Persistence in Doctoral Education: A Part-Time Research Student Perspective in a Developing Context

Author(s):  
Liezel Massyn

Ample literature on the retention of undergraduate students is available. However, information on the retention of postgraduate students in doctoral research is not abundant, especially when the population comprises working adult students studying on a part-time basis. This article aims to explore factors that influence retention in this group of students. The literature identified various factors that could affect the retention of these students. Besides the academic and social integration identified by Tinto, environmental factors (finances, family and employment) and time constraints also play a role in their persistence. The data was collected from PhD students at a Business School in South Africa. The results from the survey confirm the influence of these factors on retention. The inclusion of qualitative responses as part of the survey led to recommendations that consider the finer nuances of the support needed by this group of heterogeneous students.

2005 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 143-163 ◽  
Author(s):  
Spero C. Peppas

The purpose of this research was to assess empirically the perceived benefits of a business study tour course in terms of business educational outcomes, cultural awareness and sensitivity, and work-related gains. This study fills a gap in the business-school-related literature by focusing on outcomes of study abroad tours for non-traditional, working adult students.


Author(s):  
Alexandria N. Ardissone ◽  
Sebastian Galindo ◽  
Allen F. Wysocki ◽  
Eric W. Triplett ◽  
Jennifer C. Drew

AbstractCurrent policies and interventions to enhance student success and retention are often tied to full-time enrollment, which are substantiated by studies associating part-time enrollment with lower retention and poorer academic outcomes. However, these findings are limited to studies of first-time college students and do not represent today’s nontraditional undergraduate who may be transfer, online, and working adult students. To enhance retention of on-campus and hybrid online 2 + 2 transfer students in a STEM undergraduate program, need-based scholarships are awarded to students enrolled full-time as stipulated by the federal granting agency. Although the scholarship has helped >80 students to date, over 40% of eligible transfer students are excluded only because they are enrolled part-time, disproportionately affecting students in the hybrid online track who are more likely to be women and underrepresented minorities. Using quantitative and qualitative methods, this study explores enrollment behavior of transfer students (online and on-campus), its relationship with student characteristics and academic outcomes, and implications for scholarship eligibility. Full-time enrollment is a significant challenge for transfer students. While scholarship requirements are a key factor influencing full-time enrollment, online transfer students additionally cite work and family obligations as drivers of enrollment behavior. Thus, online 2 + 2 transfer students face different challenges than on-campus peers and are more likely to enroll part-time out of necessity, yet still have comparable GPA and graduation rates. These findings support a growing awareness of barriers nontraditional students face questioning the relevance of policies driven by “traditional” student outcomes, which perpetuate inequity in higher education.


2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (6) ◽  
pp. 1552-1563
Author(s):  
Denise A. Tucker ◽  
Mary V. Compton ◽  
Sarah J. Allen ◽  
Robert Mayo ◽  
Celia Hooper ◽  
...  

Purpose The intended purpose of this research note is to share the findings of a needs assessment online survey of speech and hearing professionals practicing in North Carolina to explore their interest in pursuing a research-focused PhD in Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) and to document their perceptions of barriers to pursing a PhD in CSD. In view of the well-documented shortage of doctor of philosophy (PhD) faculty to attract, retain, and mentor doctoral students to advance research and to prepare future speech and hearing professionals, CSD faculty must assess the needs, perceptions, and barriers prospective students encounter when considering pursuing a doctoral research degree in CSD. Method The article describes the results of a survey of 242 speech and hearing professionals to investigate their interest in obtaining an academic research-focused PhD in CSD and to solicit their perceived barriers to pursuing a research doctoral degree in CSD. Results Two thirds of the respondents (63.6%) reported that they had considered pursuing a PhD in CSD. Desire for knowledge, desire to teach, and work advancement were the top reasons given for pursuing a PhD in CSD. Eighty-two percent of respondents had no interest in traditional full-time study. Forty-two percent of respondents indicated that they would be interested in part-time and distance doctoral study. The barriers of time, distance, and money emerged as those most frequently identified barriers by respondents. Conclusion The implications inform higher education faculty on how they can best address the needs of an untapped pool of prospective doctoral students in CSD.


