Digital Commons Network^™

Experiential Learning From Stakeholder Perspectives At A University Partnership Program, Maggie M. Shader

Doctor of Education (Ed.D)

The purpose of this non-experimental, quantitative survey study was to determine the stakeholders' perspectives on experiential learning at Canvas College. Experiential learning has potential benefits for students as stakeholders, and internship can be a vehicle for experiential learning. Experiential learning can involve benefits such as employability, real-world experience, calling confirmation and spiritual growth, soft skills, and immediate application of learning. Stakeholders in an internship are not limited to students. Faculty and internship leaders are also stakeholders; however, a partnership program encompasses more stakeholders, including church staff, alumni, and host university staff. The survey was researcher developed and the Cronbach’s alpha …

Examining How Artistic Expression In The Classroom Can Increase Students' Academic Performance And Understanding Of Course Material, Jake Taylor Marrazzo

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative research study examined how artistic expression in the classroom can increase students’ academic performance and understanding of course material. This study consisted of graduate students in the Masters of Arts in Higher Education program at Rowan University, during the Fall/Spring 2023-2024 semesters, enrolled in at least one of the following courses: Crisis Management, Higher Education in America, and The College Student. The study utilized an artistic expression activity, painting, in connection with participants' course material and readings to understand the benefits of artistic expression on student success in the classroom. Some findings of this study show that artistic …

“It’S Not You, It’S Me”: Understanding The Relationship Between Students Academic Advising, Xavier Grier

Masters Theses, 2020-current

Understanding what students need should be at the forefront of every higher education institution’s design or plan for impact. From an academic advising standpoint, listening to the voices of students should be of utmost importance when determining how advisors can effectively influence student success. The purpose of higher education is to promote the success of students. Providing assistance towards individual, professional, and career development is the main focus of educational institutions when regarding their ability to help their respective students succeed. One avenue of this assistance is through their academic advising departments. Academic advising is a vital part of how …

Designing Research Assignments That Enhance Student Research Skills, Kathleen Oakey

Books & Chapters

Hi, I’m Kathleen. I have worked as an academic librarian at Sheridan College in Ontario, Canada for the past 13 years. In my role, I help International and domestic students find, evaluate, and use information sources ethically for their research assignments.

This handbook is the culmination of an 8-month sabbatical project to create an open educational resource that supports research assignment design at post-secondary institutions in Ontario.

The Cost Of Student Mandatory Fees: An Examination Of The Longitudinal Growth In Student Mandatory Fees At Four-Year Public Universities In Texas And Their Impact On Student Retention Rates, Charles Matthew Crouse

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The ever-increasing costs and debt incurred by US college students is a hotly contested issue. In March 2022, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) released a refreshed strategic plan for the stateâ??s higher education: Building a Talent Strong Texas. The refreshed plan concentrated on access for minority populations, enhanced student completion goals, and expanded the focus on reducing student debt. Texas set out to lead the nation in the least college student debt reported. One of the least examined or understood college costs is student mandatory fees (Arnott, 2012; Black & Taylor, 2018; Kelchen, 2016; Reinagel & Cooper, 2020). …

Cultivating Honor: How Indigenous Students Harness Resilience And Cultural Wealth To Thrive At A Borderlands University, Lourdes Garcia

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This qualitative study sheds light on students' lived experiences regarding Native American and Indigenous Studies (NAIS) at Borderlands University (BU), a Hispanic-serving institution on the U.S.-Mexico border where First Peoples lived for thousands of years. This study supports Indigenous students whose dismal national college graduation rates must be addressed. It recognizes studentsâ?? cultural wealth and richness (Yosso, 2005) and is grounded by the Peoplehood Matrix (Holm, 2003; Tachine, Cabrera, and Yellow Bird, 2017). This study was consistent with previous studies revealing that prioritizing student support raises equity and improves the overall academic experiences for all students in higher education (Tachine …

From Space To Success: An Exploration Of Interior Design Practices For Optimal Learning Outcomes In Higher Education, Jenna Avery

