergraduate Level; Appendix B - Requirements for Graduate Level; Appendix C - Graduate Degree In Environmental Engineeringat New Mexico State University; Appendix D - Non-degree Certificate program; Appendix E - Curriculum for Associate Degree Program in Radioactive Hazardous Waste Materials; Appendix F - Curriculum for NCC Program in Earth Environmental Sciences; Appendix G - Brochure of 1992 Teleconference Series; Appendix H - Sites for Hazardous/Radioactive Waste Management Series; Appendix I - WERC Interactive Television Courses; Appendix J - WERC Research Seminar Series Brochures; Appendix K - Summary of Technologymore » Development of the Third Year; Appendix L - List of Major Publications Resulting From WERC; Appendix M - Types of Equipment at WERC Laboratories; and Appendix N - WERC Newsletter Examples.« less

Recent Changes in the Number of Nurses Graduating from Undergraduate and Graduate Programs.

PubMed

Buerhaus, Peter I; Auerbach, David I; Staiger, Douglas O

2016-01-01

Since the 1970s, a number of initiatives have attempted to increase the proportion of nursing graduates with a baccalaureate degree, but with little national effect. Now market forces, health reforms, and an Institute of Medicine report (2011) have combined to transform the educational composition of the nursing workforce. Today, there are considerably more graduates of baccalaureate nursing programs than associate degree programs. The educational transformation of the nursing workforce is not limited to baccalaureate education but includes the rapidly increasing numbers of registered nurses who have earned graduate degrees. These changes in nursing education are increasing the readiness of nursing professionals to capitalize on new opportunities, overcome challenges, and take on new roles and responsibilities as the nation's health care delivery and payments systems evolve in coming years.

Insights in Public Health: Training Today's Students to Meet Tomorrow's Challenges: Undergraduate Public Health at the University of Hawai'i at Manoa.

PubMed

Nelson-Hurwitz, Denise C; Arakaki, Lee-Ann; Uemoto, Maya

2017-03-01

The University of Hawai'i at Manoa (UHM) has long provided public health graduate education. The University's Office of Public Health Studies (OPHS) has recently started to offer a Bachelor of Arts in Public Health (BA PH) degree in response to the growing need for professionals in the health field. The purpose of this paper is to describe how UHM operates the BA PH and how the program complements OPHS's mission and goals. First, we describe the overall scope of the BA PH within OPHS and within UHM. Then we provide examples of how the BA PH program and past undergraduate student projects align with OPHS's four main goals: (1) education, (2) research, (3) service, and (4) program development.

Widening Participation in University Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rissman, Barbara; Carrington, Suzanne; Bland, Derek

2013-01-01

This paper reports how one Australian university and the Queensland Department of Education and Training (DET) are working together to increase the number of school students from low socio-economic backgrounds enrolling in undergraduate university degrees. This innovative program involves university lecturers and school teachers working together…

Women's Aspirations for Graduate Education in Taiwan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lin, Meng-Jie

2011-01-01

This study investigates female undergraduates' aspirations for master's and doctoral degree programs in Taiwan's universalized and stratified higher education system. It considers the potential effects of economic prospects, parental attitudes, and gender values. First, graduate education is perceived as a means to enhance one's comparative…

Exploring Experienced Professionals' Reflections on Computing Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Exter, Marisa; Turnage, Nichole

2012-01-01

This exploratory qualitative study examines computing professional's memories of their own formal and non-formal educational experiences, their reflections on how these have prepared them for their professional roles, and their recommendations for an "ideal" undergraduate degree program. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews of…

The impacts and "best practices" of undergraduate - graduate student mentoring relationships in undergraduate research experiences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Campanile, Megan Faurot

With the growth of undergraduate research in the U.S., over the past two decades, faculty are more often assigning graduate students to mentor undergraduate students than providing the one-on-one mentoring themselves. A critical gap that exists in the literature is how undergraduate -- graduate student mentoring relationships in undergraduate research influences both students' academic and career paths. The research questions that framed this study were: (1) What, if any, changes occur in the academic and career paths of undergraduate and graduate students who participate in undergraduate research experiences? and (2) Are there variables that constitute "best practices" in the mentoring relationships in undergraduate research experiences and, if so, what are they? The study context was the National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Undergraduates program at Illinois Institute of Technology and the 113 undergraduate researchers and 31 graduate student mentors who participated from 2006 -- 2014. Surveys and interviews were administered to collect pre- and post-program data and follow-up data during the 2014 -- 2015 academic year. Descriptive statistics, content analysis method, and constant comparative method were used to analyze the data. Key findings on the undergraduate researchers were their actual earned graduate degree types (Ph.D. 20%, M.D. 20%, M.S. 48%, other 12%) and fields (STEM 57%, medical 35%, other 8%) and the careers they were pursuing or working in. All the graduate student mentors were pursuing or working in the STEM fields (academia 50%, industry 40%, government 10%). More than 75% of both the undergraduate and graduate students reported that their mentoring relationships had a somewhat to extremely influential impact on their academic and career paths. A set of "best practices" of mentoring were developed for both the undergraduate and graduate students and focused on the mentoring experiences related to learning and teaching about research; relationship dynamics and roles; and, planning, practicing, and preparing for the future. Future studies recommended include additional longitudinal studies and comparative studies of programs with and without mentor training. Ultimately, by improving the mentoring relationships in undergraduate research it has the potential to improve both undergraduate and graduate education and produce a more highly qualified U.S. STEM workforce. oth undergraduate and graduate education and produce a more highly qualified U.S. STEM workforce.

The Chi-Sci Scholars Program: "Developing Community and Challenging Racially Inequitable Measures of Success at a Minority-Serving Institution on Chicago's Southside"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sabella, Mel S.; Mardis, Kristy L.

2017-01-01

Ensuring that all students who want to pursue degrees and careers in science can do so is an important goal of a number of undergraduate STEM equity programs throughout the United States. Many of these programs, which promote diversity and the importance of diversity in science, directly address the 2012 PCAST report, which notes that "1…

A 10-Year Review of the Food Science Summer Scholars Program: A Model for Research Training and for Recruiting Undergraduate Students into Graduate Programs and Careers in Food Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roberts, Angela J.; Robbins, Janette; McLandsborough, Lynne; Wiedmann, Martin

2010-01-01

A pressing problem facing regulatory agencies, academia, and the food industry is a shortage of qualified food science graduates, particularly those with advanced degrees (that is, M.S. or Ph.D.). In 2000, the Cornell Institute of Food Science established the annual Food Science Summer Scholars Program as an experiential summer research program…

Information technology industry certification's impact on undergraduate student perception of instructor effectiveness

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Andersson, David L.

The field of Computer Information Systems (CIS) or Information Technology (IT) is experiencing rapid change. A 2003 study analyzing the IT degree programs and those of competing disciplines at 10 post-secondary institutions concluded that information technology programs are perceived differently from information systems and computer science programs and are significantly less focused on both math and pure science subjects. In Information Technology programs, voluntary professional certifications, generally known in the Information Technology field as "IT" certifications, are used as indicators of professional skill. A descriptive study noting one subject group's responses to items that were nearly identical except for IT certification information was done to investigate undergraduate CIS/IT student perceptions of IT industry certified instructors. The subject group was comprised of undergraduate CIS/IT students from a regionally accredited private institution and a public institution. The methodology was descriptive, based on a previous model by Dr. McKillip, Professor of Psychology, Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, utilizing a web-based survey instrument with a Likert scale, providing for voluntary anonymous responses outside the classroom over a ten day window. The results indicated that IT certification affected student perceptions of instructor effectiveness, teaching methodology, and student engagement in the class, and to a lesser degree, instructor technical qualifications. The implications suggest that additional research on this topic is merited. Although the study was not designed to examine the precise cause and effect, an important implication is that students may be motivated to attend classes taught by instructors they view as more confident and effective and that teachers with IT industry certification can better engage their students.

Undergraduate Research Collaborations with Government Agencies Involving the Effects of Climate Change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gurtler, G.

2017-12-01

We discuss the challenges and achievements that a small HSI college had integrating undergraduate research experiences into an existing natural sciences program. Like most introductory college science courses, our natural science courses used textbooks, PowerPoint presentations, and lectures to illustrate basic scientific concepts. Though a collective decision was made by our science faculty to incorporate undergraduate research projects into various STEM courses, our greatest challenge was incorporating mandatory research courses into the degree plans of our Natural Science program. We found that students made considerable progress in understanding natural science by critically evaluating primary research articles and undertaking small research projects. Many of these student projects were conducted in cooperation with the Albuquerque District of the US Army Corps of Engineers, United States Geological Survey in Denver, and the National Ice Core Laboratory. These projects illustrated the effects of climate change on the water quality, sediment buildup, and biodiversity at local reservoirs. Other projects involved the analysis of ice core samples from Greenland and Antarctica. Students presented research posters at various research venues, including Community College Undergraduate Research Initiative colloquiums.

Data Analytics vs. Data Science: A Study of Similarities and Differences in Undergraduate Programs Based on Course Descriptions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aasheim, Cheryl L.; Williams, Susan; Rutner, Paige; Gardiner, Adrian

2015-01-01

The rate at which data is produced and accumulated today is greater than at any point in history with little prospect of slowing. As organizations attempt to collect and analyze this data, there is a tremendous unmet demand for appropriately skilled knowledge workers. In response, universities are developing degree programs in data science and…

Mentoring Strategies and Outcomes of Two Federally Funded Cancer Research Training Programs for Underrepresented Students in the Biomedical Sciences.

PubMed

Ford, Marvella E; Abraham, Latecia M; Harrison, Anita L; Jefferson, Melanie S; Hazelton, Tonya R; Varner, Heidi; Cannady, Kimberly; Frichtel, Carla S; Bagasra, Omar; Davis, Leroy; Rivers, David E; Slaughter, Sabra C; Salley, Judith D

2016-06-01

The US is experiencing a severe shortage of underrepresented biomedical researchers. The purpose of this paper is to present two case examples of cancer research mentoring programs for underrepresented biomedical sciences students. The first case example is a National Institutes of Health/National Cancer Institute (NIH/NCI) P20 grant titled "South Carolina Cancer Disparities Research Center (SC CaDRe)" Training Program, contributing to an increase in the number of underrepresented students applying to graduate school by employing a triple-level mentoring strategy. Since 2011, three undergraduate and four graduate students have participated in the P20 SC CaDRe program. One graduate student published a peer-reviewed scientific paper. Two graduate students (50 %) have completed their master's degrees, and the other two graduate students will receive their degrees in spring 2015. Two undergraduate students (67 %) are enrolled in graduate or professional school (grad./prof. school), and the other graduate student is completing her final year of college. The second case example is a prostate cancer-focused Department of Defense grant titled "The SC Collaborative Undergraduate HBCU Student Summer Training Program," providing 24 students training since 2009. Additionally, 47 students made scientific presentations, and two students have published peer-reviewed scientific papers. All 24 students took a GRE test preparation course; 15 (63 %) have applied to graduate school, and 11 of them (73 %) are enrolled in grad./prof. school. Thirteen remaining students (54 %) are applying to grad./prof. school. Leveraged funding provided research-training opportunities to an additional 201 National Conference on Health Disparities Student Forum participants and to 937 Ernest E. Just Research Symposium participants at the Medical University of South Carolina.

Adult Education: Who Participates and Why. How Providers of Adult Education Can Create a Climate Conducive to Promoting Greater Participation in Undergraduate Degree Programs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DeJoy, John S.

The main reasons that adults participate in education are as follows: achieve personal goals/satisfaction, prepare to change careers, or advance in a current career. Adults in the 25-34 and 35-44 age groups constitute 59% of all adult learners. Of those groups, the 25-34 age group is more degree-oriented because of concern with earning the…

Broader Impact Actualized: Collaborative Efforts that Facilitate Successful Movement of Underrepresented Students Through the Pipeline

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pyrtle, A. J.; Whitney, V. W.

2007-12-01

The Minorities Striving and Pursuing Higher Degrees of Success in Earth System Science Initiative \\(MS PHD'S)\\ was established by and for underrepresented minorities to facilitate increased and sustained participation in Earth system science community. Based on successful experiences of students within the SOARS program, the MS PHD'S 2003 pilot project incorporated a team mentoring structure. Student interaction with multiple mentors resulted in exposure to multiple learning perspectives and increased one-on-one, mentee/mentor interaction. Since program inception, eleven \\(11)\\ minority Earth system scientists have served as Program mentors and eighty-two (82) minority and non-minority scientists have served as Meeting Mentors to MS PHD'S student participants A total of ninety-nine \\(99)\\ undergraduate and graduate students from underrepresented populations have participated in the MS PHD'S program. Twenty-five undergraduate and graduate students participated in the MS PHD'S pilot program in 2003 as Cohort I. During FY 04-05, Cohort II consisted of twenty-seven students and twenty-three students formed Cohort III. FY 06-07, twenty-four (24) students formed Cohort IV. Of the ninety-nine \\(99)\\ student participants, fifty-four \\(54)\\ MS PHD'S student participants self-identified as African American, twenty-seven \\(27)\\ as Puerto Rican, six \\(6)\\ as Hispanic/Mexican American, eight \\(8)\\ as Native American and one \\(1)\\ each as African, Asian, Pacific Islander and Multi-Ethnic. During the five \\(5)\\ year span of MS PHD'S programming, fourteen \\(14)\\ student participants completed BS degrees, ten (10) completed MS degrees and seven \\(7\\ completed the Doctoral degrees. How did MS PHD'S establish meaningful engagement of the science community to enhance diversity within the Earth system science community? This case study reveals replicable processes and constructs to enhance the quality of meaningful collaboration and engagement. In addition, the study addresses frequently asked questions \\ (FAQ's)\\ on outreach, recruitment, engagement, retention and success of students from underrepresented populations within diversity-focused programs.

SOARS: Significant Opportunities in Atmospheric Research and Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Windham, T. L.; Hagan, M. E.

2001-05-01

SOARS, a model program, has developed a unique mutli-year mentoring and learning community to support, teach, and guide college students from diverse backgrounds. SOARS is dedicated to increasing the number of African American, American Indian, and Hispanic/Latino students enrolled in master's and doctoral degree programs in the atmospheric and related sciences with the goal of supporting the development of a diverse, internationally competitive and globally engaged workforce within the scientific community. Since its 1996 inception, 51 undergraduates have participated. All 51 completed or are on schedule to complete their undergraduate degrees with a major in an atmospheric or related science. Currently 17 protégés are in graduate programs. Eight have completed M.S. degrees; two are Ph.D. candidates. SOARS has a retention rate of 82 percent. The SOARS learning community provides multi-year programing for protégés that includes educational and research opportunities, mentoring, career counseling and guidance, and the possibility of financial support for a graduate level program. Protégés spend their summers at NCAR, participate in ongoing research projects, an eight week scientific writing and communication workshop, and scientific seminars. They benefit from long-term mentoring from respected scientists and professionals, learn about career opportunities, practice leadership and are encouraged to complete a graduate program in an atmospheric or related science. In this presentation we highlight the SOARS program structure and objectives with particular emphasis on the mentoring model that is fundamental to SOARS. We conclude with a summary of SOARS protégés' contributions to the broader scientific community which include oral and poster presentations at national and regional scientific conferences, as well as co-authorship of refereed journal articles.

The Status of Family Medicine Training Programs in the Asia Pacific.

PubMed

Jenn Ng, Chirk; Lieng Teng, Cheong; Abdullah, Adina; Hoong Wong, Chin; Sherina Hanafi, Nik; Su Yin Phoa, Stephanie; Tong, Wen Ting

2016-03-01

The family medicine training programs in the Asia Pacific (AP) are evolving. To date, there is a lack of comprehensive and systematic documentation on the status of family medicine training in the AP. This study aims to determine the status of family medicine training at both the undergraduate and postgraduate levels in medical schools (universities or colleges) in the AP. In 2014, the authors conducted a cross-sectional online survey to assess the undergraduate and postgraduate family medicine programs in academic family medicine departments from AP countries. A 37-item online survey questionnaire was sent to key informants from academic institutions with established family medicine departments/units. Only one response from each family medicine department/unit was included in the analysis. The medical school and country response rates were 31.31% and 64.1%, respectively. The majority of the medical schools (94.7%, n=71/75) reported having a department/unit for family medicine. Family medicine is recognized as a specialist degree by the governments of 20/25 countries studied. Family medicine is included in the undergraduate program of 92% (n=69/75) of all the participating medical schools. Only slightly more than half (53.3%) (n=40/75) reported conducting a postgraduate clinical program. Less than one third (26.7%) (n=20/75) of the medical schools conducted postgraduate research programs. Undergraduate training remains the focus of most family medicine departments/units in the AP. Nevertheless, the number of postgraduate programs is increasing. A more rigorous and long-term documentation of family medicine training in the AP is warranted.

Why do different people choose different university degrees? Motivation and the choice of degree

PubMed Central

Skatova, Anya; Ferguson, Eamonn

2014-01-01

Different people choose undergraduate degrees to study at university for different reasons. To date, there have been limited attempts to identify individual differences in motivation that drive undergraduate degree choice. We identified that people choose university degrees for four reasons: career concerns (Career), intrinsic interest in the subject (Interest), an opportunity to help others (Helping) and because they are looking for an easy option to get into higher education (Loafing). We investigated whether these motivations apply to the choice of undergraduate degree in two samples: (1) undergraduate (N = 989) and (2) prospective (N = 896) students. We developed the Motivations Influencing Course Choice (MICC) questionnaire to measure these motivations. Scales of Helping, Career, Loafing, and Interest showed good psychometric properties, showed validity with respect to general life goals and personality traits, and predicted actual and prospective degree choices. We demonstrated that medical degrees were chosen due to a mixture of Helping and Career, while engineering degrees were associated with Career and low Interest in the degree. The choice of arts and humanities degrees was driven by Interest and low concern about future career, accompanied with high Loafing. We also demonstrated gender differences: females were high in Helping (both samples) and Interest (only in the undergraduate sample) motivation, while males scored higher in Career (only in the undergraduate sample) and Loafing (both samples). The findings can feed into both theoretical accounts of proximal motivation as well as provide help to improve degree programmes at universities and support better career advice. PMID:25431561

Relationship between student selection criteria and learner success for medical dosimetry students

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Baker, Jamie, E-mail: jabaker@mdanderson.org; Tucker, Debra; Raynes, Edilberto

Medical dosimetry education occupies a specialized branch of allied health higher education. Noted international shortages of health care workers, reduced university funding, limitations on faculty staffing, trends in learner attrition, and increased enrollment of nontraditional students force medical dosimetry educational leadership to reevaluate current admission practices. Program officials wish to select medical dosimetry students with the best chances of successful graduation. The purpose of the quantitative ex post facto correlation study was to investigate the relationship between applicant characteristics (cumulative undergraduate grade point average (GPA), science grade point average (SGPA), prior experience as a radiation therapist, and previous academic degrees)more » and the successful completion of a medical dosimetry program, as measured by graduation. A key finding from the quantitative study was the statistically significant positive correlation between a student's previous degree and his or her successful graduation from the medical dosimetry program. Future research investigations could include a larger research sample, representative of more medical dosimetry student populations, and additional studies concerning the relationship of previous work as a radiation therapist and the effect on success as a medical dosimetry student. Based on the quantitative correlation analysis, medical dosimetry leadership on admissions committees could revise student selection rubrics to place less emphasis on an applicant's undergraduate cumulative GPA and increase the weight assigned to previous degrees.« less

Relationship between student selection criteria and learner success for medical dosimetry students.

PubMed

Baker, Jamie; Tucker, Debra; Raynes, Edilberto; Aitken, Florence; Allen, Pamela

2016-01-01

Medical dosimetry education occupies a specialized branch of allied health higher education. Noted international shortages of health care workers, reduced university funding, limitations on faculty staffing, trends in learner attrition, and increased enrollment of nontraditional students force medical dosimetry educational leadership to reevaluate current admission practices. Program officials wish to select medical dosimetry students with the best chances of successful graduation. The purpose of the quantitative ex post facto correlation study was to investigate the relationship between applicant characteristics (cumulative undergraduate grade point average (GPA), science grade point average (SGPA), prior experience as a radiation therapist, and previous academic degrees) and the successful completion of a medical dosimetry program, as measured by graduation. A key finding from the quantitative study was the statistically significant positive correlation between a student׳s previous degree and his or her successful graduation from the medical dosimetry program. Future research investigations could include a larger research sample, representative of more medical dosimetry student populations, and additional studies concerning the relationship of previous work as a radiation therapist and the effect on success as a medical dosimetry student. Based on the quantitative correlation analysis, medical dosimetry leadership on admissions committees could revise student selection rubrics to place less emphasis on an applicant׳s undergraduate cumulative GPA and increase the weight assigned to previous degrees. Copyright © 2016 American Association of Medical Dosimetrists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Undergraduate Students as Climate Communicators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharif, H. O.; Joseph, J.; Mullendore, G. L.

2012-12-01

The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), San Antonio College (SAC), and the University of North Dakota (UND) are partnering with NASA to provide underrepresented undergraduates from UTSA, SAC, and other community colleges climate-related research and education experiences. The program aims to develop a robust response to climate change by providing K-16 climate change education; enhance the effectiveness of K-16 education particularly in engineering and other STEM disciplines by use of new instructional technologies; increase the enrollment in engineering programs and the number of engineering degrees awarded by showing engineering's usefulness in relation to the much-discussed contemporary issue of climate change; increase persistence in STEM degrees by providing student research opportunities; and increase the ethnic diversity of those receiving engineering degrees and help ensure an ethnically diverse response to climate change. Students will have the opportunity to participate in guided research experiences aligned with NASA Science Plan objectives for climate and Earth system science and the educational objectives of the three institutions. An integral part of the learning process will include training in modern media technology (webcasts), and in using this technology to communicate the information on climate change to others, especially high school students, culminating in production of a webcast about investigating aspects of climate change using NASA data. Content developed is leveraged by NASA Earth observation data and NASA Earth system models and tools. Several departments are involved in the educational program.

An Event to Encourage High School Students to Pursue College Degrees in Physics and Math

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bukiet, Bruce; Thomas, Gordon

2003-04-01

We discuss a Math and Physics Day for high school students and teachers, with hands-on activities and seminars involving mathematics and physics. Participants also learn about careers for those who go on to major in physics and mathematics in college. The New York State Section of the APS has provided generous support for this workshop through its Outreach grant program. Approximately a dozen high schools and 100 students attend each year. The program, which runs from 9:15 AM until 2:15 PM, includes an introduction to undergraduate degree programs in Mathematics, Statistics, Optics, Actuarial Science and Applied Physics, a group physics experiment/contest, brief talks over lunch by speakers from industry who have degrees in Math or Physics, and an afternoon seminar. Teachers earn Professional Development credit.

Case Studies in Applied Mathematics.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mathematical Association of America, Washington, DC.

This collection of nine case studies in applied mathematics was written primarily for the use of the instructor by a Conference sponsored by the Committee on the Undergraduate Program in Mathematics (CUPM). Each chapter contains exercises of varying degrees of difficulty and several include student projects. The materials were used on a trial…

Physical Education Teacher Education (PETE) in Canada

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Melnychuk, Nancy; Robinson, Daniel; Lu, Chunlei; Chorney, David; Randall, Lynn

2011-01-01

The purpose of this study was to identify physical education (PE) teacher educators and examine physical education teacher education (PETE) programs presently offered at undergraduate degree-granting Canadian universities. The investigation was conceptualized by issues related to the dislodging of PETE from a central to a marginal role in higher…

Strictly Business

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stuart, Reginald

2011-01-01

When Jackson State University opened for classes this year, it marked its fifth anniversary in the online education business by adding a full four-year, undergraduate degree program in early childhood education to its offerings. Jackson State is among a growing number of historically Black colleges tying part of their future survival and growth…

The Adelphi Experiment: Accelerating Social Work Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rosenblatt, Aaron; And Others

The educational program adopted at Adelphi University School of Social Work provides students interested in obtaining the master's degree in social work with an opportunity to accelerate their professional education. As undergraduate students they can elect to major in social welfare, and if they do, some courses usually available only to graduate…

Incorporating Assessment into the Culture of a University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ferris, Sharmila Pixy; Overdorf, Virginia G.

2004-01-01

William Paterson University (WPUNJ) is a midsize, public, comprehensive university in northern New Jersey, seventeen miles from New York City. The university offers thirty undergraduate and nineteen graduate degree programs in five colleges, has 350 full-time faculty members, and enrolls approximately 11,000 students. While faculty and staff at…

The Necessity of Physical Activity in Kinesiology Degree Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Tyler G.; Twietmeyer, Gregg

2018-01-01

The term "the practice of physical activity" was recently introduced as one of the four elements of the American Kinesiology Association undergraduate core curriculum. The purpose of this article is to articulate the nature of the term by offering a philosophical justification (other than health) for including physical activity…

Graduate Women in Engineering.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goldberg, Julie L.; Sedlacek, William E.

The transition from undergraduate to graduate school is a point when female students may lose interest in pursuing engineering degrees, and the percentage of women enrolled in engineering graduate programs is small in comparison to that of males. To attempt to mitigate the potential isolation of women graduate engineering students, the Women in…

The Student Success Coach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Neuhauser, Claudia; Weber, Kendra

2011-01-01

An innovative position, a Student Success Coach, was created in response to a newly developed undergraduate-degree program on the recently established University of Minnesota Rochester campus. Student Success Coaches serve as the link between the academic and student affairs sides of the campus. They interact closely with students and faculty to…

Addressing the Problem of Service Teaching Introductory Economics Subjects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barrett, Steven

2005-01-01

Enrolments in undergraduate economics programs have been falling constantly since the early 1990s. This trend coincides with the increasing popularity of business and management degrees. Consequently, the major activity of many, if not most economics departments and schools in Australia is service teaching of introductory economics to first year…

34 CFR 607.3 - What is an enrollment of needy students?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... following programs: Pell Grant, Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant, College Work-Study, and Perkins...-time basis and received Pell Grants exceeded the median percentage of undergraduate degree students who were enrolled on at least a half-time basis and received Pell Grants at comparable institutions that...

Personalized Learning and the Ultraversity Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Powell, Stephen; Tindal, Ian; Millwood, Richard

2008-01-01

This paper describes a model of personalized work-integrated learning that is collaborative in nature, uses emerging Internet technologies and is accessed fully online. The Ultraversity project was set up by Ultralab at Anglia Ruskin University to develop a fully online, 3-year duration, undergraduate degree program with an emphasis on action…

Early Careerist Interest and Participation in Health Care Leadership Development Programs.

PubMed

Thompson, Jon M; Temple, April

2015-01-01

Health care organizations are increasingly embracing leadership development programs. These programs include a variety of specific activities, such as formally structured leadership development, as well as mentoring, personal development and coaching, 360-degree feedback, and job enlargement, in order to increase the leadership skills of managers and high-potential staff. However, there is a lack of information on how early careerists in health care management view these programs and the degree to which they participate. This article reports on a study undertaken to determine how early careerists working in health care organizations view leadership development programs and their participation in such programs offered by their employers. Study findings are based on a survey of 126 early careerists who are graduates of an undergraduate health services administration program. We found varying levels of interest and participation in specific leadership development activities. In addition, we found that respondents with graduate degrees and those with higher compensation were more likely to participate in selected leadership development program activities. Implications of study findings for health care organizations and early careerists in the offering of, and participation in, leadership development programs are discussed.

