Education Commons^™

The Relationship Between Participation In A Student Success Course And The Retention Rate And Academic Success Of First-Year Freshmen At A Historically Black University, Madeline Martinez

Dissertations

Problem

Amongst the highest at-risk student populations are minority students (students of color), first-generation college students, students from low-socioeconomic status, students experiencing financial challenges, and those who enter college academically underprepared. Furthermore, studies have found a significant gap in the educational achievement of African Americans in comparison to other peer groups. Closing this achievement gap requires educators to take a closer look at the complex concept of student retention and understand the variables and factors associated with students’ successful outcomes from both an individual and institutional perspective. An in-depth examination of the effectiveness of strategies specifically designed for the retention …

An Examination Of The Predictors Of Vocational Calling In First-Generation College Students, Rodney Palmer

Dissertations

Problem

Several studies have examined the prediction of calling in college students, but no known study has focused primarily on the development of vocational calling among the vulnerable population of first-generation college students who have a higher drop-out rate than their peers. Examining the composition of vocational calling in first-generation college students, will assist faculty and student development personnel in better understanding the factors that predict a sense of calling for these students, which will improve their overall performance. This study will examine to what extent a sense of vocational calling is predicted by student mentoring, social support, faith/spirituality, civic …

Servant Leadership Development Model For Staff At The University Of The Southern Caribbean, Lloyd Eric Jacott

Professional Dissertations DMin

Problem

Concerns have been raised by students regarding the unsatisfactory nature of customer service from administrative departments within the University of the Southern Caribbean such as Finance and Admissions. An investigation into this matter, using a focus group design was conducted by Brent Marshall for his Master's Thesis (2013) through the School of Business. However, prior to this an exit report of graduating students was conducted by the Department of quality assurance (2012). The findings of these two investigations provide the basis for implementing the servant leadership development model for staff at the Admissions, Records and Recruitment Departments of the …

Advising Assessment Practices Of Advising Professionals At An Accredited United Kingdom Urban Career-Focused Higher Education Institution: A Replicated Quantitative, Descriptive Analysis, Catherine E. Mahrt-Washington

Dissertations

The Problem

As the world has flattened, the globalization and quality education movement surrounding higher education worldwide has led to the accountability of all stakeholders regarding student success in and beyond the classroom. Student mobility continues to impact tertiary enrollments as families and students consider the proliferated traditional and non-traditional enrollment alternatives along with prospective lower tertiary debt options. Although assessment, an accountability tool, in co-curricular areas such as advising has been overlooked by leaders, advising is not impervious to accountability consequences. The problem is that assessment of advising, if performed, is oftentimes implemented informally, without a well-defined framework or …

Paramedic Professional And Leadership Development Using High-Fidelity Healthcare Simulation And Audiovisual Feedback : One Michigan Community College Case Study, Chester L. Dalski

Dissertations

Problem: Paramedic educators have a short time frame (840 didactic/laboratory plus 500 clinical/internship hours) and limited resources to prepare their students to have competent clinical skills, safe medical practice, and appropriate leadership and teamwork skills. New learning approaches including simulation, audiovisual feedback, and structured debriefing have been suggested as a way to meet this challenge within paramedic education. While some individual components have been studied, no study has examined these three technologies together in paramedic training programs. The overarching research question that guided this study was: What and how do paramedic students learn in a high-fidelity healthcare simulation program that …

The Predictive Roles Of The Personal Variables And The Leader Attributes And Behaviors Of Department Chairpersons Regarding The Outcomes Of Leadership As Perceived By Department Members In Selected Jamaican Universities, Vivienne Lyn Quarrie

Dissertations

Problem

Leaders within the Jamaican education system have often been selected either because of their personal aspirations or their emergence. Since institutional success is integrally linked to leadership, an intentional approach to leader identification should be established in an effort to consistently yield the desired outcomes. The purpose of this study, therefore, is to identify the predictive roles of the four personal variables (Leader Gender, Formal Leadership Training, Informal Leadership Training, and Years of Service as an Educator), and the nine leader attributes and behaviors of Bass‟s Full-Range Leadership Model (Idealized-Influence Attributed, Idealized-Influence Behavior, Inspirational Motivation, Intellectual Stimulation, Individualized Consideration, …

A Study Of Perceived Actual Versus Expected Roles Of Presidents Of Seventh-Day Adventist Senior Colleges And Universities In Eleven World Administrative Divisions, Sunith Kumar Das

Dissertations

Problem

To date no study has been undertaken with respect to Seventh-day Adventist senior college and university presidents’ actual and expected roles as perceived by the administrative team members and governing board chairs of these institutions. The purpose of this study was to determine the differences between presidents’ actual and expected roles.

Method

This descriptive, exploratory, survey study included a sample (n = 78) of board chairs, presidents, academic vice presidents, student service vice presidents, and finance vice presidents located in 27 senior colleges and universities operated by Seventh-day Adventists in 17 countries, including the U.S.A. Data were collected on …

A Mixed-Method Study Of The Environmental And Personal Factors That Influence Faculty Research Productivity At Small-Medium, Private, Doctorate-Granting Universities, Gustavo Gregorutti

Dissertations

Problem. This study sought to determine what organizational factors and personal characteristics of faculty members most relate to research productivity at small- to medium-sized not-for-profit, private, doctorate-granting universities.

