ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
The Contribution of the Open University to Widening Participation in Psychology Education
Author: Cooper, Troy
Date: 2010-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Open Universities,Access to Education,Adult Students,Statistical Analysis,Psychology,Educational Policy,Foreign Countries,Introductory Courses,Student Recruitment,Educational Attainment,Employment

The work of the Open University is situated historically in widening participation, both through its open access policy and the modular structure of the qualifications if offers. The process by which the Open University produces more British Psychological Society accredited graduates with GBC than any other HEI, and the contribution of introductory level psychology modules to a broad spectrum of other qualifications, is discussed. Statistical analysis of module recruitment and progression to psychology modules shows that level 2 (NQF level 5) psychology modules recruit well from mature students, women, and those with low levels of previous educational achievement and living in low participation postcode (LPC) areas as defined by funding councils. However, those with lower educational qualifications or from LPC areas have lower pass rates and progression to higher levels of study than other groups. The factors involved in this are discussed, together with current initiatives aimed at producing change. (Contains 3 figures and 5 tables.)
Widening Participation in Psychology: Student Perspectives through Analysis of Interviews on How an Interest in Psychology May Be Met for as Many as Possible
Author: Winter, Liz
Date: 2010-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Psychology,Participation,Disadvantaged,Adult Education,Nontraditional Students,Lifelong Learning,Higher Education,Undergraduate Study,Interviews,Student Interests,Student Motivation,Enrollment

Semi-structured interviews were conducted with teaching staff and students associated with a longstanding Certificate of Higher Education in Psychology course. Participants were invited to give their views upon why a declining number of people from &quot;wider participation&quot; or &quot;socially disadvantaged&quot; backgrounds come forward to register and seek a qualification or simply satisfy their thirst for studying psychology at a good level. After transcription and analysis the themes that emerged are considered and their implications for widening participation in the undergraduate study of psychology discussed. The results provide preliminary data for comparison with more mainstream degree level programmes. An attempt to define and distinguish between widening participation and students of a socially disadvantaged background is made through students' interpretation of these concepts. The seeming lack of support for open-access, first level qualifications in psychology that offer part-time study to support educational or personal development alongside employment and other personal commitments are discussed. (Contains 2 figures.)
Writing a Structured Abstract for the Thesis
Author: Hartley, James
Date: 2010-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Journal Articles,Social Sciences,Documentation,Writing (Composition),Theses,Biomedicine

This article presents the author's suggestions on how to improve thesis abstracts. The author describes two books on writing abstracts: (1) "Creating Effective Conference Abstracts and Posters in Biomedicine: 500 tips for Success" (Fraser, Fuller & Hutber, 2009), a compendium of clear advice--a must book to have in one's hand as one prepares a conference abstract or a poster, and (2) "Abstracts and the Writing of Abstracts" (Swales & Feak, 2009) which contains several research-based exercises on writing abstracts for journal articles in the Arts and Social Sciences. Both books extol the virtues of structured abstracts but both contain few examples. The author presents the format of a structured thesis abstract. (Contains 1 figure.)
A Comparison of Spanish Second Language Acquisition in Two Different Learning Contexts: Study Abroad and the Domestic Classroom
Author: Segalowitz, Norman
Date: 2004-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Communication Strategies,Learning Readiness,Second Languages,Second Language Learning,Foreign Countries,Classroom Environment,Study Abroad,English (Second Language),Comparative Analysis,Spanish,Grammar,Language Fluency,Oral Language,Language Proficiency,Pronunciation,Second Language Instruction

In this paper, the authors report the results of a study that compared differences in the linguistic gains made by native English-speaking students from the United States who were studying Spanish in one of two different contexts of learning. One was a regular university classroom situation in Colorado; the other was a study abroad program in Alicante, Spain. The authors examined the gains students made on a number of linguistic dimensions: oral proficiency, oral fluency, grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, and communication strategies. In addition, they investigated the relationships between these variables and a variety of background factors, including aspects of language learning readiness. In this paper, the authors review the results, discuss the larger picture that emerges, and speculate on future questions about the effects of the study abroad experience on second language acquisition. They summarize their major findings in terms of three questions regarding differences between Study Abroad and At Home learning contexts. In conclusion, their results indicate that when evaluating the effects study abroad might have on second language learning, it is important to consider more than whether students make greater gains in one environment than in another. (Contains 4 tables and 1 note.)
Assessing Development of Meta-Pragmatic Awareness in Study Abroad
Author: Kinginger, Celeste
Date: 2004-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Sociolinguistics,Research Methodology,Second Language Learning,French,Study Abroad,Pragmatics,Metalinguistics,Language Usage,Language Variation,Social Environment,Grammar,Role,Socialization,Evaluation Methods