The Undergraduate ALFALFA Team: A Model for Involving Undergraduates in Major Legacy Astronomy Research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Troischt, Parker; Koopmann, Rebecca A.; Haynes, Martha P.; Higdon, Sarah; Balonek, Thomas J.; Cannon, John M.; Coble, Kimberly A.; Craig, David; Durbala, Adriana; Finn, Rose; Hoffman, G. Lyle; Kornreich, David A.; Lebron, Mayra E.; Crone-Odekon, Mary; O'Donoghue, Aileen A.; Olowin, Ronald Paul; Pantoja, Carmen; Rosenberg, Jessica L.; Venkatesan, Aparna; Wilcots, Eric M.; Alfalfa Team

2015-01-01

The NSF-sponsored Undergraduate ALFALFA (Arecibo Legacy Fast ALFA) Team (UAT) is a consortium of 19 institutions founded to promote undergraduate research and faculty development within the extragalactic ALFALFA HI blind survey project and follow-up programs. The collaborative nature of the UAT allows faculty and students from a wide ​range of public and private colleges and especially those with small astronomy programs to develop scholarly collaborations. Components of the program include an annual undergraduate workshop at Arecibo Observatory, observing runs at Arecibo, computer infrastructure, summer and academic year research projects, and dissemination at national meetings (e.g., Alfvin et al., Martens et al., Sanders et al., this meeting). Through this model, faculty and students are learning how science is accomplished in a large collaboration while contributing to the scientific goals of a major legacy survey. In the 7 years of the program, 23 faculty and more than 220 undergraduate students have participated at a significant level. 40% of them have been women and members of underrepresented groups. Faculty, many of whom were new to the collaboration and had expertise in other fields, contribute their diverse sets of skills to ALFALFA ​related projects via observing, data reduction, collaborative research, and research with students. 142 undergraduate students have attended the annual workshops at Arecibo Observatory, interacting with faculty, graduate students, their peers, and Arecibo staff in lectures, group activities, tours, and observing runs. Team faculty have supervised 131 summer research projects and 94 academic year (e.g., senior thesis) projects. 62 students have traveled to Arecibo Observatory for observing runs and 46 have presented their results at national meetings. 93% of alumni are attending graduate school and/or pursuing a career in STEM. Half of those pursuing graduate degrees in Physics or Astronomy are women. This work has been supported by NSF grants AST-0724918/0902211, AST075267/0903394, AST0725380, and AST-1211005.

Dual degree partnership in nursing: an innovative undergraduate educational model.

PubMed

Bastable, Susan B; Markowitz, Marianne

2012-10-01

We report the success of a unique articulation Dual Degree Partnership in Nursing (DDPN) model. The process used to establish and implement this approach is described. Unlike typical 2+2 agreements between associate degree (AD) and bachelor degree (BS) nursing education programs, the DDPN is designed with a 1+2+1 sequence. Intended to attract high school students, this model provides the opportunity to earn two degrees (AD and BS) while experiencing a 4-year campus living and learning environment. This configuration was accomplished without compromising the integrity of either of the established programs. After collecting data over the past 6 years, this model demonstrates popularity with the traditional-aged student, as well as success from an academic perspective. Statistics on retention, graduation, and NCLEX® pass rates indicate the feasibility and success of the model. Based on the findings, the potential for replication is promising for other colleges interested in a similar collaboration. Copyright 2012, SLACK Incorporated.

How Do Students' Accounts of Sociology Change over the Course of Their Undergraduate Degrees?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ashwin, Paul; Abbas, Andrea; McLean, Monica

2014-01-01

In this article we examine how students' accounts of the discipline of sociology change over the course of their undergraduate degrees. Based on a phenomenographic analysis of 86 interviews with 32 sociology and criminology students over the course of their undergraduate degrees, we constituted five different ways of accounting for sociology.…

Currently available medical engineering degrees in the UK. Part 1: Undergraduate degrees.

PubMed

Joyce, T

2009-05-01

This paper reviews mechanical-engineering-based medical engineering degrees which are currently provided at undergraduate level in the UK. At present there are 14 undergraduate degree programmes in medical engineering, offered by the University of Bath, University of Birmingham, University of Bradford, Cardiff University, University of Hull, Imperial College London, University of Leeds, University of Nottingham, University of Oxford, Queen Mary University of London, University of Sheffield, University of Southampton, University of Surrey, and Swansea University. All these undergraduate courses are delivered on a full-time basis, both 3 year BEng and 4 year MEng degrees. Half of the 14 degree courses share a core first 2 years with a mechanical engineering stream. The other seven programmes include medical engineering modules earlier in their degrees. Within the courses, a very wide range of medical-engineering-related modules are offered, although more common modules include biomaterials, biomechanics, and anatomy and physiology.

Analyzing the Learning of the Taking Personal and Social Responsibility Model within a New Physical Education Undergraduate Degree Program in El Salvador

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Andre, Mauro H.; Mandigo, James L.

2013-01-01

El Salvador has an unfortunate history that includes a military regime and a civil war that together created a legacy of violence in which the country still struggles nowadays. Salud Escolar Integral (SEI) was created in 2005 by universities, federal governments, a corporate sponsor, and sport associations as a program to combat youth violence…

Workforce and graduate school outcomes of NOAA's Educational Partnership Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Christenson, T.; Kaplan, M.

2017-12-01

Underrepresented groups, including Black, Hispanic, Native American, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Island professionals remain underrepresented in STEM fields generally, and in the ocean and atmospheric sciences specifically. NOAA has tried to address this disparity through a number of initiatives under the Educational Partnership Program with Minority Serving Institutions (EPP MSI) which currently has two components: four Cooperative Science Centers (CSCs) aligned with NOAA's mission areas; and an Undergraduate Scholarship Program (USP), both established in 2001. In order to determine the outcomes for the program participants and the impacts of these programs on degree completions and on the workforce, the EPP MSI undertook a multi-pronged effort to identify career and education achievements for 80% of the approximately 1750 EPP MSI alumni, 75% of whom are from underrepresented groups. This was accomplished through 1) searching online resources (e.g. professional web pages, LinkedIn, etc.), 2) personal communication with program-associated faculty, 3) National Student Clearinghouse, 4) a survey of former scholars conducted by Insight Policy Research, and 5) self-reporting though NOAA's Voluntary Alumni Update System. Results show that 60% of CSC alumni currently hold an advanced degree in a STEM field with another 8% currently working toward one. 66% of EPP Undergraduate Scholars go to graduate school. 72% of CSC and USP alumni are currently employed in or pursuing a graduate degree in a NOAA-related* field. More than 70 CSC graduates currently work for NOAA as contractors or federal employees while more than 240 work for other government agencies. More than 400 are employed in the private sector. Of more than 225 PhD graduates, 66 have completed or currently hold post-doctoral positions in NOAA mission fields; 71 have held faculty positions at major universities. However, one challenge is retaining diverse STEM talent within the Geosciences in light of the lure of lucrative jobs in other STEM fields and ensuring robust outcomes beyond degree completions.

Persistence of deaf students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics undergraduate programs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marchut, Amber E.

Diversifying the student population and workforce under science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) is a necessity if innovations and creativity are to expand. There has not been a lot of literature regarding Deaf students in STEM especially regarding understanding how they persist in STEM undergraduate programs to successfully become STEM Bachelor of Science degree recipients. This study addresses the literature gap by investigating six students' experiences as they navigate their STEM undergraduate programs. The investigation uses narrative inquiry methodology and grounded theory method through the lens of Critical Race Theory and Critical Deaf Theory. Using videotaped interviews and observations, their experiences are highlighted using narratives portraying them as individuals surviving in a society that tends to perceive being deaf as a deficit that needs to be treated or cured. The data analysis also resulted in a conceptual model providing a description of how they persist. The crucial aspect of the conceptual model is the participants learned how to manage being deaf in a hearing-dominated society so they can reach their aspirations. The essential blocks for the persistence and managing their identities as deaf undergraduate STEMs include working harder, relying on familial support, and affirming themselves. Through the narratives and conceptual model of the six Deaf STEM undergraduates, the goal is to contribute to literature to promote a better understanding of the persistence of Deaf students, members of a marginalized group, as they pursue their dreams.

Emerging Adulthood and Gender Differences in Adult Bachelor Degree Completion: A Multi-Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Riley, Shawn

2013-01-01

Adult undergraduate students constitute 40% of the total undergraduates studying in the United States. However, male undergraduates and male undergraduates over the age of 25 are less likely to enroll in and complete a bachelor's degree than their female counterparts. Given the detrimental employment impacts of not earning a bachelor's…

Roster of Astronomy Departments with Enrollment and Degree Data, 2014: Results from the 2014 Survey of Enrollments and Degrees. Focus On

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nicholson, Starr; Mulvey, Patrick J.

2015-01-01

Undergraduate astronomy enrollments in the US continue to rise with junior and senior level enrollments exceeding the previous year's all-time high. The increasing undergraduate enrollments have produced 428 bachelor's in the 2013-14 academic year, also an all-time high. Undergraduate astronomy degree production will continue to rise given the…

Academic program models for undergraduate biomedical engineering.

PubMed

Krishnan, Shankar M

2014-01-01

There is a proliferation of medical devices across the globe for the diagnosis and therapy of diseases. Biomedical engineering (BME) plays a significant role in healthcare and advancing medical technologies thus creating a substantial demand for biomedical engineers at undergraduate and graduate levels. There has been a surge in undergraduate programs due to increasing demands from the biomedical industries to cover many of their segments from bench to bedside. With the requirement of multidisciplinary training within allottable duration, it is indeed a challenge to design a comprehensive standardized undergraduate BME program to suit the needs of educators across the globe. This paper's objective is to describe three major models of undergraduate BME programs and their curricular requirements, with relevant recommendations to be applicable in institutions of higher education located in varied resource settings. Model 1 is based on programs to be offered in large research-intensive universities with multiple focus areas. The focus areas depend on the institution's research expertise and training mission. Model 2 has basic segments similar to those of Model 1, but the focus areas are limited due to resource constraints. In this model, co-op/internship in hospitals or medical companies is included which prepares the graduates for the work place. In Model 3, students are trained to earn an Associate Degree in the initial two years and they are trained for two more years to be BME's or BME Technologists. This model is well suited for the resource-poor countries. All three models must be designed to meet applicable accreditation requirements. The challenges in designing undergraduate BME programs include manpower, facility and funding resource requirements and time constraints. Each academic institution has to carefully analyze its short term and long term requirements. In conclusion, three models for BME programs are described based on large universities, colleges, and community colleges. Model 1 is suitable for research-intensive universities. Models 2 and 3 can be successfully implemented in higher education institutions with low and limited resources with appropriate guidance and support from international organizations. The models will continually evolve mainly to meet the industry needs.

Clinically speaking: A communication skills program for students from non-English speaking backgrounds.

PubMed

Miguel, Caroline San; Rogan, Fran; Kilstoff, Kathleen; Brown, Di

2006-09-01

This paper reports on the design, delivery and evaluation of an innovative oral communication skills program for first year students in a Bachelor of Nursing degree at an Australian university. This program was introduced in 2004 to meet the needs of first year undergraduate students from non-English speaking backgrounds who had experienced difficulties with spoken English while on clinical placement. The program consisted of early identification of students in need of communication development, a series of classes incorporated into the degree program to address students' needs, followed by a clinical placement block. This paper describes the structure of the program, discusses some of the major problems encountered by students in the clinical setting and presents some of the teaching strategies used to address these problems. Evaluations of the program suggest that students' communication skills and confidence improved, resulting in a more positive clinical experience for the majority of students.

Systemic Mentoring for Competitiveness: The Model of the Timbuktu Academy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bagayoko, Diola

2010-02-01

The Timbuktu Academy is a comprehensive, systemic mentoring program at Southern University and A&M College in Baton Rouge (SUBR), Louisiana. We define systemic mentoring as one that is woven into the core functions of an organization. For most universities, those functions include instruction, research, and service. While the Academy has programs for pre-college and graduate students, its Ten-Strand Systemic Mentoring Model was specifically tailored to undergraduate education. We discuss basic considerations that led to the paradigm, programs, activities, and results of the Timbuktu Academy. The proper implementation of the Ten-Strand Systemic Mentoring Model couples teaching and superior learning, on the one hand, and integrates research and education, on the other hand. For undergraduate education, key strands include support (financially or otherwise), scientific advisement, research participation (academic year or summer), immersion in a professional culture, monitoring, and guidance to graduate school. From the summer of 1994 to 2009, the Academy has engaged 2,093 pre-college scholars in its summer programs. To date, the Academy has assisted in the production of one hundred seventy (170) minority undergraduate scholars who have earned a Bachelor of Science degree. Seventy (70) of 83 physics graduates, twenty (20) of 29 chemistry graduates, and twenty-two (22) of 49 engineering graduates have earned graduate degrees or are successfully enrolled in graduate school, with emphasis on the pursuit of the Ph.D. For the above model and results, the Timbuktu Academy received the 2002 U.S. Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring. Its director was among the first individual recipients of this award in 1996. The handouts accompanying this presentation are intended to facilitate the adaptive replication of the Timbuktu Academy by individuals, departments, colleges and universities, and other organizations. )

Nursing, occupational therapy, and physical therapy preparation in rheumatology in the United States and Canada.

PubMed

Jette, A M; Becker, M C

1980-11-01

Directors of undergraduate programs in nursing, physical therapy, and occupational therapy in the United States and Canada were surveyed to determine the amount and perceived adequacy of the current degree of classroom and clinical exposure to the rheumatic diseases. One hundred ninety-one (73%) of the 262 mailed questionnaires were returned. Results indicate that regardless of the actual degree of rheumatologic classroom exposure, directors in all three disciplines view current amounts as adequate. A larger proportion views levels of clinical exposure as inadequate. In general, the Canadian programs had a greater emphasis on rheumatology than their United States counterparts.

Beyond the dual degree: development of a five-year program in leadership for medical undergraduates.

PubMed

Crites, Gerald E; Ebert, James R; Schuster, Richard J; Shuster, Richard J

2008-01-01

The current state of physician leadership education consists mainly of executive degree programs designed for midcareer physicians. In 2004, the authors proposed that, by educating medical students in physician leadership and integrating this with a business management or public health degree program, graduates, health care organizations, and communities would benefit sooner. Given the lack of program models to guide program integration and development, the authors began a one-year inquiry to build a model leadership curriculum and integrate leadership education across degree programs. The qualitative inquiry resulted in several linked tasks. First, the authors identified a feasible method for concurrently delivering all three program components (MD degree, Leadership Curriculum, and MBA or MPH degree) during a five-year plan. Second, the authors chose a competency-based educational framework for leadership and then identified, adapted, and validated existing leadership competencies to their context. Third, the authors performed an extensive program alignment to identify existing overlaps and opportunities for integration within and across program components. Fourth, the authors performed a needs analysis to identify educational gaps, subsequently leading to redesigning two courses and to designing three new courses. A description of the Leadership Curriculum is also provided. This inquiry has led to the development of the Boonshoft Physician Leadership Development Program, which provides physician leadership education integrated with medical education and education in business management or public heath. Future program initiatives include developing leadership student assessment tools and testing the link between program activities and short- and long-term outcome measures of program success.

Trends in Undergraduate Economics Degrees, 1991-2012

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Siegfried, John J.

2013-01-01

The 2007-10 growth spurt (18 percent over three years) in U.S. undergraduate economics degrees came to an abrupt end in 2011 and 2012. Degrees awarded grew less than one percent over the past two years.

Reaching Out: The Bachelor of Arts Degree In Physics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hobson, Art

1996-05-01

Physics degrees are not only for physicists. Our department believes that it would be healthy if attorneys, physicians, journalists, politicians, businesspeople, and others had undergraduate degrees in physics. Thus, we have begun offering a Bachelor of Arts degree in physics, for students who want to study physics as a background for other fields such as law (patents, environmental law), medical school, business (high-tech firms), journalism (science reporting, environmental reporting), music (accoustics, electronic music), and essentially any other profession. The program reaches outward, outside of physics, rather than pointing toward further work in physics. It begins with the algebra-based introductory course rather than the calculus-based course for future physicists and engineers. Two new courses are being created to provide these pre-professional students with broad science literacy and knowledge of physics-related technologies. The program is more flexible and less technical than the traditional Bachelor of Science program, allowing students time for outside electives and professional requirements in other fields.

Leadership roles, competencies, and education: how prepared are our nurse managers?

PubMed

Kleinman, Carol S

2003-09-01

Although they are responsible for the operation of business units, nurse managers are often less well prepared to manage the business activities than the clinical activities. Perceptions of nurse managers and nurse executives regarding competencies required for nursing management roles and the educational preparation required to attain them were examined. Results indicate the groups are in basic agreement about required competencies, though nurse managers appear less clear about nurse executive role responsibilities. Nurse executives value the acquisition of a master's degree as essential for nurse manager performance, while fewer nurse managers agree. Strategies nurse executives may employ to develop nurse manager business knowledge include traditional undergraduate and graduate degree programs, online programs, certificate programs, continuing education, inservice education offerings, seminars, and mentoring activities.

Teaching Principles of Economics without "Chalk and Talk": The Experience of CNU Online.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vachris, Michelle Albert

1999-01-01

Discusses the Christopher Newport University (Virginia) [CNU] online program in which students can complete their general education required courses and earn four-year undergraduate degrees online. Addresses the effects of technology on students and the problems encountered in an online environment. Includes reactions by George Bredon and Howard…

Entry Criteria versus Success in Undergraduate Nursing Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jacob, Elizabeth; Chapman, Ysanne; Birks, Melanie; Al-Motlaq, Mohammad A.

2011-01-01

Students enter nursing degree programs through a variety of pathways. This article reports on a study that investigated the success and experience of these students. The aim was to determine any linkages between the pathway of entry in a preregistration nursing course and the academic achievements of these students. To achieve this aim, a…

Annual Survey of Colleges, 1986-1987. Summary Statistics.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

College Entrance Examination Board, New York, NY.

Results of the College Board's Annual Survey of Colleges for 1986-1987 are presented, based on responses from 3,093 two-year and four-year institutions. Data for 1985 and trends for 1980 and 1984 cover undergraduate enrollments, student progress, academic programs, degrees conferred, and student financial aid. While most of the tables present…

Reduced Contact Hour Accelerated Courses and Student Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thornton, Barry; Demps, Julius; Jadav, Arpita

2017-01-01

Undergraduate instruction in the Davis College of Business at Jacksonville University utilizes two course delivery methods. Traditional daytime classes are 15 weeks long and have approximately 40 contact hours, while evening courses are offered in the Accelerated Degree program in a compressed 8-week format with 24 contact hours. The curriculum is…

Using Online Learning To Meet Workforce Demand: A Case Study of Stakeholder Influence.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Benson, Angela D.

2002-01-01

Investigated how stakeholder interests influenced one state's efforts to provide online undergraduate degree programs to meet workforce needs. Describes the use of an embedded qualitative case study design; discusses findings that showed that the interests of some stakeholder groups prevailed at the expense of other groups; and suggests further…

Does Providing Feedback to Student Reflections Impact the Development of Their Leadership Competence?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stedman, Nicole L. P.; Rutherford, Tracy A.; Roberts, T. Grady

2006-01-01

Internship experience is a valuable component of an undergraduate degree. This is especially true in leadership education programs, where leadership development may take place in a variety of contexts. Theory purports reflection enhances a learners' experience through a linkage of education, work, and personal development (Kolb, 1984). It is not…

Exploring Emotional Intelligence, Learner Autonomy, and Retention in an Accelerated Undergraduate Degree Completion Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Buvoltz, Katie A.; Powell, Freda J.; Solan, Ann M.; Longbotham, Gail J.

2008-01-01

This article presents the results of research that explored the relationship between emotional intelligence and learner autonomy in the context of nontraditional higher education and their impact on student retention. This was predicated on previous research that suggested emotional intelligence might lead to student success and that autonomous…

Digital Immigrants in Distance Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Salazar-Márquez, Roberto

2017-01-01

The constant growth of methods of education that incorporate the Internet into teaching-learning processes has opened up a wide range of opportunities for students across the world to gain entry to undergraduate or graduate degree programs. However, if the enrolling student is a digital immigrant, the chances of success may be limited by the…

Job Satisfaction and the Perceived Organizational Culture of U.S. Military and Military Affiliated Personnel

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Diffenauer, Deborah A.

2010-01-01

This study examined the relationship between demographic characteristics, level of job satisfaction, and current/preferred organizational culture in a sample of 139 off-campus military degree program participants. Responses were received from undergraduate students in the fields of engineering, applied sciences and arts, and education. "The Job…

An Investigation of the Perceptions of Business Students Regarding Non-Traditional Business Education Formats.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barnes, John W.; Hadjimarcou, John

1999-01-01

A survey of 118 undergraduate business students at a major southwestern university found that most consider non-traditional education as a viable option to traditional education. However, respondents also identified disadvantages of non-traditional programs, such as cost, external validity of degrees, and impersonalized learning environment.…

A Renaissance in Engineering PhD Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Akay, Adnan

2008-01-01

This paper addresses the role of engineering PhD education and its relationship to innovation and technology, and the need to reconsider how we educate PhD engineers. Much of the effort on engineering education in the last two decades focused on undergraduate education with a few exceptions that relate to master degree programs. Doctoral education…

Customized Content Delivery for Graduate Management Education: Application to Business Statistics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hall, Owen P., Jr.; Ko, Ken

2008-01-01

Globalization is bringing about a radical "rethink" regarding the delivery of graduate management education. Today, many students entering a residential MBA program do not possess an undergraduate degree in business. As a result, many business schools are increasingly turning to the Internet to provide "customized" instructional content to ensure…

An appeal to undergraduate wildlife programs: send scientists to learn statistics

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kendall, W.L.; Gould, W.R.

2002-01-01

Undergraduate wildlife students taking introductory statistics too often are poorly prepared and insufficiently motivated to learn statistics. We have also encountered too many wildlife professionals, even with graduate degrees, who exhibit an aversion to thinking statistically, either relying too heavily on statisticians or avoiding statistics altogether. We believe part of the reason for these problems is that wildlife majors are insufficiently grounded in the scientific method and analytical thinking before they take statistics. We suggest that a partial solution is to assure wildlife majors are trained in the scientific method at the very beginning of their academic careers.

Establishing common course objectives for undergraduate exercise physiology.

PubMed

Simonson, Shawn R

2015-12-01

Undergraduate exercise physiology is a ubiquitous course in undergraduate kinesiology/exercise science programs with a broad scope and depth of topics. It is valuable to explore what is taught within this course. The purpose of the present study was to facilitate an understanding of what instructors teach in undergraduate exercise physiology, how it compares with various guidelines, and to continue the conversation regarding what should be taught. A survey was created using course outcomes from the American Society of Exercise Physiologists, National Association for Sport and Physical Education, Ivy's 2007 Quest article, the National Athletic Training Association, the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education, and 36 undergraduate exercise physiology course syllabi. The 134-item survey was disseminated to individuals who use exercise physiology: university faculty members, clinical exercise physiologists, researchers, and other practitioners on various exercise physiology lists; 2,009 surveys were sent, and 322 surveys were completed (16% rate of return). There was a high degree of agreement about a lot of important content in undergraduate exercise physiology. Instructors of exercise physiology should focus their curriculum on regulation and homeostasis (including adaptation, fatigue, and recovery), aerobic systems, bioenergetics, muscle physiology, and fitness principles. In addition, attention should be paid to performance and technical skills. In conclusion, it is up to exercise physiologists to ensure quality of knowledge and practice. Doing so will improve the uniformity and quality of practitioners within the various kinesiology/exercise science fields and increase the value of a Kinesiology/Exercise Science degree and set it apart from other healthcare providers and fitness professionals. Copyright © 2015 The American Physiological Society.

Iowa State University's undergraduate minor, online graduate certificate and resource center in NDE

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bowler, Nicola; Larson, Brian F.; Gray, Joseph N.

2014-02-01

Nondestructive evaluation is a `niche' subject that is not yet offered as an undergraduate or graduate major in the United States. The undergraduate minor in NDE offered within the College of Engineering at Iowa State University (ISU) provides a unique opportunity for undergraduate aspiring engineers to obtain a qualification in the multi-disciplinary subject of NDE. The minor requires 16 credits of course work within which a core course and laboratory in NDE are compulsory. The industrial sponsors of Iowa State's Center for Nondestructive Evaluation, and others, strongly support the NDE minor and actively recruit students from this pool. Since 2007 the program has graduated 10 students per year and enrollment is rising. In 2011, ISU's College of Engineering established an online graduate certificate in NDE, accessible not only to campus-based students but also to practicing engineers via the web. The certificate teaches the fundamentals of three major NDE techniques; eddy-current, ultrasonic and X-ray methods. This paper describes the structure of these programs and plans for development of an online, coursework-only, Master of Engineering in NDE and thesis-based Master of Science degrees in NDE.

They Won't All Grow Up to Be You: Preparing Students for Diverse Careers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McNeil, Laurie

The Joint Task Force on Undergraduate Physics Programs (J-TUPP) was formed in response to a growing awareness in the physics community that undergraduate physics majors pursue a wide range of careers after graduation, with very few ending up employed as physics professors. The task force was charged to identify the skills and knowledge that undergraduate physics degree holders should possess to be well prepared for a diverse set of careers, and to provide guidance on how physicists could revise the undergraduate curriculum to improve the education of a diverse student population. Our report (issued in October 2016) is the result of the task force's reviews of employment data, surveys of employers, and reports generated by other disciplines, as well as meetings with physicists in selected industries and interviews with recent physics graduates employed in the private sector. As part of our study we also identified exemplary programs that provide models of how physics departments can ensure that all of their students are well prepared to pursue a wide range of career paths. I will summarize and illustrate the findings and recommendations contained in the task force's report.

Trends in Public and Global Health Education among Nationally Recognized Undergraduate Liberal Arts Colleges in the United States.

PubMed

Robinson, Patrick A; Orroth, Kate K; Stutts, Lauren A; Baron, Patrick A; Wessner, David R

2018-05-01

The prevalence of public health and global health (PH/GH) curricular offerings appear to be increasing in terms of undergraduate curricula and in the context of liberal arts education in the United States. Liberal arts colleges (LACs) represent stand-alone institutions, which exclusively focus on undergraduate education. The objective of this study was to assess the prevalence of PH/GH study pathways and PH/GH course offerings among LACs. All LACs identified through the US News and World Report (USNWR) college rankings were contacted with a survey about the following: formal majors, minors, or concentrations in PH/GH; independent study (IS) pathways for PH/GH; specific PH/GH courses offered; and the number of students graduating in 2016, 2017, and 2018 with formal and IS degrees in PH/GH. Demographic characteristics of the colleges came from the USNWR database. Almost half (43%) of all LACs in our sample offer a PH/GH major, minor, concentration, or IS pathway. Almost all (90%) colleges offer at least one course in PH/GH. Approximately 2,000 students attending these LACs pursued or are pursuing graduation with majors, minors, or concentrations in PH/GH for the years 2016-2018. The number of students pursuing formal PH/GH programs has increased by 25% from 2016 to 2018. Student interest in public health is rising in U.S. LACs, with more students seeking formal curricular or IS PH degree pathways. Public health messages are prevalent even among institutions without formal programs. Colleges without programs should consider integrating public health into their curriculum.

Final report to DOE: Matching Grant Program for the Penn State University Nuclear Engineering Program

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jack S. Brenizer, Jr.

2003-01-17

The DOE/Industry Matching Grant Program is designed to encourage collaborative support for nuclear engineering education as well as research between the nation's nuclear industry and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). Despite a serious decline in student enrollments in the 1980s and 1990s, the discipline of nuclear engineering remained important to the advancement of the mission goals of DOE. The program is designed to ensure that academic programs in nuclear engineering are maintained and enhanced in universities throughout the U.S. At Penn State, the Matching Grant Program played a critical role in the survival of the Nuclear Engineering degree programs.more » Funds were used in a variety of ways to support both undergraduate and graduate students directly. Some of these included providing seed funding for new graduate research initiatives, funding the development of new course materials, supporting new teaching facilities, maintenance and purchase of teaching laboratory equipment, and providing undergraduate scholarships, graduate fellowships, and wage payroll positions for students.« less

Contributions of the NOAA Hollings Undergraduate Scholarship Program to the Geosciences Pipeline

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaplan, M.

