The influence of organizational image on college selection: what students seek in institutions of higher education

Colleges and universities rely on their image to attract new members. This study focuses on the decision-making process of students preparing to apply to college. High school students were surveyed at college open houses to identify the factors most influential to their college application decision-making. A multi-methods analysis found that institutional characteristics were more influential than interpersonal or informational resources used by students. More specific results revealed that size, housing, and knowing someone who attended a school predicted students' views of the school's atmosphere. Key findings are discussed and recommendations offered to address issues related to organizational image.     

Students' choice of universities in Germany: structure,factors and information sources used

Student recruitment is an increasingly important topic for universities worldwide. But in order to develop sophisticated recruitment strategies, recruitment officers need to have a clear understanding of how and why students choose colleges. This review compares the German and US research concerning university choice models, choice criteria and information sources prospective students use when exploring their options after school. The paper emphasizes the complexity of the decision-making processes of freshmen and reveals three gaps in the German student recruitment research literature. The development of a German university choice model, an increased application of explorative research methodologies, and the consideration of additional aspects possibly impacting the college choice could help to refine German research approaches.     

Apego y comportamiento sexual en la adolescencia,en relación con la disposición a asumir riesgos asociados a la experiencia erótica

Resumen

El presente trabajo de investigación estudia la relación entre la seguridad del apego y los riesgos asociados al comportamiento sexual. Los objetivos planteados consistieron en estudiar, 1) la relación entre la seguridad del apego y la disposición de los adolescentes a exponerse a los riesgos citados y, 2) la seguridad del apego y otras variables como son la empatia, la autoestima, la preocupación y la depresión en relación con la propia sexualidad.

La muestra se compuso de 299 adolescentes de ambos sexos comprendidos entre 17 y 22 años. Los resultados obtenidos indicaron que, aunque no se haya encontrado una relación directa entre la seguridad del apego y la disposición de los adolescentes hacia al riesgo, sí se establecen relaciones entre aquella y otras que se asocian a la disposición al riesgo como son la empatía, la autoestima, la preocupación y la depresión, todas ellas relacionadas con la experiencia sexual. De particular interés es el papel jugado por la empatia respecto a la disposición al riesgo. Las personas más empáticas, especialmente los hombres, tienden a exponerse menos a los riesgos independientemente del nivel de experiencia sexual. Tal resultado apoya los postulados mantenidos por investigadores y educadores, referidos a la necesidad de ofrecer educación sexual a los adolescentes antes de que estos se inicien en la actividad sexual.

Los resultados avalan en parte las hipótesis planteadas, corroboran algunos resultados de otros investigadores y sugieren ideas para la inclusión en programas aplicados de educación sexual.     

Patrones de comportamiento sexual y contraceptivo en la adolescencia

Resumen

La sexualidades una de las facetas de la etapa de la adolescencia que suscita más interés entre los investigadores evolutivos. Con el objetivo de conocer las actitudes y comportamientos sexuales durante la adolescencia, fueron encuestados 1.000 jóvenes de ambos sexos, edades comprendidas entre los 15 y 21 años y distintos niveles educativos, todos ellos residentes en la Comunidad Autónoma Andaluza. Se utilizeó un cuestionario autoaplicable que incluía preguntas acerca de aspectos como autoerotismo, relaciones sexuales y actitudes relacionadas con la sexualidad y la contracepción. Con los datos de aquellos 420 sujetos que declararon haber mantenido relaciones con penetración se llevó a cabo un análisis de correspondencias múltiples. Los resultados que se presentan en este artículo muestran la existencia de 5 grupos de adolescentes bien diferenciados por sexo, nivel educativo, y por sus actitudes y conductas sexuales y contraceptives.     

Co-constructing distributed leadership: district and school connections in data-driven decision-making

The purpose of this paper is to examine leadership practices in school systems that are implementing data-driven decision-making employing the theory of distributed leadership. With the advent of No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) in the US, educational leaders are now required to analyse, interpret and use data to make informed decisions in all areas of education, ranging from professional development to student learning. The emphasis on data-driven decision-making practices to bring about improved student outcomes is relatively a new feature of the education reform landscape and thus requires educators to learn and develop new competences. Leadership is one crucial bridge that can support and direct these new learning efforts. Using qualitative data from a case study of four urban school systems, the authors’ findings indicate that: (1) leaders at all levels co-constructed the vision and implementation of productive data-driven decision-making by creating an ethos of learning and continuous improvement rather than one of blame; (2) in order to give data relevance, leaders also distributed decision-making authority in a manner that empowered different staff members to utilise their expertise; and (3) the school systems directed their resources on building human and social capacity mainly by focusing on modelling and knowledge brokering amongst their staff. The paper concludes with a discussion of research and policy implications based on the findings.     

