seek research results

Discussion in 'Accreditation Discussions (RA, DETC, state approva' started by adelheid, Apr 30, 2003.

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  1. adelheid

    adelheid New Member

    I was wondering if there has ever been some sound, scientific research conducted into the reasons why people choose SA or even NOT-SA as their university.

    I don't mean to start the ever-so-useless debate about accredited vs non-accredited/ SA vs RA vs GAAP, but I am searching for sound research, that is based on proper research methodology, regarding the resaons and motivations of the non-Ra and non-GAAP clients/students (whatever you prefer).

    This research might even include valid stats regarding the acceptability / usefullness or otherwise of these degrees.

    Can anybody advise, please?

    adelheid:)
     
  2. Jack Tracey

    Jack Tracey New Member

    Sounds like a doctoral dissertation topic to me :D
    I can suggest a few schools that might accept such a dissertation topic . . . all in South Africa, of course. ;)
    Jack
     
  3. Dennis Ruhl

    Dennis Ruhl member


    Might work at American schools like Kennedy-Western or Union.
     
  4. Guest

    Guest Guest

    Yep, their both American schools. ;)
     
  5. adelheid

    adelheid New Member

    Yes, Jack, it does. For someone with commitment and time surely (this would exclude me because of never-enough-time)

    1. Any particular school that you have in mind?

    2. Although I regard myself as more or less literate in research methodology, I would have no clue where to start to collect the data. Any idea?

    adelheid:)
     
  6. John Bear

    John Bear Senior Member

    Memory fails. Help me, Rich. At your PhD meeting last month, one of your committee members had a page he had printed out, which was a summary of a very recent Ph.D. thesis. I only glanced at it, but my sense of it is that it was looking at the topic of why people choose bad schools over good ones.

    The school was in southern California (Redlands? Pomona?) and it was by a woman whose name may have started with a K, with 3 syllables. Selective and probably wrong memories. But it sure would be nice to have the details. Might be what Adelheid is looking for; might be interesting and relevant to this forum in any event.
     
  7. BillDayson

    BillDayson New Member

    Some of the state-approved schools are rather unique. I suppose that many students enroll in them because they offer programs that can't be duplicated elsewhere.

    But I think that your question is a lot harder to answer when it's directed at more generic kinds of degrees, like MBAs, where many accredited alternatives exist.

    This is more a speculation than a hard research result, but it does suggest that the results may vary depending on which schools' students you examine.
     
  8. Rich Douglas

    Rich Douglas Well-Known Member

    In fact, I had discussed it in my literature review. Citation:

    Calote, Robin Joyce. “Diploma Mills: What’s the Attraction?”
    Ed.D. diss., University of La Verne, 2002.

    She took potential degree mill customers and showed them mock degree mill websites and asked them to rate the sites in several areas. I thought it was a unique approach.


    I conducted a thorough study in this area in 1993 as the basis for my first, unpublished, dissertation, where I asked such things of graduates from 6 nontraditional schools, 4 unaccredited and 2 accredited. Splitting the reasons for pursuing a degree into two categories ("Self," like self-satisfaction, to gain new knowledge, to work with colleagues in the field, etc., and "Other," to get a promotion, increased pay, job recognition, and the like.)

    In addition, I asked them how satisified they were with the degrees' performances in each of those (11) areas. Participants tended to pursue unaccredited degrees for "Self" reasons; graduates of accredited programs leaned towards "Other" reasons. If they crossed these purposes, the graduates from accredited schools still tended to be satisfied. But the graduates of unaccredited schools who pursued their degrees for "Other" reasons tended to be dissatisfied.

    NB: I never published this because I dropped from Union after a year in Korea and subsequent family troubles. My current Union dissertation is quite different.
     
  9. Jack Tracey

    Jack Tracey New Member

    I'm a bit surprised to see you state that you don't have the time or commitment to do doctoral research because I seem to remember you recently posting questions that indicated you were interested in an EdD program. In any case, if it were my project I'd probably try to start by obtaining from UNISA their list of all the requests for information on degree programs. Then do some follow up by contacting these people myself, asking questions about their goals, their values, etc and finally, determining where they eventually went to school. You could also contact current students and inquire as to why they made the choice they made, what their other options were, etc. I'd bet that UNISA would love to have someone do this research for them because they could use the information to their own benefit. Good luck,
    Jack
     
  10. Roscoe

    Roscoe Guest

     
  11. Hille

    Hille Active Member

    side idea

    Hello, I read your post with interest. There are several strore front business schools in this area that seem to be making money. I have no idea how or why when the CC offers the same courses for less money. Hille
     
  12. adelheid

    adelheid New Member

    Yes, I am interested in pursuing an EdD programme by coursework, and therefore I wouldn't have the time to commit myself to an additional degree by research. That's what I meant.

    Yes, I'll do that. It does sound very interesting!
    Cheers

    adelheid:)
     
  13. Rich Douglas

    Rich Douglas Well-Known Member

    Not proposal. Dissertation. My committee has recommended me for graduation. I'm now waiting for the dean's approval.

    I've been reading and re-reading Sternberg for 20 years. Highly recommended. I'm not surprised I sound like him, but I'm sure just a cheap imitation!

    The "how-to" is an interesting idea. Thanks.
     
  14. Guest

    Guest Guest

    Well how long does it take the dean to grant knighthood, Rich? Once the committee recommends approval the rest is mere formality.

    Unless! Unless, the dean has a Ph.D. from Trinity C&U! If so, he/she may not like your dissertation topic and postpone approval indefinitely.
     

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