2016 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michelle Renard ◽  
Robin J. Snelgar

Orientation: A lack of qualitative research exists that investigates work engagement and retention within Belgium and South Africa, particularly within the non-profit sector.Research purpose: The study aimed to gather in-depth qualitative data pertaining to the factors that promote work engagement and retention amongst non-profit employees working within these two countries.Motivation for the study: Because of scarce funding and resources, non-profit organisations are pressured to retain their talented employees, with high levels of turnover being a standard for low-paid, human-service positions. However, when individuals are engaged in their work, they display lower turnover intentions, suggesting the importance of work engagement in relation to retention.Research design, approach and method: Non-probability purposive and convenience sampling was used to organise in-depth interviews with 25 paid non-profit employees working on either a full-time or a part-time basis within Belgium and South Africa. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the qualitative data produced.Main findings: Participants were found to be absorbed in, dedicated to and energised by their work, and revealed numerous aspects promoting their retention including working towards a purpose, finding fulfilment in their tasks and working in a caring environment.Practical/managerial implications: Non-profit organisations should develop positive work environments for their employees to sustain their levels of work engagement, as well as place significance on intrinsic rewards in order to retain employees.Contribution: This study provides insights into the means by which non-profit employees across two nations demonstrate their enthusiasm, pride and involvement in the work that they perform. It moreover sheds light on the factors contributing to such employees intending to leave or stay within the employment of their organisations.


2022 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jenni Jones ◽  
Helen A. Smith

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to evaluate two coaching and mentoring programmes focused on the ever-increasingly important aim of enhancing the chances of professional level employment for undergraduate students, at two UK universities. In addition, to offer recommendations to enhance coaching and mentoring success within higher education (HE).Design/methodology/approachTwo similar programmes are compared; the first study is a coaching programme delivered in two phases involving over 1,500 students within the business school. The second study is a mentoring programme involving over 250 students over a ten-year period within the business school at a different institution.FindingsThe two programmes have been compared against the key success criteria from the literature, endorsed by coaching and mentoring experts. The results highlight the importance of integrating with other initiatives, senior management commitment, budget, an application process, clear matching process, trained coaches and mentors, induction for both parties, supportive material, ongoing supervision and robust evaluation and record keeping.Research limitations/implicationsThe research focuses on two similar institutions, with comparable student demographics. It would have been useful to dig deeper into the effect of the diverse characteristics of coach/mentor and coachee/mentee on the effectiveness of their relationships. In addition, to test the assumptions and recommendations beyond these two institutions, and to validate the reach and application of these best practice recommendations further afield.Practical implicationsThe results identify a number of best practice recommendations to guide HE institutions when offering coaching and mentoring interventions to support career progression of their students.Originality/valueThere are limited comparison studies between universities with undergraduate career-related coaching and mentoring programmes and limited research offering best practice recommendations for coaching and mentoring programmes in HE. The top ten factors offered here to take away will add value to those thinking of running similar programmes within HE.


2018 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 23-33 ◽  
Author(s):  
Phyllis A. Cummins ◽  
J. Scott Brown ◽  
Peter Riley Bahr ◽  
Nader Mehri

Recent years have seen growing recognition of the importance of a college-educated workforce to meet the needs of employers and ensure economic growth. Lifelong learning, including completing a postsecondary credential, increasingly is necessary to improve employment outcomes among workers, both old and young, who face rising demands for new and improved skills. To satisfy these needs, many states have established postsecondary completion goals pertaining to the segments of their population ages 25 to 64 years. Although it is not always clear how completion goals will be attained for older students, it is widely recognized that community colleges will play an important role. Here, we use data from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) to examine enrollment trends by part-time and full-time status for students enrolled in Ohio’s public postsecondary institutions from 2006 to 2014. Unlike previous research that considers all students 25 and older as a homogeneous group, we divide older learners into two groups: ages 25 to 39 and ages 40 to 64. We find that adults in these age groups who attend a public college are more likely to attend a community college than they are a 4-year institution and are more likely to attend on a part-time basis. We discuss the implications of these trends and their relevance to college administrators.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 92-102
Author(s):  
Leshi Oluwatosin ◽  
Anuoluwa F Ogundero