University Honors College

The purpose of this thesis is to explore the impact of interior design practices on optimal learning outcomes in higher education. The design of learning spaces is crucial, as it influences student well-being, engagement, and overall academic success, especially as young people are navigating a new environment away from home for the first time. Creating a sense of belonging in the university environment helps make this a positive experience. This thesis also speaks to the broader context of the built environment, emphasizing its impact on human behavior, interactions, and experiences. Designing student-centered spaces is paramount in higher education in order …

Disability Services As Related To Higher Education Leadership: An Exploratory Study, Tara Wade Franklin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Over the past three decades, the number of students with disabilities (SWD) attending postsecondary institutions has increased, yet their completion rates remain significantly lower than those of students without disabilities. This mixed methods exploratory study investigates the role of provost leadership in supporting disability services and understanding the needs of SWD in higher education. The study focuses on Texas higher education institutions, examining the relationships between provosts and directors of disability services. Data collected through the e-survey with open-ended questions primarily came from directors of disability services. Quantitative analysis of Likert scale items explored domains such as leadership, collaboration, consultation, …

Refining The Goals Of Public Education In The United States: An Exploratory Single-Case Embedded Study Of A Student-Centered Path-Goals Setting, Tuan Pham

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The public higher education system in the United States has inherited a multitude of aims and missions in order to fulfill its social and educational objectives. As a result, many higher education institutions suffer from unclear goals. Nevertheless, the researcher identified the student's goal-oriented process as the fundamental aspect of this educational system from its inception until the present. The exploratory single-case embedded study conducted at a regional comprehensive institution highlighted the differences, difficulties, and issues faced by students, administrators, and the institution itself in its pursuit of specific goals in higher education. Indepth interviews were employed to investigate the …

Public-Private Partnerships In Student Housing: A Qualitative Content Analysis Of Acuho-I Publications, Ana Mercé Mcdermott Hernandez

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study examines public-private partnerships (P3s) as represented in the Association of College and University Housing Officers – International (ACUHO-I) publications from 1951-2023 and shares themes and patterns found. P3s have been used for on-campus student housing since the 1960s, yet the method is not well represented in the discourse of the student housing profession. The purpose of this qualitative content analysis is to serve as a resource for higher education administrators to support the evaluation of the P3 methodology for future student housing projects.

Less than 2% of the 12,264 ACUHO-I publication entries reviewed were related to on-campus student …

"There Is Power In Being Out": A Three Article Approach Celebrating The Experiences Of Queer University Leaders, Andrew R. E. Lorenzana

Dissertations

Institutions of higher education were historically built to serve a wealthy, White, straight male student population and the leaders of these institutions still largely reflect these demographics. This project specifically aims to celebrate and amplify the life and career of university administrators who identify within the LGBTQ community. Mainly through the use of a portraiture methodology, this three-article study attempts to examine the ways in which LGBTQ identity and career influence one another.

Worldmaking and narrative will be used as a theoretical frame to help analyze the ways in which the telling of a queer individual’s story makes the world …

Who Cares?! Fostering Inclusive And Empowering Environments For Black Students In Predominantly White Institutions: Strategies For Retention And Cultural Engagement, Joel Mandell Stancer, Danielle Allen, Angela Haywood-Gaskin, Kelly Atkins, Rhonda Lingard, Kuriston White-Dunlap

Dissertations

This research focuses on the critical components of caring relationships and how they relate to first-generation Black students’ achievement in higher education. It will reveal how staff-led collegiate programming could benefit first-generation Black college students by allowing them to establish caring relationships and mentorships that allow them to construct a solid support system that is easily accessible to them from the moment they begin college until graduation.

