Education Commons^™

Becoming Transfer Friendly: Evaluating Four-Year Higher Education Institution Strategies To Support Community College Transfer Student Success, Aarti V. Dhupelia

Dissertations

Four-year higher education institutions (HEIs) nationwide must become more transfer friendly so that more community college transfer (CCT) students persist and complete their bachelor’s degrees, as a path to more students’ economic mobility and to equity across communities. This study aims to provide learnings to support achievement of this imperative. The research question studied here is: What is the relationship between community college transfer (CCT) student support strategies at a four-year higher education institution (HEI) and the first-to-second-year retention of CCT students at their four-year HEI? Through quantitative analysis of a broad set of variables’ ability to predict student retention …

The Relationship Between College Credits Earned In A Community College Dual Enrollment Program And First-Year Grade Point Average, Johnesa Hodge

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The increased number of college credits earned in dual enrollment programs initiated concern by educators, researchers, and policymakers regarding college readiness. However, data are scarce and inconsistent across governing states and community colleges to measure college readiness and dual enrollment’s effectiveness. The purpose of this quantitative study examined early college credits earned in general education, career and technical education, college orientation disciplines, and first-year grade point average (GPA) to measure college readiness. Conley’s key dimensions of college and career readiness model grounded the study. Archival transcript data were collected from a Michigan community college for 524 former dual enrollment students. …

The Relationship Between College Credits Earned In A Community College Dual Enrollment Program And First-Year Grade Point Average, Johnesa Hodge

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The increased number of college credits earned in dual enrollment programs initiated concern by educators, researchers, and policymakers regarding college readiness. However, data are scarce and inconsistent across governing states and community colleges to measure college readiness and dual enrollment’s effectiveness. The purpose of this quantitative study examined early college credits earned in general education, career and technical education, college orientation disciplines, and first-year grade point average (GPA) to measure college readiness. Conley’s key dimensions of college and career readiness model grounded the study. Archival transcript data were collected from a Michigan community college for 524 former dual enrollment students. …

The Recovery Coach: An Intentional, Relational Interventionist As A Response To The Covid-19 Incomplete Grade Trend, Melanie A. Turrano

Education Doctorate Dissertations

The COVID-19 pandemic exposed many crises in education; fair and just grading was but one. During that tumultuous time, colleges improvised and created many “hold harmless” grading policies to provide empathy and understanding to students as well as to retain students otherwise negatively impacted by the inequities in their personal lives as well as the socioeconomic digital divide. One “due no harm” policy enacted at the community college where this study occurred was the encouragement of Incomplete (I) grades that prevented student failure in the short term, but traditionally results in long-term failure when the grade of Incomplete (I) converts …

Examining The Relationship Between Library Services Use And Fall-To-Fall Retention In Community College Libraries, Eric Deatherage

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Community college libraries exist to support institutional outcomes. One such outcome is student retention. This study’s purpose was to fill the gap in the literature at the community college level, proposing that a model including all library service use types would explain variance in student retention beyond that explained by total library financial expenditure. Services included were numbers of physical materials circulated, digital books circulated, e-serials used, reference transactions, library presentations, attendees at presentations, gate counts, and interlibrary loan materials borrowed. Additionally, it was proposed that the relationship between gate counts of physical entry into the library and student retention …

Recalibrating Student Services: Examining Staff Perceptions Of Services During Covid-19, Justin White

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

As a result of the 2019 global coronavirus pandemic, nearly every business and industry in the United States was forced to adapt its operations to accommodate the restrictions that a community health crisis necessitated. This study examined the experiences of front-line Enrollment Services staff while serving students during the pandemic at one community college in the Midwestern United States. The study focused on staff perceptions of how college policies, processes, and leadership affected the student onboarding experience that encompasses the complete path a student takes from beginning as an applicant to becoming an enrolled student in the classroom. The study …

Tale Of The Tape: A Study Of Two-Year College Student-Athletes, Dustin Grover

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Two-year athletic programs bring many unique elements to a college campus, many of which help to create a comprehensive student experience. Quantifying this experience is difficult as little data has been collected historically on two-year college athletes. The purpose of conducting this study was to create a profile of a rural two-year college student-athlete and to utilize the data to determine if participation in athletics had any effect on student success measures. This study will help college administrators build a better understanding of the two-year college student-athlete, aiding their decision-making regarding the prioritization of college athletics on their campuses. These …

Exploring Community College Student Persistence In Mandated Developmental Coursework, Karen Lynn Beck

