Digital Commons Network^™

Rural Research Brief: Using An Ecojustice Perspective To Inform Science Teacher Recruitment And Retention In The Rural Black Belt Region Of Georgia, Georgia Hodges, Deborah J. Tippins

The Rural Educator

This article highlights the significance of using ecojustice theory in scholarly discussions regarding issues of science teaching and learning in rural communities of the Southeastern United States. We offer an explanation of how ecojusticetheory provides a new way to look at often studied issues surrounding education in rural communities. This article specifically addresses the issue of science teacher recruitment and retention and draws attention to some of the emergingtensions faced by educators in the Black Belt region of Georgia.

The Relationship Of Self-Efficacy And Gpa, Attendance, And College Student Retention, Stephen P. Becker, Robert K. Gable

NERA Conference Proceedings 2009

The study determined the extent and manner; self-efficacy explains variation in GPA, attendance, and retention. The General Self-Efficacy Scale was adapted with a sample of N = 194, 34% male and 66% female. General and Specific factors had alphas of .72 and .75, respectively. Step-wise regression demonstrated General self-efficacy incremented the explanation of GPA variance 5% (p < .01). GPA was significantly correlated with non-attendance (r = - .72, p < .01, d = large) and retention (r = .52, p < .01, d = large). Non-attendance significantly correlated with retention (r = -.39, p < .01, d = medium).

Improving Retention For Principles Of Accounting And Elementary Statistics Students: Ultra-Short Tutorials Designed To Motivate Effort And Improve Performance, Carol Springer Sargent

Communication Sciences and Disorders Dissertations

This dissertation reports on two supplemental instruction implementations in courses with high failure rates. In study one, 27 ultra-short on-line tutorials were created for Principles of Accounting II students (N = 426). In study two, 21 tutorials with a similar design were created for Elementary Statistics students (N = 1,411). Accounting students were encouraged by their instructor to use the resource, but statistics students only saw a brief demonstration by the researcher. Neither course gave students credit for using the tutorials. In study one, 71.4% of the accounting students used the tutorials. Students who used the tutorials had dramatically lower …

African American School Psychology Program Leavers, Sherrie L. Proctor

Counseling and Psychological Services Dissertations

This phenomenology used 21 in-depth interviews to explore seven African Americans’ experiences at the school psychology programs they left. The purpose was to investigate what experiences contributed to participants’ decisions to leave programs; if programs used retention strategies and if so, participants’ view of the strategies; and what participants believe might have encouraged their retention. Findings indicate that misalignment between participants’ career aims and their perceptions of school psychology practice as well as poor relationships with faculty and peers contributed to decisions to leave programs. Five participants reported that programs did not utilize retention strategies. Two reported that a sole …

Teachers’ Perceptions Of How Leadership Styles And Practices Of Principals Influence Their Job Satisfaction And Retention, Eric Matthew Denton

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study addresses the challenge principals face in retaining highly qualified and effective teachers in their schools. Although efforts to recruit new teachers have proven successful, teachers are leaving education at alarming rates, especially in the first four years of their careers. The purpose of this study was to identify what school principals can do to increase teachers' job satisfaction and retention. To do so, 12 veteran teachers from four schools were interviewed from February to April 2009. The participants answered questions concerning their levels of job satisfaction, their perceptions of their principals' leadership styles, and their reasons for continuing …

Exploring The Use Of The Student Readiness Inventory™ To Develop A Retention Plan For Incoming Freshmen In The College Of Agriculture At Utah State University, Lisa B. Allen

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this study was to utilize the Student Readiness Inventory^TM to profile retention and academic success rates for College of Agriculture freshmen. The Student Readiness Inventory (SRI) has been developed to help measure psychosocial issues related to academic achievement and college student retention. This information, combined with high school grade point average and admission test scores from American College Testing (ACT, Inc.), will help advisors and administrators in the College of Agriculture identify potential at-risk students during their first year of college. From SRI test results, a model for intervention will be built to meet the students' …

A Case Study On Graduates From An Online Certificate Program And Their Experiences Related To Engagement Practices, Lorraine Angelino

All Dissertations

The number of students taking online courses increased 146% from fall 2002 through fall 2007. In addition, the number of distance education programs increased 299% from 2000–01 through 2006–07. As the number of students taking online courses continues to increase, institutions of higher education will need to focus on increasing student retention and increasing student success. Low retention rates plague online programs that lack engagement practices. One method to achieving student success is engaging online learners early and often using engagement practices focused on increasing interactions with faculty, other students, course content, and members of the community.
Angelino and Natvig's …

Psychological Sense Of Community And Retention: Rethinking The First-Year Experience Of Students In Stem, Melissa Dagley Falls

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This investigation looks at the relationship between a STEM learning community's co-curricular activities and students' perceived sense of community (SOC)to determine which activities most influence SOC and, in turn, retention. This investigation shows that SOC can be impacted by a multitude of factors found within the college environment. The most influential of these factors are open acceptance, student academic support services, and residential experiences. Most importantly there were significant differences for African American students participating in the STEM learning community on the measures of SOC, retention, and being on-track in mathematics. Additional data suggested higher levels of being on-track in …

An Investigation Of Cognitive And Non-Cognitive Variables That Affect Student-Athlete Graduation And Retention, Lisa Diana Campos

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Colleges and universities continue to be held to accountability measures typically related to student graduation rates. Intercollegiate athletic programs are not immune to such accountability measures. For instance, in recent years the National Collegiate Athletic Association adopted the Academic Progress Rate, which holds institutions accountable for the graduation, retention, and eligibility status of its student-athletes. It is the moral obligation of intercollegiate administrators to ensure student-athletes are receiving a quality education culminating in graduation. The recent climate of higher education makes it critical to examine the variables which influence graduation and retention of student-athletes.

This study examined student-athletes who entered …

Evaluating The Impact Of The Beginning Teacher Induction Program On The Retention Rate Of Beginning Teachers, Monica Lynn Shepherd

Education Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation was designed to examine the Teacher Induction Program of a rural school system in North Carolina. The effects of mentor assignment, ongoing staff development, master teacher observation opportunities, structured reflection and self-assessment, and other support offered at the system level to beginning teachers on the retention rate of beginning teachers in the school system were analyzed.

The researcher determined 10 themes based on the objectives of the school system's Beginning Teacher Support Program: improving beginning teachers' skills and performance; supporting teacher morale; communications; collegiality; building a sense of professionalism and positive attitude; facilitating a smooth transition into the …

Effects Of Institutional Factors On The Retention Of Graduate Students Of Color In Schools Of Library And Information Science, Sandra M. Snyder-Mondragon

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The intent of the study was to understand the changes that have occurred over the last 25 years in library programs as far as enrollment and diversity of students, number and ethnicity of the faculty, program income and expenses, cost of attendance, and scholarship and fellowship aid, in an effort to better understand library programs granting the MLIS degree. The study also endeavored to identify institutional factors associated with the retention and productivity rates of White students and students of color in schools of library and information science. During the period studied, the proportional representation of White students decreased. For …