Using data collected from interviews with current college students enrolled in a retention program at a PWI (Predominately White Institution) and in connection with a conceptual framework informed by theorists Nel Noddings, Vincent …

My Story Is In The Structure: An Autoethnographic Study By An Instructional Designer Working In A Centralized Academic Reporting Line, Pamela Williams

Dissertations

Although not officially named in the shared governance of an institution, instructional designers play an important role as they collaborate with administrators and faculty to create high quality, regulatory-compliant courses for enrolled students. Instructional designers working in centralized, academic reporting units may be well-positioned to advance the work of institutions to maintain good standing with the industry and regulatory bodies. To illustrate the challenges, opportunities, and strategies employed by an instructional designer working in such a position, an autoethnographic study was conducted to elucidate how shared governance influences, empowers, and disempowers an instructional designer’s ability to lead and collaborate on …

A Qualitative Case Study Of An Ultra-Brief Trait Emotional Intelligence Intervention For University Student Leaders, Britne K. Bacca-Haupt, Melinda R. Dilley, Fletcher J. Ferguson, Lisa C. Gillis-Davis, Jacqueline M. Schneller

Dissertations

Emotional intelligence gained interest in the early 1990s from researchers in hopes of assessing how understanding and developing emotions can help individuals be “healthy, rich, successful, loved, and happy” (Mayer et al., 2001, p. xi). Because of the expanded interest, increasing implications began occurring at the postsecondary level of education (Petrides et al., 2018). Trait emotional intelligence focuses on perceptions of oneself and others, illustrating how we regulate our emotions and recognize them in others. This qualitative study aimed to explore the impact of an ultra-brief intervention on the trait emotional intelligence development of university student leaders and how they …

Imposters In The Dorms: Exploring The Significance Of Imposter Syndrome In Residential Life Live-In & Live-On Professionals, Samantha Rose Knapton

M.S. in Leadership

Imposter syndrome has been thoroughly studied across fields and disciplines for decades to understand the impact it has on students and professionals in the field. This paper aims to understand the relationship between imposter syndrome and professionals working for residential life departments for colleges and universities while they are living on campus. This study used a mixed methods approach to collect both numeric data as well as a linguistic understanding. Through surveys and interviews, there is a relatively equal feeling of imposter syndrome among residential life live-in/live-on professionals. Many aspects influence the development of imposter syndrome within residential life professionals, …

#Dusomething! A Qualitative Exploratory Study To Identify Challenges And Opportunities For Improvement In Du's Response To Sexual Harassment And Assault, Alejandro Cerón, Amanda Cali, Briana Cox, Camille Cruz, Camryn Evans, Cyndal Groskopf, Ashley Joplin, Clayton Kempf, Kēhaulani Lagunero, Jayvyn Jakai Lewis, Aili Limstrom, Gray Messersmith, Cal Quayle, Yadira Quintero, Michael Sze, Aaron Toussaint, Sami Zepponi

Anthropology: Undergraduate Student Scholarship

The purpose of this course-based research project was to identify where DU has made progress in its response to sexual harassment, identifying challenges and opportunities for improvement, with the hope that the results will support the DU community’s efforts to prevent, address, and eradicate sexual harassment.

“I Don’T Even Know What That Is”: Deprivation, Censorship, And Responsibility In Administering The Pell Grant In Prison, Erin L. Castro, Cydney Y. Caradonna, Mary R. Gould

Journal of Student Financial Aid

The violence of incarceration creates greater responsibility for higher education administrators in supporting students who are in prison. Using focus group data with incarcerated students and formerly incarcerated alumni who participated in or are actively participating in Second Chance Pell, we explore their perceptions and understandings of the Pell Grant and eligibility for the Pell Grant, including lifetime eligibility used limits. Through a lens of Witnessing, we argue that deprivation and censorship of information negatively influence students’ access to accurate and timely information about federal student aid and their ability to fully participate in the process. Accordingly, college and university …

Exploring Perceptions Of Lived Experiences Of Nursing Program Students With Grant Funding Investment In A Community College, Brian Richard Michel

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative hermeneutical phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of nursing program students with grant funding investment in a nursing, allied, and physical health program at a rural community college in Western New York. This rural institution is a member institution of the State University of New York system. The research was guided by the underlying central research question, “What are the perceptions of lived learning experiences made possible through grant funding investment of nursing program students at a rural community college?” Three different data collection methods were used in interviews, a focus group, and …

