Browsing by Author "Blumenthal, Shelley M."

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    Eliciting women's voices: choosing and experiencing a nontraditional occupational program
    Stephenson, M. Beth (Virginia Tech, 1996)
    The trend for women to follow gender-traditional educational and occupational pathways has been resistant to change, even in the face of decreased income potential. Scholars have tested hypotheses regarding women's avoidance of nontraditional occupations, but have given scant attention to the experience of women who have exited the traditional path. This research employed a qualitative methodology within a feminist theoretical framework to elicit the voices of women in nontraditional programs. The purpose of this research was to elucidate (a) the career choice process and (b) the educational environment experienced by women in gender-nontraditional programs at the community college level. It was performed at a community college in the southeastern United States. Enrollment data revealed five associate degree programs with a female enrollment of 25% or less. Eight women were selected to participate in qualitative interviews to approach an understanding of educational choice and environment from the female students' perspective. Data from interviews with instructors, site visits, and analysis of relevant documents contributed to the research findings. Findings revealed a description of the site where institutional policies, administrators, instructors, and counselors contributed to a positive learning environment for female students in nontraditional programs. Seventeen themes emerged from interviews with research participants in response to the two main research questions. These were: (1) why women work, (2) a habit of individualism, (3) role models/early influences, (4) children: effects of/on, (5) the significant other, (6) instructors: an ethic of caring, (7) instructors: negative, (8) classes and peers, (9) language, (10) earlier educational environment, (11) the subtle nature of discrimination, (12) not so subtle, (13) evolution: educational, (14) evolution: personal, (15) being allowed (16) perseverance, and (17) internalized sexism. The study resulted in a description of the women's educational environment as a place where the infrequent incidents of discrimination were far outweighed by the feeling of welcome and encouragement framed by the instructors and other faculty. The facilitators of instructor support and a positive campus climate were more than sufficient to help the women who demonstrated intrinsic strength and self-reliance overcome barriers of early educational discrimination and negative input from peers.
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    Preparing the public secondary school student for highly selective college admission
    Blumenthal, Shelley M. (Virginia Tech, 1993-11-01)
    Typical public secondary school students seem unable to compete with distinguished public and elite private secondary school students when seeking admission to highly selective colleges. This study has identified the characteristics that distinguish college guidance and school-wide programs at public secondary schools perceived to be the strongest (distinguished) from other public secondary schools. School boards, public secondary school counselors, school administrators, and the communities they serve now have college guidance programs they can emulate to better prepare students for admission to highly selective colleges.
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    Status of Admission Policies and Practices at Four-Year Public Institutions of Higher Education in Virginia Implemented to Evaluate Home School Applicants
    Davis, Rebecca J. (Virginia Tech, 2000-04-13)
    The purpose of this study was to determine how current admission policies and practices at four-year public institutions of higher education in Virginia are implemented to evaluate home school applicants. University administrators, admission officials, and other interested individuals may gain insight into (a) admission policy implementation and informal practices, (b) anticipated policy revisions or new policy developments, (c) evaluative criteria currently being utilized to evaluate applicants, and (d) current home school application and enrollment trends. An interview protocol was developed and used to conduct interviews with the chief admission officer, or designee, at each of the 15 public institutions. Admission policies, admission requirements and guidelines, undergraduate catalogs, view books, and web sites were examined. Each institution's data were analyzed independently. The major findings revealed that 14 of the 15 public institutions had received home school applications, 13 of the 14 have made offers of admission to home school applicants; however, very few institutions had traced applicant enrollment. Only one institution had a written policy that had been approved through the institution's governance structure. One institution had a verbal agreement and a statement in the undergraduate catalog related to home school applicant's requirements. Three institutions reported recent and on-going discussion and research related to policy development and the evaluation of home school applicants. Five institutions indicated that policy development might be considered should home school applications continue to increase.