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In Order For My Voice To Be Heard, I Had To Create My Own Space: A Critical Narrative Analysis Of Black College Student Success In Creative Majors, Rachel Horton

Dissertations of Practice

This critical narrative inquiry explored the strengths of Black undergraduate students who study the creative arts. The research centered on the unique wealth that Black students bring to their institutions, as highlighted through the Community Cultural Wealth model. The study found that participants: used aspirational capital to fuel them in attending college and pursuing the arts; used linguistic capital in general, and code switching in particular, to navigate various cultures and spaces, to facilitate hard conversations on topics such as racism, and to ensure that their voices were heard and respected; networked with other artists to create strong work through …

Examining Onboarding Practices In School Settings: A Self-Determination Theory Perspective, Gabriel Medina

Dissertations of Practice

This dissertation examines the onboarding practices implemented in several schools within a district and their impacts on teacher retention and the culture and climate of the schools. The theoretical lens of self-determination theory was used to determine areas of strength and growth of onboarding with respect to the three basic human psychological needs of autonomy, belonging, and competence. Drawing on this theory, the research aimed to reveal how onboarding practices support or hinder fulfillment of these basic psychological needs in a school setting. By examining how teachers perceive their onboarding experiences, the study sheds light on the relationship between the …

A Quantitative Study On The Relationship Between Corequisite Support Courses And College Algebra Success, Kathleen Almy

Dissertations of Practice

Corequisite support courses have been used as an intervention in higher education to improve gateway college math course completion and reduce the time necessary to do so. While a substantial amount of research on the effectiveness of corequisite support exists, it has largely focused on non-STEM courses. This study was designed to further investigate the effectiveness of corequisite support courses but in the context of STEM courses like College Algebra. Specifically, the study explored the role of taking a corequisite version of College Algebra, with and without the consideration of a student’s initial placement, on both the probability of passing …

"Leaving My Mark In White Spaces": A Critical Qualitative Case Study Exploring Black/African-American Undergraduate Women's Perceptions Of The Campus Environment's Influence On Persistence At A Hispanic-Serving Women's Institution, Keri Anne Alioto

Dissertations of Practice

"Leaving My Mark in White Spaces": A Critical Qualitative Case Study Exploring Black/African-American Undergraduate Women's Perceptions of the Campus Environment's Influence on Persistence at a Hispanic-Serving Women's Institution

One of the most overlooked populations in university environments and in research are students who identify as Black/African-American undergraduate women (B/AAUW). B/AAUW experience the intersectionality of both race and gender discrimination in higher education, often leaving these students silenced and marginalized while navigating their college experience. The purpose of this critical qualitative case study was to better understand how B/AAUW perceived the campus environment contributing to their sense of belonging and academic …

Retention Of Teachers Of Color In Predominantly White Suburban Schools, Jessica Lynn Hurt

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Substantive research exists to the benefits of teachers of color for all students but most dramatically for students of color. Teachers of color play a vital part in increasing student academic achievement, belonging, and connectedness. This research study sought to uncover the professional lives of teachers of color in a predominantly white suburban school district to gain insights into drivers of retention for these teachers of color. Results highlighted the realities that teachers of color face in predominantly white suburban schools including cultural synchronicity with students of color, opportunities to champion diversity, equity, and inclusion work but also over-scrutinization, isolation, …

Teacher Turnover In Urban Schools: A Comparison Of Illinois Traditional Public And Charter Schools, Taquia M. Hylton

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

This research aimed to look specifically at traditional public and charter schools in Illinois to examine the impact of their policies and practices on educator turnover. The study elevated the voices of teachers who voluntarily left their schools due to various factors. It is incumbent upon them to review the data regarding their attrition rates and what teachers report about the structures and practices that push them to another school, district, or from the teaching profession altogether. The audiences that will benefit from this work are educational leaders and human resource teams as they create protocols for district support and …

That Push Helps: A Qualitative Case Study Exploring Students' Responses To Receiving An Early Alert, Eric Tammes

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation examined the decision-making experience of students receiving an early alert notification at a community college and what influenced students’ responses to the alert. Early alert programs are identified as a high impact persistence practice and may involve significant financial, technology, and personnel investments. Examining how students engage or disconnect from an early alert program may help maximize the institution’s investment and fulfill the program’s intent. Utilizing a qualitative case study, informed by Pascarella’s (1980) Student-Faculty Informal Contact model, this study sought to fill a gap within the persistence and early alert literature. The study also provided participant-driven guidance …

The Relationship Between Academic Coaching And Student Retention For Community College Students Enrolled In Developmental Education Courses, Tanya Woltmann

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation examined the relationship between participation in an academic coaching program and retention for community college students enrolled in developmental education courses. With low retention and completion rates for students beginning in developmental courses, support programs to improve student success are needed. This quantitative study examines the participation in an academic coaching program and student retention in both the short-term and the long-term as well as the effect of the level of program participation on retention. Data was collected on over 8,000 students attending a community college who were enrolled in a developmental education course. The quantitative analysis included …

Alumni Perceptions Of Trio Student Support Services' Contribution To Their Success, Shatoya S. Black

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

This case study research focuses on community college TRIO Student Support Services (SSS) program initiatives and approaches to first-generation students’ success. The study interviewed students who attended a Midwest community college and participated in TRIO SSS programs to aid them in navigating the college going process to degree completion. The study also looks at how these first-generation students transitioned after college from the student perception and how they make meaning of being in TRIO SSS. While traditional advising has focused on aiding students with academic course requirements, TRIO SSS programs take a holistic advising approach to supporting the student both …

I Belong At Harper College: A Qualitative Case Study On Fostering Community College Students’ Sense Of Belonging Through A First-Year Seminar Course, Emily Reabe

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

While community college is often seen as an avenue that provides access to higher education to a greater part of the population, community colleges have struggled with improving retention, persistence, and degree completion. Research highlights the importance of helping students develop a sense of belonging at the institution, which has been found to improve retention, persistence, and degree completion. One avenue to do so may be through requiring students to enroll in a First Year Seminar course. This qualitative case study explored the way in which a First Year Seminar course may influence students’ sense of belonging at a community …

Exploring African American Students’ Perceptions Of Belonging At An Urban Community College In The Western United States, Sylinda Nicole Gordon Musaindapo

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

African American students’ perceptions of belonging impact their experiences on community college campuses and in their local communities. This research study explores the impact of gentrification on a group of resilient African American college students in an urban community college located in the western region of the United States. Participants used negative experiences with onlyness and otherness as opportunities to build community for other African Americans.