For students with marginalized social identities, it can be challenging to navigate undergraduate experiences at predominantly white institutions (PWIs). To better understand lived experiences, ten focus groups were completed with students that represented various marginalized social identities and roles on campus. Bronfenbrenner's ecological…

Glasgow City Council has stated its aspiration to move 'Towards the Nurturing City' where all establishments have implemented a whole school nurturing approach. This paper seeks to document the experiences of children and parents/carers, captured through semi-structured questionnaires in focus groups, in 'nurturing establishments'. Nineteen…

This case study examines the physical aspects of a particular university classroom, and what affect specific changes to the classroom had on the perceptions of students, instructors and observers regarding the room as an effective learning space. We compare survey and focus group data collected from students taking courses in the classroom prior…

A qualitative single case study design encompassing constructivist theory was used to explore the affiliation need of nine career college adjuncts and the influence that their working conditions have on their professional growth, motivation, commitment, sense of loyalty, and connectivity to the institutions they serve. Also examined were the…

Access to Malaysian government schools is prohibited for refugee children, and hidden refugee schools only reach a minority of Burmese students in Malaysia. This study used a participatory culture-specific consultation (PCSC) approach to examine the perspectives of Burmese refugee teachers on Burmese refugee student socioemotional issues and…

This study examines the dietary intake changes and factors related to dietary acculturation in international students attending an urban university in the United States. The researchers administered seven focus groups of college-age international students (n = 32) between June and August 2012. The participants were enrolled in Northeastern and…

To promote student learning and bolster student success, higher education institutions are increasingly creating large active learning classrooms to replace traditional lecture halls. Although there have been many efforts to examine the effects of those classrooms on learning outcomes, there is paucity of research that can inform the design and…

This paper presents a reflection on students' levels and types of motivation at a college of health sciences in Saudi Arabia and highlights the social and cultural factors possibly contributing to the differences in motivation among those students. The results of this study, which followed a mixed-methods approach, indicate a multiplicity of…

The University of Westminster is undertaking a major classroom refurbishment program that is linked to a new approach to staff development in mobile learning. Feedback obtained from academic staff and students previously highlighted how classrooms should be changed so as to promote more active forms of curriculum delivery. Both technology and…

In 2013, a focus group of administrators, faculty, staff, and students at Skidmore College was held to discuss cross-campus changes implemented following the Assessment of Campus Climate to Enhance Student Success survey and an external disability services audit, which were conducted during the 2008-2009 academic year. The focus group gave these…

This comparative case study examines the prevalence of caring practices in two higher performing and two lower performing urban high schools and the contextual factors that helped or hindered the extent to which students felt cared for. We found that higher performing schools demonstrated caring communities, where interpersonal relationships and…

The current article contributes to student engagement literature in higher education in line with the paradigm shift taking place in college teaching in India. The aim of this article supports that the collaborative approach does lead to active student engagement. The findings reflect the success of this Mumbai college in ensuring that each…

This study investigates and compares elements of creativity in secondary schools and classrooms in Australia and Singapore. Statistical analysis and qualitative investigation of teacher, student and leadership perceptions of the emergence, fostering and absence of creativity in school learning environments is explored. This large-scale…

Professional development can provide opportunities to develop new skills and knowledge, and to apply them to practice in a sustainable way. However, delivery of professional development needs to consider the philosophies and pedagogies of training recipients, and activities should be tailored to meet their needs. This article reports on an…

Although degrees are awarded to students individually, often the processes by which students accomplish this feat are a communal effort. Transfer students, in particular, face a unique set of challenges when transitioning from community college to a four-year university. For this study, three focus groups were conducted with a total of 14 students…