Abstracts

Possessing intelligence is not the only factor that contributes to children's academic achievements. This paper focuses on the effects of parental influence on the academic success of their children. I will cover different factors that play key roles in children's educational performance, including parental influence and parent and family factors that relate to academic success. Parent training programs are designed to help parents support their children's learning, and the impact of these programs on academic success is an important topic to consider because it relates to the community counseling profession.

This literature review examines learning community studies published in the last 5 years and the best practices identified within to help students transition from high school to college. The transition from high school to college can be very difficult for students due to lack of K-12 preparation, access to academic support, and absence of early intervention mechanisms as well as other influences. It is widely accepted that learning communities are designed to help students transition through these difficulties. This review focuses on the strengths and shortcomings in key components of the interventions and assessment of short- and long-term effects. The discussion will include suggestions for universities considering establishing and assessing new or current learning communities for specific populations with respect to type, purpose, and evaluation.

This action research project develops a plan to establish a funding level for professional development at Jackson Christian School (JCS), a non-public faith-based school located in Jackson, Michigan. The resulting action plan suggests a process-based approach to determining a teacher training budget that supports the school's strategic objectives. Establishment of the plan is based on researching multiple sources. The project researches the statistical correlation between faculty development budgets in Michigan's K-12 public schools and student performance on the Michigan Merit Exam (MME). Results of this correlation indicate no relationship between funding levels and student achievement on the MME. The project also reveals the average funding level for school districts located in Jackson County to be less than 1% of operating budgets. Finally, a literature review investigates funding levels for professional development in other states and countries, in Advance Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) schools, and in non-educational industries.

The complex system of higher education in Romania has undergone progressive reform over the past two decades. With the emergence of new institutions, both private and public, increases in enrollment, and the overthrow of the Ceausescu regime, education in Romania is experiencing increasingly positive effects but has also seen drawbacks. Understanding the desires and needs of students, monitoring academic rigor and performance, and reorganizing the intention of learning has given the Ministry of Education in Romania a daunting task. The structural comparison between the United States' system of higher education to that of Romania examines the values and intention of education in a student-centered environment.

Retention is an issue that has been facing higher education for years. Many authors have studied its causes and effects. Attrition has been attributed to a multitude of factors, including age, ethnicity, institution variables, socioeconomic status, and available resources. One author, Tinto, discusses how attrition is affected by social and academic integration of the student at the university level. Others build on this message and attempt to resolve retention through related means. This study addresses the question of whether there is a difference between possible retention variables reported for students attending a community college based on its location, specifically for rural college students. The Community College Survey of Student Engagement (CCSSE) is used to evaluate educational institutions ranked by Carnegie Classification as rural, suburban or urban in nature. The CCSSE benchmarks are analyzed to determine if any significant differences are present.

In today's world, entrepreneurialism is considered an engine that drives the economy (Jack & Anderson, 1999). Higher education institutions are forced to get more tightly coupled with the knowledge economy through technology transfer, innovations, and creation economic and social products (Etzkowitz, 2003; Clark, 1998; Kuratko, 2003). Entrepreneurial education goes beyond just preparing students as business owners and penetrates into different disciplines across the university curriculum (Tiessen, 1997). The aim of this ongoing research project is to explore the best practices of teaching entrepreneurialism to non-business students at comprehensive universities. The researcher sought to look at how university faculty infuse entrepreneurialism into teaching and learning, how non-business colleges attempt to prepare future practitioners who acquire deeper understanding of the changing and uncertain world and reflect creatively and responsibly in their professional and personal lives. Data for this study were collected through published scholar materials, universities reports, and media.

Counselors are trained in a variety of theoretical orientations. These theoretical frameworks help counselors conceptualize clients' problems and aid in the treatment planning process by outlining specific intervention strategies. The counselors-in-training learn of a variety of theories and throughout the counseling program are asked to think about which perspectives they may adopt as future professionals. Despite the vast research on the application of treatments based in various theories, there is little research on the process of how the counselor-in-training selects a theoretical framework. Throughout the counseling program, counselors-in-training may experience pressure to select a theory. This research study aims to identify the process by which counselors-in-training in a graduate-level counseling program adopt a theory of choice in various stages of the program and whether that choice changes. This study will look at students in the early stages, middle stages, and end stages of the counseling program to measure the process of selection.

