Digital Commons Network^™

Statistical Models For Predicting College Success, Yelen Nunez

Yelen Nunez

Colleges base their admission decisions on a number of factors to determine which applicants have the potential to succeed. This study utilized data for students that graduated from Florida International University between 2006 and 2012. Two models were developed (one using SAT as the principal explanatory variable and the other using ACT as the principal explanatory variable) to predict college success, measured using the student’s college grade point average at graduation. Some of the other factors that were used to make these predictions were high school performance, socioeconomic status, major, gender, and ethnicity. The model using ACT had a higher …

Exploring The Factors That Motivate Female Students To Enroll And Persist In A Collegiate Stem Degree Program, Rosemary L. Edzie, Mahmoud Alahmad

Rosemary L Edzie

In the United States, collegiate enrollment in science and engineering programs continues to decline, while European and Asian universities have increased the number of science and engineering graduates. In addition, there is a growing concern over too few females enrolling and persisting in collegiate science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) degree programs. Through increasing access to pre-collegiate STEM activities, providing a better understanding of STEM career choices, instilling of confidence in math and science, and establishing student and industry based mentoring programs, more female students will enroll and persist in collegiate STEM degree programs. This paper sets to explore the …

Relations Between Language Learning Strategies, Language Proficiency And Multiple Intelligences, Karim Hajhashemi, Alireza Shakarami, Neil Anderson, Seyed Yasin Yazdi-Amirkhiz, Wuying Zou

Karim Hajhashemi

The theory of multiple intelligences (MI) developed by Gardner, proposes at least nine different human intelligences that are distinct and relatively autonomous human intelligences through which people learn. It has been theorized that knowing our MI profile assists us to learn and use this awareness to obtain necessary information and knowledge from a lesson. Characterizing learners’ personal MI profiles thus may enhance learning. Language learners’ learning process, on the other hand, can be facilitated through the use of language learning strategies, particularly if the strategies have been explicitly developed by instructors who possess knowledge about individuals’ learning styles. This paper …

Digital Self-Efficacy And Language Learning Enhancement In An Online Setting, Karim Hajhashemi, Alireza Shakaramia, Hassan Khajehei

Karim Hajhashemi

The importance of personal factors such as personality traits, learning strategies, self-esteem, and self-efficacy in the complicated task of language learning has been established for years. However, the introduction of computers, networks and their wide communication affordances, seem to impact many aspects of learning and teaching and particularly language learning and teaching. The storage place, manner, and magnitude of learning materials for example, have shifted from the human mind to portable digital storage places that consequently require different types of aggregation, retrieval, and usage of information. Noting the rapid communication of today through networking, ICT competency plays important roles with …

Ecological Development And Personal Change, Cristobal Salinas Jr, Aja Holmes

Cristobal Salinas Jr

No abstract provided.

Assessing Life Styles, Stresssors And Health Status Among A Predominantly African American On-Campus And Off-Campus Student Population, Terence Hicks

Terence Hicks, Ph.D., Ed.D.

Truth, Rhetoric, And Critical Thinking, Lajos L. Brons

Lajos Brons

Despite the extraordinary amount of attention critical thinking has received in the last few decades, the teaching and fostering of critical thinking in higher education is largely failing, and critical thinking has become an empty buzzword. However, given its importance as an aim of education, it needs to be “refilled”, but that is possible only after identifying the causes of the current failure, i.e. the obstacles to fostering critical thinking. Three such obstacles are identified in this paper, two actual and one hypothetical: (1) the lack of clarity and agreement about what critical thinking is, (2) current teaching practice, and …

Using Focus Groups For Operational Improvements, Larry D. Long, Laura Cole

Larry D. Long

Whether you are interested in revamping your programming model, your department website, or your housing sign-up process, focus groups can be a useful assessment approach for understanding the resident or guest experience and identifying areas of improvement. Using a case study approach, the presenters will explain how to conduct focus groups. They will also share lessons learned from their own experience in conducting focus groups.

Assessing The Effects Of Parental Involvement On First-Generation And Second-Generation College Students, Terence Hicks

Terence Hicks, Ph.D., Ed.D.

Few researchers have studied the effects that parental influence has on first-generation and second-generation college students. This lack of empirical knowledge prompted this investigation on the effectiveness of parental involvement on first- and second-generation college student performance. A recent review of literature reveals that researchers have used different definitions of the "first-generation" concept (Bean&Metzner. 1985; Billson&Terry. 1982). Bean and Metzner (1985) examined the research on the correlation between parental education and the first-generation college student's persistence and reported that other researchers found equivocal results when examining this relationship. Billson and Terry (1987) argued, however, that the analysis performed by Bean …

Profile Of Contributors To The American Economic Review, 2010: Human Capital Theory, Gender And Race, Amadu Jacky Kaba

Amadu Jacky Kaba

This study begins by presenting an explanation of the Human Capital Theory and its relation to gender and race. Next, the methodology, data availability and limitations section of the study is presented. Next, the study presents the statistical findings and analysis of the compiled and computed data. Finally, the study presents a discussion section, focusing more attention on the various factors responsible for the wide gender and racial gaps in the statistics presented.