2016-12-01

Since 2005, the NOAA Ernest F. Hollings Undergraduate Scholarship Program has provided tuition support and paid summer internship opportunities at NOAA to exceptional students majoring in the geosciences. The purpose of the scholarship program is to train students in NOAA mission fields. Multiple methods were used to track the career trajectories of Hollings alumni, including mining LinkedIn data, conducting an impact analysis based on a professionally developed web-based evaluation survey, and a web-based alumni update system. At least one postgraduate record was recorded for 80% of Hollings Scholarship alumni. Of the alumni reached, more than 75% continued on to graduate school in a NOAA mission field, and 86% of those graduate degrees were in a NOAA mission field or other STEM field. More than 60% of alumni had at least one professional record, with the most alumni working in private industry, followed by nongovernmental organizations and federal, state and local government.

Undergraduate Students As Effective Climate Change Communicators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharif, H. O.; Joseph, J.; Mullendore, G. L.

2014-12-01

The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), San Antonio College (SAC), and the University of North Dakota (UND) have partnered with NASA to provide underrepresented undergraduates from UTSA, SAC, and other community colleges climate-related research and education experiences through the Climate Change Communication: Engineer, Environmental science, and Education (C3E3) project. The program aims to develop a robust response to climate change by providing K-16 climate change education; enhance the effectiveness of K-16 education particularly in engineering and other STEM disciplines by use of new instructional technologies; increase the enrollment in engineering programs and the number of engineering degrees awarded by showing engineering's usefulness in relation to the much-discussed contemporary issue of climate change; increase persistence in STEM degrees by providing student research opportunities; and increase the ethnic diversity of those receiving engineering degrees and help ensure an ethnically diverse response to climate change. Students participated in the second summer internship funded by the project. The program is in its third year. More than 75 students participated in a guided research experiences aligned with NASA Science Plan objectives for climate and Earth system science and the educational objectives of the three institutions. The students went through training in modern media technology (webcasts), and in using this technology to communicate the information on climate change to others, especially high school students, culminating in production of webcasts on investigating the aspects of climate change using NASA data. Content developed is leveraged by NASA Earth observation data and NASA Earth system models and tools. Three Colleges were involved in the program: Engineering, Education, and Science.

The ERAU Undergraduate Meteorology Program, Students' Learning, and Measures of Success

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ivanova, D.

2008-12-01

The goal of this paper is to introduce the relationship, teaching techniques, research experience, and critical thinking interactions between Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University(ERAU) McNair mentors and their meteorology students to ensure the students' continued academic success and path to graduate school. The primary goal of the McNair Scholars Program is to provide experiences that prepare selected undergraduate students for doctoral study. The overriding goal of the McNair programs is to increase the number of underrepresented students who will obtain doctoral degrees and go on to teach and do research in institutions of higher learning. The underrepresented students are often those with limited resources, however encouraging critical thinking and undergraduate research experience is an effective tool for engaging them in applied meteorology. How do we help underrepresented meteorology students become aware of their strong and weak sides, help their learning, improve their learning strategies, and guide them toward a successful graduate school path? What skills are particularly important in developing a solid undergraduate expertise in meteorology? How can these skills be taught effectively? What are the obstacles the McNair scholars have to overcome? Some students are under prepared in math or have math phobias, others are learning English as they are learning the complex vocabulary of meteorology, or arrive in the classroom with communication skills that are not fully developed. We discuss our experiences as part of the ERAU McNair Scholars Program and Department of meteorology faculty body.

[The undergraduate program in forensic science: a national challenge].

PubMed

García Castillo, Zoraida; Graue Wiechers, Enrique; Durante Montiel, Irene; Herrera Saint Leu, Patricia

2014-01-01

The challenge in achieving an ideal state of justice is that each "proof" has the highest degree of reliability. This is the main responsibility of the forensic scientist. Up to now, criminal investigations in Mexico have been supported by forensic work from a wide variety of disciplinary backgrounds that give testimony in a particular area, even though they may have become forensic witnesses in a complementary and experiential manner. In January 2013, the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) approved the "Forensic Science" undergraduate program that, in collaboration with various academic entities and government institutions, will develop forensic scientists trained in science, law, and criminology. This is focused on contributing to the national demand that the justice system has more elements to procure and administer justice in dealing with crime.

The NSF Undergraduate ALFALFA Team: Partnering with Arecibo Observatory to Offer Undergraduate and Faculty Extragalactic Radio Astronomy Research Opportunities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ribaudo, Joseph; Koopmann, Rebecca A.; Haynes, Martha P.; Balonek, Thomas J.; Cannon, John M.; Coble, Kimberly A.; Craig, David W.; Denn, Grant R.; Durbala, Adriana; Finn, Rose; Hallenbeck, Gregory L.; Hoffman, G. Lyle; Lebron, Mayra E.; Miller, Brendan P.; Crone-Odekon, Mary; O'Donoghue, Aileen A.; Olowin, Ronald Paul; Pantoja, Carmen; Pisano, Daniel J.; Rosenberg, Jessica L.; Troischt, Parker; Venkatesan, Aparna; Wilcots, Eric M.; ALFALFA Team

2017-01-01

The NSF-sponsored Undergraduate ALFALFA (Arecibo Legacy Fast ALFA) Team (UAT) is a consortium of 20 institutions across the US and Puerto Rico, founded to promote undergraduate research and faculty development within the extragalactic ALFALFA HI blind survey project and follow-up programs. The objective of the UAT is to provide opportunities for its members to develop expertise in the technical aspects of observational radio spectroscopy, its associated data analysis, and the motivating science. Partnering with Arecibo Observatory, the UAT has worked with more than 280 undergraduates and 26 faculty to date, offering 8 workshops onsite at Arecibo (148 undergraduates), observing runs at Arecibo (69 undergraduates), remote observing runs on campus, undergraduate research projects based on Arecibo science (120 academic year and 185 summer projects), and presentation of results at national meetings such as the AAS (at AAS229: Ball et al., Collova et al., Davis et al., Miazzo et al., Ruvolo et al, Singer et al., Cannon et al., Craig et al., Koopmann et al., O'Donoghue et al.). 40% of the students and 45% of the faculty participants have been women and members of underrepresented groups. More than 90% of student alumni are attending graduate school and/or pursuing a career in STEM. 42% of those pursuing graduate degrees in Physics or Astronomy are women.In this presentation, we summarize the UAT program and the current research efforts of UAT members based on Arecibo science, including multiwavelength followup observations of ALFALFA sources, the UAT Collaborative Groups Project, the Survey of HI in Extremely Low-mass Dwarfs (SHIELD), and the Arecibo Pisces-Perseus Supercluster Survey (APPSS). This work has been supported by NSF grants AST-0724918/0902211, AST-075267/0903394, AST-0725380, AST-121105, and AST-1637339.

Improving Undergraduate STEM Education: Pathways into Geoscience (IUSE: GEOPATHS) - A National Science Foundation Initiative

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jones, B.; Patino, L. C.

2016-12-01

Preparation of the future professional geoscience workforce includes increasing numbers as well as providing adequate education, exposure and training for undergraduates once they enter geoscience pathways. It is important to consider potential career trajectories for geoscience students, as these inform the types of education and skill-learning required. Recent reports have highlighted that critical thinking and problem-solving skills, spatial and temporal abilities, strong quantitative skills, and the ability to work in teams are among the priorities for many geoscience work environments. The increasing focus of geoscience work on societal issues (e.g., climate change impacts) opens the door to engaging a diverse population of students. In light of this, one challenge is to find effective strategies for "opening the world of possibilities" in the geosciences for these students and supporting them at the critical junctures where they might choose an alternative pathway to geosciences or otherwise leave altogether. To address these and related matters, The National Science Foundation's (NSF) Directorate for Geosciences (GEO) has supported two rounds of the IUSE: GEOPATHS Program, to create and support innovative and inclusive projects to build the future geoscience workforce. This program is one component in NSF's Improving Undergraduate STEM Education (IUSE) initiative, which is a comprehensive, Foundation-wide effort to accelerate the quality and effectiveness of the education of undergraduates in all of the STEM fields. The two tracks of IUSE: GEOPATHS (EXTRA and IMPACT) seek to broaden and strengthen connections and activities that will engage and retain undergraduate students in geoscience education and career pathways, and help prepare them for a variety of careers. The long-term goal of this program is to dramatically increase the number and diversity of students earning undergraduate degrees or enrolling in graduate programs in geoscience fields, as well as ensure that they have the necessary skills and competencies to succeed as next generation professionals in a variety of employment sectors.

Astronautics degrees for the space industry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gruntman, M.; Brodsky, R. F.; Erwin, D. A.; Kunc, J. A.

2004-01-01

The Astronautics Program (http://astronautics.usc.edu) of the University of Southern California (USC) offers a full set of undergraduate and graduate degree programs in Aerospace Engineering with emphasis in Astronautics. The Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degree programs in Astronautics combine basic science and engineering classes with specialized classes in space technology. The Certificate in Astronautics targets practicing engineers and scientists who enter space-related fields and/or who want to obtain training in specific space-related areas. Many specialized graduate classes are taught by adjunct faculty working at the leading space companies. The Master of Science degree and Certificate are available entirely through the USC Distance Education Network (DEN). Today, the Internet allows us to reach students anywhere in the world through webcasting. The majority of our graduate students, as well as those pursuing the Certificate, work full time as engineers in the space industry and government research and development centers while earning their degrees. The new world of distance learning presents new challenges and opens new opportunities. Distance learning, and particularly the introduction of webcasting, transform the organization of the graduate program and class delivery. We describe in detail the program's academic focus, student reach, and structure of program components. Program development is illustrated by the student enrollment dynamics and related industrial trends; the lessons learned emphasize the importance of feedback from the students and from the space industry.

STAIRSTEP -- a research-oriented program for undergraduate students at Lamar University

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bahrim, Cristian

2011-03-01

The relative low number of undergraduate STEM students in many science disciplines, and in particular in physics, represents a major concern for our faculty and the administration at Lamar University. Therefore, a collaborative effort between several science programs, including computer science, chemistry, geology, mathematics and physics was set up with the goal of increasing the number of science majors and to minimize the retention rate. Lamar's Student Advancing through Involvement in Research Student Talent Expansion Program (STAIRSTEP) is a NSF-DUE sponsored program designed to motivate STEM students to graduate with a science degree from one of these five disciplines by involving them in state-of-the-art research projects and various outreach activities organized on-campus or in road shows at the secondary and high schools. The physics program offers hands-on experience in optics, such as computer-based experiments for studying the diffraction and interference of light incident on nettings or electronic wave packets incident on crystals, with applications in optical imaging, electron microscopy, and crystallography. The impact of the various activities done in STAIRSTEP on our Physics Program will be discussed.

Integrating experiential learning into a double degree masters program in nursing and health informatics.

PubMed

Borycki, Elizabeth M; Frisch, Noreen; Kushniruk, Andre W; McIntyre, Marjorie; Hutchinson, David

2012-01-01

In Canada there are few nurses who have advanced practice competencies in nursing informatics. This is a significant issue for regional health authorities, governments and electronic health record vendors in Canada who are implementing electronic health records. Few Schools of Nursing provide formalized opportunities for nurses to develop informatics competencies. Many of these opportunities take the form of post-baccalaureate certificate programs or individual undergraduate or graduate level courses in nursing. The purpose of this paper will be to: (1) describe the health and human resource issues in this area in Canada, (2) provide a brief overview of the design and development of a new, innovative double degree program at the intersection of nursing and health informatics that interleaves cooperative learning, (3) describe the integration of cooperative learning into this new program, and (4) outline the lessons learned in integrating cooperative education into such a graduate program.

Factors Associated with Student Stress in the U.S. Army - Baylor University Graduate Program in Health Care Administration

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-07-01

highly-competitive military system. Academic probation is imposed on any now student who did not have an undergraduate grade point average (GPA) of...DF), and depersonalization intensity (DI). This suggests that students with higher GRE scores exhibited a lower degree of feelings related to these...characteristics, and the levels of stress during the US Army - Baylor University Graduate Program in Health Care Administration. The students were administered

Fostering Hope and Closing the Academic Gap: An Examination of College Retention for African-American and Latino Students Who Participate in the Louis Stokes Alliance Minority Participation Program (Learning Community) While Enrolled in a Predominately White Institution

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hollands, Aisha La'Chae

2012-01-01

Colleges are struggling to retain students of color at four-year academic institutions (Kuh, 2005). The result is that while African-American and Latino students are entering college, fewer successfully complete their programs of study and obtain an undergraduate degree (ACE, 2006). For this reason, institutions are establishing supportive…

Dance Pedagogy: Backup Plan or Branch into the Future?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilson, Lisa

2016-01-01

This article focuses on Lisa Wilson's recent teaching experiences at the School of Dance, University of Cape Town (UCT), where dance pedagogy courses are established curricular components of its two undergraduate programs, the three-year Diploma in Dance Education (DipEd) and the four-year Bachelor of Music (BMus) degree in dance. The DipEd…

Teacher Professional Development in the Amazon Region: Strategies to Create Successful Learning Communities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Teles, Lucio; Coutinho, Laura Maria

2011-01-01

The Faculty of Education, University of Brasilia, implemented an online undergraduate degree program for classroom teachers (student-teacher) who have not yet completed their studies. There are 1800 classroom teachers in the Brazilian state of Acre, bordering Peru and Bolivia, who have completed only high school. However, a new directive from the…

Taking Pharmaceutical Innovation to the Masses.

PubMed

Burcham, Philip C

2017-07-13

General levels of "pharmaceuticals literacy" are not high in contemporary societies. To address this educational need, in 2012 the University of Western Australia introduced an innovative multidisciplinary course for undergraduates within any degree program entitled PHAR1101: Drugs that Changed the World . Now ranking among the largest courses at the institution, PHAR1101 enrollments will likely approach 1000 students in 2017.

Specialized High Schools and Talent Search Programs: Incubators for Adolescents with High Ability in STEM Disciplines

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Almarode, John T.; Subotnik, Rena F.; Crowe, Edward; Tai, Robert H.; Lee, Geesoo Maie; Nowlin, Fiona

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study is to investigate the association between self-efficacy and maintenance of interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) resulting in completion of an undergraduate degree in a science related area. To pursue this analysis, the researchers surveyed 3,510 graduates from selective specialized science…

Building an Academic Community: Minority Serving Institutions and How They Influence Students Pursuing Undergraduate Degrees in STEM

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Flower, Alonzo M., III.

2014-01-01

Scientific and technological innovation, according to a report by the National Academy of Sciences (2007), can only be secured with individuals' success in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Because STEM remains White and male-dominated, programs that focus on increasing the participation of female and minority students has…

A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study of Pre-Service Physical Educators' Perceptions of Their Professional Preparedness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hampson, Geoffrey Martin

2017-01-01

The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to capture the essence of the perceptions of 11 pre-service physical educators in the final field placement and clinical practices of their undergraduate degree program at the University of Redbank, the University of Peters, and Ina University where they prepared to become professional…

Challenges in Understanding and Assisting Mature-Age Students Who Participate in Alternative Entry Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cullity, Marguerite

2006-01-01

Mature-age students are a significant group within the Australian sub-degree and undergraduate commencing cohort. Nevertheless, little is known about mature-age student backgrounds or factors that affect their participation at university. This paper draws on a case study that examined the nature and outcomes of Australian alternative entry…

Preservice Teachers of High School Mathematics: Success, Failure, and Persistence in the Face of Mathematical Challenges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sinicrope, Rose; Eppler, Marion; Preston, Ronald V.; Ironsmith, Marsha

2015-01-01

The goal of this study was to identify variables related to success and resilience in an undergraduate, high school mathematics teacher education program. Over a five-year period, we tracked the academic performance and achievement motivation goals of multiple cohorts of students. Students who successfully completed their degrees had higher grade…

The Impact of Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation on the Academic Achievement of Non-Traditional Undergraduate Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arce, Alma Lorenia

2017-01-01

Non-traditional students have become a growing component of the student population in today's college systems. Research has shown that non-traditional students are less likely to achieve academically and complete their degree programs compared to traditional students. The purpose of this quantitative, correlational study was to investigate the…

Work-Integrated Learning Courses: An Essential Component for Preparing Students to Work in Statutory Child Protection?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bates, Annerly; Bates, Lyndel

2013-01-01

Undergraduate programs can play an important role in the development of individuals wanting professional employment within statutory child protection agencies: both the coursework and the work-integrated learning (WIL) components of degrees have a role in this process. This paper uses a collective case study methodology to examine the perceptions…

Exploring the acquisition of entry-to-practice competencies by second-degree nursing students during a preceptorship experience.

PubMed

Sedgwick, Monique; Kellett, Peter; Kalischuck, Ruth Grant

2014-03-01

Nursing programs across Canada have begun to implement at an unprecedented rate second-degree nursing programs in response to consumer demands and a nursing shortage. While these types of programs are enjoying considerable popularity among prospective students and employers, it is imperative that nursing programs assess their graduates' ability to meet Registered Nursing entry-to-practice competencies (ETCs). This study sought to determine if second-degree undergraduate nursing students achieved the entry-to-practice competencies established by the provincial regulatory body for registered nurses of Alberta, Canada. The study took place in southern Alberta, Canada as the first cohort of second-degree undergraduate nursing students were completing the final practice course for the program. In this exploratory study, quantitative and qualitative data generation approaches were used. Quantitative data were collected using the nursing program's standardized Clinical Evaluation Tool which is mapped to the 119 ETCs established by the regulatory body. Qualitative data were generated by conducting focus group interviews with students, faculty advisors, and preceptors. A convenience sample consisting of both male and female students (n=14) submitted their mid-term and final clinical evaluations for inclusion in the dataset. Thirteen preceptors submitted mid-term and final clinical evaluations. Three students, three faculty advisors, and two preceptors participated in focus group interviews. At mid-term, statistically significant differences were noted on 31% of the indicators within the clinical evaluation tool between students and preceptors with preceptors consistently ranking students higher than the students' ratings of their performance. Student and preceptor ratings of students' clinical performance were more consistent on the final evaluation. However, where there were differences, preceptors rated students higher than student ratings. Qualitative data analysis suggests that the concept of competence is complex and multifaceted and understood differently by students, preceptors, and advisors. The findings of this study suggest that there is ambiguity among second-degree students, preceptors and faculty advisors surrounding the concept of competence. In order to develop an understanding of competence, nursing program administrators must encourage faculty advisors, preceptors and students to engage in a discussion at the outset of the preceptored practice experience in regard to what is meant by competence within various practice setting. Further, we suggest nursing programs in collaboration with their clinical partners and re-examine their practice evaluation tools to determine the degree to which they are sensitive to the clinical practice context. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Physics and Astronomy Senior Report: Class of 1998. AIP Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Neuschatz, Michael; Mulvey, Patrick J.; Nicholson, Starr

This report provides data on students earning physics and astronomy bachelor's degrees for the 1997-98 academic year. The report notes that: (1) after many years of steady decline, the number of undergraduates earning physics bachelor's degrees has stabilized, with 3,821 degrees awarded in l997-98; (2) declines in undergraduate degrees persist at…

Evaluation of Competencies Related to Personal Attributes of Resident Doctors by 360 Degree.

PubMed

Jani, Harsha; Narmawala, Wasea; Ganjawale, Jaishree

2017-06-01

Postgraduate teaching involves training the residents in all spheres including professionalism, communication and interpersonal skills in addition to the basic clinical skills. Therefore, 360 degree evaluation has gained focus due to increased standards of medical care as shown in this study. To evaluate interpersonal and communication skills and professionalism in residents doctors using 360 degree evaluation method. The present study was a descriptive study conducted at a tertiary care hospital affiliated with a medical college. Taking up as a pilot project, 26 residents from four departments were recruited in this study. A five point likert scale (1 to 5,1 meaning poor, 5 meaning excellent) was used for scoring them on for their interpersonal and communication skills and professionalism by the persons working around their sphere like teachers, peers, nursing staff, undergraduate students and patients/or relatives (360 degree). Though the ratings by the peers and consultants were found to be slightly lower compared with nursing staff, undergraduate students and patients, there was good agreement between all of them. The mean score of all traits showed an increasing trend over the years of residency. Regular orientation programs for professionalism with 360 degree evaluation and subsequent feedback to the resident doctor about their strength and weaknesses can definitely bring out behavioural change in the resident doctor in practice.

Capacity-Building for Career Paths in Public Health and Biomedical Research for Undergraduate Minority Students: A Jackson Heart Study Success Model.

PubMed

White, Wendy Brown; Srinivasan, Asoka; Nelson, Cheryl; Fahmy, Nimr; Henderson, Frances

2016-07-21

This article chronicles the building of individual student capacity as well as faculty and institutional capacity, within the context of a population-based, longitudinal study of African Americans and cardiovascular disease. The purpose of this article is to present preliminary data documenting the results of this approach. The JHS Scholars program is designed, under the organizational structure of the Natural Sciences Division at Tougaloo College, to provide solid preparation in quantitative skills through: good preparation in mathematics and the sciences; a high level of reading comprehension; hands-on learning experiences; and mentoring and counseling to sustain the motivation of the students to pursue further studies. This program is on the campus of a private Historically Black College in Mississippi. The participants in the program are undergraduate students. Data, which included information on major area of study, institution attended, degrees earned and position in the workforce, were analyzed using STATA 14. Of 167 scholars, 46 are currently enrolled, while 118 have graduated. One half have completed graduate or professional programs, including; medicine, public health, pharmacy, nursing, and biomedical science; approximately one-fourth (25.4 %) are enrolled in graduate or professional programs; and nearly one tenth (9.3%) completed graduate degrees in law, education, business or English. These data could assist other institutions in understanding the career development process that helps underrepresented minority students in higher education to make career choices on a path toward public health, health professions, biomedical research, and related careers.

A culturally appropriate program that works: Native Americans in Marine and Space Sciences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vergun, J. R.

2001-05-01

For more than ten years, the College of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences at Oregon State University has carried out the Native Americans in Marine and Space Sciences (NAMSS) Program. Its long-term goal is to increase the number of American Indian and Native Alaskan undergraduates in science who complete degrees, continue to graduate school and enter the professional scientific work force. Ninety-eight percent of NAMSS students have earned BS degrees and almost forty percent have continued in graduate school. These are impressive results considering the high national drop-out rate for Native American studentsaround 70% according to the Chronicle of Higher Education (26 May 1993, page A29). Most often, Native students wishing to earn degrees in science find few programs that fit with their traditional sense of place and community. Most programs are narrowly focused and do not support or nurture Native views of interrelationship of all things. While Western science's recent ecological systems thinking approach more closely resembles the traditional Native view, Traditional Ecological Knowledge is often perceived as anecdotal or storytelling and not real science. This is a problem for Native students who are strongly underrepresented in the U.S. scientific community as a whole and nearly absent from the marine sciences. Undergraduates from this group are without scientific career models or mentors from their ethnic group and experience difficulty establishing contacts with majority scientists. They have limited access to opportunities to explore career possibilities in the sciences through research participation. Once on campus they have difficulty establishing a sense of belonging in the University community and do not have an organized way to enter into the scientific activities that initially attracted them. Representation of Native Americans in the ranks of U.S. scientists will not be increased without special efforts to retain them as undergraduates and to recruit them into graduate programs. In this presentation, we will discuss how our program and expansive outreach activities is successful in overcoming many of these difficulties. We provide opportunities to our students by helping them earn the financial support needed to remain in the University and by facilitating the career choices of these undergraduates through meaningful and active participation in ongoing research projects at OSU. In addition, we have formed alliances with Federal and State agencies, private industry and tribal organizations to provide internships for NAMSS students. These experiences educate them in science and help them to overcome cultural barriers to career possibilities. NAMSS provides these students with: 1) Direct contact with career models who help them to learn about the nature of scientific research and application of knowledge; 2) encouragement and stimulation of their interest to sustain them in their determination to remain in school and to complete their degrees; 3) a sense of legitimate place and worth in the University community through a mentoring relation with an established scientist and NAMS staff and counselors, and by association with other students involved in scientific careers; 4) entry into the network of professional contacts in science; and, 5) the financial support they need to remain in college.

Biomedical Science Undergraduate Major: A New Pathway to Advance Research and the Health Professions.

PubMed

Gunn, John S; Ledford, Cynthia H; Mousetes, Steven J; Grever, Michael R

2018-01-01

Many students entering professional degree programs, particularly M.D., Ph.D., and M.D./Ph.D., are not well prepared regarding the breadth of scientific knowledge required, communication skills, research experience, reading and understanding the scientific literature, and significant shadowing (for M.D.-related professions). In addition, physician scientists are a needed and necessary part of the academic research environment but are dwindling in numbers. In response to predictions of critical shortages of clinician investigators and the lack of proper preparation as undergraduates for these professions, the Biomedical Science (BMS) undergraduate major was created at The Ohio State University to attract incoming college freshmen with interests in scientific research and the healthcare professions. The intent of this major was to graduate an elite cohort of highly talented individuals who would pursue careers in the healthcare professions, biomedical research, or both. Students were admitted to the BMS major through an application and interview process. Admitted cohorts were small, comprising 22 to 26 students, and received a high degree of individualized professional academic advising and mentoring. The curriculum included a minimum of 4 semesters (or 2 years) of supervised research experience designed to enable students to gain skills in clinical and basic science investigation. In addition to covering the prerequisites for medicine and advanced degrees in health professions, the integrated BMS coursework emphasized research literacy as well as skills related to work as a healthcare professional, with additional emphasis on independent learning, teamwork to solve complex problems, and both oral and written communication skills. Supported by Ohio State's Department of Internal Medicine, a unique clinical internship provided selected students with insights into potential careers as physician scientists. In this educational case report, we describe the BMS undergraduate major and its outcomes after 10 years of implementation. Major outcomes include the strength of the major's matriculates (average ACT score = 32.6; average high school class percentile rank = 95.5) and the high percentage of BMS students who pursued graduate/professional degrees (91%; n = 110). Other markers of success include the strong focus on research, which resulted in 120 articles published by graduates to date (range = 0-12/student; 43% with at least 1 peer-reviewed journal article). Based on its successes, adoption of a similar program at other academic medical centers would help feed the pipeline of well-trained health professionals and biomedical researchers.

Astronautics Degrees for Space Industry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gruntman, M.; Brodsky, R.; Erwin, D.; Kunc, J.

The Astronautics Program (http://astronautics.usc.edu) of the University of Southern California (USC) offers a full set of undergraduate and graduate degree programs in Aerospace Engineering with emphasis in Astronautics. The Bachelor of Science degree program in Astronautics combines basic science and engineering classes with specialized astronautics classes. The Master of Science degree program in Astronautics offers classes in various areas of space technology. The Certificate in Astronautics targets practicing engineers and scientists who enter space-related fields and/or who want to obtain training in specific space-related areas. Many specialized graduate classes are taught by adjunct faculty working at the leading space companies. The Master of Science degree and Certificate are available through the USC Distance Education Network (DEN). Today, the Internet allows us to reach students anywhere in the world through webcasting. The majority of our graduate students, as well as those pursuing the Certificate, work full time as engineers in the space industry and government research and development centers. The new world of distance learning presents new challenges and opens new opportunities. We show how the transformation of distance learning and particularly the introduction of webcasting transform organization of the program and class delivery. We will describe in detail the academic focus of the program, student reach, and structure of program components. Program development is illustrated by the student enrollment dynamics and related industrial trends; the lessons learned emphasize the importance of feedback from the students and from the space industry.

