Tribal Colleges: An Introduction

Tribal Colleges were created over the last 30 years in response to the higher education needs of American Indians, and generally serve geographically isolated populations that have no other means of accessing education beyond the high school level. They have become increasingly essential to educational opportunity for American Indian students, a status they have achieved in a relatively brief period of time. Tribal Colleges are unique institutions that combine personal attention with cultural relevance, in such a way as to encourage American Indians—especially those living on reservations—to overcome the barriers in higher education

Increasing health worker capacity through distance learning: a comprehensive review of programmes in Tanzania

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Tanzania, like many developing countries, faces a crisis in human resources for health. The government has looked for ways to increase the number and skills of health workers, including using distance learning in their training. In 2008, the authors reviewed and assessed the country's current distance learning programmes for health care workers, as well as those in countries with similar human resource challenges, to determine the feasibility of distance learning to meet the need of an increased and more skilled health workforce.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Data were collected from 25 distance learning programmes at health training institutions, universities, and non-governmental organizations throughout the country from May to August 2008. Methods included internet research; desk review; telephone, email and mail-in surveys; on-site observations; interviews with programme managers, instructors, students, information technology specialists, preceptors, health care workers and Ministry of Health and Social Welfare representatives; and a focus group with national HIV/AIDS care and treatment organizations.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Challenges include lack of guidelines for administrators, instructors and preceptors of distance learning programmes regarding roles and responsibilities; absence of competencies for clinical components of curricula; and technological constraints such as lack of access to computers and to the internet. Insufficient funding resulted in personnel shortages, lack of appropriate training for personnel, and lack of materials for students.</p> <p>Nonetheless, current and prospective students expressed overwhelming enthusiasm for scale-up of distance learning because of the unique financial and social benefits offered by these programs. Participants were retained as employees in their health care facilities, and remained in their communities and supported their families while advancing their careers. Space in health training institutions was freed up for new students entering in-residence pre-service training.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>A blended print-based distance learning model is most feasible at the national level due to current resource and infrastructure constraints. With an increase in staffing; improvement of infrastructure, coordination and curricula; and decentralization to the zonal or district level, distance learning can be an effective method to increase both the skills and the numbers of qualified health care workers capable of meeting the health care needs of the Tanzanian population.</p

Effective Cost-Sharing Models in Higher Education: Insights from Low-Income Students in Australian Universities

This study examines the global trend in shifting university costs from national governments to individual students and families, with a specific focus on the existing cost-sharing model in Australian higher education. The research examines the manner in which the availability of income-contingent loans (through the Higher Education Contribution Scheme, or HECS) enters into individual cost assessments and evaluative frameworks during the university exploration and search process of low-income Australian youth, and the resulting lessons that might be applied to other national contexts. Semi-structured interviews with 16 participants addressed a broad range of issues related to the development of educational aspirations, and how beliefs and attitudes about cost influenced participants’ understanding and decision-making regarding tertiary enrollment and post-graduate plans. A number of discreet and related themes emerged from analysis of the interviews, including motivations for attending university; pre-university cost considerations; self-assessments of skills, abilities, and personal traits and characteristics; general financial orientation; pre-university experiences and influences; and the role of others including family, peers, teachers and other school staff. The author concludes that the Australian system is worthy of consideration by other nations as a possible mechanism for enhancing access to higher education for individuals who might otherwise not possess the opportunity to participate.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/42840/1/10734_2004_Article_6373.pd

Student Life at Three Universities

Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.To form a general picture of student life and more particularly to see what factors affect the level of participation in student activities.Main Topics:Attitudinal/Behavioural Questions Information on attitudes to student life and to relative importance of each of several advantages of university attendance taken from agree-disagree sequence. Topics: relative importance of political involvement; interchange of ideas; dances and rags; freedom from restraint in allotment of time; ability to be unconventional; opportunity to learn and develop personality, to obtain life advancement through degree. Also general assessment of and degree of satisfaction felt with university life. Further information on job requirements, choice of preferred occupation, religious affiliation and observance, newspaper and magazine readership (including university newspaper), participation in university politics, national political allegiance, attitudes to capital punishment, membership and offices held in societies. Background Variables Age, degree subject, type of secondary school last attended, extra-curricular activities during this period, parents' educational achievements and father's occupation, information on general university life (type of residence lived in and preferred, distance from university, relationship with parental home, where meals taken, main hobbies, offices held, etc.