Publishing Open Access E-Journals: Leveraging An Outreach Opportunity, Laura Edwards, Linda Sizemore, Kelly Smith

Linda Sizemore

Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) Libraries began exploring the institutional repository (IR) landscape in 2009 with the intention of publishing electronic theses and dissertations (ETDs), journals, special collections, images, videos, sound files, or anything else that would fit a need for us. The hosted systems we examined were effective as either platforms for displaying special collections or platforms for managing publishing processes. However, we didn’t find a system that did both of those things well.

Conclusion: Looking To The Future, Ronald G. Ehrenberg

Ronald G. Ehrenberg

[Excerpt] A number of important themes emerge from the chapters in Governing Academia. First, decentralization gives individual units—be they university campuses within a state system, colleges within a university, or departments within a college—an incentive to act in their own best interests, but less of an incentive to work toward the common good. As Heller points out, at the level of a state system, decentralization of control may lead to wasteful overlap between campuses. As Wilson shows, decentralized budgeting in the form of responsibility center management models may cause units not to maximize the quality of the education they are …

Designing Online Assessment For Improved Student Learning And Experience, Roy Wybrow, Pauline Taylor, David Smorfitt

Associate Professor Pauline Taylor-Guy

Enhancing The Attractiveness Of Research To Female Faculty, Ronald G. Ehrenberg

Ronald G. Ehrenberg

[Excerpt] CSWEP has long been concerned about the underrepresentation of women in faculty positions at major research universities. I have been charged by the committee with enumerating a set of policies that might enhance the attractiveness of research universities to female faculty. After presenting some data that suggest the magnitude of the underrepresentation problem, I do so below. In each case, I sketch the pros and cons of the policy. Although the focus is on increasing the attractiveness of research universities to female faculty, many of the policies would increase the attractiveness of academic careers per se to new female …

Faculty Agency: Departmental Contexts That Matter In Faculty Careers, Corbin M. Campbell, Kerryann O'Meara

KerryAnn O'Meara

In a modern context of constrained resources and high demands, faculty exert agency to strategically navigate their careers (Baez 2000a; Neumann et al. 2006). Guided by the O’Meara et al. (2011) framework on agency in faculty professional lives, this study used Structural Equation Modeling to investigate which departmental factors (perceptions of tenure and promotion process, work-life climate, transparency, person-department fit, professional development resources, and collegiality) influenced faculty agentic perspective and agentic action. Results showed that faculty perceptions of certain departmental contexts do matter in faculty career agency, such as work-life climate, person-department fit, and professional development resources. These contexts have …

Unequal Access To Tertiary Education; Implication For National Security, Olukunle Saheed Oludeyi

Olukunle Saheed, OLUDEYI

This paper examines the growing rate of unequal access to tertiary education among Nigerian youths and its implication for national security. Although bias has existed during the colonial era, recent events reveal high waves of access-inequality and prejudice. Following the trend of violence, terrorism and insecurity in Nigeria today, this paper contends that youth education, reorientation and empowerment organized through unbiased processes are fundamental requisites for socio-economic, political and national security. The paper argues further that the number of youths who enjoy unrestricted access to tertiary education is unequal to the number of those who find it as privilege rather …

Adverse Selection And Incentives In An Early Retirement Program, Kenneth T. Whelan, Ronald G. Ehrenberg, Kevin F. Hallock, Ronald L. Seeber

Ronald G. Ehrenberg

We evaluate potential determinants of enrollment in an early retirement incentive program for non-tenure-track employees of a large university. Using administrative record on the eligible population of employees not covered by collective bargaining agreements, historical employee count and layoff data by budget units, and public information on unit budgets, we find dips in per-employee finance in a budget unit during the application year and higher recent per employee layoffs were associated with increased probabilities of eligible employee program enrollment. Our results also suggest, on average, that employees whose salaries are lower than we would predict given their personal characteristics and …

An Economic Analysis Of The Market For Law School Students, Ronald G. Ehrenberg

Ronald G. Ehrenberg

This study utilizes data from a number of sources to estimate how lawyers' starting salaries relate to their ability, the quality of law school they attended, and whether the law school was a private institution. Based upon this analysis, a benefit—cost analysis is conducted of the value of attending a high-quality private institution. Analyses are also done of how the financial attractiveness of law vis-a-vis other careers has changed in recent years and a conceptual framework discussed for law schools to use in allocating their financial aid resources.

Five Things Student Affairs Administrators Can Do To Improve Success Among College Men Of Color, Shaun R. Harper, Ph.D.

Shaun R. Harper, Ph.D.

