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Research conducted over multiple decades explores student attrition from higher education institutions. The majority of this research relates to traditional, on-campus student populations. However, colleges and universities are serving more nontraditional students than before by increasing distance education course offerings. Although enrollments are increasing, few studies examine retention of nontraditional learners in a distance education setting. Even fewer suggest institutional action based on student satisfaction of nontraditional, distance learners. This study examined student satisfaction and education-related priorities of Utah State University (USU) undergraduate students at regional campus locations throughout the state of Utah. Perceived programming needs were determined based on the discrepancy between student-reported satisfaction and importance rankings of education-related items. The highest discrepancies between priorities and satisfaction of undergraduate students at USU regional campus locations were: use of student activity fees, adequate availability of financial aid, tuition being a worthwhile investment, registering for classes with few conflicts, scheduling of courses to complete program, timeliness of financial aid announcements, academic advisor���s knowledge of major requirements, instruction within major, variety of course offerings, and classes being scheduled at convenient times.

Dieser Tagungsbericht gibt einen Überblick über das 7. Jahrestreffen des Zentrums für Qualitative Psychologie, das vom 20. bis zum 22. Oktober in Riga (Lettland) stattfand. Hauptthema des Treffens war die Rolle qualitativer Forschung (besonders in der Psychologie und Pädagogik) innerhalb der durch den Bologna-Prozess initiierten Veränderungen und Umstrukturierungsprozesse in Hochschulen und Universitäten. Die Bologna-Reformen werden ebenso skizziert wie das vielversprechende Potenzial qualitativer Forschung im akademischen Kontext. Dazu gehören Ideen, mit denen qualitative Forschung ihren Platz innerhalb dieser Veränderungen finden könnte, z.B. durch Partnerprogramme zwischen Universitäten, besseren Zugang zu qualitativen Daten und Methoden und die Befähigung von Studierenden zu bestmöglichen Anwendungsweisen qualitativer Methoden. URN: urn:nbn:de:0114-fqs080369, This conference report gives an overview of the 7th conference of the Center for Qualitative Psychology that took place in Riga, Latvia from October 20-22, 2006. The main theme discussed during the conference was the role of qualitative research (specifically in psychology and pedagogy) in the currently changing academic context due to the restructuring of European Higher Education Institutions in the Bologna process. The Bologna reform is discussed in depth and qualitative research is presented as being both disruptive and promising in the academic context. Ideas are raised for how qualitative research can find its place in this changing system, including creating joint inter-university programs, increasing the accessibility of qualitative data and methods, and using qualitative methods to best prepare students for professional employment. Other themes presented in the workgroups focused on the use of qualitative methods in teaching and learning processes and in multicultural and intercultural contexts. URN: urn:nbn:de:0114-fqs080369, Este reporte da una descripción general de la séptima conferencia del Centro para la Psicología Cualitativa que tuvo lugar en Riga, Letonia, entre el 20 y 22 de octubre de 2006. El tema principal discutido durante la conferencia fue el papel de la investigación cualitativa (específicamente en psicología y pedagogía) en el actualmente cambiante contexto académico debido a la restructuración de las instituciones europeas de educación superior en el proceso de Bolonia. La reforma de Bolonia se examina en profundidad y se presenta a la investigación cualitativa tanto como perturbadora como promisoria en el contexto académico. Se plantean ideas sobre la forma como la investigación cualitativa puede encontrar su lugar en este cambio de sistema, incluyendo la creación conjunta de programas inter-universidades, incrementar la accesibilidad de los datos y métodos cualitativos, y el uso de métodos cualitativos para preparar mejor a los estudiantes para el empleo profesional. Otros temas presentados en los grupos de trabajo se centraron en el uso de métodos cualitativos en los procesos de enseñanza y aprendizaje, en contextos multiculturales e interculturales. URN: urn:nbn:de:0114-fqs080369

