Education Commons^™

Exploring Staff Burnout In College Access And Retention Programs, Yajaira Nunez

M.A. in Higher Education Leadership: Action Research Projects

The purpose of my research was to develop ways to support staff working in access and retention programs in higher education, who are experiencing or prone to burnout. The guiding questions were (a) How could collaboration with administrators working in access and retention programs in higher education facilitate learning to cope with burnout? and (b) How could strategies be developed collaboratively to address burnout in both current and future staff? I conducted three cycles using appreciative inquiry as a guide with six participants from different institutions between January and March 2024. The cycles included a GroupMe chat, a Zoom retreat, …

The Influence Of Campus Facilities On The Satisfaction And Retention Of Students In A Higher Education Setting, Tim Norton

Culminating Projects in Higher Education Administration

The goal of this quantitative study was to provide insight into the influence of facilities on satisfaction and retention of students in a single higher education setting, St. Cloud State University (SCSU). I used a survey research design with current undergraduate and graduate students to examine relationships among various aspects of facility design, student satisfaction, and student intention to persist to graduation. The survey was used to explore (a) the influence of specific campus facilities on students’ current level of satisfaction and intention to continue enrollment; (b) specific types of facilities most affecting student choice and satisfaction; and (c) how …

Using The Community Of Inquiry Framework To Examine Instructor Strategies For Emergency Remote Online Teaching During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Elizabeth A. Ebersole

Education Dissertations

The pivot to emergency remote learning in response to the COVID-19 pandemic presented challenges for both students and instructors in the majority of higher education settings. Using the Community of Inquiry (CoI) framework and self-efficacy theory, this study examined the teaching practices of higher education instructors during emergency remote online learning in response to the COVID-19 pandemic during Spring 2020. Regarding the three CoI presences, both students and instructors reported high teaching presence and high cognitive presence, as well as moderate social presence during emergency remote online learning. Correlations were found between student CoI scores and student satisfaction and perception …

I'M Still Valid: An Explanatory Sequential Mixed-Methods Study Of Part-Time Phd Students' Motivation And Satisfaction., Heather A Turner

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Doctoral attrition rates are consistently documented at approximately 50% in the United States, and attrition rates are typically higher for all students who pursue degrees on a part-time basis, regardless of degree level. Yet an increasing number of students are deciding to pursue research doctorates on a part-time basis. This growth in the part-time PhD student population requires an understanding of the factors that affect their persistence. I investigated part-time PhD student persistence through an explanatory sequential mixed methods approach to understanding the relationship between motivation and satisfaction through the lens of Self-Determination Theory. Findings suggest that part-time PhD students …

The Effects Of Feedback And Input On Job Satisfaction And Motivation, Daphne Slusher

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Projects

In this study, I examine the effects of feedback and input on job satisfaction and motivation in a simulated online task. 106 Participants completed a puzzle in groups of 2-4 with feedback (positive/negative/none) and goal-setting (present/absent) manipulated. I predicted positive feedback would produce higher scores for satisfaction, and motivation, and lower scores for perceived workload. Similarly, I predicted that goal-setting would produce higher scores on selected scales for satisfaction, motivation, and perceived workload. These predictions were partially correct with positive feedback producing significantly higher satisfaction than negative feedback, a similar but non-significant trend for motivation, and significantly lower perceived workload …

Reviewing Patient Satisfaction Of Lifecare Alliance Services Provided To The Columbus Community, Sean Ruffner

Masters Theses/Capstone Projects

Two separate patient satisfaction surveys were sent out to LifeCare Alliance’s customers. Each patient was asked a set of five questions that generalized the encounters as a whole experience. The first survey is for patients that were seen by nurses for footcare, general wellness and more (1A - PowerPoint). The other survey was sent to clients who received the flu vaccine (1B - PowerPoint). To conclude, data was then collected and analyzed using an excel spreadsheet (1C – PowerPoint).

Students' Performance, Satisfaction And Retention In A Hybrid And Traditional Face-To-Face Science Course, Principles Of Biology I, In A Community College, Abdallah Mohammad Matari

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Hybrid teaching, comprised of both in-class and online teaching, is rapidly becoming a favorite mode of teaching and learning. Online and hybrid courses on have become more and more appealing to both higher education institutions and the students they serve. In particular, hybrid teaching has an increase appeal to community colleges as they serve a diverse student population with varied academic levels, cultural background, and personal responsibilities. Hybrid courses promotes flexibility in course scheduling options for students and enables institutions to accept more students without worrying about physical classroom space concerns. This study explored and compared students’ learning outcomes, satisfaction, …

Mentorship Experiences Of Doctoral Students: Effects On Program Satisfaction And Ideal Mentor Qualities, Alicia Apperson

