Browsing by Subject "Student Development"

Now showing 1 - 3 of 3
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    Fostering intercultural competence through study abroad: a gender- based analysis of individual and program factors influencing development.
    (2011-12) Nichols, Karen Preston
    This study explores how individual student characteristics, study-abroad program choices and gender influence intercultural competence outcomes through study abroad. The Georgetown University Consortium Project (GUCP) sample included 1,163 students who completed a pre- and post-test of intercultural competence using the Intercultural Development Inventory and were studying abroad on one of 51 programs around the world. The secondary analysis of GUCP data found that men and women differed in both individual and program characteristics. Women were more likely to start out with a higher level of intercultural development, take all content courses delivered in the target language, and receive frequent group mentoring more often than men. Both taking content courses in the target language and receiving frequent group mentoring correlated with greater positive changes in intercultural competence through study abroad. Considering only individual student characteristics, negative predictors of change in intercultural competence were found to be initial intercultural development level and majoring in non-international business. Being female was a positive predictor. When both individual and program characteristics were considered, initial intercultural competence level and majoring in non-international business remained negative predictors. Living with international students and living with a host family were also shown to be negative predictors of intercultural competence development. Being female remained the only significant positive predictor of intercultural competence development when all individual and study-abroad program characteristics were considered.
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    The influence of high school extracurricular Coaches and activities advisors on sudent social capital
    (2014-03) Ward, John M.
    Extracurricular activities have long been an integral part of the K-12 educational experience in the United States, yet little is known about how the athletic coaches and activity advisors of these activities contribute to student development. There is a widely held belief that coaches are the prime contributors to the development of self-discipline, character and leadership skills among student participants. Social capital theory suggests that athletic coaches or activity advisors might be valuable contributors to student development by reinforcing positive social norms, fostering trust, and opening access to other information sources that would otherwise not exist. This study attempts to provide information regarding that claim. It focuses on students who have participated in varsity athletics, fine arts or school sponsored clubs in high school. It examines whether athletic coaches and advisors in these activities develop social capital in students. The study is a multiple case study replication design. It consists of an exploratory case study design of 24 separate cases. Twelve of these cases represent the impressions of student participants; twelve represent the impressions of coaches and activities advisors.
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    The spiritual engagement of students entering institutions that belong to the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities
    (2013-06) Fereira, James A.
    Religion has been connected to higher education throughout its history in the United States and recent research suggests that the development of spirituality, as a part of the pursuit of higher education, is important to today’s college student. In an effort to understand twenty-first century college students’ perspectives on spirituality in relation to their education, this study examines the relationship between student pre-college characteristics and the spiritual engagement of students entering institutions affiliated with the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities. Data for this study were drawn from the Cooperative Institutional Research Program’s Freshman Survey and the College Students’ Beliefs and Values survey administered to 112,232 entering freshman at 236 colleges and universities across the United States during the fall semester of 2004. The subjects examined in this study were the 9,838 students who enrolled at colleges and universities affiliated with the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities and who participated in both portions of the 2004 survey. Findings of this research suggest that students’ gender, race or ethnicity, high-school academic achievement, high-school type, and religious identification are informative in understanding their spiritual engagement as they enter colleges and universities affiliated with the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities. These findings may be useful to researchers and practitioners as they design ways to encourage students in their unique journeys toward spiritual maturity during their college years.