In this paper, the authors explore a methodology for assessing learners' meta-pragmatic awareness of variation in French language use. "Meta-pragmatic awareness" is defined as knowledge of the social meaning of variable second language forms and awareness of the ways in which these forms mark different aspects of social contexts, and is therefore "a crucial force behind the meaning-generating capacity of language in use." The authors take as a test case for the study of this phenomenon the learners' awareness and use of address forms, or the "T/V system" in French. The "T/V system" ("tu" versus "vous" in French) is a key component of sociolinguistic competence in European languages, presenting a complex, dynamic, and inherently ambiguous matter of social indexicality, a case where knowledge of language form necessarily intersects with broader awareness of sociocultural norms and personal identities. To contextualize the study, the authors first offer a summary of contemporary sociolinguistic description of address forms in French, followed by a review of studies examining the role of socialization in the development of address form competence. They then present a description of the research methodology employed in this study with a summary of the results and a discussion of their implications. (Contains 3 tables and 1 note.)
&quot;Hindsight Is 20/20:&quot; Student Perceptions of Language Learning and the Study Abroad Experience
Author: Mendelson, Vija G.
Date: 2004-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Student Attitudes,Foreign Countries,Cultural Awareness,Correlation,Oral Language,Language Proficiency,Study Abroad,Second Language Learning,Pretests Posttests

In this article, the author discusses the necessity of challenging the widely-held belief that students inevitably make second language progress through studying abroad. Through administering a series of pre- and post-tests, quantitative and qualitative, to students enrolled in three different programs of varying lengths in Spain, the author investigates whether students do as a matter of course take advantage of available opportunities to integrate into the host culture while they are abroad, and whether they do make &quot;miraculous&quot; progress in acquiring the target language. She relies significantly on student perceptions about their own language proficiency and documents patterns of student cultural contact in exploring a series of research questions, including the extent to which student language proficiency at the end of a program correlates with the amount of their out-of-class social contact, and how different types of out-of-class contact affect beginning and intermediate-level language learners. The findings are presented in relation to oral proficiency and self-evaluation, out-of-class contact, and students' perceptions and experiences. Recommendations and questions for further research are also presented. (Contains 4 tables and 16 notes.)
The GLOSSARI Project: Initial Findings from a System-Wide Research Initiative on Study Abroad Learning Outcomes
Author: Sutton, Richard C.
Date: 2004-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Higher Education,Accountability,Study Abroad,Outcomes of Education,Measures (Individuals),Student Surveys,Comparative Analysis,Knowledge Level,Cultural Awareness,Second Language Learning,Questionnaires,Factor Analysis,Undergraduate Students,Graduate Students,Program Evaluation

Higher education in general and study abroad programming in particular are hardly strangers to stringent demands for accountability. What is new to higher education and to study abroad is the demand for accountability in terms of measurable student learning outcomes. This article is a first report from a system-wide initiative to document learning outcomes accruing from participation in study abroad. It focuses on one element of that initiative, a comparison of several outcomes between study abroad participants and non-participants attending sixteen varied public institutions within a state university system. The authors describe and interpret the data they have collected in Phase I of a six-phase, multi-year University System of Georgia project that is annually collecting data from more than 4,000 students. The authors trace the growth of the assessment movement in higher education and point out that institutions often define success in study abroad through such things as increases in study abroad participation or through post-program surveys that attempt to measure student satisfaction with their study abroad experience. They argue that neither these nor other sorts of measures now commonly in use provide direct evidence either of students' curricular content knowledge gained abroad or the cognitive understanding that they are presumed to have acquired. This paper presents the first set of findings from Phase I. (Contains 1 table and 7 notes.)
Assessing the Impact of Study Abroad on Student Learning at Michigan State University
Author: Ingraham, Edward C.
Date: 2004-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Undergraduate Students,Program Evaluation,Student Surveys,Program Effectiveness,Study Abroad,Databases,Intellectual Development,Cultural Awareness,Academic Achievement,Second Language Learning,Educational Objectives,Educational Benefits,Student Attitudes,Knowledge Level,Professional Development,Individual Development,Correlation,Statistical Analysis,Teacher Attitudes,College Faculty