Responding to the call for globalization in nursing education: the implementation of the transatlantic double-degree program.

PubMed

Hornberger, Cynthia A; Erämaa, Sirkka; Helembai, Kornélia; McCartan, Patrick J; Turtiainen, Tarja

2014-01-01

Increased demand for nurses worldwide has highlighted the need for a flexible nursing workforce eligible for licensure in multiple countries. Nursing's curricular innovation mirrors the call for reform within higher education including globalization of curricula (E. J. S. Hovenga, 2004; D. Nayyar, 2008; B. J. G. Wood, S. M. Tapsall, & G. N. Soutar, 2005), increased opportunities for student mobility exchanges, dialogue between different academic traditions, and mutual understanding and transparency between universities (J. González & R. Wagenaar, 2005). The European Union (EU) and United States have combined efforts to achieve these objectives by creating the Atlantis program in 2007 (U.S. Department of Education, 2011). This article describes experiences of four nursing programs participating in an Atlantis project to develop a double-degree baccalaureate program for undergraduate nursing students. Early learnings include increasing awareness and appreciation of essential curricular and performance competencies of the baccalaureate-prepared professional nurse. Challenges include language competency; variations in curriculum, cultural norms, student expectations, and learning assessment; and philosophical differences regarding first-level professional nurse preparation as specialist versus generalist. The Transatlantic Double Degree program has successfully implemented the double-degree program. Members have gained valuable insights into key issues surrounding the creation of a more uniform, yet flexible, educational standard between our countries. © 2014.

Unique educational opportunities at the Missouri University research reactor

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ketring, A.R.; Ross, F.K.; Spate, V.

1997-12-01

Since the Missouri University Research Reactor (MURR) went critical in 1966, it has been a center where students from many departments conduct their graduate research. In the past three decades, hundreds of graduate students from the MU departments of chemistry, physics, anthropology, nuclear engineering, etc., have received masters and doctoral degrees based on research using neutrons produced at MURR. More recently, the educational opportunities at MURR have been expanded to include undergraduate students and local high school students. Since 1989 MURR has participated in the National Science Foundation-funded Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program. As part of this program, undergraduatemore » students from universities and colleges throughout the United States come to MURR and get hands-on research experience during the summer. Another program, started in 1994 by the Nuclear Analysis Program at MURR, allows students from a local high school to conduct a neutron activation analysis (NAA) experiment. We also conduct tours of the center, where we describe the research and educational programs at MURR to groups of elementary school children, high school science teachers, state legislators, professional organizations, and many other groups.« less

Improving Scientific Writing in Undergraduate Geosciences Degrees Through Peer Review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Day, E. A.; Collins, G. S.; Craig, L.

2016-12-01

In the British educational system, students specialise early. Often geoscience undergraduates have not taken a class that requires extended writing since they were sixteen years old. This can make it difficult for students to develop the written skills necessary for a geoscience degree, which often has assessments in the form of essays and reports. To improve both the writing and editing skills of our undergraduates we have introduced a peer review system, in which seniors review the work of first year students. At Imperial College London we set written coursework in every year of the degree. Communication is taught and assessed in many courses. There are two major modules with substantial written components that bookend the undergraduate degree at Imperial; the freshmen all write an assessed essay, while all seniors take 'Science Communication', a course that aims to prepare them for a range of possible careers. In the 2015-16 academic year we linked these courses by introducing a modified form of peer marking and instruction. Seniors had to complete reviews of draft first year essays for credit in Science Communication. These reviews are completed for the department 'journal' and introduce the first and fourth years to the nature of peer review. Seniors learn how to critically, but kindly, evaluate the work of other students, and are also prepared for potentially submitting their senior theses to journals. Reviews were managed by volunteer seniors, who acted as associate editors. They allocated anonymous reviewers and wrote decision letters, which were sent to the freshmen before their final assessed essay submission. Ultimately the fourth year reviews were formally assessed and graded by members of staff, as were the revised and resubmitted first year essays. Feedback for both courses has improved since the introduction of student reviews of essays. The markers of the freshman essay have also commented on the improvement in the standard of the writing and a decrease in errors. We are continuing to include this exercise in 2016-17, utilising technology to make the logistics easier for both the students and the course leaders. Here, we present our experiences with including peer review in the Imperial College degree. We also comment on how it can be incorporated into undergraduate and graduate programs at other institutions.

The C-MORE Scholars Program: Engaging minority students in STEM through undergraduate research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gibson, B. A.; Bruno, B. C.

2010-12-01

There have been several studies that show how undergraduate research experiences (REU) have a positive impact on a student’s academic studies and career path, including being a positive influence toward improving the student's lab skills and ability to work independently. Moreover, minority students appear to relate to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) concepts better when they are linked with (1) a service learning component, and (2) STEM courses that include a cultural and social aspect that engages the student in a way that does not distract from the student’s technical learning. It is also known that a “place-based” approach that incorporates traditional (indigenous) knowledge can help engage underrepresented minority groups in STEM disciplines and increase science literacy. Based on the methods and best practices used by other minority serving programs and described in the literature, the Center for Microbial Oceanography: Research and Education (C-MORE) has successfully developed an academic-year REU to engage and train the next generation of scientists. The C-MORE Scholars Program provides undergraduate students majoring in an ocean or earth science-related field, especially underrepresented students such as Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders, the opportunity to participate in unique and cutting edge hands-on research experiences. The program appoints awardees at one of three levels based on previous research and academic experience, and students can progress through the various tiers as their skills and STEM content knowledge develop. All awardees receive guidance on a research project from a mentor who is a scientist at the university and/or industry. A key component of the program is the inclusion of professional development activities to help the student continue towards post graduation education or prepare for career opportunities after they receive their undergraduate STEM degree.

Using RUFDATA to guide a logic model for a quality assurance process in an undergraduate university program.

PubMed

Sherman, Paul David

2016-04-01

This article presents a framework to identify key mechanisms for developing a logic model blueprint that can be used for an impending comprehensive evaluation of an undergraduate degree program in a Canadian university. The evaluation is a requirement of a comprehensive quality assurance process mandated by the university. A modified RUFDATA (Saunders, 2000) evaluation model is applied as an initiating framework to assist in decision making to provide a guide for conceptualizing a logic model for the quality assurance process. This article will show how an educational evaluation is strengthened by employing a RUFDATA reflective process in exploring key elements of the evaluation process, and then translating this information into a logic model format that could serve to offer a more focussed pathway for the quality assurance activities. Using preliminary program evaluation data from two key stakeholders of the undergraduate program as well as an audit of the curriculum's course syllabi, a case is made for, (1) the importance of inclusivity of key stakeholders participation in the design of the evaluation process to enrich the authenticity and accuracy of program participants' feedback, and (2) the diversification of data collection methods to ensure that stakeholders' narrative feedback is given ample exposure. It is suggested that the modified RUFDATA/logic model framework be applied to all academic programs at the university undergoing the quality assurance process at the same time so that economies of scale may be realized. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The California-Arizona Minority Partnership for Astronomy Research and Education (CAMPARE): A New Model for Promoting Minority Participation in Astronomy Research and Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rudolph, Alexander L.; Impey, C. D.; Bieging, J. H.; Phillips, C. B.; Tieu, J.; Prather, E. E.; Povich, M. S.

2013-01-01

The California-Arizona Minority Partnership for Astronomy Research and Education (CAMPARE) program represents a new and innovative kind of research program for undergraduates: one that can effectively carry out the goal of recruiting qualified minority and female students to participate in Astronomy and Planetary Science research opportunities, while mentoring them in a way to maximize the chance that these students will persist in obtaining their undergraduate degrees in STEM fields, and potentially go on to obtain their PhDs or pursue careers in those fields. The members of CAMPARE comprise a network of comprehensive universities and community colleges in Southern California and Arizona (most of which are minority serving institutions), and four major research institutions (University of Arizona Steward Observatory, the SETI Institute, and JPL/Caltech). Most undergraduate research programs focus on a single research institution. By having multiple institutions, we significantly broaden the opportunities for students, both in terms of breadth of research topics and geographical location. In its first three years, the CAMPARE program has had 20 undergraduates from two CSU campuses, both Hispanic Serving Institutions, take part in research and educational activities at four research institutions, the University of Arizona Steward Observatory, the SETI Institute, and JPL/Caltech. Of the 20 participants, 9 are women and 11 are men, a much more even split than is typical in Astronomy research programs; 10 are Hispanic, 2 are African American, and 1 is part Native American, including 2 female Hispanic and 2 female African-American participants, an exceptionally high participation rate (65%) for students from underrepresented minority groups. Of the five participants who have graduated since the program began, two are in graduate programs in Physics or Astronomy, two are pursuing a K-12 teaching credential, and one has enlisted in the Nuclear Propulsion Officer Candidate (NUPOC) program of the U.S. Navy.

Science as a general education: Conceptual science should constitute the compulsory core of multi-disciplinary undergraduate degrees.

PubMed

Charlton, Bruce G

2006-01-01

It is plausible to assume that in the future science will form the compulsory core element both of school curricula and multi-disciplinary undergraduate degrees. But for this to happen entails a shift in the emphasis and methods of science teaching, away from the traditional concern with educating specialists and professionals. Traditional science teaching was essentially vocational, designed to provide precise and comprehensive scientific knowledge for practical application. By contrast, future science teaching will be a general education, hence primarily conceptual. Its aim should be to provide an education in flexible rationality. Vocational science teaching was focused on a single-discipline undergraduate degree, but a general education in abstract systematic thinking is best inculcated by studying several scientific disciplines. In this sense, 'science' is understood as mathematics and the natural sciences, but also the abstract and systematic aspects of disciplines such as economics, linguistics, music theory, history, sociology, political science and management science. Such a wide variety of science options in a multi-disciplinary degree will increase the possibility of student motivation and aptitude. Specialist vocational science education will progressively be shifted to post-graduate level, in Masters and Doctoral programs. A multi-disciplinary and conceptually-based science core curriculum should provide an appropriate preparation for dealing with the demands of modern societies; their complex and rapidly changing social systems; and the need for individual social and professional mobility. Training in rational conceptual thinking also has potential benefits to human health and happiness, since it allows people to over-ride inappropriate instincts, integrate conflicting desires and pursue long-term goals.

Personal therapy for undergraduate music therapy students: a survey of AMTA program coordinators.

PubMed

Gardstrom, Susan C; Jackson, Nancy A

2011-01-01

The primary purpose of this study was to gather information in order to understand if and how various modalities of personal therapy are employed with undergraduate music therapy students in the United States. AMTA degree program coordinators were asked about 3 therapy modalities, in particular: verbal therapy, music therapy, and expressive arts therapy (excluding music therapy). It was predicted that less than a quarter of the respondents would indicate that personal therapy of any modality was required in their undergraduate curricula, but that a larger percentage would indicate that it was encouraged. Both hypotheses were supported, with just over 14% of the respondents indicating that they require some form of personal therapy and 32% indicating that they encourage it, with 73% of this latter subgroup encouraging verbal therapy and 46% encouraging music therapy. It was further predicted that, when therapy was required or encouraged, it was most often provided by an individual who was associated with the college/university and that therapy was usually provided in a group format. Respondent comments related to these 2 questions revealed considerable confusion between experiential exercises and personal therapy, leading to dubious validity of some of the numerical data. Qualitative treatment of narrative responses illuminated 4 salient issues regarding personal therapy for undergraduate music therapy students, as follows: (a) the legal and ethical feasibility of making personal therapy a requirement; (b) the cost and availability of qualified professionals; (c) the benefits of personal therapy as an integral facet of undergraduate music therapy training and education; and (d) the appropriateness of personal therapy at the undergraduate level of training.

Report of an innovative research program for baccalaureate nursing students.

PubMed

Sheil, E P; Crain, H

1992-10-01

In summary, an innovative low-cost way to teach undergraduate students about research and to socialize students into attending research conferences has been developed. It is not perfect yet, but with time, critical students, and responsive research-productive faculty, each program should improve. It is not surprising that sophomore students do not achieve the objectives at the same level as older students. As students move closer to the "real" world of nursing practice and develop increasing sophistication about nursing in general and research in particular, they are, hopefully, more knowledgeable consumers of nursing research. What is particularly satisfying to the planners of those Research Days is that through the experience of attending Undergraduate Research Day at various points in their educational progress, students are socialized into discussing research. Additionally, they seemed to develop some degree of comfort with this aspect of their future nursing role. The RN and former student panel participants normalized research involvement for the student attendees. Panel member stories about their mistakes and successes made students realize that nursing investigations need not be the sole property of those with doctoral degrees. A serendipitous outcome of these programs was an increased awareness by students of the specific research project in which their teachers were engaged. Students informally reported a feeling of pride and reflected accomplishment. The importance of timing in offering such programs should not have been a surprise at this urban commuter university. Unwittingly, in scheduling the Friday afternoon program the planners ignored the initial consideration that the program not impose financial hardship on students.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

A program wide framework for evaluating data driven teaching and learning - earth analytics approaches, results and lessons learned

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wasser, L. A.; Gold, A. U.

2017-12-01

There is a deluge of earth systems data available to address cutting edge science problems yet specific skills are required to work with these data. The Earth analytics education program, a core component of Earth Lab at the University of Colorado - Boulder - is building a data intensive program that provides training in realms including 1) interdisciplinary communication and collaboration 2) earth science domain knowledge including geospatial science and remote sensing and 3) reproducible, open science workflows ("earth analytics"). The earth analytics program includes an undergraduate internship, undergraduate and graduate level courses and a professional certificate / degree program. All programs share the goals of preparing a STEM workforce for successful earth analytics driven careers. We are developing an program-wide evaluation framework that assesses the effectiveness of data intensive instruction combined with domain science learning to better understand and improve data-intensive teaching approaches using blends of online, in situ, asynchronous and synchronous learning. We are using targeted online search engine optimization (SEO) to increase visibility and in turn program reach. Finally our design targets longitudinal program impacts on participant career tracts over time.. Here we present results from evaluation of both an interdisciplinary undergrad / graduate level earth analytics course and and undergraduate internship. Early results suggest that a blended approach to learning and teaching that includes both synchronous in-person teaching and active classroom hands-on learning combined with asynchronous learning in the form of online materials lead to student success. Further we will present our model for longitudinal tracking of participant's career focus overtime to better understand long-term program impacts. We also demonstrate the impact of SEO optimization on online content reach and program visibility.

What's Politics Got to Do with It? "Power" as a "Threshold" Concept for Undergraduate Business Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, Paul D.

2014-01-01

Politics courses embedded in business and commerce degree programs have soared in number in recent years. Yet how business students, often compulsorily enrolled in politics courses, learn key politics concepts is an under-researched area. The purpose of this article is to determine where the teaching and learning of political science and business…

Prairie View A&M/Baylor College of Medicine SMART Summer Undergraduate Prostate Cancer Research Project

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-04-01

August, 2007 and is working as a technician while he prepares to take the MCAT and GRE exams and apply for MD/Ph.D. and DO/Ph.D. programs. 2007...degree and is working as a technician while he improves his MCAT score and applies to medical school. Mark was selected for significant PVAMU leadership

Traveling the Road to Success: A Discourse on Persistence throughout the Science Pipeline with African American Students at a Predominantly White Institution

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Russell, Melody L.; Atwater, Mary M.

2005-01-01

This study focuses on 11 African American undergraduate seniors in a biology degree program at a predominantly white research institution in the southeastern United States. These 11 respondents shared their journeys throughout the high school and college science pipeline. Participants described similar precollege factors and experiences that…

Teacher Education: The Application of Fisher's LSD Matrix in the Evaluation of Preservice Teachers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stolworthy, Reed L.

The degrees of variance among three groups of evaluators relative to their assessments of the teaching competencies of preservice teacher education students were studied. Subjects included groups of 23 and 32 undergraduates who were certified to teach by the teacher preparation program at Washburn University in Topeka (Kansas) in 1987 and in 1988,…

Master's in Autonomous Systems: An Overview of the Robotics Curriculum and Outcomes at ISEP, Portugal

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Silva, E.; Almeida, J.; Martins, A.; Baptista, J. P.; Campos Neves, B.

2013-01-01

Robotics research in Portugal is increasing every year, but few students embrace it as one of their first choices for study. Until recently, job offers for engineers were plentiful, and those looking for a degree in science and technology would avoid areas considered to be demanding, like robotics. At the undergraduate level, robotics programs are…

Implementing General Education in Hong Kong: Government Policies, Institutional Responses, Opportunities and Challenges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Xiaoyan; Gano-Phillips, Susan

2012-01-01

In this paper, the authors explore the implementation of the government mandate in Hong Kong to move from three-year to four-year undergraduate degree programs which include studies in general education (GE), through an analysis of policies and activities related to the curriculum reform. While the authors are interested in the substance of these…

Choosing to Major in Physics, or Not: Factors Affecting Undergraduate Decision Making

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stiles-Clarke, Laura; MacLeod, Katarin

2016-01-01

For the past 40 years, there has been apprehension in North American society, and particularly in the scientific community, concerning the decline of interest and enrollment in science degree programs at the post-secondary level. This trend has proven very difficult to reverse. The purpose of this study was to explore why students at an Atlantic…

Student Perceptions of Social Learning Space: Designing and Implementing a Co-Operative Assessment Task in Pharmacology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moni, Roger W.; Depaz, Iris; Lluka, Lesley J.

2008-01-01

We report findings from a case study of co-operative, group-based assessment in Pharmacology for second-year undergraduates at The University of Queensland, Australia. Students enrolled in the 2005 Bachelor of Science and 2006 Bachelor of Pharmacy degree programs, were early users of the university's new Collaborative Teaching and Learning Centre…

An Investigation into Why Students from Regional South Australia Choose to Study Business Programs in the Capital City

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sawyer, Janet; Ellis, Bronwyn

2011-01-01

Although Business undergraduate studies are available at the University of South Australia's (UniSA) Centre for Regional Engagement (CRE), both at the Whyalla Campus and the Mount Gambier Regional Centre (MGRC), many students from regional South Australia choose to undertake Business degrees in Adelaide, the state capital, rather than locally.…

On the Utility of National Datasets and Resource Cost Models for Estimating Faculty Instructional Costs in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morphew, Christopher; Baker, Bruce

2007-01-01

In this article, the authors present the results of a research study in which they used two national datasets to construct and examine a model that estimates relative faculty instructional costs for specific undergraduate degree programs and also identifies differences in these costs by region and institutional type. They conducted this research…

Learning Style Differences in Adult Students' Perceptions of the Effectiveness of Classroom Techniques for Teaching Quantitative Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Deever, Walter Thomas

2012-01-01

More than half of adults in the USA have quantitative literacy ratings at or below a basic level. This lack of literacy often becomes a barrier to employability. To overcome this barrier, adults are returning to college to improve their quantitative skills and complete an undergraduate education, often through an accelerated degree program. A…

Students in Fully Online Programs Report More Positive Attitudes toward Science Than Students in Traditional, In-Person Programs

PubMed Central

Perera, Viranga; Mead, Chris; Buxner, Sanlyn; Lopatto, David; Horodyskyj, Lev; Semken, Steven; Anbar, Ariel D.

2017-01-01

Following the growth of online, higher-education courses, academic institutions are now offering fully online degree programs. Yet it is not clear how students who enroll in fully online degree programs are similar to those students who enroll in in-person (“traditional”) degree programs. Because previous work has shown students’ attitudes toward science can affect their performance in a course, it is valuable to ask how attitudes toward science differ between these two populations. We studied students who completed a fully online astrobiology course. In an analysis of 451 student responses to the Classroom Undergraduate Research Experience survey, we found online program students began the course with a higher scientific sophistication and a higher sense of personal value of science than those in traditional programs. Precourse attitudes also showed some predictive power of course grades among online students, but not for traditional students. Given established relationships between feelings of personal value, intrinsic motivation, and, in turn, traits such as persistence, our results suggest that open-ended or exploration-based learning may be more engaging to online program students due to their pre-existing attitudes. The converse may also be true, that certain pre-existing attitudes among online program students are more detrimental than they are for traditional program students. PMID:29146666

[Evidence-based practice competence in undergraduate Nursing Degree students].

PubMed

Ruzafa-Martínez, María; Molina-Salas, Yolanda; Ramos-Morcillo, Antonio Jesús

2016-01-01

Evidence-based practice (EBP) learning has become a key issue for nurses. An EPB subject was included in the 4(th) year in the new syllabus of the Nursing Degree at University of Murcia (UM). To know the competence level in EBP of undergraduate nursing students at UM and compare the results between all four years. Observational descriptive study with a cross-sectional approach. undergraduate nursing students from all four years at Nursing Degree at the Faculty of Social and Healthcare Science at UM in the year 2013-14. EBP evaluation of competence of the nursing students consisted of attitude, skills and knowledge on EBP. A validated questionnaire, the EBP-COQ, was used. The scale range is 1 point «lowest level» to 5 points «higher level».The SPSS 21.0 program has been used to carry out descriptive and bivariate analyses. 144 students were included, 76.4% was female, and the median age was 23 years, 84.7% attended more than 75% class hours. The mean differences in the questionnaire between first and fourth years were 0.58 points in attitude, 0.60 in skills, 1.6 in knowledge and 0.83 in global competence in EBP. Significant differences in mean scores between the fourth and the remaining years in the global competence in EBP were observed, as well as in the three dimensions (p <0.05). The undergraduate-nursing students studied here have acquired an appropriate competence level in EBP, with a gradual increase by year. The biggest increase was in the fourth year students. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Early Engagement in Course-Based Research Increases Graduation Rates and Completion of Science, Engineering, and Mathematics Degrees.

PubMed

Rodenbusch, Stacia E; Hernandez, Paul R; Simmons, Sarah L; Dolan, Erin L

2016-01-01

National efforts to transform undergraduate biology education call for research experiences to be an integral component of learning for all students. Course-based undergraduate research experiences, or CUREs, have been championed for engaging students in research at a scale that is not possible through apprenticeships in faculty research laboratories. Yet there are few if any studies that examine the long-term effects of participating in CUREs on desired student outcomes, such as graduating from college and completing a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) major. One CURE program, the Freshman Research Initiative (FRI), has engaged thousands of first-year undergraduates over the past decade. Using propensity score-matching to control for student-level differences, we tested the effect of participating in FRI on students' probability of graduating with a STEM degree, probability of graduating within 6 yr, and grade point average (GPA) at graduation. Students who completed all three semesters of FRI were significantly more likely than their non-FRI peers to earn a STEM degree and graduate within 6 yr. FRI had no significant effect on students' GPAs at graduation. The effects were similar for diverse students. These results provide the most robust and best-controlled evidence to date to support calls for early involvement of undergraduates in research. © 2016 S. Rodenbusch et al. CBE—Life Sciences Education © 2016 The American Society for Cell Biology. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). It is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).

Explaining Participation: An Explanatory History of Select Gender Patterns in Undergraduate STEM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mastroianni, Michael Pasquale

This explanatory study examines three focal periods in undergraduate STEM as related to the gender gap. Social, economic, and more general historical data are used to develop a clear and powerful explanation of baccalaureate trends in biology and engineering. Specifically, historical accounts are offered for 1) a ten-year period in undergraduate biology in which the number of baccalaureates awarded to men decreased 44 percent, while the number of baccalaureates awarded to women decreased one percent; 2) the start of a twenty-year period in which the number of bachelor's degrees awarded in the biological sciences increased 150 percent---from 36,068 degrees in 1989, to 90,003 bachelor's degrees in 2011; and 3) a ten year period in undergraduate engineering where female graduation rates septupled---this ten-year time period is the only instance of meaningful and noteworthy growth for women in undergraduate engineering over the past half century. Findings from each history reveal a common narrative underlying baccalaureate trends. Implications for undergraduate STEM are discussed.

Field Research in the Teaching of Undergraduate Soil Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brevik, Eric C.; Senturklu, Songul; Landblom, Douglas

2015-04-01

Several studies have demonstrated that undergraduate students benefit from research experiences. Benefits of undergraduate research include 1) personal and intellectual development, 2) more and closer contact with faculty, 3) the use of active learning techniques, 4) creation of high expectations, 5) development of creative and problem-solving skills, 6) greater independence and intrinsic motivation to learn, and 7) exposure to practical skills. The scientific discipline also benefits, as studies have shown that undergraduates who engage in research experiences are more likely to remain science majors and finish their degree program (Lopatto, 2007). Research experiences come as close as possible to allowing undergraduates to experience what it is like to be an academic or research member of their profession working to advance their discipline. Soils form in the field, therefore, field experiences are very important in developing a complete and holistic understanding of soil science. Combining undergraduate research with field experiences can provide extremely beneficial outcomes to the undergraduate student, including increased understanding of and appreciation for detailed descriptions and data analysis as well as an enhanced ability to see how various parts of their undergraduate education come together to understand a complex problem. The experiences of the authors in working with undergraduate students on field-based research projects will be discussed, along with examples of some of the undergraduate research projects that have been undertaken. In addition, student impressions of their research experiences will be presented. Reference Lopatto, D. 2007. Undergraduate research experiences support science career decisions and active learning. CBE -- Life Sciences Education 6:297-306.

The Potential to use Publication of Undergraduate Research as a Teaching Tool

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brevik, Eric C.; Lindbo, David L.; Belcher, Christopher

2015-04-01

Several studies crossing numerous disciplinary boundaries have demonstrated that undergraduate students benefit from research experiences. These benefits include personal and intellectual development, more and closer contact with faculty, the use of active learning techniques, the creation of high expectations, the development of creative and problem-solving skills, and the development of greater independence and intrinsic motivation to learn. The discipline also gains in that studies show undergraduates who engage in research experiences are more likely to remain science majors and finish their degree program. Research experiences come as close as possible to allowing undergraduates to experience what it is like to be an academic or research member of their profession working to advance their discipline, therefore enhancing their professional socialization into their chosen field. If the goals achieved by undergraduate research include introducing these students to the advancement of their chosen field, it stands to reason the ultimate ending to this experience would be the publication of a peer-reviewed paper. While not all undergraduate projects will end with a product worthy of peer-reviewed publication, some definitely do, and the personal experience of the authors indicates that undergraduate students who achieve publication get great satisfaction and a sense of personal achievement from that publication. While a top-tier international journal probably isn't going to be the ultimate destination for many of these projects, there are several appropriate outlets. The SSSA journal Soil Horizons has published several undergraduate projects in recent years, and good undergraduate projects can often be published in state academy of science journals. Journals focused expressly on publishing undergraduate research include the Journal of Undergraduate Research and Scholarly Excellence, Reinvention, and the American Journal of Undergraduate Research. Case studies of students who have published undergraduate research will be discussed.

Developing an undergraduate degree in public transportation administration and management : feasibility study results.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2006-11-01

Experiences and results of research by the North Carolina Central University Department of Public Administration while a : conducting feasibility study for establishing a new multidisciplinary undergraduate degree in public transportation administrat...

Degree of vertical integration between the undergraduate program and clinical internship with respect to lumbopelvic diagnostic and therapeutic procedures taught at the canadian memorial chiropractic college.