Beyond having a good degree, graduates are expected to have relevant skills and attributes required to compete and collaborate in a rapidly changing work environment. In recent times, the employability of Nutrition and Dietetics graduates in Nigeria has been of considerable concern. This study was designed to assess the readiness of trainees in the field of Nutrition and Dietetics from Nigerian Universities for career and work engagements. This descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out among 109 final-year undergraduate and postgraduate students from twelve universities offering Nutrition and Dietetics programme across Nigeria. Data was collected using a semi-structured online questionnaire. Data obtained were background information on the students, their experiences and challenges in their academic pursuits, willingness and readiness to pursue and engage in Nutrition and Dietetics related jobs, as well as their perception of skills and competences for future career and work engagements. The data were analysed using the IBM SPSS version 20.0. About 73% of the respondents were females, mainly between ages 21 and 25 years (62.4%) and undergraduates (70%). Among the undergraduate students, 83.4% had chosen to study Nutrition and Dietetics as a result of personal interest and choice while the postgraduate trainees indicated acquisition of in-depth knowledge of nutrition (60.6%) and quest to enhance career profile for competitive advantage in job pursuits (39.4%) as the core reasons for their choice for the programme. Nearly all the respondents (96.3%) reported having enjoyed their training programs. Only half (50.5%) perceived themselves to be “very ready” and well-prepared for work and career engagement. The top three areas of interest by trainees in Nutrition and Dietetics were Clinical Nutrition and Diet Therapy (60.6%), Community and Public Health Nutrition (43.1%), and Sports Nutrition (11.0%). Three out of every ten trainees had no specific desired skills and competences. While less than half declared that they had no knowledge of the skills and competences desired by employers of nutrition graduates, two-thirds of the trainees perceived themselves as eligible for their choice of work and career. This study shows that most Nutrition and Dietetics trainees in Nigerian universities are ready and willing to start a career in the field. However, many lack the knowledge of expected skills and competences needed for career engagement.


2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nigist Alemayehu Woldekidan ◽  
Ammas Siraj Mohammed

Background: Ketamine and propofol in a single syringe are reported to create an admixture used for balancing cardiorespiratory effects during induction of general anesthesia. This study aimed to assess the clinical practice and knowledge of “ketofol” among anesthesia providers.Methods: A cross-sectional institutional-based study was conducted among anesthesia providers. Data abstracted format was prepared and distributed to senior anesthetists, junior anesthetist postgraduate students, and undergraduate students. The study was conducted from January 1, 2019, to January 30, 2019. Descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression were performed for frequency distribution and to determine the association, respectively.Result: From a total of 133 participants included in the study, the majority, 88 (66.2%), were men and 75 (56.9%) had 0–2 years of experience. More than two-thirds of participants, 105 (78.9%), have never had a seminar or educational session about combined use. Lack of experience among 11 participants (8.3%) was one of the reasons for not using “ketofol” followed by lack of knowledge among three (2.3%) participants. The majority of participants, 112 (84.2%), prefer ketamine and propofol to be administered one right after the other with separate syringes and the ratio to be 1:2, 64 (48.2). There was no significant association observed between sociodemographic and other characteristics and the practice of “ketofol.”Conclusion: In this study, nearly half of the participants rated their knowledge at the average level, and the study identifies that there is clinical knowledge and practice gap among anesthesia providers working in the University of Gondar Comprehensive Specialized Hospital (UOGCSH). Preparing educational sessions regarding “ketofol” for addressing identified barriers is among the recommendations forwarded to UOGCSH.


2017 ◽  
Vol 47 (2) ◽  
pp. 1-21 ◽  
Author(s):  
James R. Vanderwoerd ◽  
Albert Cheng

Religious colleges and universities make up a substantial segment of the higher education landscape in North America, but the incidence of sexual violence on these campuses remains understudied. This study estimates the incidence of sexual violence on independent Christian campuses using a sample of part-time and full-time undergraduate students (N = 668) from eight private Christian colleges in Ontario, Canada. Using two widely used measures of sexual violence enabled comparisons with studies of self-reported incidents at secular and public colleges and universities. The findings show that 18% of women at religious colleges reported experiencing unwanted sexual contact within the past year, compared to studies of self-reported rates on secular campuses ranging from 21.4% to 31.4%. Exploratory investigation of factors related to victimization suggests that religious colleges may provide a “moral community” that could reduce the risk of sexual violence.  


Author(s):  
Mariya B. Krapiventseva

The article, using the historical experience of Tula Arms Factory as an example, examines the problem of training workers on the job in the 1920s, insuffi ciently covered in historical science. Based on a review of a signifi cant amount of archival sources, a detailed description of various forms of technical training at the enterprise is given, supported by statistical data. The dependence of the activities of the plant management on training workers on specifi c production needs is noted. The author also pays attention to the problems of material, technical, personnel and organisational order, which reduced the quality of training. It was noted that due to staff turnover in the fi rst years of its existence, technical studies and advanced training were inextricably linked with the training of new employees. As a result, it is concluded that the technical education network at Tula Arms Factory had been successfully established by the end of the specifi ed period, the main channels of which included advanced training circles, vocational courses, individual and brigade apprenticeships. This provision is confi rmed by consideration of the private aspects of the training process, by identifying the role of graduates in the recruitment of the Tula Arms Factory by skilled workers. The materials of this study are intended to supplement the picture of the positive experience of training personnel for the Russian arms factories


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