A demographic and cultural profile of African-American youth is presented. Culturally-based differences in decision-making are reviewed. Attitudes and cultural values related to identity and self-image, gender role socialization, contraception, marriage and parenthood, homosexuality, and HIV/AIDS are described. Recommendations and strategies to make sexuality education and pregnancy prevention programs relevant to African-American youth are offered.By the year 2030, 18% of all American youths will be of African-American descent. Statistics indicate that young black women are more likely to be sexually active and twice as likely as while women to become pregnant. Young black males tend to have sex earlier, with more partners, and are less likely to contracept at first intercourse. Younger teens are at particular risk; Blacks constitute 52% of youths under age 14 with AIDS. Available statistics disaggregated by ethnic group are, however, suspect due to the confounding relationship between socioeconomic status and ethnicity; early sexual intercourse, early parenthood, and infection with sexually transmitted diseases are more common among those of lower socioeconomic status. Black youths are, overall, disproportionately poor with few life options to encourage them to protect against pregnancy. Early childbearing therefore has few perceived costs to counterbalance perceived benefits. Working under these assumptions, program planners must reassess the extent to which their programs are appropriate and effective. Broadly speaking, programs should not simply promote abstinence, but should also offer risk reduction strategies to youths who will be sexually active. This paper reviews culturally based differences in decision making, then describes attitudes and cultural values related to identify and self-image, gender role socialization, contraception, marriage and parenthood, homosexuality, and HIV/AIDS. Recommendations and strategies are also provided on how to make sexuality education and pregnancy prevention programs relevant to black youths.

This is a review of the United States experience with issues of child health and services as they relate to changes in economic trends. No existing data systems are entirely adequate for reporting on the current health status of children. An important consideration for the monitoring of children's health in the United States is the status of subgroups such as those who are disadvantaged for reasons of poverty, discrimination or geographic isolation. Ample evidence confirms that children living in poverty suffer adverse health consequences and that the proportion of children living in poverty in the United States has increased steadily since 1975 and dramatically since 1981. Most measures of health status and health risks for children show steady improvements throughout the 1970s. The exercise of public responsibility for financing and providing essential services and supports held constant or improved during this period, especially during the recession of 1974–75. The health status and risks for children since 1981 appear to be adversely affected which must be attributed to a combination of circumstances that include serious recession, increased poverty rates for households with children and diminished health benefits and social support services. These findings suggest that when either local or widespread economic reversals are anticipated, health services and social supports for children need to be expanded rather than contracted.

A previously published report by these authors on the impact in the United States of recession on children's health emphasized four points: 1) available monitoring systems are not adequate for reporting on the health of children in a timely fashion; 2) the monitoring of maternal and child health must emphasize data on population subgroups, i.e., minorities, the poor and those hardest hit by recession; 3) the health of poor children is adversely affected and their numbers dramatically increased during the recession of 1981–82; and 4) comparisons between the recession of 1974–75 and that of 1981–82 suggest that expansion of health services and social support systems during the recession of 1974–75 had a cushioning effect that protected the health of children, while the curtailment of many of these programs during the 1981–82 recession is associated with adverse health trends, especially among the most vulnerable population subgroups. Data on these issues are appreciably better now than they were nine months ago, thus further validating the points made above. As with the previous report, officially released current data are abundant for economic indicators (even for early 1984), but are sparse for health status indicators. The previous report also observed that the health status of children is influenced by interdependent and interlocking factors that include economic well-being and access to health services and social supports. A new analysis attempts to unlock those relationships and measure the impact of lost welfare benefits, implemented as a result of the Omnibus Reconciliation Act of 1981 (OBRA), and the separate impact of the serious recession of 1981–82. That analysis shows the poverty rate for children increased by 7.6 percentage points between 1981 and 1982. Approximately 60 percent of the increase is attributable to the recession and 40 percent to social policy changes effected after 1981.

This article briefly discusses some of the most common myths about adolescent pregnancy examines why it is a major social problem and presents some ideas about what can be done to prevent adolescent pregnancy. 4 myths prevalent today are corrected. These myths include: 1) adolescent pregnancy and parenthood is a rapidly spreading epidemic; 2) adolescent pregnancy and parenthood is primarily a minority problem and urban problem or a problem of poor youth; 3) the typical teenager giving birth is single and under age 18; and 4) all adolescent boys are irresponsible sexual partners and refuse to take any responsibility for any children they may father. Adolescent pregnancy is a problem because of the resulting truncated education eroded earnings single parenthood and social costs of early parenthood. In order to prevent early parenthood and to help teen parents teens need increased capacity to prevent pregnancy compelling reasons to prevent pregnancy and services and support. The authors also list the addresses and phone numbers of national organizations books and reports newsletters and journals curricula and program guides literature for teens and media campaigns dedicated to adolescent pregnancy.