PubMed

Vermet, Shannon; McGinnis, Karen; Boodham, Melissa; Gleberzon, Brian J

2010-01-01

The objective of this study was to determine to what extent the diagnostic and therapeutic procedures taught in the undergraduate program used for patients with lumbopelvic conditions are expected to be utilized by students during their clinical internship program at Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College or are being used by the clinical faculty. A confidential survey was distributed to clinical faculty at the college. It consisted of a list of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures used for lumbopelvic conditions taught at that college. Clinicians were asked to indicate the frequency with which they performed or they required students to perform each item. Seventeen of 23 clinicians responded. The following procedures were most likely required to be performed by clinicians: posture; ranges of motion; lower limb sensory, motor, and reflex testing; and core orthopedic tests. The following were less likely to be required to be performed: Waddell testing, Schober's test, Gillet tests, and abdominal palpation. Students were expected to perform (or clinicians performed) most of the mobilization (in particular, iliocostal, iliotransverse, and iliofemoral) and spinal manipulative therapies (in particular, the procedures referred to as the lumbar roll, lumbar pull/hook, and upper sacroiliac) taught at the college. This study suggests that there was considerable, but not complete, vertical integration between the undergraduate and clinical education program at this college.

A comparison of educational factors promoting or discouraging the intent to remain in engineering by gender

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amelink, Catherine T.; Meszaros, Peggy S.

2011-03-01

This study seeks to examine key extrinsic and intrinsic factors that encourage or discourage persistence in attaining an engineering degree and pursuing an engineering-related career among both male and female undergraduates. Quantitative and qualitative findings from nine participating undergraduate degree programmes reveal that career expectations formulated through educational experiences as undergraduates play a key role in motivating students. Among females, faculty interaction in the classroom, such as feedback received and the degree to which the faculty treat them with respect, is an important encouraging factor. For both males and females, discouraging elements of the undergraduate experience include the amount of time for coursework, competition in engineering classes and grades. The findings have several practical implications that faculty and administrators can employ in shaping the undergraduate experience to encourage short- and long-term interest in engineering among both male and female students.

Authentic scientific research in an international setting as a path toward higher education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mladenov, N.; Palomo, M.; Casad, B.; Pietruschka, B.; Buckley, C.

2016-12-01

Studies have shown that undergraduate research opportunities foster student interest in research, encourage minority students to seek advanced degrees, and put students on a path toward higher education. It has been further suggested that engineering projects in international settings address issues of sustainability and promote a connection between engineering and social welfare that may compel students to seek future research opportunities. In this study, we explored the role that authentic research experiences in an international setting play in promoting higher education for students from groups typically under-represented in engineering and sciences. We hypothesized that the international context of the research experiences will provide undergraduate and graduate students with a global perspective of water reuse challenges and promote increased interest in pursuing a higher degree in engineering. Through the Sustainable Sanitation International Research Experiences for Students (IRES) Program, US students conducting research in Durban, South Africa in 2015 and 2016, were tasked with leading 6-week long research projects, collaborating with partners at the University of KwaZulu Natal, and producing papers and presentations for regional and international scientific conferences. All undergraduate participants were from groups under-represented in the sciences. Pre- and post-program survey results revealed that, after completing the program, participants of Cohort 1 had 1) greater research skills, 2) greater identification as an engineer, and 3) stronger intentions to pursue a PhD in engineering. Survey data were also used to evaluate comfort with cultural diversity before and after the international program and the effect of pairing US with South African student researchers. Our results indicate that students' awareness of societal needs and engineering challenges faced in Durban resulted in a positive impact on each student. The benefits gained from the international research experience have important implications for environmental engineering and other scientific fields in terms of inducing greater self-efficacy and fostering an interest in higher education for students from groups traditionally under-represented in the sciences.

Identifying Important Career Indicators of Undergraduate Geoscience Students Upon Completion of Their Degree

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wilson, C. E.; Keane, C. M.; Houlton, H. R.

2012-12-01

The American Geosciences Institute (AGI) decided to create the National Geoscience Student Exit Survey in order to identify the initial pathways into the workforce for these graduating students, as well as assess their preparedness for entering the workforce upon graduation. The creation of this survey stemmed from a combination of experiences with the AGI/AGU Survey of Doctorates and discussions at the following Science Education Research Center (SERC) workshops: "Developing Pathways to Strong Programs for the Future", "Strengthening Your Geoscience Program", and "Assessing Geoscience Programs". These events identified distinct gaps in understanding the experiences and perspectives of geoscience students during one of their most profound professional transitions. Therefore, the idea for the survey arose as a way to evaluate how the discipline is preparing and educating students, as well as identifying the students' desired career paths. The discussions at the workshops solidified the need for this survey and created the initial framework for the first pilot of the survey. The purpose of this assessment tool is to evaluate student preparedness for entering the geosciences workforce; identify student decision points for entering geosciences fields and remaining in the geosciences workforce; identify geosciences fields that students pursue in undergraduate and graduate school; collect information on students' expected career trajectories and geosciences professions; identify geosciences career sectors that are hiring new graduates; collect information about salary projections; overall effectiveness of geosciences departments regionally and nationally; demonstrate the value of geosciences degrees to future students, the institutions, and employers; and establish a benchmark to perform longitudinal studies of geosciences graduates to understand their career pathways and impacts of their educational experiences on these decisions. AGI's Student Exit Survey went through a second pilot testing with Spring 2012 graduates from 45 departments across the United States. These graduating students from undergraduate and graduate programs answered questions about their earth science education experiences at the high school, community college, and university levels; their quantitative skills; their research and internship experiences and their immediate plans after graduation. Out of the 294 complete responses to the survey, 233 were from undergraduate students. This presentation will focus on the responses of these undergraduate students. AGI hopes to fully deploy this survey broadly to geosciences departments across the country in Spring 2013. AGI will also begin longitudinally participants from the previous Exit Survey efforts in order to understand their progression through their chosen career paths.

Findings from a study of aspiring nursing student leaders.

PubMed

Waite, Roberta; McKinney, Nicole S

2015-12-01

Transformational leadership skills are critical to operate effectively in today's healthcare environment. Prelicensure nurses do not often practice these skills in a meaningful way during their undergraduate educational experience. This paper describes quantitative pre-post findings from the Kouzes and Posner Student Leadership Practices Inventory to examine students' leadership attributes pre-post engagement in an 18 month undergraduate leadership program. This is a non-experimental convenience study that used a quantitative pre-post survey design collecting data from participants and observers using the 360 Kouzes and Posner Student Leadership Practices Inventory. A private university in the northeastern region of the United States. Fourteen junior level nursing students who concurrently participated in a leadership program while concurrently completing their required academic courses for their bachelor's degree in nursing. Paired sample t-tests were used to determine if there was statistical significance among student participants' and observers' perceptions of specific leadership behaviors and skills of students at the onset (pretest) and at the conclusion (posttest) of the leadership program. Participant and observer scores were positively correlated and statistical significance was identified in several practice areas. It is important to integrate transformation leadership skills into undergraduate curriculum since it supports students' engagement in their own learning and instills foundational knowledge critical to their leadership trajectory. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Three new bachelors of photonics in Ontario

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nantel, Marc; Beda, Johann; Grevatt, Treena; Chebbi, Brahim; Jessop, Paul; Song, Shaowen

2004-10-01

After the introduction in 2001 of community college programs at the Photonics Technician/Technologist levels, the need to cover the photonics educational space at the undergraduate level was addressed. In the last year, three very different new undergraduate degrees in photonics have started to develop in Ontario. These programs are presented in this paper. The Honours B.Sc. in Photonics at Wilfrid Laurier University (Waterloo) will develop a strong understanding of the theory and application of photonics, with practical hands-on exposure to optics, fibre optics, and lasers. This program benefits from the particularity that the department offering it combines both Physics and Computer Science. At McMaster University, the Engineering Physics program will provide students with a broad background in basic Engineering, Mathematics, Electronics, and Semiconductors, as well as an opportunity to pursue Photonics in greater depth and to have that fact recognized in the program designation. The Niagara and Algonquin College Bachelor of Applied Technology in Photonics program is co-op and joint between the two institutions. Emphasis is placed on the applied aspects of the field, with the more hands-on experimental learning taking precedence in the first years and the more advanced theoretical subjects following in the latter years.

Variation in the Length of an Undergraduate Degree: Participation and Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davies, Peter; Slack, Kim; Howard, Chris

2012-01-01

Recent policy in England has advocated the introduction of fast-track degrees to provide an alternative, shorter route to a bachelor's degree. It has been argued that this will widen participation in higher education and increase labour market flexibility by providing an option in which undergraduates spend one fewer years out of the labour…

Coordination of Teachers in New Undergraduate Degrees Adapted to European Higher Education Area

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mondéjar-Jiménez, Juan-Antonio; Cordente-Rodríguez, María; Meseguer-Santamaría, María-Leticia; Vargas-Vargas, Manuel; Mondéjar-Jiménez, José

2010-01-01

The introduction of new undergraduate degrees adapted to the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) requires a coordinated effort by teachers, because the different subjects are based on a new methodology of teaching and learning. The Social Sciences School of Cuenca offers degrees in Business Administration, Law and Labor Sciences. The progressive…

Student Engagement in First Year of an ICT Degree: Staff and Student Perceptions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sheard, Judy; Carbone, Angela; Hurst, A. J.

2010-01-01

This article reports on a study of student engagement in the first year of their undergraduate information and communication technology (ICT) degree at an Australian university. The study was conducted at Monash University in the four undergraduate ICT degrees of the Faculty of Information Technology. The study draws on data collected from staff…

Redeveloping a Business Undergraduate Honours Research Degree to Improve Educational Outcomes: Implications for PhD Supervision

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mitsis, Ann

2015-01-01

There are many challenges that undergraduate students face when studying an honours research degree. Honours programmes though traditionally considered within the business discipline as a loss leader, nevertheless, form a direct entry requirement for PhD programmes. The honours degree can be considered a formative research programme for student…

To What Degree Are Undergraduate Students Using Their Personal Computers to Support Their Daily Study Practices?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sim, KwongNui; Butson, Russell

2014-01-01

This scoping study examines the degree to which twenty two undergraduate students used their personal computers to support their academic study. The students were selected based on their responses to a questionnaire aimed at gauging their degree of computer skill. Computer activity data was harvested from the personal computers of eighteen…

Foundation Degrees in Geography and Tourism: A Critical Reflection on Student Experiences and the Implications for Undergraduate Degree Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Simm, David; Marvell, Alan; Schaaf, Rebecca; Winlow, Heather

2012-01-01

Over the last decade, some UK Geography Departments have diversified their range of courses to offer Foundation degrees (Fds), providing students with alternative routes through higher education (HE). These courses are delivered either offsite at further education colleges (FECs), embedded within an undergraduate programme at higher education…

Retaining Aspiring Scholars (retention, Students of Color)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Walters, Nancy Bannister

Tinto's retention model provided the theoretical framework for this research study of the academic and social integration of academically talented students of color into the graduate and professional science degree pipeline. The site for this study was the Life Sciences Summer Undergraduate Research Program of the University of Minnesota. This program recruits academically talented undergraduates from throughout the nation for participation in two months of research, academic study and orientation to science graduate and professional programs. The quantitative data source consisted of survey responses by 108 alumni of the Summer Undergraduate Research Program to the Institutional Integration Scale developed by Ernest Pascarella and Patrick Terenzini. The scale measures academic integration, social integration and institutional and goal commitment of students. The qualitative data source consisted of one-on-one interviews of 14 summer program alumni of Caucasian, Latino and African American background. The quantitative results were not significant, while the qualitative results demonstrated the importance to alumni interviewed of the challenging academic research work, personally confirming peer group socialization, and supportive student faculty interactions. The study showed the importance of programs like these for helping students of color plan upper level college study and graduate/professional school enrollment. Program characteristics that influenced decision making regarding school and career choices by study participants and specifically by students of color were involvement of faculty in recruiting and mentoring students; socialization to the graduate student role through peer group relations and student maturation and empowerment through participation in a high level academic program. Study findings indicated that supportive and empowering faculty contact was considered most important by students of color who continued on to graduate and professional programs.

Evaluation of graduate nursing students' information literacy self-efficacy and applied skills.

PubMed

Robertson, D Susie; Felicilda-Reynaldo, Rhea Faye D

2015-03-01

Maintaining evidence-based nursing practice requires information literacy (IL) skills that should be established prior to completing an undergraduate nursing degree. Based on Bandura's social cognitive theory, this cross-sectional descriptive correlational study assessed the perceived and applied IL skills of graduate nursing students from two family nurse practitioner (FNP) programs in the midwestern United States. Results showed that although the 26 newly admitted FNP students demonstrated a high level of confidence in their IL skills, the students did not perform well in the actual IL skills test. According to Bandura, the students' confidence in their IL knowledge should allow students to be engaged in course activities requiring IL skills. Nurse educators teaching in undergraduate or graduate programs are in key positions to incorporate IL experiences into class activities to allow for skill assessment and further practice. Further research is needed on nursing students' IL self-efficacy and performance. Copyright 2015, SLACK Incorporated.

Rationale and Initial Design for a Virtual Undergraduate Internship in Astronomy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berryhill, Katie; Slater, T. F.; Slater, S. J.

2012-01-01

In recent decades, research experiences for undergraduates (REUs) programs have provided students with opportunities to spend a summer working on a research project with a faculty mentor. The aim of these programs has generally been to take up the challenge of the Boyer-2 report to introduce research-based learning into the undergraduate experience (Boyer 1998). Recent efforts have been aimed at encouraging women and underrepresented minorities to pursue STEM careers. With the advent of successful models for online degree programs that can add to the STEM workforce pipeline, there is now the possibility of expanding these research experiences to include the new diverse demographic of previously untapped online learners. Many online learners are working adults, and therefore do not have the same flexibility as traditional undergraduates to attend a summer REU at another institution, nor do they have the opportunity for internships at their home institution. This project is intended to leverage significant developments in rapidly emerging social media; investments in Internet-accessible telescopes for professional and amateur use; and contemporary advances in the learning sciences to build pathways through long-term, collaborative, astronomy research projects. The first stage involves developing initial research protocols and online mentoring infrastructures for establishing an ongoing national program for virtual astronomy internships for undergraduate STEM majors. Underlying this project is a plan for students to work collaboratively alongside active professional and amateur astronomers to conduct original research using remotely controlled and robotic telescopes. We anticipate that by the start of this project, more than 100 robotic and remotely controlled telescopes will exist around the world (mo-www.harvard.edu/OWN, aavso.org/aavsonet, and lcogt.net among others) providing continuous world-wide coverage. We plan to test and iteratively build a successful infrastructure for students to take advantage of these and other rapidly emerging resources and support an expansion of the STEM career workforce.

Connecting Physics Bachelors to Their Dream Jobs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhattacharya, Shouvik

2013-01-01

People who earn bachelor’s degrees in physics are highly employable. Employers value the skills that physics bachelor’s recipients acquire and develop over their four years of a college education, such as complex problem solving, advanced mathematics, teamwork and programming. The Career Pathways Project of the American Institute of Physics (AIP) aims to better prepare physics undergraduates for the science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) workforce. This presentation will include a discussion of common features among departments visited by the AIP’s Career Pathways team, ideas for a career workshop for physics undergraduates, and advice on how to make the most out of a job fair and how to start effective online professional networking.

Perceived Stress and an Elaborated Structural Model of Adult Student Persistence: An Examination of Financial Aid, Financial Satisfaction, Intent To Persist and Persistence.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sandler, Martin E.

Researchers used cross-sectional survey research to reexamine the problem of adult persistence within undergraduate degree programs. They identified a variable--perceived stress--that permitted a richer explanation of the process of student persistence. A model was presented that examined the attitudinal and behavioral impacts of unmet need,…

Topography of Learning Style Preferences of Undergraduate Students in Industrial Technology and Engineering Programs at Historically Black and Predominantly White Institutions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fazarro, Dominick E.; Stevens, Anthony

2004-01-01

There has been a growing awareness among educators of the increasing diversity in college classrooms. Currently, institutions are seeing an increase in students of color who are pursuing advanced degrees. An understanding of how individuals or groups of individuals learn is essential to designing and implementing the shift in teaching practice so…

Profile of Degree/Certificate-Seeking Entering Undergraduate Students, by Control and Level of Institution. Web Tables. NCES 2011-252

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ginder, Scott; Mason, Marcinda

2011-01-01

The Student Right to Know Act requires institutions that participate in any student financial assistance program under Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (as amended) to disclose graduation rates. To assist institutions in meeting this requirement, the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) collects these rates as part of the…

Broadening of Graduate Practicums (An overview of how Jacksonville State University increased the practical experiences available to employed Master's level students).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Frith, Greg

Educators agree that the interaction of teachers in training with exceptional children through the medium of practicums or internships is an essential component of every teacher education program. At the undergraduate level, where the student is usually pursuing a degree on a full time basis, ample opportunities exist for interaction with…

Experiences with the Development of an Undergraduate Degree in Ecohydrology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saito, L.; Walker, M.; Markee, N.

2014-12-01

In 2007, the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Science established the first undergraduate degree in Ecohydrology in the United States. The degree was designed to prepare students for careers as hydrologists while also including coursework equivalent to a minor in ecology (UNR does not officially offer a minor in ecology). The development of the major was intended to provide students with useful skills and training for the job market, and also to increase enrollment in the University's water-related undergraduate majors. The Department also established an Ecohydrology minor. Since the degree was established, average enrollment in the major has been almost two times higher than the previous Watershed Science option in Environmental Science (the closest comparable degree offering at UNR). The Department has graduated 19 students as of May 2014, and an additional 8 students have graduated with the Ecohydrology minor. Several Ecohydrology graduates have gone on to graduate degrees, and most of the remainder are employed in water-related areas. The students have established an Ecohydrology Club at UNR and are active in organizing water-related activities to do together. This presentation will describe the development of the degree, its implementation, and challenges and opportunities for carrying out an undergraduate degree in Ecohydrology. It will also discuss potential development of a 5-year Bachelor of Science-Master of Science (BS-MS) degree in Ecohydrology.

Trends in Undergraduate Economics Degrees, 1991-2016

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Siegfried, John J.

2017-01-01

Undergraduate degrees awarded in economics by U.S. colleges and universities were stagnant from 2009-10 through 2012-13, increased rapidly (almost 15 percent) over the two years from 2012-13 through 2014-15, but have again leveled off in 2015-16.

Evaluating Maternal and Child Health and Leadership Competencies of Emerging MCH Leaders: The MCHC/RISE-UP Experience.

PubMed

Belcher, Harolyn M E; Stone, Jacqueline D; McFadden, Jenese A; Hemmingson, Tyler A; Kreutzer, Cary; Harris, Lisa G; Wheeler, Barbara Y; Van Osdel, Joanne; Avila, Margaret; Yorker, Beatrice; Hoffman, Beth R; Turner-Musa, Jocelyn O

2015-12-01

This study examines maternal and child health core competencies and leadership characteristics of undergraduate students following participation in the Maternal and Child Health Careers/Research Initiatives for Student Enhancement-Undergraduate Program (MCHC/RISE-UP). MCHC/RISE-UP is a 10-week public health leadership program designed to promote diversity in public health workforce through mentored research, community engagement and advocacy, and clinical experiences for undergraduate students. The MCHC/RISE-UP is a national consortium of University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities including, (1) Kennedy Krieger Institute (Kennedy Krieger, lead institution) partnering with Morgan State University, a Historically Black University, (2) the University of South Dakota partnering with Tribal Serving Institutions; and (3) the University of Southern California Children's Hospital-Los Angeles and their partner institution, California State University Los Angeles, a Hispanic Serving Institution. Eighty-four junior and senior undergraduates and recent baccalaureate degree students who participated in the MCHC/RISE-UP worked on 48 maternal and child health projects. Following the MCHC/RISE-UP, students demonstrated statistically significant improvements in all maternal and child health core competencies. Transformational leadership characteristics also increased (mean increase 9.4, 95% CI 7.2-11.8; p < 0.001). At closing interview, over twice as many students endorsed a public health career goal compared to program admission (17.9 vs. 57.7%; p = 0.022). Multi-institutional collaborative public health leadership programs may extend the reach and recruitment of diverse students into the maternal and child health field. Experiential, didactic, and mentored learning opportunities may enhance student integration of maternal and child health competencies and transformational leadership characteristics.

Exploring the undergraduate experience of Latina students in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) majors: Motivators and strategies for achieving baccalaureate attainment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carbajal, Sandy C.

Drawing from Latino/a Critical Race Theory and the related Community Cultural Wealth (CCW) model, I concentrate on three forms of CCW---aspirational, navigational, and resistance capital---for this qualitative study on the undergraduate experience of Latina students in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) majors, focusing on strategies and achieving baccalaureate attainment. I interviewed ten Latina students and asked them questions regarding their educational experiences in STEM majors, what contributed to their degree completion, and the strategies they employed for achieving baccalaureate attainment. I identified and described six themes within the study (the underrepresentation of Latinas in STEM majors, the lack of preparation by academic programs for upper division courses, motivators, involvement, time management, and support networks) that, when combined, contributed to participants' degree attainment. This study concludes with implications for policy and practice that would allow universities to better assist Latinas in STEM majors to achieve baccalaureate attainment.

Pursuit of STEM: Factors shaping degree completion for African American females in STEM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wilkins, Ashlee N.

The primary purpose of the study was to examine secondary data from the Cooperative Institutional Research Program (CIRP) Freshman and College Senior Surveys to investigate factors shaping degree aspirations for African American female undergraduates partaking in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) majors. Hierarchical multiple regression was used to analyze the data and identify relationships between independent variables in relation to the dependent variable. The findings of the study reveal four key variables that were predictive of degree completion for African American females in STEM. Father's education, SAT composite, highest degree planned, and self-perception were positive predictors for females; while independent variable overall sense of community among students remained a negative predictor. Lastly implications for education and recommendations for future research were discussed.

A Survey of Campus Coordinators of Undergraduate Research Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hensley, Merinda Kaye; Shreeves, Sarah L.; Davis-Kahl, Stephanie

2015-01-01

Interest in supporting undergraduate research programs continues to grow within academic librarianship. This article presents how undergraduate research program coordinators perceive and value library support of their programs. Undergraduate research coordinators from a variety of institutions were surveyed on which elements of libraries and…

The master degree: A critical transition in STEM doctoral education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lange, Sheila Edwards

The need to broaden participation in the nation's science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) undergraduate and graduate programs is currently a matter of national urgency. The small number of women and underrepresented minorities (URM) earning doctoral degrees in STEM is particularly troubling given significant increases in the number of students earning master's degrees since 1990. In the decade between 1990 and 2000, the total number of master's recipients increased by 42%. During this same time period, the number of women earning master's degrees increased by 56%, African Americans increased by 132%, American Indians by 101%, Hispanics by 146%, and Asian Americans by 117% (Syverson, 2003). Growth in underrepresented group education at the master's level raises questions about the relationship between master's and doctoral education. Secondary data analysis of the Survey of Earned Doctorates (SED) was used to examine institutional pathways to the doctorate in STEM disciplines and transitions from master's to doctoral programs by race and gender. While the study revealed no significant gender differences in pathways, compared to White and Asian American students, URM students take significantly different pathways to the doctorate. URM students are significantly more likely to earn the bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees at three different institutions. Their path is significantly more likely to include earning a master's degree en route to the doctorate. Further, URM students are more likely to experience transition between the master's and doctoral degrees, and the transitions are not limited to those who earn master's degrees at master's-only institutions. These findings suggest that earning a master's degree is more often a stepping stone to the doctorate for URM students. Master's degree programs, therefore, have the potential to be a valuable resource for policymakers and graduate programs seeking to increase the diversity of URM students earning doctorates in STEM.

Efforts at Broadening Participation in the Sciences: An Examination of the Mentoring Experiences of Students from Underrepresented Groups

PubMed Central

Prunuske, Amy; Wilson, Janelle; Walls, Melissa; Marrin, Hannah; Clarke, Benjamin

2016-01-01

With the primary objective of attracting and retaining students from underrepresented backgrounds in the sciences, evaluation of one institution’s program has been ongoing over the past three years. Interviews with mentors in the program followed by focus groups conducted with mentees reveal key factors that shape undergraduate students’ research experiences. In the present study, attention is given to data gathered from 15 mentees in the program, the majority of whom have enrolled in community colleges, represent low socioeconomic backgrounds, and are nontraditional students. The results from focus groups with the mentees provide information on the benefits of participating in the program, characteristics of good mentors, challenges to the mentoring relationship, and the effects of underrepresented status on pursuit of advanced degrees. Comparisons of mentees’ comments about the mentoring relationship with mentors’ comments reveal similar themes and patterns while also demonstrating interesting differences. The qualitative findings are also juxtaposed with participants’ responses on the Survey of Undergraduate Research Experiences. Taken together, the data enhance our understanding of the experiences of underrepresented students in faculty-mentored research programs and highlight challenges and perspectives of students who are transferring to the university from a community college. PMID:27521233

'TeamUP': An approach to developing teamwork skills in undergraduate midwifery students.

PubMed

Hastie, Carolyn Ruth

2018-03-01

to develop an effective model to enable educators to teach, develop and assess the development of midwifery students' teamwork skills DESIGN: an action research project involving participant interviews and academic feedback. a regional university PARTICIPANTS: midwifery students (n = 21) and new graduate midwives (n = 20) INTERVENTIONS: a whole of course program using a rubric, with five teamwork domains and behavioural descriptors, to provide a framework for teaching and assessment. Students self and peer assess. Lectures, tutorials and eight different groupwork assignments of increasing difficulty, spread over the three years of the undergraduate degree are incorporated into the TeamUP model. the assignments provide students with the opportunity to practice and develop their teamwork skills in a safe, supported environment. the social, emotional and practical behaviours required for effective teamwork can be taught and developed in undergraduate health students. students require a clear overview of the TeamUP model at the beginning of the degree. They need to be informed of the skills and behaviours that the TeamUP model is designed to help develop and why they are important. The success of the model depends upon the educator's commitment to supporting students to learn teamwork skills. Crown Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The utilization of the seven principles for good practices of full-time and adjunct faculty in teaching health & science in community colleges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Musaitif, Linda M.

Purpose. The purpose of this study was to determine the degree to which undergraduate full-time and adjunct faculty members in the health and science programs at community colleges in Southern California utilize the seven principles of good practice as measured by the Faculty Inventory of the Seven Principles for Good Practice in Undergraduate Education. A second purpose was to compare degree of utilization for gender and class size. Methodology. This is a quantitative study wherein there exists a systematic and mathematical assessment of data gathered through the use of a Likert scale survey to process and determine the mathematical model of the use of the principles by the target population of both full-time and adjunct faculty of health/science programs of community colleges in Southern California. Findings. Examination of the data revealed that both full-time and adjunct faculty members of Southern California community colleges perceive themselves a high degree of utilization of the seven principles of good practice. There was no statistically significant data to suggest a discrepancy between full-time and adjunct professors' perceptions among the utilization of the seven principles. Overall, male faculty members perceived themselves as utilizing the principles to a greater degree than female faculty. Data suggest that faculty with class size 60 or larger showed to utilize the seven principles more frequently than the professors with smaller class sizes. Conclusions. Full-time and adjunct professors of the health and sciences in Southern California community colleges perceive themselves as utilizing the seven principles of good practice to a high degree. Recommendations. This study suggests many recommendations for future research, including the degree to which negative economic factors such as budget cuts and demands affect the utilization of the seven principles. Also recommended is a study comparing students' perceptions of faculty's utilization of the seven principles of good practice in the classroom with faculty's self-perception.

[Infant feeding: a reflection regarding the nursing curricula in Mexico City].

PubMed

Salas Valenzuela, Monserrat; Torre Medina-Mora, Pilar; Meza Segura, Citlal

2014-08-01

Given the key position of the nursing profession in primary health care, in this article we examine the nursing degree curricula in public institutions in Mexico City to establish whether these programs of study include the topics necessary to implement the current recommendations regarding infant feeding. We perform a documentary analysis that compares the nursing curricula to the two official regulations existing on the subject. In a total of eleven locations, nine public institutions offer undergraduate degrees in nursing. There are seven programs of study in existence, with different structures, course names, and thematic contents among them and all with insufficient and outdated bibliography. We recommend that the programs be made more equivalent, that the bibliography be updated, and that the relevant official standards and international literature be included, so as to better meet the challenges of modernity and globalization in the subject of infant feeding.