They are outnumbered at most colleges and universities, their grade point averages are among the lowest of all undergraduate students, their engagement in classrooms and enriching out-of-class experiences is alarmingly low, and their attrition rates are comparatively higher than those of White students in U.S. higher education. Their same-race female peers earn larger shares of degrees at all levels, from associate's through doctoral. Encounters with racism, racial stereotypes, microaggressions, and low expectations from professors and others undermine their academic outcomes, sense of belonging, and willingness to seek help and utilize campus resources. At predominantly White institutions, they are often in …

Black Male Student-Athletes And Racial Inequities In Ncaa Division I Revenue-Generating College Sports, Shaun R. Harper, Ph.D., Collin D. Williams Jr., Horatio Blackman

Shaun R. Harper, Ph.D.

The purpose of this report is to make transparent racial inequities in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC), Big East Conference, Big Ten Conference, Big 12 Conference, Pac 12 Conference, and the Southeastern Conference (SEC). Data from the NCAA and the U.S. Department of Education are presented for the 76 institutional members of these six athletic conferences. Specifically, we offer a four-year analysis of Black men's representation on football and basketball teams versus their representation in the undergraduate student body on each campus. We also compare Black male student-athletes’ six-year graduation rates (across four cohorts) to student-athletes overall, undergraduate students overall, …

Enabling And Encouraging Greater Diversity In Ict, Madeleine Rh Roberts, Tanya Mcgill

Madeleine R. H. Roberts

There is now a far greater level of heterogeneity in the university cohort in age, experience and cultural and socio-economic backgrounds than in the past. This means that assumptions about the equality of student knowledge and ability that may still exist could be causing difficulties for female and male students who are not school leavers or native English speakers. The issues faced by mature-age, international, and low socio-economic background female and male students are diverse and the potential strategies to assist in retaining current students and attracting future students are varied. Therefore, the strategies employed must address as many of …

Investigating The College Adjustment And Transition Experiences Of Formerly Incarcerated Black Male Collegians At Predominantly White Institutions, Terrell L. Strayhorn, Royel M. Johnson, Blossom A. Barrett

Dr. Royel M. Johnson

Much of the present research available on formerly incarcerated Black males (FIBMs) focuses primarily on their criminal experiences and subsequent effects on their personal lives, employment options, and repeat offenses. Despite the overwhelming number of Black men in the U.S. criminal justice system and the country’s goal of increasing the proportion of citizens who earn postsecondary degrees, little is known about the postsecondary adjustment and transition experiences of FIBMs. This exploratory study represents an initial attempt to address a gap in the research by centering on two questions: (a) What challenges do FIBMs face in adjusting and transitioning to college? …

Black Students In 21st Century Higher Education: A Closer Look At For- Profit And Community Colleges, Constance A. Iloh, Ivory A. Toldson

Constance Iloh

No abstract provided.

Constructing Our Own Definition Of Masculinity: An Intersectionality Approach, Cristobal Salinas Jr, Cameron Beatty

Cristobal Salinas Jr

No abstract provided.

What Do I Want To Be With My Ph.D.? The Roles Of Personal Values And Structural Dynamics In Shaping The Career Interests Of Recent Biomedical Science Ph.D. Graduates, Kenneth D. Gibbs Jr, Kimberly A. Griffin

Kimberly A. Griffin

No abstract provided.

Marginalizing Merit: Gender Differences In Black Faculty Discourses On Tenure, Advancement, And Professional Success, Kimberly A. Griffin, Jessica Bennett, Jessica Harris

Kimberly A. Griffin

No abstract provided.

The Calculus Of Yes And No: How One Professor Makes Decisions About Academic Service., Kimberly A. Griffin

Kimberly A. Griffin

No abstract provided.

Monitoring And Improving Student Engagement, Hamish Coates, Alexandra Radloff

Professor Hamish Coates

Higher education is a co-produced activity. The time and effort students devote to learning and broader developmental activities is critical for productivity and the quality of outcomes. This chapter looks at how Australian universities monitor students' engagement in education, and reviews empirical insights relevant to emerging policy directions. It discusses how institutions can respond to new and emerging patterns of engagement, and approaches that institutions are using to improve how students learn and what they achieve.

Udc Community College Online Education Enrollment Report, Bradley J. Coverdale

Bradley J Coverdale

No abstract provided.

Out-Of-Classroom Experiences: Bridging The Disconnect Between The Classroom, The Engineering Workforce, And Ethical Development, Brian A. Burt, Donald D. Carpenter, Matthew A. Holsapple, Cynthia J. Finelli, Rob M. Bielby, Janel A. Sutkus, Trevors S. Harding

Brian Burt A.

The extant research on engineering ethics instruction shows that students receive ethics instruction within the engineering curricula. Unfortunately, the methods used in engineering undergraduate classrooms are described as ‘‘abstract’’ and have mixed results related to impacting students’ ethical development. Thus, exploring how out-of-classroom experiences—as a curricular alternative—influences students’ ethical development is warranted. This is an exploratory investigation to determine how out-of-classroom experiences influence students’ ethical development. The authors define ethical development using three constructs: knowledge of ethics, ethical reasoning, and ethical behavior. We draw upon a conceptual model that suggests students’ ethical development is impacted by what takes place inside …