The Impact Of Institutional Support On African American Male College Students: A Phenomenological Analysis, Samuel Leron Speed

Doctoral Dissertations

This study is a powerful call to action for higher education institutions to recognize and address the unique challenges of African American male college students. Through a qualitative phenomenological approach grounded in Swail's (2004) Framework for Student Success, the study sheds light on the institutional factors that impact the lives of these students. The research design utilized semi-structured interviews with seven African American male participants, and the analysis reveals codes, clusters, and themes that emerged from their narratives, providing valuable insights into the impact of institutional support on their lives. The study highlights the importance of peer support, the challenges …

Culturally Competent Healthcare And Its Impact On Education And Policy Reformation, Marissa Molina, Lisa R. Brown, Elijah Miranda, Erika Montoya, Elisabeth Villarreal, Lisa Caldwell-Serges

Adult Education Research Conference

cultural competency, healthcare , diversity, migrants, policy formation, communication, microaggressions, discrimination ,qualitative, quantitative data decision making, program improvement, Higher education, artificial intelligence, incivility, training, community, race, improvement, social justice, educators, inclusivity, administration.

An Exploration Of Dress Codes In Speech-Language Pathology Graduate Programs, Brumbaugh Klaire

All Theses, Dissertations, and Capstone Projects

This investigation utilized a qualitative approach to explore dress code policy in twelve Midwestern master’s in speech-language pathology programs. After a written policy review, the clinic directors associated with each program were interviewed. Following the interview, the clinic directors sent a survey to the graduate students to complete (n = 74). Findings suggest that the dress codes in speech pathology should consider concepts related to client perception, discipline, financial responsibility, and safety when considering their dress codes. Information related to how to use the findings to support all students is discussed.

"It’S Hard To Be An Enemy Of Student Success”: A Qualitative Case Study Of A Cultural Shift Towards Student Success, Lisa R. Lawless

Dissertations of Practice

Literature on how colleges change is limited and theoretical in nature. The purpose of this qualitative case student was to explore how Retention University changed their culture and norms to increase student persistence and retention. Data was collected with semi-structured interviews with 16 participants at a large, public university in the southeast. Four primary themes emerged from data: (1) leaders play an important role in fostering organizational change; (2) leaders need to be strategic about how they foster change; (3) leaders need to consider how organizational contexts might hinder change; (4) and value the people and process. Implications for further …

Lived Experiences Of Latino/A/X Students At Emerging Hispanic Serving Institutions In The Midwestern United States, Elizabeth Depew

Dissertations of Practice

LIVED EXPERIENCES OF LATINO/A/X STUDENTS AT EMERGING HISPANIC SERVING INSTITUTIONS IN THE MIDWESTERN UNITED STATES

There are a growing number of Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSI) and emerging Hispanic Serving Institutions (eHSI) across the United States (Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities, 2013a, 2013b, 2022). Because many HSIs and eHSIs are either formerly or still also Predominantly White Institutions (PWI), historical policies and practices within institutions of higher education do not routinely consider the lives of Latino/a/x students. In addition, HSIs are not required to have any portion of their mission dedicated to the advancement of Latino/a/x students as part of …

The Experiences Of Women College Presidents While Leading Through An Institutional Crisis: The Perceived Successes And Failures Of Crisis Communication Strategies, Madison Marie Speck

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

This multi-site case study explored the uncommonly discussed yet organic intersection between the study of crisis communication and the study of crisis leadership and in turn, what it means in the context of a college presidency. This study has a unique focus on women presidents at small, private colleges and the ways in which they communicate with various stakeholders during a crisis environment. The research is guided by Boin’s Model of Crisis Leadership which guides and assesses crisis leadership performance; however this study introduces nuances to the framework that are suggested as a result of the findings; most of which …