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem investigated in this study was the low completion rates of students in mandated developmental education courses at a local community college in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States. The purpose of this study was to examine factors that may contribute to the persistence of community college students who have completed mandated developmental education courses. The qualitative study uses Tinto’s student departure theory as the conceptual framework to examine the lack of persistence of students in developmental education classes. The study included interviews with eight students who have completed at least one developmental education course in the past …

Effects Of A Student Success Course On Retention Of First-Year Community College Students, Deatrice Allen Willis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Low retention rates among 1st year students plague many community colleges in the United States, including the study site used for this research. Preparing 1st year community college students both academically and socially are key aspects of combating this issue and enhancing student success and persistence. The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine the influence of the First-Year Experience (FYE) course in improving student retention and promoting student success. Rodger’s student development theory and Tinto’s theory on retention guided this study. A causal-comparative design was used to examine the difference in retention rates and GPA between students enrolled …

Exploring Influences And Using Intentionality To Develop Work-Based Learning Opportunities: A Faculty Perspective, Lauren Mccrary

Theses and Dissertations--Educational Policy Studies and Evaluation

Understanding the practical implications related to experiential learning is complex. It is important to first view experiential learning as an umbrella term under which work-based learning (WBL) is housed. To further particularize, there are different avenues for students to pursue work-based learning opportunities (WBLOs), with internships and cooperative education being two. Although these are not new learning environments, understanding and clearly defining them (to both internal and external bodies) is increasingly necessary. In Kentucky, WBLOs are part of the political discourse on postsecondary education. The Council on Postsecondary Education (CPE) and local economic development agencies have incorporated strengthening and growing …

Predictors Of Community College Students’ Academic Success In The Corequisite Model, Damon Andrews

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine predictors of community college student academic success in the corequisite model. Academic success was defined dichotomously on a pass or fail basis. The population in this study included 1,933 students that enrolled in at least one corequisite English and/or mathematics course at the college between the fall semester of 2015 and summer semester of 2018. The predictors examined were a student’s sex, race, age at time of enrollment, Pell grant recipient status, first-generation college student status, high school GPA, placement test scores, academic major, time spent receiving academic tutoring in college’s …

Perceptions Of Trustees And Presidents Of The Competencies Essential For Successful 21st-Century Community College Leadership, Cliff Davis

Dissertations

An imminent wave of community college president retirements is well-documented in the literature, which will likely contribute to a serious leadership void on American community college campuses (American Association of Community Colleges [AACC], 2013; Eddy, 2013). To address this impending leadership crisis, governing boards must focus on how to develop leaders prepared to meet the unique and increasingly complex challenges of community colleges. In keeping with Katz’s (1955) three-skill conceptual framework, the purpose of this qualitative study was to explore and describe trustees’ and presidents’ perceptions about the importance of technical, human, and conceptual competencies to a successful 21st-century community …

Obstacles Facing Veterans In Applied Sciences Programs At The Community College Level, Alexander B. Neeley

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the presence (or absence) of barriers that hindered the ability of veteran student populations in completing degrees in the applied sciences field. Furthermore, in this study, the researcher sought to identify and to understand any detected barriers. The researcher examined the academic performances of veterans and non-veterans in the environmental science program at a Missouri community college. This study focused on collecting supplemental sources and gathering additional research on veterans pursuing applied science degrees. The researcher analyzed quantitative metrics and qualitative data, as well as compared personal responses from students to determine …

Exercising Their Privilege To Borrow: A Demonstrated Understanding Of The Obligation Of Student Loans In A Community College, Joan M. Meyer-Barrett

Dissertations

The costs associated with attending a community college have increased over the years, not unlike most sectors within higher education (Mitchell & Leachman, 2015). As such, community college students often find borrowing student loans a necessity in order to seek the academic credential they intend (McKinney & Backscheider Burridge, 2015). In recent years, it is community college students who stop or drop out without completing an academic credential, with little increased earning potential, who are at high risk of defaulting on their student loan balance (McKinney & Backscheider Burridge, 2015). While enrolled in college, these students are at-risk for completing …

In Line For The Presidency: The American Association Of Community Colleges (Aacc) Leadership Competencies And The Career Development Of Women Leaders In Community College Administration, Autumn Rene Porter

Dissertations

Though women make up the majority of community college students, faculty and staff, only 36% of community college presidents nationwide are female. With a significant number of presidential retirements on the horizon, there could be many opportunities for women in line for a community college presidency to take the next step along their career paths. This study was designed to explore how women in senior-level community college administration have acquired the American Association of Community Colleges leadership competencies throughout their careers and what other influences had impacted their career development. A qualitative, phenomenological design was chosen, and results were examined …