Education on sexually transmitted infections: finding common ground among youth,parents, providers and policy advocates

Outcomes from sex education are shaped not only by the knowledge and attitudes of youth but also by groups influential in young people's lives. American youth bear one of the highest rates of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in the industrialized world. Four constituencies with important roles in communicating about STIs are youth, parents, healthcare providers and policy advocates of sex education. This paper aims to understand the attitudes held by these key groups and to ascertain common ground. Eight focus groups were conducted with: youth 15–23 years old (n = 20), parents of youth 10–19 years old (n = 18), healthcare providers (n = 17), and advocates working with national policymakers (n = 6). Participants discussed the issue of STIs in youth within both individual and societal contexts: the knowledge, attitudes and behaviors of individual youth – Ignorance, Exploration, Peer Pressure, Denial, and Indifference; and the influence of segments of society that could affect decisions by youth – Sex is a taboo topic, Reluctant communication by parents, Restricted school education, Limited communication by doctors, Poor role models, and Missing information in media. Understanding the groups' common ground of individual and societal contexts may provide a foundation for more effective sex education.     

‘Sex education should be taught,fine…but we make sure they control themselves’: teachers' beliefs and attitudes towards young people's sexual and reproductive health in a Ugandan secondary school

Although schools have been identified as important settings in which young people's sexual and reproductive health (SRH) can be promoted, there has been limited research into the role of teachers in delivering sex education programmes. This paper describes findings from a qualitative study of teachers' beliefs and attitudes towards young people's SRH in a Ugandan secondary school, and discusses the ways in which conservative attitudes to young people's sexual activity and an adherence to gender stereotypes can limit students' access to SRH information and services. Teachers' attitudes, beliefs and often superstitions relating to young people's sexual activity inevitably affect the content and nature of school-based sex education. Findings from this preliminary study suggest that, rather than assuming teachers act as neutral delivery mechanisms in schools, these attitudes and beliefs must be taken into consideration and addressed in the development of school-based sex education programmes.     

Students and sex work in the UK: providers and purchasers

Available evidence suggests that changes in the funding of UK higher education in recent years have been accompanied by an increased student presence in the sex industry, ostensibly for financial reasons and to make ends meet. The current study comprises a sample of students (N = 200) drawn from several universities in the UK. Data were gathered on financial and employment circumstances, a range of measures of psychological well-being, attitudes to sex work, whether respondents were currently engaged in different types of sex work and whether they had participated in utilising a range of sexual services or forms of adult entertainment. Results indicated that around 6% (2.7%–9.3%) of the sample was currently working in the sex industry – in erotic dancing, stripping or escorting, with significant numbers of both male and female students also involved in purchasing and using sexual services. Little evidence was found to link these activities to prior experiences of psychological adversity. The implications of the results are discussed.     

Policy scripts and students' realities regarding sexuality education in secondary schools in Kenya

This paper explores the sexual and reproductive health (SRH) policy context and the realities facing in-school young people in Kenya. It is based on a review of the health and education sector policy documents as well as data from self-administered questionnaires with 3624 male and female students from eight secondary schools in Nairobi. Findings show that although the policies emphasise the right to access accurate SRH information, there are restrictions on the content of messages that can be provided to in-school young people. At the same time, students continue to be exposed to the risks of undesired SRH outcomes and quest for comprehensive SRH information. The findings suggest that as policy-makers, parents, teachers, civil and faith-based organisations debate about the value and content of sexuality education in schools, it is important to consider the views and experiences of students who are the intended beneficiaries of such education.     

Gender differences in South African men and women's access to and evaluation of informal sources of sexual and reproductive health (SRH) information

While much research has documented unsatisfactory sexual and reproductive health (SRH) awareness among young people in South Africa, understanding of gender differences in access to and evaluation of SRH information is limited. This paper concerned itself with men and women's informal sources and content of SRH, and gendered divergences around accessibility, evaluation, and impact of such information. Fifty sexual history narrative interviews and twenty-five narrative interviews with women were conducted with participants purposively sampled from a range of ages, cultural and racial backgrounds, and in urban and rural sites across five provinces in South Africa. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. While young women were more likely to learn about SRH information from family members, they also reported greater regulation concerning their sexuality. This could enhance stigma surrounding women's sexuality and hinder open communication. Men predominantly learned about sex through pornography and peers, which was reported to encourage sexual prowess to the neglect of practising safer sex. Lack of adequate SRH instruction for young people as revealed through the narratives had significant and often negative implications for men and women's early safer sex behaviours. In response to these insights, recommendations are offered to strengthen informal sources of SRH awareness.