This study tests the validity and reliability of a rubric created to assess quality in online threaded discussions. The participants in this study consist of faculty members: experts with extensive experience with online threaded discussions and operant users with varying experience levels for 6 different institutions. Using the Delphi method, experts evaluate and develop the construct validity of the rubric. Operant users, assigned to either the experimental or control group, applied the rubric to 2 sets of online threaded discussion samples. Members of the experimental group receive a rubric training sequence prior to using the tool. Correlational, multiple regression and generalized linear modeling analysis are used to analyze test-retest reliability, inter-rater reliability, and the impact of external rater factors on reliability. The outcome of this study is a tool that can be used by instructors to evaluate the quality of student contributions to threaded discussions consistently and objectively.

This study examined the academic growth of the 7th grade at Taylor Exemplar Academy. The proficiency of some members within the cohort was overshadowing that of the lesser performing students. The class of 54 students was divided into three groups based on the number of years of attendance at the academy. Further subcategories were broken down based on socioeconomic status, support services received, gender, and ethnicity. Using the Northwest Evaluation Association's Measure of Academic Progress, the study found that as a student matriculated through the academy, NWEA MAP scores increased in all areas. The results of this study will enable the instructional staff at TEA to target those students within each cohort who are performing below grade level.

Predominantly White universities, including those with a religious affiliation (e.g. Jesuit/Catholic), seek to recruit and retain African American and other faculty of color to support institutional diversity goals. Yet a tension exists between the need to perpetuate the religious identity of the institutions and the challenge to diversify. Along with mastering normal faculty work responsibilities of teaching, research, and service, faculty of color contend with higher education climates that are not always hospitable. Additionally, those faculty members in predominantly White faith-based institutions may also be accountable for adherence to faith-based missions and associated service. Nascent research on faculty diversity in religious universities in general exists. Research on the experiences of faculty-of-color generally, and on African American particularly, in religious sponsored institutions is non-existent. This poster will review the demographics, explore recruitment challenges faced by administrators, and examine the factors prospective faculty should consider when applying to colleges/universities with a religious affiliation.

While offering retirees and senior citizens opportunities for engagement on college campuses is not a novel concept, a newer trend that involves retirement living on campus is emerging. One of the more innovative ways higher education is engaging retirees is through the creative practice of university-linked retirement communities (ULRC). ULRCs are a relatively new in the world of retirement living and have been growing in popularity since the mid 1980s; ULRCs now exist on more than 50 campuses across the United States. The ULRC concept is one that meets both the needs of retirees and the university. This presentation overviews the trend of ULRCs as well as the in-progress analysis and findings concluded from dissertation research. The research was conducted at three distinct ULRCs located in the Northeast, Midwest, and South and analysis includes excerpts from 46 participants. This research employed a qualitative, interpretive, ethnographic approach utilizing a series of individual life-history interviews, observations, and artifact collection as the main content for data analysis. The researcher will present insights on how the conceptual framework that drew upon psychosocial theories of aging, including activity, role, continuity and life course theory, led to a deeper understanding of residents' attraction to and lived experiences in a ULRC.

This research creates an evaluative tool to assess the Washington D.C. Archdiocesan Values Based Charter Schools (VBCS) experiment. Are VBCS a viable alternative to failing inner city Catholic schools slated to close? Over 162 Catholic schools slated to close could benefit from a successfully executed Value Based program. Program evaluation of academic success and process of integration of vulnerable youth from the private and public sector uses mixed research methods. The program evaluation articulates academic processes (curriculum, pedagogy, and professional development) and the outcomes (knowledge, skills and disposition) to determine degree to which stated goals are evident in student achievements.

Establishing institutional effectiveness has beleaguered U.S. higher education institutions for 25 years. One key component is the organization's effective use of data in decision-making. A model of this transformation that includes environmental and institutional influences is proposed and tested. A survey gathers data on institutional context, transformation processes, and external factors associated with the data transformation process related to effective decision-making. Structural Equation Model statistics will provide the analytical platform for the research. The end result will be a guide for the attainment of effective data-informed decision-making in higher educational institutions.