Undergraduate Research in Geoscience with Students from Two-year Colleges: SAGE 2YC Resources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McDaris, J. R.; Hodder, J.; Macdonald, H.; Baer, E. M.; Blodgett, R. H.

2014-12-01

Undergraduate research experiences are important for the development of expertise in geoscience disciplines. These experiences have been shown to help students learn content and skills, promote students' cognitive and affective development, and develop students' sense of self. Early exposure to research experiences has shown to be effective in the recruitment of students, improved retention and persistence in degree programs, motivation for students to learn and increase self-efficacy, improved attitudes and values about science, and overall increased student success. Just as departments at four-year institutions (4YCs) are increasingly integrating research into their introductory courses, two-year college (2YC) geoscience faculty have a great opportunity to ground their students in authentic research. The Undergraduate Research with Two-year College Students website developed by SAGE 2YC: Supporting and Advancing Geoscience Education at Two-year Colleges provides ideas and advice for 2YC and 4YC faculty who want to get more 2YC students involved in research. The continuum of possibilities for faculty to explore includes things that can be done at 2YCs (eg. doing research as part of a regular course, developing a course specifically around research on a particular topic, or independent study), done in collaboration with other local institutions (eg. using their facilities, conducting joint class research, or using research to support transfer programs), and by involving students in the kind of organized Undergraduate Research programs run by a number of institutions and organizations. The website includes profiles illustrating how 2YC geoscience faculty have tackled these various models of research and addressed potential challenges such as lack of time, space, and funding as part of supporting the wide diversity of students that attend 2YCs, most of whom have less experience than that of rising seniors who are the traditional REU participant. The website also provides resources on effective strategies for developing REU programs for community college students, examples of successful multi-year programs, links to other projects working on undergraduate research in the first two years, and references for further reading. serc.carleton.edu/sage2yc/studentsuccess/ug-research/

Encouraging the pursuit of advanced degrees in science and engineering: Top-down and bottom-up methodologies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Maddox, Anthony B.; Smith-Maddox, Renee P.; Penick, Benson E.

1989-01-01

The MassPEP/NASA Graduate Research Development Program (GRDP) whose objective is to encourage Black Americans, Mexican Americans, American Indians, Puerto Ricans, and Pacific Islanders to pursue graduate degrees in science and engineering is described. The GRDP employs a top-down or goal driven methodology through five modules which focus on research, graduate school climate, technical writing, standardized examinations, and electronic networking. These modules are designed to develop and reinforce some of the skills necessary to seriously consider the goal of completing a graduate education. The GRDP is a community-based program which seeks to recruit twenty participants from a pool of Boston-area undergraduates enrolled in engineering and science curriculums and recent graduates with engineering and science degrees. The program emphasizes that with sufficient information, its participants can overcome most of the barriers perceived as preventing them from obtaining graduate science and engineering degrees. Experience has shown that the top-down modules may be complemented by a more bottom-up or event-driven methodology. This approach considers events in the academic and professional experiences of participants in order to develop the personal and leadership skills necessary for graduate school and similar endeavors.

"I Don't Want to Be an Almost Engineer": Women's Voices of Persistence in Undergraduate Engineering Degrees

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yates, Heather N.

2012-01-01

This narrative qualitative study focused on the experiences of four women pursuing undergraduate engineering degrees and how the experiences affect their self-efficacy and in turn persistence in the degree. The use of narrative methodologies allowed the addition of the voice of the women engineering students to the study providing a more robust…

Masters International Program in Natural Hazards: a joint program between Michigan Tech and US Peace Corps begins move to work in Indonesia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rose, W. I.; Carn, S. A.; Waite, G. P.; Gierke, J. S.; Wellik, J. J.

2011-12-01

We are in the seventh year of developing a unique graduate degree program in which each student serves in the U.S. Peace Corps for two years while conducting his/her field research. Our program allows candidates to work on natural hazard mitigation projects in a country where natural hazards are important parts of life. For US students, living abroad provides a vital broadening experience and the Peace Corps emphasis on social context adds cultural understanding to their hazards work. Up until now, we have mostly worked in Central America, and 33 students have enrolled in the program. The greatest focus to date has been in Volcanic Hazards, including slope stability and debris flows, and our work is fostering long-term infrastructure-building relationships with partner agencies within the 8 countries where we have worked. This year we sent a student (Jay Wellik) to a Peace Corps site in East Java, Indonesia where he will work with schools in his village and commute weekly to the Raung Observatory Post to work with CVGHM scientists on volcano seismology and public outreach projects.. We recruit 4-6 new students each year, and we hope more will soon be in Indonesia as Peace Corps expands their new program in that country. Although the Peace Corps Masters International (PCMI) students must be US citizens, we also have regular undergraduate and graduate (MS and PhD) degree students in geology, geological engineering and geophysics who come from all over the world. We are especially interested in people from partner Peace Corps countries. Annually our natural-hazards group consists of 5 faculty, 2 post-doctoral researchers, several Ph.D and traditional M.S. students, 12 PCMI students, and roughly 20 undergraduate students. Support for our program has come from NSF and we have also benefitted from a supportive cooperation with USGS VDAP. In the past two years we have built a complementary dual degree partnership with the Université Blaise-Pascal, Clermont Ferrand (France), and Universitá degli Studi di Milano - Bicocca (Italy) , which allows for a strong European connection to this international work.

The Utilization of the Seven Principles for Good Practices of Full-Time and Adjunct Faculty in Teaching Health & Science in Community Colleges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Musaitif, Linda M.

2013-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the degree to which undergraduate full-time and adjunct faculty members in the health and science programs at community colleges in Southern California utilize the seven principles of good practice as measured by the Faculty Inventory of the Seven Principles for Good Practice in Undergraduate…

The Use of Technology for Enhancing the Learning Experiences of Undergraduate Students: From Online Education to the Use of Mobile Devices and Web-Based Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hochstrasser, Jeffrey L.

2014-01-01

This three article dissertation is the culminating requirement for the Professional Practices Doctorate, resulting in a terminal Ed.D. degree at the University of Idaho. As such, it consists of three articles specifically relating to educational concerns at Brigham Young University-Idaho. The goal was to address specific situations or needs…

Collegiate Connections: Developing the Next Generation of Music Teachers: Sample Music Education Association Programs that Promote the Profession and Prepare Future Colleagues

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Councill, Kimberly H.; Brewer, Wesley D.; Burrack, Frederick; Juchniewicz, Jay

2013-01-01

Although the influence of the school music teacher in a student's decision to pursue an undergraduate music education degree is well documented, little is known about the contribution that state music education associations (MEAs) may make toward a student's decision to major in a music-related field. Data do suggest that students' opinions about…

Degree of Vertical Integration Between the Undergraduate Program and Clinical Internship with Respect to Lumbopelvic Diagnostic and Therapeutic Procedures Taught at the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College

PubMed Central

Vermet, Shannon; McGinnis, Karen; Boodham, Melissa; Gleberzon, Brian J.

2010-01-01

Purpose: The objective of this study was to determine to what extent the diagnostic and therapeutic procedures taught in the undergraduate program used for patients with lumbopelvic conditions are expected to be utilized by students during their clinical internship program at Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College or are being used by the clinical faculty. Methods: A confidential survey was distributed to clinical faculty at the college. It consisted of a list of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures used for lumbopelvic conditions taught at that college. Clinicians were asked to indicate the frequency with which they performed or they required students to perform each item. Results: Seventeen of 23 clinicians responded. The following procedures were most likely required to be performed by clinicians: posture; ranges of motion; lower limb sensory, motor, and reflex testing; and core orthopedic tests. The following were less likely to be required to be performed: Waddell testing, Schober's test, Gillet tests, and abdominal palpation. Students were expected to perform (or clinicians performed) most of the mobilization (in particular, iliocostal, iliotransverse, and iliofemoral) and spinal manipulative therapies (in particular, the procedures referred to as the lumbar roll, lumbar pull/hook, and upper sacroiliac) taught at the college. Conclusion: This study suggests that there was considerable, but not complete, vertical integration between the undergraduate and clinical education program at this college. PMID:20480014

Retaining Underrepresented Minority Undergraduates in STEM through Hands-on Internship Experiences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bamzai, A.; Mcpherson, R. A.; DeLong, K. L.; Rivera-Monroy, V. H.; Zak, J.; Earl, J.; Owens, K.; Wilson, D.

2015-12-01

The U.S. Department of the Interior's South Central Climate Science Center (SCCSC) hosts an annual 3-week summer internship opportunity for undergraduate students of underrepresented minorities interested in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields. Internship participants travel across the south-central U.S. to visit university campuses and field locations. The students interact with faculty conducting cutting edge research and with resource managers facing decision-making under uncertainty. This internship format allows the participants to see the direct impacts of climate variability and change on the Texas Hill Country, prairie and forest ecosystems and tribal cultures in Oklahoma, and the bayous, delta and coastline of Louisiana. Immersive experiences are key for exposing students to academic research and providing them with the skills and experiences needed to continue on in their professional careers. The SCCSC's program introduces students to how research is conducted, gives them a broad perspective on how collaborations form, and starts each student on the path to building a large and diverse professional network. By providing participants with a "buffet" of options, our internship serves as a launching pad from which each student can move forward towards experiences such as participating in a Research Experiences for Undergraduates program, gaining employment in a STEM-related career path, and being accepted into a graduate degree program. This presentation will describe the components of the SCCSC's internship program and provide a summary of post-internship student successes.

Statistical Methods for Protecting Personally Identifiable Information in the Disclosure of Graduation Rates of First-Time, Full-Time Degree- or Certificate-Seeking Undergraduate Students by 2-Year Degree-Granting Institutions of Higher Education. Technical Brief. NCES 2012-151

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Xianglei; Bersudskaya, Vera; Cubarrubi, Archie

2011-01-01

The Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 (HEOA) requires that Title IV degree-granting institutions disclose annually the graduation rates of first-time, full-time degree- or certificate-seeking undergraduate students, disaggregated by gender, each major racial/ethnic subgroup, and receipt or non-receipt of a federal Pell grant or subsidized…

ALVA: A Successful Program for Increasing the Number of Minority Undergraduates who Earn Engineering Degrees

PubMed Central

Peterson, Lisa; Pinkham, Scott; Jordan, Cathryne

2010-01-01

A highly successful minority outreach and support program for incoming college freshmen in engineering is described. The University of Washington has been running ALVA (Alliances for Learning and Vision for underrepresented Americans) for 11 years and continuously tracks its participants. Partners in ALVA come from the government, education, and industry. This program targets talented underrepresented minority students and addresses four major hurdles that face minority students in engineering: lack of vision of themselves as an engineer, finances, community, and academic preparation. We will present ALVA as a model that can be duplicated at other colleges and universities. PMID:25242894

The Chi-Sci Scholars Program: Developing Community and Challenging Racially Inequitable Measures of Success at a Minority-Serving Institution on Chicago's Southside1

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sabella, Mel S.; Mardis, Kristy L.; Sanders, Nicolette; Little, Angela

2017-09-01

Ensuring that all students who want to pursue degrees and careers in science can do so is an important goal of a number of undergraduate STEM equity programs throughout the United States. Many of these programs, which promote diversity and the importance of diversity in science, directly address the 2012 PCAST report, which notes that "1 million additional STEM Professionals will be needed within the next decade" and "women and members of minority groups now constitute approximately 70% of college students, but earn only 45 percent of STEM degrees." The PCAST report also indicates that these students "leave STEM majors at higher rates than others and offer an expanding pool of untapped talent." Many of these programs recognize that it is important to provide students with a variety of support: financial, mentoring, research-based instruction, cohort development, and specific activities tailored to target population strengths and needs.

A Basic Music Library for Schools Offering Undergraduate Degrees in Music.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Association of Schools of Music, Reston, VA.

This bibliography was designed as a guide for a music library in schools offering an undergraduate degree in music. Under the general topic of books are the following divisions: Appreciation, Anthologies, Bibliographies, Biography, Dictionaries and Encyclopedias, Discography, History, Music Education, and Theory. The second section includes…

Moral Reasoning of MSW Social Workers and the Influence of Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kaplan, Laura E.

2006-01-01

This research examined the influence of undergraduate degree and ethics education on the moral reasoning of social workers. Statistical analyses found MSW social workers with liberal arts undergraduate degrees more likely to prefer postconventional levels of moral reasoning, defined as greater complexity of thought and principled reasoning. The…

Dangerous Liaisons: Exploring Employer Engagement Relationships in Vocational Undergraduate Adventure and Outdoor Management Degrees

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Melhuish, Lynsey

2017-01-01

This article explores the aspects of employer engagement in higher education (HE). The vocational field of the adventure and outdoor industry provides the context, with associated undergraduate degrees offering contemporary "real-world" provision, underpinned by values of inclusivity and widening participation--an approach that addresses…

Broadening Pathways to Geosciences with an Integrated Program at The University of Michigan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dick, G.; Munson, J.

2017-12-01

Low participation of under-represented minorities (URM) in the geosciences is an acute issue at the University of Michigan (U-M), where the number of undergraduate URM students majoring in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences (EES) is typically 5% of total majors. The goal of our project is to substantially increase the number and success rate of underrepresented minorities majoring in EES at U-M. We are pursuing this goal with five primary objectives: (i) inspire and recruit high schools seniors to pursue geoscience at U-M, especially through hands-on experiences including field trips; (ii) establish infrastructure to support students interested in geosciences through the critical juncture between high school and college; (iii) increase the number of URM students transferring from community college; (iv) develop student interest in geosciences through research and field experiences; (v) expose students to career opportunities in the geosciences. To accomplish these objectives we are leveraging existing programs, including Earth Camp, Foundations for Undergraduate Teaching: Uniting Research and Education (FUTURE), M-Sci, and college academic advisors. Throughout our interactions with students from high-school through college, we expose them to career opportunities in the geosciences, including private industry, academia, and government agencies. Evaluation of the program revealed three main conclusions: (i) the program increased student interest in pursuing an earth science degree; (ii) participating students showed a marked increase in awareness about the various opportunities that are available with an earth science degree including pathways to graduate school and earth science careers; (iii) field trips were the most effective route for achieving outcomes (i) and (ii).

A Survey of the Job Profiles of Biomedical Informatics Graduates.

PubMed

Macedo, Alessandra A; Ruiz, Evandro E S; Baranauskas, José A

2016-10-17

In 2003, the University of São Paulo established the first Biomedical Informatics (BMI) undergraduate course in Brazil. Our mission is to provide undergraduate students with formal education on the fundamentals of BMI and its applied methods. This undergraduate course offers theoretical aspects, practical knowledge and scientifically oriented skills in the area of BMI, enab- ling students to contribute to research and methodical development in BMI. Course coordinators, professors and students frequently evaluate the BMI course and the curriculum to ensure that alumni receive quality higher education. This study investigates (i) the main job activities undertake by USP BMI graduates, (ii) subjects that are fundamental important for graduates to pursue a career in BMI, and (iii) the course quality perceived by the alumni. Use of a structured questionnaire to conduct a survey involving all the BMI graduates who received their Bachelor degree before July, 2015 (attempted n = 205). One hundred and forty-five graduates (71 %) answered the questionnaire. Nine out of ten of our former students currently work as informaticians. Seventy-six graduates (52 %) work within the biomedical informatics field. Fifty-five graduates (38 %) work outside the biomedical informatics field, but they work in other IT areas. Ten graduates (7 %) do not work with BMI or any other informatics activities, and four (3 %) are presently unemployed. Among the 145 surveyed BMI graduates, 46 (32 %) and seven (5 %) hold a Master's degree and a PhD degree, respectively. Database Systems, Software Engineering, Introduction to Computer Science, Object-Oriented Programming, and Data Structures are regarded as the most important subjects during the higher education course. The majority of the graduates (105 or 72 %) are satisfied with the BMI education and training they received during the undergraduate course. More than half of the graduates from our BMI course work in their primary education area. Besides technical adequacy, the diverse job profiles, and the high level of satisfaction of our graduates indicate the importance of undergraduate courses specialized in the BMI domain are of utmost importance.

Growing the pipeline of diverse HIV investigators: The impact of mentored research experiences to engage underrepresented minority students

PubMed Central

Fuchs, Jonathan; Kouyate, Aminta; Kroboth, Liz; McFarland, Willi

2016-01-01

Structured, mentored research programs for high school and undergraduate students from underrepresented minority (URM) backgrounds are needed to increase the diversity of our nation’s biomedical research workforce. In particular, a robust pipeline of investigators from the communities disproportionately affected by the HIV epidemic is needed not only for fairness and equity but for insights and innovations to address persistent racial and ethnic disparities in new infections. We created the Summer HIV/AIDS Research Program (SHARP) at the San Francisco Department of Public Health for URM undergraduates as a 12-week program of hands-on research experience, one-on-one mentoring by a senior HIV investigator, didactic seminars for content and research methods, and networking opportunities. The first four cohorts (2012–2015) of SHARP gained research skills, built confidence in their abilities and self-identified as scientists. In addition, the majority of program alumni is employed in research positions and has been admitted to or is pursuing graduate degree programs in fields related to HIV prevention. While we await empirical studies of specific mentoring strategies at early educational stages, programs that engage faculty who are sensitive to the unique challenges facing diverse students and who draw lessons from established mentoring frameworks can help build an inclusive generation of HIV researchers. PMID:27066986

Growing the Pipeline of Diverse HIV Investigators: The Impact of Mentored Research Experiences to Engage Underrepresented Minority Students.

PubMed

Fuchs, Jonathan; Kouyate, Aminta; Kroboth, Liz; McFarland, Willi

2016-09-01

Structured, mentored research programs for high school and undergraduate students from underrepresented minority (URM) backgrounds are needed to increase the diversity of our nation's biomedical research workforce. In particular, a robust pipeline of investigators from the communities disproportionately affected by the HIV epidemic is needed not only for fairness and equity but for insights and innovations to address persistent racial and ethnic disparities in new infections. We created the Summer HIV/AIDS Research Program (SHARP) at the San Francisco Department of Public Health for URM undergraduates as a 12-week program of hands-on research experience, one-on-one mentoring by a senior HIV investigator, didactic seminars for content and research methods, and networking opportunities. The first four cohorts (2012-2015) of SHARP gained research skills, built confidence in their abilities and self-identified as scientists. In addition, the majority of program alumni is employed in research positions and has been admitted to or is pursuing graduate degree programs in fields related to HIV prevention. While we await empirical studies of specific mentoring strategies at early educational stages, programs that engage faculty who are sensitive to the unique challenges facing diverse students and who draw lessons from established mentoring frameworks can help build an inclusive generation of HIV researchers.

The Virtual Poster Showcase: Opportunities for students to present their research from anywhere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Asher, P. M.; Furukawa, H.; Williams, B. M.; Holm Adamec, B.

2015-12-01

Although many students conduct research with faculty in organized summer programs or as part of their course work or their degree work, they often face barriers to traveling to present that research, especially at national or international conferences. This is especially true for students who are members of underrepresented minority populations and students studying outside of the United States. A new and exciting opportunity for undergraduate as well as graduate students to showcase their work is now available. AGU piloted three opportunities for an undergraduate and graduate virtual poster showcase in the fall of 2015. Student participants were recruited from a diverse array of groups including minority-serving organizations, two-year colleges, and internship programs at federal agencies and national laboratories. Students uploaded an abstract, poster, and short video explain their research, and then participated in Q&A sessions with peers as well as expert judges. This presentation will share characteristics of participating groups, lessons learned from this new program, and preliminary evaluation findings as well as plans for the future.

Dental laboratory technology education in China: current situation and challenges.

PubMed

Zheng, Liwei; Yue, Li; Zhou, Min; Yu, Haiyang

2013-03-01

Modern dentistry and dental education in China were first introduced from abroad by Dr. Lindsay in 1907. However, advancements in the field of dental laboratory technology did not occur to the same degree in specialties such as prosthodontics and orthodontics. Since the 1990s, orders from abroad demanding dental appliances surged as the image of China as the "world's factory" strengthened. The assembly line model, in which technicians work like simple procedure workers, was rapidly applied to denture production, while the traditional education system and apprenticeship systems demonstrated little progress in these years. The lack of advancement in dental laboratory technology education caused insufficient development in China's dental technology industry. In order to alter the situation, a four-year dental laboratory technology undergraduate educational program was established in 2005 by West China School of Stomatology, Sichuan University (WCSS, SCU). This program was based on SCU's undergraduate education and WCSS's junior college education systems. The program introduced scientific methods in relevant subjects into laboratory technicians' training and made many improvements in the availability of trained faculty, textbooks, laboratory facilities, and curriculum.

Predictive factors of premedical student retention and degree completion within a private undergraduate university

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carter, Frances E.

Undergraduate retention and eventual graduation is of paramount importance to universities globally. Approximately 58% of students who began their college career at a four-year institution with the intention of receiving a bachelor's degree actually received that degree in a 6-year timeframe, according to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) annual report The Condition of Education 2009 (Planty, 2009). In certain subgroups of the undergraduate population, this graduation rate is even lower. This dissertation presents research into the academic integration of students in premedical programs subgroup based on Vincent Tinto's Integrationist Model of Student Departure. Pre-entry factors of interest for this study included incoming high school grade point average (GPA), incoming SAT total test scores, while post-matriculation factors included grade in organic chemistry, and the initial calculus course taken. A sample of 519 students from a private coeducational institution in the southeastern United States was examined. A logistic regression was performed to determine the effect of high school GPA, SAT total scores, organic chemistry grades, and calculus-readiness on graduation. A significant regression equation was found. The findings suggest that of the four predictor variables, high school GPA and organic chemistry grade were the only variables that showed significant predictive ability based on a significance level of p < .05. Further research should involve the examination of additional indicators of academic integration as well as information on the social integration of the student. Additionally, institutional leaders should continue to evaluate the premedical curriculum based on potential changes in medical school requirements.

UTeach: Secondary Teacher Preparation in Science and Mathematics at the University of Texas at Austin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marder, Michael

2006-03-01

The UTeach Program is a joint effort of the College of Natural Sciences, the College of Education and the Austin Independent School District to recruit, prepare and support math and science teachers for the State of Texas. UTeach uses early and on-going field experiences to capture the imagination of preservice teachers and provide a foundation for more advanced pedagogical courses. With over 400 students enrolled and over 80 graduates per year, UTeach is one of the largest programs producing secondary science, mathematics, and computer science teachers in the nation. Most UTeach students are undergraduates, but around 10% are people of many ages with strong backgrounds in mathematics or science who have decided to enter teaching. Hallmarks include: *Four-year degree plans that enable undergraduates to obtain certification at no cost in time or money. *Active recruitment and support including tuition reimbursement, paid internships, personal advising, and guidance by master teachers. *Emphasis on preparing teachers who will be knowledgeable of their discipline, experienced with involving students in scientific inquiry, and practiced in employing new technologies to enhance student learning. *A revised, streamlined professional education sequence drawing on research on learning, standards-based curricula, multiple forms of assessment, and proven strategies for achieving equity and integrating technology into math and science education. *Program flexibility with multiple entry points (from freshman to post baccalaureate), integrated degree plans, and proficiency-based assessment, including the development of individual teaching portfolios. For more information on UTeach, see http://uteach.utexas.edu

Filling the Graduate Student Pipeline

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Winey, Karen I.

2003-03-01

As a professor who relies on graduate students to participate in my research program, I work to ensure that the pipeline of graduate students is full. This presentation will discuss a variety of strategies that I have used to advertise the opportunities of graduate school, many of which use existing infrastructure at the University of Pennsylvania. These strategies involve a combination of public speaking, discussion groups, and faculty advising. During these exchanges it's important to both contrast the career opportunities for B.S., M.S. and Ph.D. degree holders and outline the financial facts about graduate school. These modest efforts have increased the number of Penn undergraduates pursuing doctorate degrees.

Teaching Scientists to Communicate: Evidence-Based Assessment for Undergraduate Science Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mercer-Mapstone, Lucy; Kuchel, Louise

2015-01-01

Communication skills are one of five nationally recognised learning outcomes for an Australian Bachelor of Science (BSc) degree. Previous evidence indicates that communication skills taught in Australian undergraduate science degrees are not developed sufficiently to meet the requirements of the modern-day workplace--a problem faced in the UK and…

Pre-Professional Ideologies and Career Trajectories of the Allied Professional Undergraduate Student

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hosein, Anesa; Rao, Namrata

2017-01-01

Undergraduate students sometimes pursue degrees that are aimed at allied jobs. This research examines how students in one allied professional degree, education studies, conceptualise their pre-professional ideology and how these ideologies relate to their intended career trajectory. The research draws upon a year-long qualitative survey of over 70…

Student Engagement in a Compulsory Introductory Physiology Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, S. J.; White, S.; Bowmar, A.; Power, N.

2017-01-01

Appropriate instruments are required to determine student engagement on an undergraduate course, and in this study we evaluated a 23 item Student Course Engagement Questionnaire (SCEQ) administered to undergraduate students studying a Bachelor of Sport and Recreation degree. These students were in the first semester of a 3 year degree, and were…

Engineering Education through the Latina Lens

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Villa, Elsa Q.; Wandermurem, Luciene; Hampton, Elaine M.; Esquinca, Alberto

2016-01-01

Less than 20% of undergraduates earning a degree in engineering are women, and even more alarming is minority women earn a mere 3.1% of those degrees. This paper reports on a qualitative study examining Latinas' identity development toward and in undergraduate engineering and computer science studies using a sociocultural theory of learning. Three…

How Many Credits Should an Undergraduate Take?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Attewell, Paul; Monaghan, David

2016-01-01

Low completion rates and increased time to degree at U.S. colleges are a widespread concern for policymakers and academic leaders. Many "full time" undergraduates currently enroll at 12 credits per semester despite the fact that a bachelor's degree cannot be completed within 4 years at that credit-load. The "academic momentum"…

Non-Technical Skills in Undergraduate Degrees in Business: Development and Transfer

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jackson, Denise; Hancock, Phil

2010-01-01

The development of discipline-specific skills and knowledge is no longer considered sufficient in graduates of Bachelor level degrees in Business. Higher education providers are becoming increasingly responsible for the development of a generic skill set deemed essential in undergraduates. This required skill set comprises a broad range of…

It's Not the End of the World, but You Can See It from Here: The Importance of Local History in a Rural Setting

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Perez, Kim; Kite, Steven

2011-01-01

In fall 2007, the Department of History at Fort Hays State University (FHSU) began offering an undergraduate certificate of emphasis as well as a Master's degree in the field of Public History. Now entering the third year of existence, the program has a small but enthusiastic group of students involved and is continuing to build to the future.…

Undergraduate study in psychology: Curriculum and assessment.