Michigan State University (MSU) is strongly committed to the idea that study abroad is deeply beneficial and important for undergraduate students. However there is a relative scarcity of systematically gathered qualitative and quantitative information that assesses the impact of study abroad. In the summer of 2000, MSU implemented a broad plan to design and put in place mechanisms for continuously assessing the impact of study abroad on students, on faculty, and on MSU as a whole. From the beginning, &quot;assessment of the impact of study abroad&quot; was broadly construed to focus on measuring the acquisition of knowledge, skills and attitudes that students need to live and work in the 21st century. The assessment project is expected to continue indefinitely and so far two phases have been completed. In this article, the authors report preliminary results of Phase I and II, which explore study abroad's impact on students. Seeking evidence that MSU students going abroad are achieving learning goals, the study uses a variety of instruments and methods, qualitative and quantitative. The authors discuss some of the project's findings from student surveys, faculty reports, and the MSU database in terms of the primary areas in which MSU intends study abroad to have an impact on students: intellectual growth (including both academic performance and language learning), personal growth, intercultural awareness, and professional development. (Contains 2 tables.)
The Georgetown University Consortium Project: A Report at the Halfway Mark
Author: Vande Berg, Michael J.
Date: 2004-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: College Students,International Education,Consortia,Study Abroad,Second Language Learning,Universities,Grants,Educational Research,Program Evaluation,Oral Language,Cultural Awareness,Engineering Education,Business Administration Education,Interviews,Institutional Cooperation,Program Improvement

In this article, the authors describe the Georgetown University Consortium Project (GCP), a three-year assessment study designed to document the learning abroad of students from Georgetown University, The University of Minnesota, Rice University, and Dickinson College. Funded by two Department of Education Title VI grants, this ongoing three-year study seeks evidence of student learning at fifty programs abroad, many of them organized by the four consortial institutions, and others by study abroad providers, including programs operated by the Council on International Education, the International Institute for the Education of Students, and the American University Center of Provence. The study seeks evidence of student learning from, and across, three learning domains: oral second-language acquisition, gains in intercultural sensitivity, and learning within four broad disciplinary contexts. The study, through its development of an interview guide that asks returned students to respond to three hypothetical scenarios, also seeks to provide evidence of learning, beyond oral language acquisition and gains in intercultural sensitivity, that will appeal to faculty from three broad disciplinary areas whose students have traditionally been under-represented in study abroad: (1) business; (2) engineering; and (3) the sciences. This report was written at the half-way mark of the study--a year and a half into it--and presents evaluative reflections on the progress and process of the GCP to date. (Contains 7 notes.)
The Impact of Study Abroad on Business Students' Career Goals
Author: Orahood, Tammy
Date: 2004-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Assignments,Cultural Awareness,Program Effectiveness,Corporations,Study Abroad,Global Approach,Career Choice,Foreign Students,Business Administration Education,Surveys,Student Attitudes,International Trade

As an increasing number of U.S. corporations position themselves for international competition, the demand for cross-culturally competent employees is expected to rise. However, reports suggest that graduates of U.S. business schools lack cross-cultural skills, prompting employers to recruit international students. The authors designed a study that tests the belief that business students will acquire desired international and cross-cultural perspectives through studying abroad. This study seeks to understand the impact of studying abroad on business students and their career plans to determine whether study abroad experiences are all "hype," or if they have "substance." The authors administered a survey, designed for this study, both to students who had, and who had not, studied abroad. The results show that business students who have studied abroad are more open to internationalizing their careers. These students, due to the skills that they acquired while abroad, are the types of professionals that employers seek for international assignments and even for domestic assignments that require a degree of cross-cultural competency. The authors use the results of the survey to propose strategies to aid business students in articulating the pragmatic value of their study abroad experience. (Contains 4 figures.)
A Qualitative Approach to the Assessment of International Service-Learning
Author: Tonkin, Humphrey
Date: 2004-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Focus Groups,Service Learning,Program Effectiveness,Learning Experience,Study Abroad,Qualitative Research,Foreign Countries,Partnerships in Education,Universities,Student Attitudes,Cultural Awareness,Interviews,Career Choice,Program Improvement