Today's military mission has evolved over decades, with emphasis on gaining international support through implementing cultural training. Today's armed forces must be prepared for conflicts at a moment's notice anywhere in the world and must have an understanding of global cultures and its languages. A study of these aspects will increase a soldier's knowledge, enabling cooperation from many varied cultures and resulting in a peaceful resolution. Internationalization training in the areas of culture, politics, environment, religion, and the role of the media can be applied to any foreign operation, military or civilian, and can determine the outcome. These lessons learned require early training and commitment from the government and citizens.

The purpose of this study was to demonstrate how the education system has altered to accommodate the Digital Native. Digital Natives are said to learn differently because of their technology-rich culture. They are active learners, proficient in multitasking, and dependent on communication devices for accessing information or interacting with others. Trends observed among Digital Natives include how they interact with each other using tools such as text messaging, e-mails, and social networking sites, such as Facebook and Twitter. The information found in the research suggest faculty, staff, and student affairs professional needs to instruct this generation using supplementary technology to preserve and sustain their attention.

According to a recent report from the Department of Labor Statistics (2009), the number of unemployed workers has increased from 7.5 million to 15.4 million in the last two years. Many of these displaced workers are enrolling at community colleges to acquire the skills needed to re-enter the workforce. This research project will look at how community colleges are rising to meet the needs of this growing population and what specific services and programs are being offered. Data collection will consist of on-site observations and interviews with student services leaders and other key personnel from at least one rural, one suburban, and one urban community college in Michigan. Current workforce development programs will be explored and evaluated. Recommendations for future programming will be provided.

The transition from high school to college often implies a shift towards more defined study habits and self-regulatory practices for students. Therefore, if academic support services neglect to train academically at-risk students in self-regulatory behaviors and intrinsic motivation, a growing number of diverse student populations will not receive the necessary help to stay in college. Using current research on role of self-regulatory practices and intrinsic motivation in college student academic achievement the researcher identified four key factors: learning strategies and performance recognition, self-efficacy, gender and ethnic differences in specific self-regulatory behavior, and institutional structure as it relates to self motivation. By understanding factors that impact academic achievement, academic support services and parents will be better able to assess effective contributions to the scholastic benefit of their current and future students.

Families living in lower socioeconomic communities are confronted with many issues that public school teachers and administrators are not. Minority students are often poor and underperform academically. This presentation will highlight the relationship between a child's socialization, school organizational culture, and the implications of the two as they relate to student suspension. A great deal of literature has been written about student suspension, specifically related to socialization. Socioeconomic status, race, and familial hardship are often cited as predictors. The literature regarding organizational culture as it relates to student socialization and ultimately suspension has not been studied to the same extent. Why are poor minority students suspended frequently from school? Does a relationship exist between a child's home socialization and suspension? What relationship exists among organizational culture, student socialization, and suspension? These questions will be examined throughout the presentation.

With strong economic growth over the past two decades, dynamic development of its political system and the second largest population in the world, India has become increasingly important in the global marketplace. Much of the continued growth and potential competitiveness of India will hinge on the future of one significant element: education. A basic understanding of some important issues pertaining to higher education in India in comparison to the United States, in addition to recommendations for future tertiary education within the country, may lead to an understanding why India is becoming a fast emerging global hub for higher education and technical training for future generations.

African Americans remain disproportionately underrepresented in the faculty ranks at institutions of higher education. The role of faculty is critical to the quality and exchange of teaching and learning, particularly at community colleges. Only seven percent of American college and university professors are African American. While nearly half of African-American undergraduates attend community colleges, there is an underrepresentation of African American faculty in two-year colleges (Harvey, 1994; NCES, 2009). The extant literature suggests that having a racially diverse faculty that is representative of the student population can enhance student retention and campus climate. This presentation shares preliminary findings from research in progress on the experiences of African American faculty members at public community colleges. Critical Race Theory, Racial Battle Fatigue, and Role Theory inform the conceptual framework guiding the study. The presenter will share emerging patterns stemming from the data, in particular the impact of racialized collegiate contexts.