The National University System Repository exists to increase public access to research and other materials created by students and faculty of the affiliate institutions of National University System. Most items in the repository are open access, freely available to everyone.
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Item Sexed Differences for Student-Parents Pursuing Higher Education(2025-07)This study uses newly collected data identifying students who are parents of dependent children (student-parents) as they pursue post-secondary education in Texas to explore the choices student-parents make in pursuit of their higher education goals. Prior research on student-parents have focused on their needs and have relied on population estimates or small or homogenous populations, limiting researchers’ ability to generalize about the relationship between a student parent’s sex and their educational choices. This led to calls for additional research using more diverse and larger populations. This quantitative, non-experimental, archival study seeks to determine whether sex-based differences are observable in the enrollment choices of student-parents in Texas public colleges and universities, using a gendered social control theoretical framework. With a sample of more than 7,000 student records, this study found statistically significant associations between sex and institution type and sex and enrollment modality for student-parents, using chi-square tests of independence. Two-sample proportions tests were then used to provide additional insights into the relationship between student-parents’ sex and their enrollment choices. Student-parents in this study overwhelmingly attended community colleges, rather than universities. While a larger number of mothers were enrolled, a statistically significantly larger proportion of fathers enrolled in community colleges, which may indicate fathers may benefit from more attention from community college recruitment teams and student affairs staff. While just over a third of fathers took all of their classes in fully online formats, nearly half of mothers enrolled in fully online courses, which was a statistically significant result. This study provides new insights for college administrators about how and where student-parents pursue post-secondary educationItem A Three-Phase Program to Assist San Francisco Bay Area Museum Educators Support the Civil Rights and Dignity of Young Adults & Adults Affected by HIV.(1994)The purpose of this masters project was to design a three-phase tour entitled CHAT, for San Francisco Bay Area Museum Educators. The three-phase tour framework promotes collaborative efforts with the HIV-affected community in the development and facilitation of an ongoing tour for FIIV+ young adults. Collaboraton is the key to achieving the ultimate goal of the tour is to support the civil rights and dignity of all people affected by l-IIV. The name CHAT was derived from the combination of the words cadre and H1V+ young adult tour. Cadre is defined as a framework, or a nucleus of trained personnel around which a larger organization can be built and trained. The meaning of cadre is characteristic of the process and purpose of the collaborative three-phase program. The three-phases function as a framework to assist in developing and facilitating a program born from the continuous collaboration of the museum profession and the HIV affected community.Item Symbiotic Partnerships: Science Museums and Environmental Researchers Advancing Scientific Literacy(2013)The focus of this research project is to explore collaboration models between science museums and research organizations, specifically environmental scientists, to establish for the museum a more significant and influential presence in their community. This project seeks to increase benefits for both science museums and environmental researchers, thereby enhancing service to their community. Science museums are generally nonprofit organizations with mission statements that highlight raising public science literacy. Environmental science researchers also work to positively affect society, but through improving humanity's impact on the natural world. Therefore, these two separate organizations share common ground to build ongoing relationships that engage the public to promote a healthier Earth ecosystem. Often small and even mid-sized science museums have less resources to establish new exhibits and programs or enhance existing ones. However, museums can forge partnerships with research organizations, like universities for example, to augment programs in the museum that inform the public about current environmental science advancements. By working together and bringing different skills and talents to the partnership, each institution hopes to maximize its accomplishments while minimizing expenses. Assuming that the involved parties feel that the end goal is worth accomplishing, they will be willing to share their resources. Additionally, building partnerships with outside institutions establishes a collaborative environment in the museum that fosters group thinking. Such an environment easily extends to enrich the visitor experience by demonstrating how teamwork can yield greater results than individuals acting alone.Item TELL ME A STORY: OBJECT THEATER IN HISTORY MUSEUMS(2010)My master's project represents this growth in my own understanding of Object Theater. In this paper, therefore, after initially outlining my Methodologies, Limitations, and Instruments for Research, I offer a Literature Review that emphasizes informal educational theory and the technical aspects of computer-based interactives rather than examining the history or technique of storytelling in a museum setting. Nevertheless, these diverse but interlinking fields of research provide a broad foundational understanding for creating memorable Object or Story Theater experiences. The Literature Review explores, describes, and synthesizes the research that has already been conducted in the following topic areas: Pedagogical theory and informal learning in museums; Overview of the history of interactive museum exhibits; Specific challenges and rewards of computer-based interactives; and, History and development of Object Theater.Item Tattooed and Tenacious: Developing and Designing a Museum Exhibit without a Team(2015)This paper explores the exhibit development process for "Tattooed and Tenacious: Inked Women in California's History," an exhibition created by a sole developer/designer and shown from July 9 to September 9, 2015 at the Hayward Area Historical Society, a small institution located in the San Francisco Bay Area of California. The literature review examines meaning-making in museum exhibitions and reveals the importance of having a dedicated visitor advocate on exhibition development teams, interactive experiences in exhibits, and a narrative- or story-based approach to exhibits. The methodologies discussed in this paper include informal interviews and Google Consumer Surveys, as well as the research and planning process related to the development of an exhibit on women and tattoos. The content of the project, including all label text, images, and graphics, can be found within the Project Content section. Conclusions and recommendations, tailored to graduate students and exhibit professionals creating exhibits without a team, conclude the master's project.
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