PubMed

Norcross, John C; Hailstorks, Robin; Aiken, Leona S; Pfund, Rory A; Stamm, Karen E; Christidis, Peggy

2016-01-01

The undergraduate curriculum in psychology profoundly reflects and shapes the discipline. Yet, reliable information on the undergraduate psychology curriculum has been difficult to acquire due to insufficient research carried out on unrepresentative program samples with disparate methods. In 2014, APA launched the first systematic effort in a decade to gather national data on the psychology major and program outcomes. We surveyed a stratified random sample of department chairs/coordinators of accredited colleges and universities in the United States that offer undergraduate courses and programs in psychology. A total of 439 undergraduate psychology programs (45.2%) completed the survey. This article summarizes, for both associate and baccalaureate programs, the results of the Undergraduate Study in Psychology. Current practices concerning the introductory course, the courses offered, core requirements, the psychology minor, and tracks/concentrations are presented. The frequency of formal program reviews and program-level assessment methods are also addressed. By extending prior research on the undergraduate curriculum, we chronicle longitudinal changes in the psychology major over the past 20 years. (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Undergraduate Research Experience in Ocean/Marine Science (URE-OMS) with African Student Component

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-01-01

The Undergraduate Research Experience in Ocean/Marine Science program supports active participation by underrepresented undergraduate students in remote sensing and Ocean/Marine Science research training activities. The program is based on a model for undergraduate research programs supported by the National Science Foundation . The

Implementing the recommended curriculum in biochemistry and molecular biology at a regional comprehensive university through a biology/chemistry double major: The minnesota state university moorhead experience*.

PubMed

Wallert, Mark; Brisch, Ellen; Chastain, Chris; Malott, Michelle; Provost, Joseph

2004-05-01

Minnesota State University Moorhead (MSUM) is a regional comprehensive university that is part of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (MnSCU) system. The current student population consists of ∼7,600 full- and part-time students who are enrolled in one of 135 majors that lead to baccalaureate degrees. MSUM is committed to excellence in science teaching and research for undergraduates. It is an institutional member of the Council on Undergraduate Research and has three faculty members participating in Project Kaleidoscope (PKAL) Faculty for the 21st Century. Fourteen years ago, MSUM renewed its effort to have faculty participate in active research. All science faculty members hired since that time have been required to establish research programs. The primary purpose for the faculty engaging in ongoing research projects is to involve undergraduates in a meaningful research experience, thus training these students to become scientists. Copyright © 2004 International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

Evolving Strategies for the Incorporation of Bioinformatics Within the Undergraduate Cell Biology Curriculum

PubMed Central

Honts, Jerry E.

2003-01-01

Recent advances in genomics and structural biology have resulted in an unprecedented increase in biological data available from Internet-accessible databases. In order to help students effectively use this vast repository of information, undergraduate biology students at Drake University were introduced to bioinformatics software and databases in three courses, beginning with an introductory course in cell biology. The exercises and projects that were used to help students develop literacy in bioinformatics are described. In a recently offered course in bioinformatics, students developed their own simple sequence analysis tool using the Perl programming language. These experiences are described from the point of view of the instructor as well as the students. A preliminary assessment has been made of the degree to which students had developed a working knowledge of bioinformatics concepts and methods. Finally, some conclusions have been drawn from these courses that may be helpful to instructors wishing to introduce bioinformatics within the undergraduate biology curriculum. PMID:14673489

Statistical panorama of female physics graduate students for 2000-2010 in Peru

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cerón Loayza, María Luisa; Bravo Cabrejos, Jorge Aurelio

2013-03-01

We report the results of a statistical study on the number of women entering the undergraduate and master's programs of physics at Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos in Peru. From 2006 through 2010, 13 female students entered the master's degree program but no females graduated with the degree. Considering that Peru is a developing country, a career in physics is not considered an attractive professional choice even for male students because it is thought that there are no work centers to practice this profession. We recommend that the causes preventing female physics students from completing their studies and research work be analyzed, and that strategies be planned to help women complete their academic work. We are considering getting help from the Peruvian Physics Society (SOPERFI) in order to draw more attention for our plan.

Criminalistics Education and the Role of the Criminalistics Educator.

PubMed

Lindquist, C A

1995-06-01

The uniqueness of criminalistics education stems from the participation of academe, laboratories, and a variety of public agencies, professional associations, and private vendors. One consequence of laboratory and association participation is the premium placed on experience during the evaluation process. An analysis of undergraduate criminalistics programs indicates the existence of considerable reservations about their utility for providing new laboratory personnel. At the masters degree level, however, a consensus appears to exist about the appropriateness of curricular structure and the value of a graduate degree in criminalistics for laboratory employment. Doctoral programs related to criminalistics are also discussed and the need for their maintenance is emphasized. The review concludes with an examination of the role of the criminalistics educator as: academic leader, agent of institutional change, laboratory counter-balance, and catalyst for legal change. Copyright © 1995 Central Police University.

More Than "Getting Us Through:" A Case Study in Cultural Capital Enrichment of Underrepresented Minority Undergraduates.

PubMed

Ovink, Sarah M; Veazey, Brian D

2011-01-01

Minority students continue to be underrepresented among those who seek graduate and professional degrees in the sciences. Much previous research has focused on academic preparation. Equally important, however, are the psychological-social barriers and lack of institutional support encountered by many minority students. We present a case study of a university-sponsored intervention program for minority science majors that addresses not only academics, but also socialization into the academic community, networking, and the ability to practice newfound skills and dispositions through undergraduate research. In examining this case, we suggest that concerted, formal efforts toward expanding habitus and thereby augmenting cultural and social capital may have positive effects for underrepresented minority (URM) college students' academic and career prospects. Moreover, we argue that these differences complement the gains program participants make in academic preparedness, showing that attention to academics alone may be insufficient for addressing longstanding inequities in science career attainment among URM students.

Collaboration and Community Building in Summer Undergraduate Research Programs in the School of Earth Sciences at Stanford University

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nevle, R. J.; Watson Nelson, T.; Harris, J. M.; Klemperer, S. L.

2012-12-01

In 2012, the School of Earth Sciences (SES) at Stanford University sponsored two summer undergraduate research programs. Here we describe these programs and efforts to build a cohesive research cohort among the programs' diverse participants. The two programs, the Stanford School of Earth Sciences Undergraduate Research (SESUR) Program and Stanford School of Earth Sciences Summer Undergraduate Research in Geoscience and Engineering (SURGE) Program, serve different undergraduate populations and have somewhat different objectives, but both provide students with opportunities to work on strongly mentored yet individualized research projects. In addition to research, enrichment activities co-sponsored by both programs support the development of community within the combined SES summer undergraduate research cohort. Over the course of 6 to 9 months, the SESUR Program engages Stanford undergraduates, primarily rising sophomores and juniors, with opportunities to deeply explore Earth sciences research while learning about diverse areas of inquiry within SES. Now in its eleventh year, the SESUR experience incorporates the breadth of the scientific endeavor: finding an advisor, proposal writing, obtaining funding, conducting research, and presenting results. Goals of the SESUR program include (1) providing a challenging and rewarding research experience for undergraduates who wish to explore the Earth sciences; (2) fostering interdisciplinary study in the Earth sciences among the undergraduate population; and (3) encouraging students to major or minor in the Earth sciences and/or to complete advanced undergraduate research in one of the departments or programs within SES. The SURGE Program, now in its second year, draws high performing students, primarily rising juniors and seniors, from 14 colleges and universities nationwide, including Stanford. Seventy percent of SURGE students are from racial/ethnic backgrounds underrepresented in STEM fields, and approximately one-third are the first in their families to attend college. For eight weeks, SURGE scholars conduct independent research with the guidance of faculty, research group mentors, and program assistants. The primary objectives of the SURGE program are to (1) provide undergraduates with a research experience in SES; (2) prepare undergraduates for the process of applying to graduate school; (3) introduce undergraduates to career opportunities in the geosciences and engineering; and (4) increase diversity in SES graduate programs. Independent research, network building, and intense mentoring culminate in a final oral and poster symposium. SESUR and SURGE scholars jointly participate in enrichment activities including faculty research seminars; career, graduate school, and software training workshops; GRE preparation classes; and geoscience-oriented field trips. Interaction among our students takes place through both research and enrichment activities, creating a critical mass of undergraduate scholars and promoting community development. Pre- and post-program surveys indicate that the overall goals of both programs are being achieved.

Undergraduate research in geochemistry at a larger university: developing a community of undergraduate and graduate researchers.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ryan, J. G.

2003-12-01

Faculty at state research universities can find the paired requirements of establishing research programs and developing a "pipeline" of graduate students to be the most challenging aspects of their jobs, especially with shrinking pools of graduate applicants. These problems may be more acute for laboratory-based geochemists, as few graduate candidates possess the requisite quantitative and chemical backgrounds. The need to "get my research going" at the University of South Florida led me to work primarily with undergraduates, as a) they were available and interested, b) they required no more laboratory training than M.S. students; and c) small-dollar funds were available to support them, both in-house and via NSF REU Supplements. Some senior colleagues argued that this approach would hinder my developing a graduate program as is necessary for tenure. This contention turned out to be untrue. My success in undergraduate research draws funding (in NSF REU Site and disciplinary research grants), has attracted outside MS and Ph.D. candidates, and has retained quality in-house students seeking MS degrees. Students working with me join a laboratory community in which undergraduate and graduate researchers are on equal footing in terms of access to instrumentation and other facilities. I work with all my students, irrespective of rank, as members of a cooperative research group. I encourage and expect that technical instruction I provide to any individual will be passed on to their colleagues, which helps develop a "lab culture" of best practices, and ingrains new knowledge and skills through the act of teaching them to others. Maintaining this research environment requires active recruitment of capable graduate AND undergraduate students, regular monitoring of laboratory practices, and ready availability for consultation and mentoring. One must be cognizant of the differing time commitment issues of undergraduates and graduates, and set research goals appropriately. Undergraduate research projects in which 3-4 students work together to collect necessary data can get around the class vs. research scheduling issues they face as they can share the laboratory workload through the week. Group projects can thus collect larger bodies of data, allowing students to address more substantive problems.

Integrating Research and Extension for the Nsf-Reu Program in Water Resources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Judge, J.; Migliaccio, K.; Gao, B.; Shukla, S.; Ehsani, R.; McLamore, E.

2011-12-01

Providing positive and meaningful research experiences to students in their undergraduate years is critical for motivating them to pursue advanced degrees or research careers in science and engineering. Such experiences not only offer training for the students in problem solving and critical thinking via hands-on projects, but also offer excellent mentoring and recruiting opportunities for the faculty advisors. The goal of the Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) Program in the Agricultural and Biological Engineering Department (ABE) at the University of Florida (UF) is to provide eight undergraduate students a unique opportunity to conduct research in water resources using interdisciplinary approaches, integrating research and extension. The students are selected from diverse cultural and educational backgrounds. The eight-week REU Program utilizes the extensive infrastructure of UF - Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) through the Research and Education Centers (RECs). Two students are paired to participate in their own project under the direct supervision of one of the four research mentors. Four of the eight students are located at the main campus, in Gainesville, Fl, and four remaining students are located off-campus, at the RECs, where some of the ABE faculty are located. The students achieve an enriching cohort experience through social networking, daily blogs, and weekly video conferences to share their research and other REU experiences. The students are co-located during the Orientation week and also during the 5-day Florida Waters Tour. Weekly group meetings and guest lectures are conducted via synchronously through video conferencing. The integration of research and extension is naturally achieved through the projects at the RECs, the guest lectures, Extension workshops, and visits to the Water Management Districts in Florida. In the last two years of the Program, we have received over 80 applicants, from four-year and advanced degree offering institutions and a variety of majors such as Geology, Meteorology, Environmental Sciences & Engineering, Civil Engineering, Water Resources, Agricultural Engineering, Physics, Geography, Chemical Engineering, to name a few. This model of providing integrated research and extension opportunities in hydrology where not all the REU participants are physically co-located, is unique and can be extended to other disciplines.

Education and Training Report. Performance Report, FY 1997

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1997-01-01

During FY 97, 152 MUREP education and training projects were conducted at OMU institutions. The institutions conducted precollege and bridge programs, education partnerships with other universities and industry, NRTS, teacher training, and graduate and/or PI undergraduate programs. These programs reached a total of 23,748 participants, with the predominant number at the precollege level and achieved major goals of heightening students' interest and awareness of career opportunities in MSET fields, and exposing students to the NASA mission, research and advanced technology through role models, mentors, and participation in research and other educational activities. Also in FY 1997, NASA continued a very meaningful relationship with the Hispanic Association of Colleges students and Universities (HACU) through Proyecto Access, a consortium through which HACU links seven HSI's together to conduct 8-week summer programs. OMU Institutions reported 4,334 high school student in NASA programs and 3,404 of those students selected college preparatory MSET courses. Three hundred and forty-nine (349) graduated from high school, 343 enrolled in college, and 199 selected MSET majors. There were 130 high school graduates (bridge students) in NASA programs, 57 of whom successfully completed their freshman year. There were 307 teachers in teacher programs and 48 teachers received certificates. Of the 389 undergraduate students, 75 received under graduate degrees, and eight students are employed in a NASA-related field.

Mixing Research Methods in Health Professional Degrees: Thoughts for Undergraduate Students and Supervisors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anaf, Sophie; Sheppard, Lorraine A.

2007-01-01

This commentary considers some of the challenges of applying mixed methods research in undergraduate research degrees, especially in professions with a clinical health focus. Our experience in physiotherapy academia is used as an example. Mixed methods research is increasingly appreciated in its own right as a "third paradigm," however the success…

Double Standards: When an Undergraduate Dissertation Becomes the Object of Two Different Assessment Approaches

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Starr-Glass, David; Ali, Tanweer

2012-01-01

Within a transnational educational programme, students residing in the Czech Republic obtain baccalaureate degrees from an accredited American college. The college has a distinctive approach towards learning, co-creation of knowledge and the use of mentors. Part of the degree assessment is an undergraduate dissertation, which serves as a capstone…

The Impact of Academic Library Resources on Undergraduates' Degree Completion

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Soria, Krista M.; Fransen, Jan; Nackerud, Shane

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of first-year undergraduates' (n = 5,368) use of academic library resources in their first year on their degree completion or continued enrollment after four years of study. Propensity score matching techniques were used to construct treatment (library users) and control (library nonusers) groups…

Assessment of Industrial Attachment: Issues and Concerns of Chinhoyi University of Technology's Undergraduate Degree Programme, Zimbabwe

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chinyemba, Fredreck; Bvekerwa, Sailos T.

2012-01-01

This article presents findings from an action research that explored industrial attachment supervision and assessment issues and concerns of CUT's (Chinhoyi University of Technology) undergraduate degree programme. The study was motivated by the observation that there is no research project contacted in order to determine the social and economic…

The Long and Winding Road: Problems in Developing Capabilities in an Undergraduate Commerce Degree

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Calma, Angelito

2017-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to provide an analysis of specific learning outcomes in an undergraduate commerce degree in a large research-intensive university in Australia. Design/methodology/approach: It uses data collected from assurance of learning activities as part of Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business…

Engineering Undergraduates' Views of A-Level Mathematics and Further Mathematics as Preparation for Their Degree

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Darlington, Ellie; Bowyer, Jessica

2017-01-01

An ongoing reform programme of the post-16 Advanced "A"-level qualifications in England and Wales means that pre-university mathematics content and assessment will change from 2017. Undergraduate engineering is a subject that relies heavily on mathematics, and applicants to engineering degree programmes in the UK are required to have…

From Start to Finish: Retention of Physics Undergraduates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hammer, Donna; Uher, Tim

The University of Maryland Physics Department's NSF Scholarships in Science Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (S-STEM) project is a unique program that aims to reduce the attrition of students that occurs in the ``pre-major-to-major'' gap - i.e., students who begin at the university intending to study physics, but do not graduate with a physics degree. To increase the retention of admitted students, the UMD S-STEM program is designed to provide student with financial assistance, a strong sense of community, academic support, and career planning. We will discuss how the program has been integrated into the curriculum and culture of the physics department, and focus on developing key components of the program: a nurturing environment, dedicated mentorship, early research experience, and professional development.

A case study of undergraduate female students majoring in math, science and engineering: An analysis of persistence and success

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hyde, Michelle Smoot

This dissertation provides information concerning the educational experience of females studying in undergraduate fields of math, engineering and science at a large research institution in the West. The majority of the participants were Project Access students, chosen because of their high achievements in science and mathematics during their secondary education. The study identifies and attempts to understand critical factors within the academic environment of science that contribute to female persistence in math, engineering and science (MES) disciplines. The study postulates that universities can make a difference in the education of women by providing programs that assure quality education and the fostering of female interest in science domains. The study recommends the incorporation of collaborative learning processes and teaching methods, cohort involvement and the fostering of study groups, encouragement of professorial associations with students, and internship and lab programs in an attempt to provide a more holistic and less fragmented education, thus benefiting women seeking MES degrees. Also, the research presented in this paper determined that the formation of positive associations and support networks was crucial to college female population studied. The interpretive study's aim is to enhance persistence rates among undergraduate students studying in math, engineering and science fields.

Interprofessional education for first year psychology students: career plans, perceived relevance and attitudes.

PubMed

Roberts, Lynne D; Forman, Dawn

2015-05-01

Undergraduate psychology students have been largely excluded from interprofessional education (IPE) initiatives. In contrast to many health professions, undergraduate psychology students do not engage in work placements as part of their degree, and many enter careers outside the health care context. However, the collaborative skills gained through an IPE experience may well be beneficial to students who work in this wider context. This research examines whether undergraduate psychology students' views of IPE vary according to their planned career directions, and if so, whether the perceived relevance of IPE mediates the relationships. A sample of 188 Australian university undergraduate psychology students completed an online questionnaire following completion of a first-year IPE health sciences program. Path analysis indicated that psychology students' attitudes towards IPE are associated with both professional identification and practitioner orientation, fully mediated through the perceived relevance of IPE to future career and study plans. Stronger professional identification and practitioner orientation were associated with greater perceived relevance and more positive and less negative attitudes towards IPE. Placing a stronger emphasis on the generalizability of IP skills taught may increase students' awareness of the relevance outside of the health context, reducing disengagement of students planning alternative careers.

Increasing Diversity in Global Climate Change Research for Undergraduates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnson, L. P.; Marchese, P.; Carlson, B. E.; Howard, A. M.; Peteet, D. M.; Rosenzweig, C.; Druyan, L. M.; Fulakeza, M.; Gaffin, S.; Austin, S. A.; Cheung, T. D.; Damas, M. C.; Boxe, C.; Prince, T.; Ng, C.; Frost, J.

2014-12-01

Global Climate Change and the ability to predict the effects of forcings and feedback mechanisms on global and local climate are critical to the survival of the inhabitants of planet Earth. It is therefore important to motivate students to continue their studies towards advanced degrees and pursue careers related to climate change. This is best accomplished by involving undergraduates in global climate change research. This Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) initiative is based at the City University of New York (CUNY) and the Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS), and is supported by NASA and NSF. Mentors for the primarily summer research experiences include CUNY faculty and GISS scientists. Research topics include the Wetland Carbon Project, The Cooling Power Of Urban Vegetation, Internal Ocean Mixing, El Niño Southern Oscillation, Pollution Transport and Tropospheric Ozone. Students are recruited from CUNY colleges and other colleges and universities. The program maintains an emphasis on under-represented minorities and females. Approximately sixty percent of the undergraduate students are under-represented minorities and forty percent are female. The project is supported by NSF award AGS-1359293 REU Site: CUNY/GISS Center for Global Climate Research.

Introductory Disciplines of Astronomy in Undergraduation Geography in Brazilian Public Universities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Henrique Azevedo Sobreira, Paulo

2015-08-01

There are some previous works about introductory disciplines of Astronomy in higher education in various undergraduation at Brazilian universities, but this is a specific research for Geography courses in public universities. Some undergraduate courses in Geography in Brazil offer introductory disciplines of Astronomy, since the second half of the twentieth century. This work presents an updated survey on the topic, and it proposes an effort at the national level, for the benefit of the increase in introductory disciplines of Astronomy in undergraduation in Geography. The data collected from public universities were obtained from the consultation of the websites of state universities, federal and county in 2012, 2013 and 2015, for information on the Geography courses and, among them, those with disciplines of Astronomy. The results show that there are 94 undergraduation in Geography courses in public universities, 12 of them had introductory disciplines of Astronomy until 2012 and 2013. In 2015 three of these disciplines were canceled which reduced to 9 universities. There were 23 undergraduation in Geography courses in 10 bachelor degrees and 14 education degrees with Astronomy disciplines. At 2015 it decreased to 20 in 5 bachelors and 8 education degrees. There are two undergraduation Geography courses with two introductory disciplines of Astronomy, while the other 18 offer only one discipline. The inclusion of introductory disciplines of Astronomy depends on the actions of professors' groups who works in undergraduation Geography courses, and of the astronomers initiative to offering them. The ideal is that the astronomers who actuate like professors in universities, normally in Math, Physics, Technologies, Enginnering and Science courses, they would can help and offer introductory disciplines in Astronomy for undergraduation in Geography courses.

Advanced Physics Labs and Undergraduate Research: Helping Them Work Together

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peterson, Richard W.

2009-10-01

The 2009 Advanced Lab Topical Conference in Ann Arbor affirmed the importance of advanced labs that teach crucial skills and methodologies by carefully conducting a time-honored experiment. Others however argued that such a constrained experiment can play a complementary role to more open-ended, project experiences. A genuine ``experiment'' where neither student or faculty member is exactly sure of the best approach or anticipated result can often trigger real excitement, creativity, and career direction for students while reinforcing the advanced lab and undergraduate research interface. Several examples are cited in areas of AMO physics, optics, fluids, and acoustics. Colleges and universities that have dual-degree engineering, engineering physics, or applied physics programs may especially profit from interdisciplinary projects that utilize optical, electromagnetic, and acoustical measurements in conjunction with computational physics and simulation.

34 CFR 658.1 - What is the Undergraduate International Studies and Foreign Language Program?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... Foreign Language Program? 658.1 Section 658.1 Education Regulations of the Offices of the Department of... STUDIES AND FOREIGN LANGUAGE PROGRAM General § 658.1 What is the Undergraduate International Studies and Foreign Language Program? The Undergraduate International Studies and Foreign Language Program is designed...

34 CFR 658.1 - What is the Undergraduate International Studies and Foreign Language Program?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Foreign Language Program? 658.1 Section 658.1 Education Regulations of the Offices of the Department of... STUDIES AND FOREIGN LANGUAGE PROGRAM General § 658.1 What is the Undergraduate International Studies and Foreign Language Program? The Undergraduate International Studies and Foreign Language Program is designed...

Innovative instructional strategy using cinema films in an undergraduate nursing course.

PubMed

Hyde, Norlyn B; Fife, Elizabeth

2005-01-01

Educators can develop innovative instructional strategies to engage students within the philosophical framework of Constructivism. To that end, the authors used films--Hollywood movies--to enhance their curriculum on neurological and psychopathological illnesses. During the fourth quarter of a seven-quarter associate degree nursing program, students developed case studies of the disorders portrayed in selected films. The authors outline the methods used to implement this approach and discuss evaluations from student and faculty perspectives.

Part-Time Undergraduates in Postsecondary Education: 2003-04. Postsecondary Education Descriptive Analysis Report. NCES 2007-165

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Xianglei

2007-01-01

After dramatic growth between 1970 and 1990, part-time students have formed a large and stable segment of the undergraduate population in U.S. postsecondary institutions (Hussar 2005). In fall 2004, approximately 5.5 million undergraduates were enrolled part time, making up 37 percent of the undergraduate enrollment in all degree-granting…

Supporting a Diverse Community of Undergraduate Researchers in Satellite and Ground-Based Remote Sensing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blake, R.; Liou-Mark, J.

2012-12-01

The U.S. remains in grave danger of losing its global competitive edge in STEM. To find solutions to this problem, the Obama Administration proposed two new national initiatives: the Educate to Innovate Initiative and the $100 million government/private industry initiative to train 100,000 STEM teachers and graduate 1 million additional STEM students over the next decade. To assist in ameliorating the national STEM plight, the New York City College of Technology has designed its NSF Research Experience for Undergraduate (REU) program in satellite and ground-based remote sensing to target underrepresented minority students. Since the inception of the program in 2008, a total of 45 undergraduate students of which 38 (84%) are considered underrepresented minorities in STEM have finished or are continuing with their research or are pursuing their STEM endeavors. The program is comprised of the three primary components. The first component, Structured Learning Environments: Preparation and Mentorship, provides the REU Scholars with the skill sets necessary for proficiency in satellite and ground-based remote sensing research. The students are offered mini-courses in Geographic Information Systems, MATLAB, and Remote Sensing. They also participate in workshops on the Ethics of Research. Each REU student is a member of a team that consists of faculty mentors, post doctorate/graduate students, and high school students. The second component, Student Support and Safety Nets, provides undergraduates a learning environment that supports them in becoming successful researchers. Special networking and Brown Bag sessions, and an annual picnic with research scientists are organized so that REU Scholars are provided with opportunities to expand their professional community. Graduate school support is provided by offering free Graduate Record Examination preparation courses and workshops on the graduate school application process. Additionally, students are supported by college counselors. Many of the students are first generation college students who often face issues that can impede their academic progress. The last component, Vision and Impetus for Advancement, allows REU Scholars to see themselves as STEM scientists and workforce professionals. Exposure trips provide students with an opportunity to meet scientists working in industry. Additionally, the students also present their research and participate at local, regional, and national conferences. Furthermore, since many of the students were never given the chance to visit STEM-focused industries and conferences. The program, therefore, helps to broaden their STEM experience. Of the 38 REU Scholars, 16%(6) of them are in graduate school in the STEM disciplines, 21%(8) of them have graduated and are in the STEM workforce, and 63%(24) of them continue to pursue their STEM degrees. Three of the students have won first place recognition for their research, and two of the students will be co-authors for two peer-review publications and one book chapter. Additionally, survey results show that 84% of the student participants now indicate interest in pursuing Master's degrees in STEM and 75% indicate interest in pursuing doctoral degrees in STEM. This program is supported by NSF REU grant #1062934.

University of Maryland MRSEC - Education: College

Science.gov Websites

; (we call this type of surface a vicinal surface). Modern scanned-probe microscopes, such as the STM Educational Education Pre-College Programs Homeschool Programs Undergraduate & Graduate Programs Teacher MRSEC Templates Opportunities Search Home » Education » Undergraduate/Graduate Programs Undergraduate

Compendium of student papers : 2008 Undergraduate Transportation Scholars Program.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2008-08-01

This report is a compilation of research papers written by students participating in the 2008 Undergraduate : Transportation Scholars Program. The ten-week summer program, now in its eighteenth year, provides : undergraduate students in Civil Enginee...

Compendium of student papers : 2009 undergraduate transportation engineering fellows program.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2009-10-01

This report is a compilation of research papers written by students participating in the 2009 Undergraduate : Transportation Scholars Program. The ten-week summer program, now in its nineteenth year, provides : undergraduate students in Civil Enginee...