Method. A mixed methodology was used that included an online survey, follow-up email surveys, and two face-to-face interviews. The main statistical tools used were multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) and regression. The final sample came from 12 small- to medium-size, private, not-for-profit doctorate-granting American universities. A group of 277 professors responded to the online survey. An online follow-up qualitative survey was conducted with 34 replies. Two additional face-to-face interviews were …

Sources Of Stress, Levels Of Stress, And Coping Strategies Of Faculty And Staff At Northern Caribbean University, Gloria Davis-Roberts

Dissertations

Statement of the problem. Northern Caribbean University, formerly West Indies College, attained university status in June 1999. The purpose of this study was to describe the levels and sources of stress and coping strategies of faculty and staff at Northern Caribbean University (NCU) and to determine if these (levels, sources, and coping strategies) are related to selected demographic characteristics (such as gender, age, marital status, years of employment, and employment status---faculty or staff).

Method. A descriptive survey research design was used to conduct this study in which the Occupational Stress Inventory (OSI) was administered to the facultyand staff of NCU. …

Spiritual Well-Being And Quality Of Life As Correlates Of Job Stress Among Academic Chairpersons In Selected Seventh-Day Adventist Tertiary Institutions, Russell Mark Aldridge

Dissertations

Problem . Stress, like pain, begins at birth and remains common to the human condition throughout life, and it is a factor in the experience of every human being who ever lived. It is not merely universal but it is also endemic and omnipresent. Chairpersons, due to the bi-directional demands of administration and students are in a stressful environment. This study was undertaken to identify whether quality of life and spiritual well-being play an important role in occupational stress levels in chairpersons of Seventh-day Adventist Tertiary Institutions.

Method. Three questionnaires were used to get responses from 137 chairpersons in …

Faculty Perceptions Of Institutional Commitment To The Scholarship Of Engagement, Mackenzi Anne Huyser

Dissertations

Problem. Institutions of higher education are in an important position in relation to fulfillment of their institutional mission. Boyer (1996) introduced to the higher education community an alternative approach to scholarship to address this shift from original mission. While Boyer (1990) examined institutions of higher education as a whole, the distinctive worldview, mission, and philosophy of reformed Christian institutions have not been examined to determine to what extent they are fulfilling their calling to transform creation and redeem culture. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine social perceptions that full-time faculty, serving in reformed institutions, hold about their …

Perceptions Of Board Effectiveness In Selected Institutions Of Higher Education In Zimbabwe, Bonginkosi Zvandasara

Dissertations

Problem

The purpose of this study was to identify the level of board effectiveness in selected private and public universities in Zimbabwe as perceived by board members. Also, the study sought to determine the influence of such demographic variables as age, education level, and years of service on the seven factors of university functioning: institutional mission, institutional planning, physical plant, financial management, board membership, board organization and performance, and board/vice chancellor relations.

Method

The survey method was used to collect data. Respondents were asked to complete a 47-item questionnaire and indicate their level of agreement on each of the questions …

Administrator Perceptions Of Internet-Based Distance Education In Adventist Colleges And Universities : A Mixed-Method Study, Pamela K. Cress

Dissertations

Problem . The quality of Internet-based distance education (IBDE) will increasingly become the standard by which students choose a program as higher educational options multiply due to the dramatic growth in distance education. A system-wide examination of perceptions of IBDE in Adventist highereducation is important to administrators for future institutional strategic planning purposes, systemic adoption of policies and practices that promote excellence, and identifying collaborative efforts.

Method . This was a sequential exploratory mixed-method study of the perceptions of administrators on IBDE. It was conducted collaboratively with Susan Smith who examined teacher perceptions. Data were collected for both studies from …

The Relationship Of Academic Workload Typologies And Other Selected Demographic Variables To Burnout Levels Among Full-Time Faculty In Seventh-Day Adventist Colleges And Universities In North America, Sylvia Gonzalez

Dissertations

Problem statement. Research has shown that burnout is a widespread phenomenon among teachers, and that workload could be a possible predictor. No study had been done to date in Seventh-day Adventist colleges and universities in North America to determine the levels of burnout in full-time faculty. Research was necessary, therefore, to determine the possible impact of academic workload typologies, gender, age, years of service in education, rank of professorship, teacher perception of academic workload intensity, and teacher perception of academic workload on burnout levels in this population.

Methodology. A non-experimental, exploratory, correlational, field-based, and cross-sectional study was conducted. …

A Rhetorical Analysis Of Theodore Hesburgh's Fund-Raising Speeches For The University Of Notre Dame, Peggie Mathaba Ncube

Dissertations

Problem Statement. Literature reveals that college or university presidents play a key role in raising funds for their institutions. These roles are well documented, and yet many presidents face challenges in raising adequate funds for their institutions. Success stories of some university presidents are recorded, but no research has studied their rhetoric in raising funds in an attempt to uncover their formula for success. One such president is Theodore Hesburgh of the University of Notre Dame.