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The road to doctoral completion is often fraught with barriers, self-doubt, and complications. Creighton, Creighton, and Parks (2010, Mentoring & Tutoring: Partnership in Learning, 18(1), 39-52. doi:10.1080/13611260903448342) asserted that mentoring plays a crucial role in the development and success of graduate students, especially those in doctoral programs. The mentorship of doctoral students can also assist in alleviating the attrition rates that are currently estimated to be between 40% and 60%. In this quantitative study, correlational and stepwise regression analyses were conducted to examine the most beneficial qualities currently enrolled doctoral students find in a mentor and to describe the relationship …

Student Satisfaction With Canvas Use In Face-To-Face Courses At Colorado Mountain College, Chris N. Wenger

Higher Education: Doctoral Research Projects

By examining the relationship between the use of LMS tools and student course satisfaction, institutions can purposefully target areas most in need of improvement. The inconsistency in the application and use of LMS tools has resulted in a fragmenting of the student experience and has had a potentially negative affect on student attitudes toward its use. In order to address these issues and to support CMC’s mission, college leadership has created a minimum usage requirement for Canvas in all credit courses. This evaluation aims to provide insight for improving the use of Canvas tools and increasing student course satisfaction in …

Student Satisfaction Related To The Campus Residential Experience, Renee Raisa Grant

Theses and Dissertations

The primary purpose of this study was to understand how satisfied students were with their campus residential experience. This study was conducted at a private, liberal arts college located in the Finger Lakes region of upstate, NY, given the pseudonym Able University. Convenience sampling was used to get respondents to this survey. The survey was sent out electronically to the campus residential population. The students that responded to the survey were included in the study.

A total of 372 students responded to the survey for a return rate of 18.4%. The survey used for this study was administered in fall …

The Influence Of Social Support And Basic Psychological Needs Satisfaction On Student Academic Motivation At A Cameroonian University: Structural Equation Modeling, Samuel Adamou

Dissertations

Problem

The growing number of students at the university level in Cameroon created maladaptive behaviors including lack of behavior adaptation, interests, respect, happiness, self-esteem, which led to strikes, vandalism, academic failure and resulting in school dropout (Nwaimah, 2008). The Cameroonian government proposed a number of reforms to solve these issues. One of the major proposed reforms consisted of implementing the Bologna Model in higher education through borrowing and transferring of policies, ideas, and practices from a European higher education area (Eta, 2015; Mngo, 2011). Yet despite the surface progress, the question of how to enhance student learning and improve instruction …

College Students And The Rhetorical Dissent Goal: Associations Between Dissent Goal, Dissent Target, And Perceptions Of Instructor Power, Martin Glenn Heator

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Some college students who experience discontent with the instructional experience engage in a complaining and problem-solving behavior called instructional dissent. Three types of dissent have been identified: rhetorical, expressive, and vengeful. Student perceptions of instructor power influence if and how students dissent. This study explored the relationship between instructor power and rhetorical dissent. Previous studies measured rhetorical dissent as a single variable incorporating the goal for dissenting and the target for dissent expression, using the instructor in the class as the only target. This study measured dissent goal and dissent target as separate variables and included the instructor in the …

Listening To Our Graduate Students' Feedback: Graduate Student Exit And Alumni Surveys, Alison W. Hong-Novotney

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Student and alumni surveys have become some of the most widely-used methods of assessment of student learning in higher education. While the majority of literature on student surveys and assessment focuses on undergraduate students, this study looks specifically at why graduate student exit and alumni surveys can be valuable tools within a comprehensive assessment plan. Listening to the feedback of current and former graduate students, and then acting upon that feedback, is crucial for the engagement and success of this unique population of students who bring their particular strengths and needs to their educational experiences. This study examined how master’s …

The Online Student Experience: An Exploration Of First-Year University Students’ Expectations, Experiences And Outcomes Of Online Education, Melanie Henry

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Online higher education presents a critical opportunity to extend and diversify the student body. The Online Student Experience (OSE), and online student outcomes, however, remain shrouded in ambiguity. The literature presents conflicting reports of online education (OE) quality, confounded by a lack of appreciation for potential differences between online and on-campus education, and a diversity of interpretations for what constitutes OE. The present research conceptualises OE as representing university courses that require students to interact with instructors and course materials via the internet, with no expectation of attending a university campus. A broad student-centred perspective is notably lacking from the …

International Students’ Satisfaction With Educational Service Augmenters And Their Adjustment To The U.S. Higher Education Institutions, Cong Cong

Educational Foundations & Leadership Theses & Dissertations

The study aims to investigate the relationship between international students’ satisfaction with educational service augmenters and their academic, social, and personal-emotional adjustment to U.S. institutions. Furthermore, this study compared different influences on international students’ adjustment, with a focus on students’ satisfaction with educational service augmenters as well as the traditional predictors (i.e., English fluency, friendships with American peers, and institutional attitude towards the international student population). The researcher sampled participants from institutions across the United States by sending an email invitation and survey link to complete the International Students’ Satisfaction and Adjustment Instrument. Hierarchical Multiple Regression analyses were utilized to …

