DOES THE PROGRAMME MATTER? APPROACH AND MAJOR FINDINGS OF THE KASSEL GRADUATE SURVEY

This study attempts to establish the extent to which study programmes and study conditions within selected fields of study vary among institutions of higher education in the Federal Republic of Germany and the extent to which diversification has an impact on the careers and work assignments of graduates. All persons who graduated during the 1983‐1984 and 1984‐1985 academic years in mechanical engineering, economics/business, and social work from seven institutions of higher education were surveyed during their final year of study, again in a longitudinal study two years after graduation, and finally, four to five years after graduation. The authors come to the conclusion that the vertical diversification of higher education in the Federal Republic of Germany has had a less pronounced effect on the careers of graduates, over the last few years, than had been expected. No dominant elements of study programmes and study conditions could be identified which might explain study outcomes, careers, and job assignments.     

Graduate Employment: Challenges for Higher Education in the Twenty‐First Century∗

The employment prospects for most higher education graduates worldwide are bleak for a number of reasons including the negative effects of the massification of higher education, rapid technological change, the crisis in the conception of work in highly developed societies, and the neo‐liberal political and economic agenda. A number of survival strategies are proposed to students as well as ways to improve the link between employers and higher education institutions so as to improve the study/future employment match. Students are advised to be flexible, able and willing to innovate, entrepreneurial, proactive, and not only to be willing to take risks but to consider risk and uncertainty as forms of opportunity.

     

The clinical use of motivational messages: an inquiry into the validity of the ARCS model of motivational design

Instruction, even when prepared according to sound instructional design principles, often does not stimulate students' motivation to learn. A motivational intervention, developed according to the processes outlined inthe ARCS model of motivational design, was implemented and tested following the conventions of an embedded single-case study. It was tested with a group of 15 adults participating in a staff development course conducted within the Mozambique Ministry of Education. Results, based on concurrent and discriminant analysis of both quantitative and qualitative data, indicated that the primary treatment, motivational messages, had positive effects on student attitude and performance. It may be concluded that the specific intervention and the ARCS model which provided the basis for designing it provide a sound basis for positively influencing student motivation to learn.     

Equality and excellence. Hegemonic discourses of economisation within the German education system

Looking to conflicting constitutions of education systems through the terms equality and excellence, this paper examines the discursive formation of two political rationalities in the contemporary German education system. While early childhood and primary education discourses are dominated by a terminology of equality, tertiary education institutions such as universities are described using a terminology of excellence that has become a reference point for political interventions and institutional reform processes. Drawing from hegemony theory, governmentality studies and systems theory, this paper analyses the rules of justification referred to by such hegemonic discourses. It presents a policy discourse analysis of strategic, conceptional and institutional texts produced between 2003 and 2010. Through this analysis, the paper suggests that ‘mobilising’ and ‘optimising’ represent the common principles of equality and excellence as economic rationalities.     

Graduate Employment and Work in europe: Diverse Situations and Common Perceptions

The relationships between higher education and the world of work are viewed, principally, as similar in economically advanced societies. The comparative study `Higher Education and Graduate Employment in Europe', however, indicates substantial differences between European countries as regards transition to employment, as well as the employment and work situation, according to objective and subjective measures. The analysis is based on a survey of more than 30,000 graduates from 10 European countries about 3–4 years after graduation. The findings suggest that only a minority of 10–20% of graduates face substantial problems on the labour market or end up in positions not commensurate with their level of education. There is a clear North-South differential in Europe with respect to transition and objective employment measures, while the pattern is moredifferentiated with respect to the perceivedutilisation of knowledge, the self-ratedadequacy of position and the job satisfaction.     

Teaching effectiveness: Comparisons between traditional and nontraditional college students

This article compares traditional college students' perceptions of effective teaching behaviors with nontraditional students' perceptions. A 15-item questionnaire was completed by undergraduates at a small Southeastern university. Nontraditional students viewed personality and interaction behaviors as more indicative of effective teaching, whereas traditional students focused on behaviors that potentially would enhance grades. The implications of the findings are discussed in light of techniques and approaches that facilitate the needs of both types of students.His major areas of interest include testing and counseling. Nina Mattie, M.A. is a recent graduate of the University of West Florida in the area of school psychology. Stephen J. Vodanovich, Ph.D. is an assistant professor in the psychology department at the University of West Florida. His major areas of interest are social psychology and industrial/organizational psychology. Chris Piotrowski, M.A. is a consultant in forensic psychology. His major areas of interest are personality assessment and online database searching.     

Characteristics of child sexual abuse treatment programs

Within the professional community, a vast number of sexual abuse treatment programs have emerged to meet the needs of victims and their families. Significant variations among these programs can be observed due to differences in philosophy, system context, client focus, problem definition, and the treatment strategy adopted. Unfortunately, little comparative information is available regarding the operation of different programs and, more importantly, their relative treatment effectiveness. This article presents the findings from a nationwide survey of 553 sexual abuse treatment programs. The survey focused on program context, client, and service characteristics. Overall it was found that most programs are affiliated with a larger public or private agency, focus on treating victims, and rely on a combination of individual, family, dyad, and group therapy approaches.     

The effects of college grade adjustments on the predictive validity and utility of SAT scores

Regressing adjusted grade-point averages on freshman SAT scores and high school grade-point averages results in large increases in the incremental predictive validity of the SAT. Even so, the SAT still changes no more than a small proportion of admissions decisions and does not result in substantively important increases in freshman grades. The test does, however, change the composition of the freshman class by altering acceptances to some major areas of study and by limiting the access of women and blacks.     

Identifying future scientists: predicting persistence into research training

This study used semistructured interviews and grounded theory to look for characteristics among college undergraduates that predicted persistence into Ph.D. and M.D./Ph.D. training. Participants in the summer undergraduate and postbaccalaureate research programs at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine were interviewed at the start, near the end, and 8–12 months after their research experience. Of more than 200 themes considered, five characteristics predicted those students who went on to Ph.D. and M.D./Ph.D. training or to M.D. training intending to do research: 1) Curiosity to discover the unknown, 2) Enjoyment of problem solving, 3) A high level of independence, 4) The desire to help others indirectly through research, and 5) A flexible, minimally structured approach to the future. Web-based surveys with different students confirmed the high frequency of curiosity and/or problem solving as the primary reason students planned research careers. No evidence was found for differences among men, women, and minority and nonminority students. Although these results seem logical compared with successful scientists, their constancy, predictive capabilities, and sharp contrast to students who chose clinical medicine were striking. These results provide important insights into selection and motivation of potential biomedical scientists and the early experiences that will motivate them toward research careers.