Understanding The Role Of Cultural Competence In Peer Mentorship Programs For International Students: A Student Development Theory Perspective, Nikheal Patel, Daniel Calhoun, Steven Tolman

Georgia Journal of College Student Affairs

International students often face challenges while pursuing higher education in a foreign country. These challenges can negatively impact their sense of belonging and community, resulting in social disconnection. Examining the role of culturally competent peer mentoring programs for international students can foster a sense of belonging among international students. Peer mentorship may provide international students with a supportive environment and community, helping them navigate university life. In contrast, student development theory can inform the design of programs and services that support international students in their transition to American higher education. These strategies can create a more inclusive and welcoming environment …

Enhancing Decision-Making In Higher Education: Exploring The Integration Of Chatgpt And Data Visualization Tools In Data Analysis, Tristan Jiang, Elina Liu, Tasawar Baig, Qingrong Li

University Administration Publications

This chapter explores the potential of integrating conversational AI tools such as ChatGPT with data visualization (DV) tools such as Power BI in higher education settings. A brief history of chatbots is summarized and challenges and opportunities in higher education are outlined. The highlights include AI's prospects for enhancing data-informed decision-making while needing safeguards to mitigate risks. Through a pioneering exercise, we integrated ChatGPT's conversational capabilities with Power BI's interface via API and tested functionality. Suggestions for good practice and implications for higher education are discussed.

Onboarding Students At Scale: A New Student Orientation Course That Prepares Students To Succeed In Their Online Degree Programs, Heather J. Leslie Phd

Learning Design Center: Staff Scholarship

A new online orientation course equips students with the tools and skills to thrive in online programs. It welcomes them to the university, introduces the learning management system, fosters peer connection, and locates essential resources. Additionally, it teaches valuable strategies for time management, motivation, and success in online learning. This adaptable base course caters to the university’s diverse online programs while maintaining a core structure. Designed for efficient facilitation by Academic Directors, it also allows for a personalized touch. Surveys indicate the course effectively prepares students for their first online course. Notably, completing the orientation has become the strongest predictor …

Unmasking Challenges Of African American Women At Predominantly White Institutions (Pwis) Unveiling Phenomenological Realities And Prioritizing Well-Being, Alicia C. Perry

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation addresses African American women's intricate challenges at predominantly white institutions (PWIs), exploring the outcomes of navigating a sense of belonging which eventually affects one's well-being within this professional context. The study employs a qualitative approach to delve into the experiences of those who work or have worked in the environment. By capturing the personal narratives of African American women in various roles at PWIs, the research aims to understand the intersectionality of race and gender dynamics impacting their professional lives. The literature review contextualizes the study by discussing the challenges identified in existing research, including the marginalization experiences …

Teaching During The Covid-19 Pandemic: A Multiple Case Study Exploring Faculty Experiences In Fostering Positive Interaction With U.S.-Based Undergraduate Students, Lauren J. Bullock

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

COVID-19 changed how faculty members approached teaching in higher education in the United States. This study specifically looks at the changes in faculty-student interaction (FSI) during the COVID-19 pandemic. While extensive literature exists on the topic from the student perspective, the disruption in education necessitated a more extensive study of the faculty perspective. A multiple-case study methodology was employed to explore the experiences of a small cohort of faculty members at a single institution and how they fostered positive interactions with students from Spring 2019 through Spring 2023. The data collected included semi-structured interviews, course syllabi, teaching philosophies, and a …

Mapping The Historical Discourse Of A Right-To-Read Claim: A Situational Analysis, Mursalata Muhammad

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This dissertation project used an interpretivist qualitative research design to study how the right-to-read claim made by seven teenagers attending Detroit public schools in 2016 reflects, addresses, or describes contemporary discussions about educational access. Using situational analysis (SA) as a theory/method, the entirety of the claim comprises the situation of the social phenomenon being studied, not the people. This research combines critical race theory (CRT) with Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems and uses situation analysis to map historical discourses to conduct a study that examines the history of a present situation of inquiry as presented by this question: How does the 2016 …