Pharmacy Education in Vietnam

PubMed Central

Bedouch, Pierrick; Nguyen, Thi-Hoai; Nguyen, Thi-Lien-Huong; Hoang, Thi-Kim-Huyen; Calop, Jean; Allenet, Benoît

2013-01-01

Pharmacy education programs in Vietnam are complex and offer various career pathways. All include theory and laboratory modules in general, foundation, and pharmaceutical knowledge; placements in health facilities; and a final examination. The various pharmacy degree programs allow specialization in 1 or more of 5 main fields: (1) drug management and supply, (2) drug development and production, (3) pharmacology and clinical pharmacy, (4) traditional medicine and pharmacognosy, and (5) drug quality control, which are offered as main specialization options during the reformed undergraduate and postgraduate programs. However, pharmacy education in Vietnam in general remains product oriented and clinical pharmacy training has not received adequate attention. Only students who have obtained the bachelor of pharmacy degree, which requires a minimum of 5 years of study, are considered as fully qualified pharmacists. In contrast, an elementary diploma in pharmacy awarded after 1 year of pharmacy study permits entry into more junior pharmacy positions. Since the 2000s, there has been a surge in the number and types of schools offering pharmacy qualifications at various levels. PMID:23966717

Art Instructor's Attitude towards the Art Curriculum for Undergraduate Degree in Tehran Universities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hedayat, Mina; Goodarzi, Mostafa; Kahn, Sabzali Musa; bin Ramli, Sharulnizam

2013-01-01

The present research aims to investigate lecturer's feedback over the art curriculum in Tehran, the capital of Iran, and introduce the applicability of Discipline-Based Art Education (DBAE), as a new way of teaching art, and its implication of art instruction in studio-based fields of study for undergraduate degree. This study is carried out based…

Persistence and Degree Attainment: The Role of Individual Decision Making, Various Forms of Capital, and Institutional Factors among Mexican-American Undergraduate Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hernandez, Eliza Aguirre

2010-01-01

The purpose of this dissertation research was to analyze a nationally representative dataset of first-year beginning students to examine the factors that affect Mexican-origin Latinos undergraduate students' persistence and degree attainment outcomes. Several theoretical perspectives are used in this research in order to address the complex…

The Jar Is Half-Empty and the Jar Is Half-Full: Challenges and Opportunities in Graduating First-Generation African American Undergraduates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, O. Gilbert

2011-01-01

A gap exists between the degree to which African Americans embrace the cultural value of higher education attainment (Butchart, 1988; Du Bois, 1935; Mickelson & Greene, 2006; Washington, 1900; Woodson, 1919) and the reality of their unsatisfactory undergraduate degree attainment at traditional white institutions (TWIs) (Allen, 1992; Allen,…

Compendium of student papers : 2010 undergraduate transportation scholars program.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2011-06-01

This report is a compilation of research papers written by students participating in the 2010 Undergraduate : Transportation Scholars Program. The 10-week summer program, now in its 20th year, provides : undergraduate students in Civil Engineering th...

Incorporating "Ethics in Science" into a Summer Undergraduate Research Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shachter, Amy M.; McNelis, Brian J.; Shanks, Thomas

1999-01-01

Describes a program at Santa Clara University, California where undergraduates participated in weekly Ethics in Science discussions while conducting scientific research. The program was successful in improving the ethical sensitivity, judgment, and commitment of the undergraduates. (WRM)

Compendium of student papers : 2012 undergraduate transportation scholars program.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-05-01

This report is a compilation of research papers written by students participating in the 2012 Undergraduate : Transportation Scholars Program. The 10-week summer program, now in its 22nd year, provides : undergraduate students in Civil Engineering th...

Compendium of student papers : 2011 undergraduate transportation scholars program.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-05-01

This report is a compilation of research papers written by students participating in the 2011 Undergraduate : Transportation Scholars Program. The 10-week summer program, now in its 21st year, provides : undergraduate students in Civil Engineering th...

Compendium of student papers : 2013 undergraduate transportation scholars program.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-11-01

This report is a compilation of research papers written by students participating in the 2013 Undergraduate Transportation Scholars Program. The 10-week summer program, now in its 23nd year, provides undergraduate students in Civil Engineering the op...

A Survey of Final-year Undergraduate Laboratory Projects in Biochemistry and Related Degrees in Great Britain.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Austin, Caroline A.

1997-01-01

Analyzes undergraduate research projects in biochemistry and related subjects at British universities. Discusses the trend toward students doing less research as part of their undergraduate study. Reasons cited for this trend include increased student numbers and costs. (DDR)

Alternative Methods for Teaching Chemical Information to Undergraduates.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Wade M.; Wiggins, Gary

1997-01-01

Discusses whether to provide library instruction for undergraduate chemistry majors as a separate class or integrated into courses, particularly for those who receive a degree certified by the American Chemical Society. The authors suggest that a librarian coordinate course-integrated instruction throughout the undergraduate curriculum. (LRW)

Engineering success: Undergraduate Latina women's persistence in an undergradute engineering program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rosbottom, Steven R.

The purpose and focus of this narrative inquiry case study were to explore the personal stories of four undergraduate Latina students who persist in their engineering programs. This study was guided by two overarching research questions: a) What are the lived experiences of undergraduate Latina engineering students? b) What are the contributing factors that influence undergraduate Latina students to persist in an undergraduate engineering program? Yosso's (2005) community cultural wealth was used to the analyze data. Findings suggest through Yosso's (2005) aspirational capital, familial capital, social capital, navigational capital, and resistant capital the Latina student persisted in their engineering programs. These contributing factors brought to light five themes that emerged, the discovery of academic passions, guidance and support of family and teachers, preparation for and commitment to persistence, the power of community and collective engagement, and commitment to helping others. The themes supported their persistence in their engineering programs. Thus, this study informs policies, practices, and programs that support undergraduate Latina engineering student's persistence in engineering programs.

A Thriving and Innovative Undergraduate Experiential Physics Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roughani, Bahram

2013-03-01

The thriving physics program at Kettering University has experienced a three-fold increase in the number of physics majors since 2002. Our unique physics program requires students alternate between on-campus academic terms and off-campus co-op work terms on a three months rotation format to complete their degree in 4.5 years that includes summer as either school or co-op term. Students complete a minimum of five terms (~15 months) of cooperative work terms, and two terms (~6 months) of senior thesis work. The IP of the thesis work done at a co-op site belongs to the company. This has attracted co-op sponsors for our program by removing the IP concerns. The cooperative and experiential education part of our program is required for graduation, without any credits assigned to it. At the end of every co-op term students' work performance is evaluated by their co-op supervisor, which should match expected performance standards. In addition to co-op and thesis, our programs include a senior capstone design project course, concentrations within physics (Acoustics, Optics, and Materials), a required technical sequence outside physics, as well as entrepreneurship across curriculum. The success of our student securing the highest paid jobs for undergraduate physics majors in the nation plus their success in graduate studies are the main ``Pull Factors'' that has lead to three fold increase the physics majors since 2002.

Improving academic performance of sport and exercise science undergraduate students in gross anatomy using a near-peer teaching program.

PubMed

Viana, Ricardo Borges; Campos, Mário Hebling; Santos, Douglas de Assis Teles; Xavier, Isabela Cristina Maioni; Vancini, Rodrigo Luiz; Andrade, Marília Santos; de Lira, Claudio Andre Barbosa

2018-04-16

Peer and near-peer teaching programs are common in medical undergraduate courses. However, there are no studies that have investigated the effectiveness of a near-peer teaching program on the academic performance of undergraduate students pursuing sport and exercise science coursework. This study was conducted to analyze the effectiveness of such a program for students who participated in a course on the functional anatomy of the locomotor apparatus. A total of 39 student participants were divided into two groups: students in one group voluntarily attended at least one session of a near-peer teaching program, and students in the other group attended no sessions. The final grade (range 0-100%) was recorded and used as an indicator of academic performance. The final grade of students who attended the near-peer teaching program (69.5 ± 16.0%) was 38.7% higher (P = 0.002, d = 1.06) than those who did not (50.1 ± 20.4%). When the academic performance of the same students was evaluated in another course (exercise physiology) that did not offer a near-peer teaching program, there were no significant differences between the groups (students who attended or did not attend the near-peer teaching program). A significant positive association was found between near-peer teaching program frequency and the number of students approved and not approved in the course (P = 0.041). A significant difference (P = 0.001) was found in the attendance at regular classes between the group who participated in the near-peer teaching program (median: 62 hours; IQR [interquartile ranges]: 4.0 hours) and those who did not (median: 58 hours; IQR: 4.0 hours). Gender was not a moderating factor on academic performance or near-peer teaching program attendance. These results highlight the effectiveness of a near-peer teaching program on the academic performance of students from a sport and exercise science degree program while enrolled in an anatomy course. Anat Sci Educ. © 2018 American Association of Anatomists. © 2018 American Association of Anatomists.

Critical Components of a Successful Undergraduate Research Experience in the Geosciences for Minority Students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liou-Mark, J.; Blake, R.; Chukuigwe, C.

2013-12-01

For the past five years, the New York City College of Technology has administered a successful National Science Foundation (NSF) Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program. The program provides rich, substantive, academic and life-transformative STEM educational experiences for students who would otherwise not pursue STEM education altogether or would not pursue STEM education through to the graduate school level. The REU Scholars are provided with an opportunity to conduct intensive satellite and ground-based remote sensing research at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Cooperative Remote Sensing Science and Technology Center (NOAA-CREST). Candidates for the program are recruited from the City University of New York's twenty-three separate campuses. These students engage in a research experience that spans the summer and the fall and spring semesters. Eighty-four percent (84%) of the program participants are underrepresented minorities in STEM, and they are involved in a plethora of undergraduate research best practice activities that include: training courses in MATLAB programming, Geographic Information Systems, and Remote Sensing; workshops in Research Ethics, Scientific Writing, and Oral and Poster Research Presentations; national, regional, and local conference presentations; graduate school support; and geoscience exposure events at national laboratories, agencies, and research facilities. To enhance their success in the program, the REU Scholars are also provided with a comprehensive series of safety nets that include a multi-tiered mentoring design specifically to address critical issues faced by this diverse population. Since the inception of the REU program in 2008, a total of 61 undergraduate students have finished or are continuing with their research or are pursuing their STEM endeavors. All the REU Scholars conducted individual satellite and ground-based remote sensing research projects that ranged from the study of hurricanes to atmospheric water vapor distribution to spectral analysis of soil moisture. Of the 61 REU Scholars, 18.0% (11) are in graduate school in the STEM disciplines, 16.5% (10) have graduated and are in the STEM workforce, and 65.5% (40) continue to pursue their STEM degrees. All of the REU Scholars have made oral and poster presentations at local, region, and/or national conferences. Five of them have won first place recognition for their research, and three students will be co-authors for three peer-reviewed publications and two book chapters. (This program is supported by NSF REU grant #1062934.)

The effect of an enrolled nursing registration pathway program on undergraduate nursing students' confidence level: A pre- and post-test study.

PubMed

Crevacore, Carol; Jonas-Dwyer, Diana; Nicol, Pam

2016-04-01

In the latter half of the 20th century, registered nurse education moved to university degree level. As a result, there has been a reduction in access for students to clinical experience. In numerous studies, nursing graduates have reported that they do not feel prepared for practice. The importance of maximising every learning opportunity during nursing school is paramount. At Edith Cowan University, a program was initiated that allows students to become enrolled nurses at the midway point of their degree to enable them to work and therefore gain experience in the clinical practice setting during their education. This study investigated the effect of the program on the nursing students' perception of their clinical abilities and explored their ability to link theory to practice. The research design for this study was a quasi-experimental, prospective observational cohort study. The study included 39 second-year nursing students not enrolled in the program (Group 1), 45 second-year nursing students enrolled in the program (Group 2), and 28 third-year nursing students who completed the program and are working as enrolled nurses (Group 3). Participants were asked to complete a Five Dimension of Nursing Scale questionnaire. The quantitative analyses showed that students in Group 1 had statistically significant higher pre-questionnaire perceived abilities across all domains, except in two dimensions when compared to Group 2. The post-questionnaire analysis showed that Group 1 had statistically significant lower perceived abilities in four of the five dimensions compared to Group 2. Group 1 also had significantly lower abilities in all dimensions compared to Group 3. Group 3 had a significantly higher perception of their clinical abilities compared to Group 2. This study highlights the value of meaningful employment for undergraduate nursing students by providing opportunities to increase confidence in clinical abilities. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experiences Can Make Scientific Research More Inclusive

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bangera, Gita; Brownell, Sara E.

2014-01-01

Current approaches to improving diversity in scientific research focus on graduating more science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) majors, but graduation with a STEM undergraduate degree alone is not sufficient for entry into graduate school. Undergraduate independent research experiences are becoming more or less a prerequisite…

Student and Faculty Outcomes of Undergraduate Science Research Projects by Geographically Dispersed Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shaw, Lawton; Kennepohl, Dietmar

2013-01-01

Senior undergraduate research projects are important components of most undergraduate science degrees. The delivery of such projects in a distance education format is challenging. Athabasca University (AU) science project courses allow distance education students to complete research project courses by working with research supervisors in their…

38 CFR 21.4267 - Approval of independent study.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... correspondence course. (Authority: 38 U.S.C. 3676(e), 3680A(a)) (d) Undergraduate resident training. VA considers the following undergraduate courses to be resident training. (1) A course which meets the requirements... which is an integral part of a standard undergraduate college degree. (e) Graduate resident training. VA...

38 CFR 21.4267 - Approval of independent study.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... correspondence course. (Authority: 38 U.S.C. 3676(e), 3680A(a)) (d) Undergraduate resident training. VA considers the following undergraduate courses to be resident training. (1) A course which meets the requirements... which is an integral part of a standard undergraduate college degree. (e) Graduate resident training. VA...

38 CFR 21.4267 - Approval of independent study.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... correspondence course. (Authority: 38 U.S.C. 3676(e), 3680A(a)) (d) Undergraduate resident training. VA considers the following undergraduate courses to be resident training. (1) A course which meets the requirements... which is an integral part of a standard undergraduate college degree. (e) Graduate resident training. VA...

Undergraduate Research Experience for STEM Students: Efforts and Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhang, Chuanlei; Swaid, Samar

2017-01-01

Undergraduate research for STEM students involves students who are attending college or universities pursuing a bachelor's degree, majoring in fields related to Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). Research experience for STEM undergraduates has been viewed as a positive experience that has several benefits such as developing…

Should I Take Further Mathematics? Physics Undergraduates' Experiences of Post-Compulsory Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bowyer, Jessica; Darlington, Ellie

2017-01-01

It is essential that physics undergraduates are appropriately prepared for the mathematical demands of their course. This study investigated physics students' perceptions of post-compulsory mathematics as preparation for their degree course. 494 physics undergraduates responded to an online questionnaire about their experiences of A-level…

Undergraduate Course and Curriculum Development Program and Calculus and the Bridge to Calculus Program: 1993 Awards.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Science Foundation, Arlington, VA. Div. of Undergraduate Education.

The Undergraduate Course and Curriculum Development Program of the National Science Foundation supports the development of courses in all disciplines to improve the quality of undergraduate courses and curricula in science, mathematics, engineering, and technology. The purpose of the program in Curriculum Development in Mathematics: Calculus and…

Fieldwork in Geography Education: Defining or Declining? The State of Fieldwork in Canadian Undergraduate Geography Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilson, Heather; Leydon, Joseph; Wincentak, Joanna

2017-01-01

This paper investigates the prevalence of fieldwork in undergraduate Geography programs in Canada. It examines the presence of fieldwork, provided through both field courses and courses that include fieldwork components, by reviewing program requirements and course offerings in undergraduate geography programs. The research explores the extent to…

Engaging Undergraduates in Economics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gajwani, Kiran; Miron, Jeffrey

2015-01-01

Siegfried and Stock (2007) explore the undergraduate training of PhD economists. Their findings show that among U.S. undergraduate economics programs, the Harvard University Economics Department produces many eventual economics PhD recipients. In this article, the authors discuss Harvard's undergraduate economics program and highlight some key…

Undergraduate International Studies and Foreign Language Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Office of Postsecondary Education, US Department of Education, 2012

2012-01-01

The Undergraduate International Studies and Foreign Language Program provides funds to institutions of higher education, a consortia of such institutions, or partnerships between nonprofit organizations and institutions of higher education to plan, develop, and implement programs that strengthen and improve undergraduate instruction in…

Watershed Watch: The Importance of Mentors in Student-driven Full Inquiry Undergraduate Research Projects as the Foundation for an Introductory Course in Biogeoscience

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rock, B. N.; Hale, S. R.; Graham, K. J.; Hayden, L.; Barber, L.; Perry, C.; Schloss, J.; Sullivan, E.; Yuan, J.; Abebe, E.; Mitchell, L.; Abrams, E.; Gagnon, M.

2008-12-01

Watershed Watch (NSF 0525433) engages early undergraduate students from two-year and four-year colleges in student-driven full inquiry-based instruction in the biogeosciences. Program goals for Watershed Watch are to test if inquiry-rich student-driven projects sufficiently engage undeclared students (or noncommittal STEM majors) to declare a STEM major (or remain with their STEM major). A significant component of this program is an intensive two-week Summer course, in which undeclared freshmen research various aspects of a local watershed. Students develop their own research questions and study design, collect and analyze data, and produce a scientific or an oral poster presentation. The course objectives, curriculum and schedule are presented as a model for dissemination for other institutions and programs seeking to develop inquiry-rich courses designed to attract students into biogeoscience disciplines. Data from self-reported student feedback indicated the most important factors explaining high-levels of student motivation and research excellence in the course are 1) working with committed, energetic, and enthusiastic faculty mentors; and 2) faculty mentors demonstrating high degrees of teamwork and coordination.

Increasing Persistence in Undergraduate Science Majors: A Model for Institutional Support of Underrepresented Students

PubMed Central

Toven-Lindsey, Brit; Levis-Fitzgerald, Marc; Barber, Paul H.; Hasson, Tama

2015-01-01

The 6-yr degree-completion rate of undergraduate science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) majors at U.S. colleges and universities is less than 40%. Persistence among women and underrepresented minorities (URMs), including African-American, Latino/a, Native American, and Pacific Islander students, is even more troubling, as these students leave STEM majors at significantly higher rates than their non-URM peers. This study utilizes a matched comparison group design to examine the academic achievement and persistence of students enrolled in the Program for Excellence in Education and Research in the Sciences (PEERS), an academic support program at the University of California, Los Angeles, for first- and second-year science majors from underrepresented backgrounds. Results indicate that PEERS students, on average, earned higher grades in most “gatekeeper” chemistry and math courses, had a higher cumulative grade point average, completed more science courses, and persisted in a science major at significantly higher rates than the comparison group. With its holistic approach focused on academics, counseling, creating a supportive community, and exposure to research, the PEERS program serves as an excellent model for universities interested in and committed to improving persistence of underrepresented science majors and closing the achievement gap. PMID:25828403

Assessment of the quality and applicability of an e-portfolio capstone assessment item within a bachelor of midwifery program.

PubMed

Baird, Kathleen; Gamble, Jenny; Sidebotham, Mary

2016-09-01

Education programs leading to professional licencing need to ensure assessments throughout the program are constructively aligned and mapped to the specific professional expectations. Within the final year of an undergraduate degree, a student is required to transform and prepare for professional practice. Establishing assessment items that are authentic and able to reflect this transformation is a challenge for universities. This paper both describes the considerations around the design of a capstone assessment and evaluates, from an academics perspective, the quality and applicability of an e-portfolio as a capstone assessment item for undergraduate courses leading to a professional qualification. The e-portfolio was seen to meet nine quality indicators for assessment. Academics evaluated the e-portfolio as an authentic assessment item that would engage the students and provide them with a platform for ongoing professional development and lifelong learning. The processes of reflection on strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, comparison of clinical experiences with national statistics, preparation of professional philosophy and development of a curriculum vitae, whilst recognised as comprehensive and challenging were seen as highly valuable to the student transforming into the profession. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Undergraduate optics program for the 21st Century

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Palmer, James M.

2002-05-01

We have been offering a successful BS degree in optical engineering for the past ten years. We have produced more than 100 graduates, highly trained in basic optics and electronics. Our Industrial Affiliates, while very pleased with our graduates, requested that we produce some with greater mechanical engineering skills and knowledge. Our response was the creation of a new degree program, retaining the virtues of the previous one, but allowing a high degree of flexibility through the inclusion of minors within the program. The new program allows sufficient room for a variety of minors. Engineering minors identified include aerospace, computer, electrical, materials and mechanical. Science minors include astronomy, computer science, math and physics. Non-science minors accommodated include business, pre-health and pre-law. The new BSO program features: (1) Better structure and flow, more tightly coupling related classes; (2) New laboratory classes for juniors, linked to lecture classes; (3) Expanded optical deign, fabrication and testing classes; (4) New class in electronics for optics; (5) New classes in fiber optics and optical communications; (6) New capstone/senior project class for ABET compliance. This new BSO program will produce better entry-level optical scientists and engineers, and better candidates for graduate school. Our interactions with the external community will provide inputs concerning industrial needs, leading towards improved student counseling and program development. We will better serve national needs for skilled personnel in optics, and contribute even more to the optics workforce pipeline.

The state of leadership education in US medical schools: results of a national survey

PubMed Central

Neeley, Sabrina M.; Clyne, Brian; Resnick-Ault, Daniel

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Over the past two decades, there have been increasing calls for physicians to develop the capabilities to lead health care transformation. Many experts and authors have suggested that leadership education should begin during medical school; however, little information exists regarding the presence or nature of undergraduate medical education leadership curricula in the USA. This study sought to determine the prevalence of formal leadership education in US undergraduate medical schools, as well as the delivery methods and degree of student participation. A web-based survey of medical education deans from US allopathic medical schools (N = 144) was administered from November 2014 to February 2015. The survey included questions on the presence of leadership curricula, delivery format, student participation rates, and forms of recognition. Eighty-eight surveys were completed; the majority (85%) of respondents were associate or assistant deans for medical education. Approximately half (54.5%) of respondents reported leadership curricula within their medical schools. Of those, 34.8% (16/46) were required; 32.6% (15/46) were elective; and 32.6% (15/46) indicated both required and elective components. Of schools with formal leadership curricula ​(n = 48), the common forms of content delivery were: mentoring programs (65.1%); dual degree programs (54.5%); workshops (48.8%); seminar/lecture series (41.9%); courses (41.9%); or single seminars (18.6%). Nineteen percent of institutions offer longitudinal leadership education throughout medical school. Common forms of recognition for leadership education were: course credit (48.8%); dual degrees (37.2%); certificates of completion (18.6%); and transcript notations (7.0%). This study indicates that formal leadership education exists in more than half of US allopathic medical schools, suggesting it is an educational priority. Program format, student participation, delivery methods, and recognition varied considerably. Further study is needed to identify the optimal content, competencies, and pedagogy for leadership education. Identifying best practices may help guide standards for leadership curricula across UME and fill this educational need.​ PMID:28298155

The state of leadership education in US medical schools: results of a national survey.

PubMed

Neeley, Sabrina M; Clyne, Brian; Resnick-Ault, Daniel

2017-01-01

Over the past two decades, there have been increasing calls for physicians to develop the capabilities to lead health care transformation. Many experts and authors have suggested that leadership education should begin during medical school; however, little information exists regarding the presence or nature of undergraduate medical education leadership curricula in the USA. This study sought to determine the prevalence of formal leadership education in US undergraduate medical schools, as well as the delivery methods and degree of student participation. A web-based survey of medical education deans from US allopathic medical schools (N = 144) was administered from November 2014 to February 2015. The survey included questions on the presence of leadership curricula, delivery format, student participation rates, and forms of recognition. Eighty-eight surveys were completed; the majority (85%) of respondents were associate or assistant deans for medical education. Approximately half (54.5%) of respondents reported leadership curricula within their medical schools. Of those, 34.8% (16/46) were required; 32.6% (15/46) were elective; and 32.6% (15/46) indicated both required and elective components. Of schools with formal leadership curricula ​(n = 48), the common forms of content delivery were: mentoring programs (65.1%); dual degree programs (54.5%); workshops (48.8%); seminar/lecture series (41.9%); courses (41.9%); or single seminars (18.6%). Nineteen percent of institutions offer longitudinal leadership education throughout medical school. Common forms of recognition for leadership education were: course credit (48.8%); dual degrees (37.2%); certificates of completion (18.6%); and transcript notations (7.0%). This study indicates that formal leadership education exists in more than half of US allopathic medical schools, suggesting it is an educational priority. Program format, student participation, delivery methods, and recognition varied considerably. Further study is needed to identify the optimal content, competencies, and pedagogy for leadership education. Identifying best practices may help guide standards for leadership curricula across UME and fill this educational need.​.

Women in Engineering: Insight into Why Some Engineering Departments Have More Success in Recruiting and Graduating Women

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bossart, Jean; Bharti, Neelam

2017-01-01

Universities across the United States (U.S.) are perplexed as to why fewer women than men study engineering and why even fewer complete the curriculum and earn an undergraduate degree in engineering. The percentage of undergraduate engineering degrees awarded annually to women in the U.S. since 2000 has remained relatively constant at around 20%.…

Graduates' Experiences Of, and Attitudes Towards, the Inclusion of Employability-Related Support in Undergraduate Degree Programmes; Trends and Variations by Subject Discipline and Gender

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Leary, Simon

2017-01-01

Enhancing graduate employability is a priority for many stakeholders in higher education and this research explores graduates' experiences of, and attitudes towards, the inclusion of employability-related support in undergraduate degree programmes. A literature review is supplemented by primary research on a targeted sample of 104 graduates from…

Differential diagnosis of dental fluorosis made by undergraduate dental students

PubMed Central

Rigo, Lilian; Lodi, Leodinei; Garbin, Raíssa Rigo

2015-01-01

ABSTRACT Objective To check knowledge of undergraduate dental students to make diagnosis of dental fluorosis with varying degrees of severity and choose its appropriate treatment. Methods Data were collected using a semi-structured questionnaire addressing knowledge of undergraduates based on ten images of mouths presenting enamel changes. Results Only three images were correctly diagnosed by most undergraduates; the major difficulty was in establishing dental fluorosis severity degree. Conclusion Despite much information about fluorosis conveyed during the Dentistry training, as defined in the course syllabus, a significant part of the students was not able to differentiate it from other lesions; they did not demonstrate expertise as to defining severity of fluorosis and indications for treatment, and could not make the correct diagnosis of enamel surface changes. PMID:26761552

Undergraduate Psychology Courses Preferred by Graduate Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lawson, Timothy J.; Reisinger, Debra L.; Jordan-Fleming, Mary Kay

2012-01-01

Information about the undergraduate psychology courses preferred by graduate programs is useful for a number of purposes, including (a) advising psychology majors who are interested in graduate school, (b) undergraduate curriculum planning, and (c) examining whether graduate programs' preferences reflect national guidelines for the undergraduate…

The women in science and engineering scholars program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Falconer, Etta Z.; Guy, Lori Ann

1989-01-01

The Women in Science and Engineering Scholars Program provides scientifically talented women students, including those from groups underrepresented in the scientific and technical work force, with the opportunity to pursue undergraduate studies in science and engineering in the highly motivating and supportive environment of Spelman College. It also exposes students to research training at NASA Centers during the summer. The program provides an opportunity for students to increase their knowledge of career opportunities at NASA and to strengthen their motivation through exposure to NASA women scientists and engineers as role models. An extensive counseling and academic support component to maximize academic performance supplements the instructional and research components. The program is designed to increase the number of women scientists and engineers with graduate degrees, particularly those with an interest in a career with NASA.

[The supervisor has a crucial role in the medical student's degree projects. Experiences from seven semesters at Karolinska Institutet].

PubMed

Möller, Riitta; Shoshan, Maria; Ponzer, Sari

2015-01-13

In Sweden degree projects have a central role in evaluation of higher education, wherefore significant resources are spent on developing students' research competence. The undergraduate medical program at Karolinska Institutet introduced its degree project course in 2010. This paper gives an overview of the course and summarizes experiences from the first seven terms. In order to finalize their projects within one term, most students need substantial support. A highly structured course and frequent progress monitoring are advantageous. Other crucial factors are the quality of the supervision and students' verbal skills as well as support in scientific writing. In addition, increased awareness of the learning outcomes already at the beginning of the course may help students to achieve the expected results. Finally, students need to recognize their own responsibility for learning. 

34 CFR 658.4 - What definitions apply to the Undergraduate International Studies and Foreign Language Program?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... International Studies and Foreign Language Program? 658.4 Section 658.4 Education Regulations of the Offices of... UNDERGRADUATE INTERNATIONAL STUDIES AND FOREIGN LANGUAGE PROGRAM General § 658.4 What definitions apply to the Undergraduate International Studies and Foreign Language Program? The definitions in 34 CFR 655.4 apply to this...