International service-learning combines aspects of conventional study abroad with aspects of conventional service-learning, offering an exceptional degree of integration into a target culture and an intensive experience of community service. The present study describes an effort to establish, through qualitative assessment, the degree to which such integration and experience actually take place, and their effects on the students involved. The authors focus on the first of three Ford Foundation-funded studies that are assessing the impact of the International Partnership for Service-Learning and Leadership on its three separate constituencies: (1) the students participating in Partnership programs; (2) the in-country agencies that sponsor the students; and (3) the in-country universities that house Partnership programs. The authors describe the first study, qualitative in nature, which sought to document the impact of the Partnership on student goals and attitudes through conducting interviews and focus groups with seventeen former participants. The study sought to explore two assumptions about student learning. The first is that study abroad provides students with rich environmental opportunities that allow them to interact and learn in ways not often available on their home campuses. The second is specific to the Partnership's own programs: that service-learning provides special opportunities for cultural integration, and that such experience broadens students' horizons and prepares them to be global citizens. The authors discuss what the students had to say about some of the major components of the international service-learning experience and end with a discussion of what the study revealed about ways to improve that experience. (Contains 6 notes.)
More Is Better: The Impact of Study Abroad Program Duration
Author: Dwyer, Mary M.
Date: 2004-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Outcomes of Education,Program Effectiveness,Statistical Analysis,Social Development,Study Abroad,Career Development,Academic Achievement,Individual Development,Correlation,Second Language Learning,Language Usage,Educational Attainment,Time,Foreign Countries

Conventional wisdom in the study abroad field has held that more is better; that is, the longer students study abroad the more significant the academic, cultural development and personal growth benefits that accrue. The standard assumption is that meaningful advancement in language learning and other academic disciplines using a culture-specific pedagogy requires at least a full year of study abroad. While the benefits of full-year study abroad are strongly embraced by study abroad professionals, there is a dearth of quantitative research supporting a correlation with positive outcomes. Among education abroad professionals, convictions about duration rank among the most deeply-held. This article presents a research that measures the impact of program duration on five learning outcomes: (1) student academic choices; (2) career development; (3) personal and social development; (4) foreign language commitment and use; and (5) intercultural competence and intercultural awareness. While it has been long believed that study abroad changes people's lives, little evidence exists to explain what kinds of tangible changes occur and for how long. This study shows that study abroad has a significant impact on students in the areas of continued language use, academic attainment measures, intercultural and personal development, and career choices. Most importantly, the study illustrates that this impact can be sustained over a period as long as 50 years. (Contains 1 figure and 5 tables.)
Large-Scale Assessment of Student Attitudes after a Short-Term Study Abroad Program
Author: Chieffo, Lisa
Date: 2004-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Student Attitudes,International Trade,World Geography,Cultural Awareness,Telecommunications,Study Abroad,Undergraduate Students,Surveys,Individual Development,Second Language Learning,Guidelines,Self Concept,Knowledge Level

As national boundaries have lost their traditional significance over the past thirty years through increased travel, global telecommunications, and international trade and investment, it has become important for individuals to possess firsthand experience with other cultures. Traditionally, American undergraduates accomplish this by studying abroad. In this paper, the authors describe their research, which explores whether students enrolled in courses abroad during five-week University of Delaware January-term programs acquire more &quot;global awareness&quot; than those who studied at home and enrolled in similar course in the same January term. They developed a survey instrument designed to measure student perceptions and recollections about their attitudes toward four categories they identify as the essential elements of &quot;cultural awareness&quot;: (1) intercultural awareness; (2) personal growth and development; (3) awareness of global interdependence; and (4) functional knowledge of world geography and language. The four broad categories used to develop the survey items form a useful framework with which to analyze the results. The authors conclude that short-term programs, even as short as one month, are worthwhile educational endeavors that have significant self-perceived impacts on students' intellectual and personal lives. The data demonstrate that the students who spent the month abroad were more confident in their levels of intercultural awareness and functional knowledge than their peers who remained on campus. (Contains 2 tables.)