Traditional And Hybrid Dental Assisting Program: An Exploration Of Design And Optimal Outcomes For Community College Students, Janet A. Sell

Dissertations

This study was designed to investigate an accredited dental assisting educational program at a Midwest community college. The Bureau of Labor of Statistics (2015) claimed the profession of dental assisting is one of the fastest growing occupation, along with ongoing research that good oral health is linked to overall general health, thereby increasing the need for more dental assistants in the workforce. The aim of this study was to determine if dental assisting students taking courses in a face-to-face traditional format performed differently from students taking courses in a hybrid (a combination of face-to face and online) format. The researcher …

The Learning Needs Of Community College Emerging Scholars, Janet K. Walsh

Dissertations

The community college mission has always centered on providing higher education opportunities for all people (American Association of Community Colleges [AACC], 2015a; Bailey, Jaggars, & Jenkins, 2015; Dassance, 2011; Dotzler, 2003; Greenburg, 2008; Schuh, Jones, Harper, & Associates, 2011). However, many students who enrolled at the community college level were not college ready and often required developmental coursework to help bridge the knowledge gap prior to taking college level courses. Unfortunately, those students were unlikely to obtain higher education credentials (Bailey et al., 2015; Carnegie Foundation, 2014). On the other hand, the researcher observed a relatively small number of students …

A Quantitative Study On Student Emergency Financial Assistance: The Impact On Community College Student Success, Persistence, And Completion Rates, Abigail Benz

Dissertations

Financial instability is a common fiscal burden for many community college students and can serve as primary barrier to educational success (Quaye & Harper, 2015). Although traditional financial aid is structured to assist students in financing college expenses, many low-income students often face financial emergencies beyond the scope of financial aid (Johnson, 2015). These financial emergencies have been specifically identified as serious obstacles to educational success and have prompted many institutions to establish student emergency financial assistance programs (Geckeler, Beach, Pih, & Yan, 2008). This study explored one student emergency financial assistance program at a public community college and the …

Barriers To Computer Programming Student Success: A Quantitative Study Of Community College Students In Southwest Missouri, Tiffany D. Ford

Dissertations

Student success in computer programming courses has been a long-studied problem and computer science major retention has historically been substantially lower than other majors. The issue of retention for computer science majors has become more pronounced in two-year, open-enrollment institutions. This quantitative study, grounded in Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences, attempted to address some of the causes of poor retention for entry-level computer science majors at two-year colleges by looking for predictors of student success in their first computer programming course. Two of the intelligences from Gardner’s (1993) theory, Logical-Mathematical and Visual-Spatial, were used along with two factors: student success …

“What The Hell Is Revise?”: Student Approaches To Coursework In Developmental English At One Urban-Serving Community College, Stefan A. Perun

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

The primary objective of this dissertation was to help illuminate why most students who enroll in developmental English at community colleges never make it to a college-level course. The extant literature suggests that students’ learning experiences in a course largely account for success or failure, yet few studies have uncovered how students experience content and pedagogy in developmental English at community colleges, and how these experiences shape students’ success or failure in their course. To remedy this gap, I conducted a semester-long, classroom level, qualitative study of three sections of developmental English at one community college. I primarily relied upon …

Benchmarking The Use Of Learner-Centered Teaching Practices In Missouri Community Colleges, Vivian Kathleen Elder

Dissertations

Learner-Centered (LC) teaching focuses on shifting the role of an instructor from a provider of information to a facilitator of learning. Several Missouri community colleges have declared themselves LC institutions through use of the term in their mission statements and/or strategic goals. Although a metric for demonstrating this commitment, in the form of a rubric created by Dr. Blumberg (2009) existed, it was not in common use at the time this study was conducted. Additionally, a void existed on how the traits of LC instructors differed, if at all, from the traits of more traditional instructors. This quantitative, causal-comparative study …

Exploring Faculty Adoption And Utilization Of Blackboard At A Community College In The Kentucky Community And Technical College System, Brent A. Eldridge

Theses and Dissertations--Educational Policy Studies and Evaluation

The study explored the faculty adoption and use of a Blackboard at a community college in the Kentucky Community and Technical College System. A cross-sectional survey design was constructed through the lens of Rogers’s Perceived Attributes of Innovations and Chickering and Ehrman’s Implementing Seven Principles: Technology as a Lever to investigate perceptions and opinions on faculty members’ use of Blackboard in their courses. The survey was piloted, modified and deployed to a population of 932 central Kentucky community college faculty who were recruited to participate in the online survey. Descriptive demographic items (gender, age, highest degree attained, years of teaching …