Perceptions Of Peer Mentorship Within Living Learning Communities: A Case Study, Nicole Marie Nicholson

Masters Theses

Living-learning communities (LLC) are seen as a way to help promote student engagement and retention using best practices in higher education (Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education, 2014). Resident Assistants (RA), also known as resident advisors, and LLC peer mentors are members of a residential community in college who are employed to help provide a sense of community among residents on their floor or in their building (Rieske & Benjamin, 2015). Previous research (Wyile, 2012) on LLC peer mentor interactions provided examples of how peer mentors could enhance a community within a college LLC. This qualitative study …

A Multiple Regression Analysis Of Factors Concerning Satisfaction,, Jim S. Knutson-Kolodzne

Culminating Projects in Higher Education Administration

This study investigated the patterns of student involvement, the level of satisfaction and acculturation of American Indian college students to determine if a relationship existed between these processes. This study gathered data from 139 students between the ages of 18-54 who self-identify as American Indian. This study included men and women. Four state colleges and universities participated in the study. Data was gathered in the spring semester 2016 using two instruments: the College Student Experience Questionnaire (CSEQ) and the Native American Acculturation scale (NAAS) that were combined on an on-line survey. The data analysis used descriptive statistics, with a T-Test …

The Correlation Between The National Survey Of Student Engagement Indicators And First Year Student Achievement, Satisfaction, And Retention, Larry Peck

STEMPS Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if the National Survey of Student Engagement indicators (NSSE), High-Impact Practices, demographic variables and non-involvement factors can significantly predict student achievement, satisfaction, and retention. The sample included data from 493 freshmen from a large public university in the Southeastern United States who participated in the National Survey of Student Engagement in 2015 and 2016. This study seeks to benefit instructional designers, educators, and educational institutions to maximize their resources and efforts to achieve maximum achievement, retention, and satisfaction.

The study concluded that achievement is highly correlated with higher-order learning, learning strategies, effective …

A Quantitative Study On Student Perception Of Campus Climate For Diversity At A Predominantly White Institution, Tyler O. Harrison

Theses and Dissertations

This quantitative study was conducted during the spring 2015 semester at Rowan University—a Predominantly White Institution located in Glassboro, NJ that also consists of classes in Camden, NJ. The target population of this study was all main-campus, full-time undergraduate students at or above the age of 18 years who were enrolled in Rowan University for at least a full semester—during the Fall 2014 semester and returned in the Spring 2015 semester.

The purpose of this research study was to close a knowledge gap for research surrounding undergraduate perception of campus climate for diversity at a Predominantly White Institution as represented …

Comparing University Student Performance In Online V. Face-To-Face Offerings Of The Same Course, And Investigating Student Perceptions Of Satisfaction In An Online Course, Kristin Davidson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Online education in the United States has seen dramatic growth for the past decade, outpacing any other growth in higher education. The concurrent mixed-methods study that was conducted for this research used data from a survey geology course taught in both environments, online and traditional face-to-face. The quantitative research focused on comparing student performance in an online course relative to the same face-to-face course, while the qualitative research investigated how students described their experiences taking an online class. Previous work in online education has been limited by relatively small sample sizes, conducting studies over just one semester, comparing dissimilar courses …

Improving Enrollment In The Construction Management Graduate Program Through Students’ Perspectives, Mouloud Messaoudi

Master of Technology Management Plan II Graduate Projects

Low enrollment and the decrease in graduation and retention rates are challenges facing the growth of the Master’s in Technology Management – Construction Management (MTM-CM) program at BGSU. In addition, the competition between the universities to enroll and retain more in-state, out-of-state, and international students is aggressive. There is a need for a revaluation for the MTM-CM program in order to attract more students in the future. This study is a necessary step to know what the MTM-CM students think about the product delivered to them at BGSU. There was no prior study investigating the satisfaction level of the construction …

Perceived Satisfaction Of Counseling Doctoral Students With Their Dissertation Chairperson: Examining Selection Criteria And Chairperson Behaviors, Cheryl Warren Neale-Mcfall

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

The relationship between doctoral students and their chairperson has been linked to students' successful completion of their dissertation and program of study (Gardner, 2009; Lovitts, 2001). It is often the case that failure to complete the dissertation is what prevents doctoral students from completing their degree. When students do not successfully complete their degrees, attrition rates rise and programs and students feel the burden, both financially and as an investment of time. (Bair & Haworth, 2004). Studies indicate that many students fall short of completing the dissertation, or take much longer than expected, due to a lack of supervision or …