Methodology. This study assumes a rhetorical design, specifically the Burkean dramatistic approach to analyze Theodore Hesburgh's fund-raising speeches to the alumni of the …

Institutional Activities In International Higher Education : An Assessment Of Advancement Strategies Used At Selected Small Church-Related Colleges And Universities, Janeric Arne Gustavsson

Dissertations

Problem. Small church-related colleges and universities are experiencing financial difficulties. This study assesses the institutional advancement programs at selected Seventh-day Adventist colleges and universities. The purpose of this examination was to analyze "what is" to determine the present-day process of the advancement function, and what "ought to be." These data will also suggest potential areas for growth and development.

Method . The study uses a non-experimental, descriptive design. To accomplish the purpose of the study, the literature on institutional advancement was reviewed to find a useable framework. The instrument used for this study was the one used in Willmer's …

Relationships Among Selected Internal/External Variables Affecting Decision Making In The Roles/Functions Of Research University Provosts, Haldane F. Davies

Dissertations

Problem

In the business and corporate world, there exists a unique collection of proven decision-making tools, techniques, and management ideas. There is, however, no clear definition and empirical analysis relative to the nature of the relationships among internal/external variables as they influence decision-making in the research university provosts' roles and functions. It was the purpose of this study to investigate the effects of selected variables on provost decision-making within their many functions.

Method

The survey research method was used to study the relationships among selected variables affecting decision-making in the functions of research university provosts. An instrument was designed and …

Toward A Rationale For Foreign-Language Proficiency Requirements For Doctoral Degrees In Selected Professional Disciplines, Aurelia Rae Holman

Dissertations

Problem. In the United States, a uniquely American situation exists in that there appears to be no uniform or consistent comprehensive rationale underlying foreign-language study and proficiency requirements for doctoral degrees. As contrasted to students in other parts of the world, especially in Europe--where compulsory basic requirements are usually met by language studies in elementary through secondary school--most American graduate students are ill-prepared for foreign-language proficiency examinations on the doctoral level.

Method. Historical literature was reviewed to gather information regarding the development of foreign-language requirements in the United States and in Europe. In addition, a request for information about current …

The Role And Responsibilities Of Andrews University Trustees As Perceived By Themselves, David H. Bauer

Dissertations

Problem. The university board of trustees is the single most important group of the university to guide an institution in fulfilling its goals and objectives. While it may seem that trustees have a grasp of their responsibilities to the institution they serve, it appears that many do not.

This study surveys all who have ever served as trustees of Andrews University in order to: (1) indentify characteristics of trustees; (2) determine how trustees of Andrews University perceive/perceived their role as trustee in relationship to the twelve trustee responsibilities as listed by John Nason; (3) compare theresponses of church administrators with …

Role Expectations Of Presidents As Perceived By Presidents, Board Of Trustees, And Faculty: A Study Of Private Institutions Of Higher Education In West Java, Indonesia, Richards A. Hutagaol

Dissertations

Problem

The number of private institutions of higher education grew rapidly in Indonesia after 1961. No research studies can be found that ascertain the role expectations of presidents of private institution of higher education in West Java. This study attempted (1) to determine the role expectations of presidents as perceived by presidents, board members, and faculty members of private institutions of higher education in West Java, and (2) to discover any significant differences in the perceptions of the roles of presidents among and between presidents, board members, and faculty members and among and between universities, sekolah tinggi, and academies.

Method …

A Comparison Of The Role Expectations Of The Chairperson Of The Board Of Trustees Of Selected Universities In Michigan As Perceived By Five Status Groups, John Evans Hill

Dissertations

Problem. The university board chairperson performs many tasks in his/her position. Howeve4r, it appears that there is a lack of consensus on the chairperson's role. Therefore, this study was concerned with the role expectations of the board chairperson of the university as perceived by the board chairperson, university presidents, vice-presidents for academic affairs, vice-presidents for financial affiars, and other university board members. Is there any correlation between what the board chairperson actually does and what he/she should do as perceived by the five groups? It was expected that a clarification of the role expectations would provide useful guidelines for improving …

A Comparison Of Values Of Board Chairmen And Educational Administrators In Seventh-Day Adventist Residential Academies, Colleges, And Universities In The United States Of America And Canada, David Birkenstock

Dissertations

Problem. An important concern of administrators is assessing the role of values in education. A high degree of values congruency between board chairmen and educational administrators seems essential for educational institutions to function effectively. The purpose of the study was to assess the degree of values congruency between Seventh- day Adventist board chairmen and educational administrators.

Method. The Allport, Vernon, and Lindzey Study of Values scale, which furnished relative scores for six value classifications— aesthetic, economic, political, religious, social, and theoretical— was selected for the study. A personal data sheet was developed for the subjects of the study.

Ten hypotheses …