The Role Development Of A Community College President’S Spouse, Tracy M. Mcgrady

Dissertations

The role of a community college president’s spouse can be an important one in the life of the college and in the success of the presidency, yet the role itself is often vaguely defined. This can cause frustration for a college president’s spouse because he or she experiences ambiguity by not knowing the expectations college stakeholders hold of the spousal role. This study explored the role uncertainties held by community college presidents’ spouses, the strategies they used to navigate their new role, and the conflicts they experience in the role as presidential spouse. A qualitative, grounded theory design was selected …

The Impact Of Community College Developmental Education Programs On Student Success, Melissa A. Batchelor

Dissertations

With more people enrolling in college today, community colleges face a higher percentage of students who do not have college-level skills. To meet the needs of the underprepared student, colleges established developmental education programs. This study examined the success of developmental programs through examination of secondary data using a z-Test for difference in means, Chi-Square test for Independence, Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient, and ANOVA. Through use of these statistical tests, the researcher analyzed the differences between the data and compared the variables from each institution to determine areas of strength and weakness in student outcomes to link with use …

Appalachian Bridges To The Baccalaureate: The Influence Of Multiple Roles And Cultural Norms On The Baccalaureate Persistence Of Location-Bound Appalachian Women, Nancy Coldiron Preston

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

Too few Kentucky community college students transfer and persist to earn baccalaureate degrees. This is particularly true in Appalachia Kentucky which has a high rate of poverty and a low rate of baccalaureate attainment. Scholars and economists agree that the fastest way to decrease poverty within a geographical region is to increase the educational level of the citizens. Policy makers in the Commonwealth have established a goal of doubling the number of baccalaureate holders within the state by 2020.

This study is framed by a collaborative study which examined the ways in which institutional and student characteristics impact the pathway …

A Comparative Study Of High School Academic Paths, Grade Point Averages, And Act Composite Scores As Predictors Of Success At Walters State Community College., Jill C. Reuschel

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

With an overwhelming number of students attempting to enter college after high school, the competitive nature of college admissions continues to grow. Colleges and universities are attempting to find the appropriate means to adequately predict collegiate success. Common methods of this prediction have come from a variety of sources most of which are the use of high school performance and standardized college admissions testing. Walters State Community College was chosen for this study because of its open door admission policy that allows for variability in high school academic paths as well as grade point averages and ACT scores students earned …

A Study Of Grade Distributions And Withdrawal For Selected Courses At A Community College In Northeast Tennessee., Candy Campbell-Pritt

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In addition to the ever-changing demands of the workforce and student demands, the community college must address how performance and withdrawal are affected by traditional classroom instructional delivery and the inclusion of alternate instructional delivery settings such as internet-based approaches in courses.

This quantitative study was conducted to provide evidence-based research to a community college in Northeast Tennessee. Specifically, this research study focused on an important aspect of instructional course delivery methods: What are the relationships between traditional classroom and internet-based course instructional delivery methods in relation to withdrawal and grade-distribution patterns for specified courses (English 1010, Math 1710, Biology …

An Administrative Guide For Developing A Tech Prep Program For Horticulture Education At South Kitsap High School, Patrick L. Oster

All Graduate Projects

The purpose of this study was to develop a Tech Prep Program for horticulture education. This program focused on career goals of students enrolled at South Kitsap High School and South Seattle Community College. To accomplish this purpose, current research and literature on Tech Prep models, career paths, and the horticulture industry were reviewed. Additionally, selected materials were obtained from model Tech Prep programs throughout the State of Washington.

Relationship Between Systematic Planning At Community Colleges And Goal Agreement, Nancy Emily Stetson

All Master's Theses

The relationship between systematic planning at community colleges and goal agreement among administrators was studied. Sixty-nine administrators at four community colleges were surveyed. The results showed that administrators at the two community colleges who perceived their institutions to be relatively more systematic in planning also perceived relatively smaller gaps between what were, and what should be the goals of their institutions. By this measure, community college administrators demonstrated a consistent and positive relationship between systematic planning and goal agreement.

The Role And Scope Of Occupational Information Services In The Junior College, Paul K. Preus

Graduate Student Research Papers

The purposes of this study were: (1) to gain insight into the functions of the occupational information services as they relate to the aims of a modern junior college; and (2) to become acquainted with sources of occupational information and techniques for its use in this context.