Education Commons^™

Student Preferences For Active Learning And Their Beliefs, Experiences, And Knowledge, Tammy Shilling, Jerome Thayer, Anneris Coria-Navia, Heather Ferguson

Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders

Active teaching methods are believed to facilitate higher-order thinking skills and prepare allied health students for independent clinical decision-making. This quantitative, correlational study aimed to explain the relationships between student preferences for active over traditional methods and their beliefs, the frequency and positiveness of their experiences, and the extent of knowledge they have received regarding active and traditional teaching methods. Two hundred and thirty students completed a 53-item online survey. Students were enrolled in a Doctor of Physical Therapy, Masters in Speech-language Pathology, or Bachelor of Science Nursing program in one of seventeen participating institutions across a ten-state Midwest region. …

Calculating The Cost Of New Student Matriculation In A Midwestern Community College, Daniel Joseph Kelly

Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the cost of new student matriculation at a midwestern community college. Employing activity-based costing, the study allocates costs from the college’s operating budget to determine the cost of new student matriculation, the matriculation cost per student, and the point at which, in credit-hours, the college recovers the matriculation cost. Efficiency is used as a conceptual framework to discuss the college’s ability to move as many new students as possible through the matriculation activities at the lowest possible cost. A key finding was the college is spending a considerable amount of time and money to matriculate new students …

Emotionally Intelligent Leadership: An Application To Student Affairs, Alexander David Snowden

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to show the prevalence of emotionally intelligent leadership (EIL) that exists among student affairs professionals. The study evaluates the scores among student affairs professionals on the Emotionally Intelligent Leadership for Employees: Inventory (EILE-I) by utilizing information such as educational background, level of experience, gender, and racial identity.

The survey instrument, the Emotionally Intelligent Leadership for Employees Inventory, was designed and administered to 1068 student affairs professionals. Statistical tests from the responses included descriptive statistics, exploratory factor analysis, reliability analysis, and analysis of variance. Results showed that student affairs professionals scored an average of “Somewhat …

A Teacher Shortage And Lack Of Representation In The Classroom: A Neoliberal And Critical Race Study Of The Broken Teacher Pipeline And The Impact On Education Majors, Sara Piotrowski

Theses and Dissertations

Teacher education attrition is a largely understudied topic, especially from the perspective of the college student. What factors prevented education majors from graduating with a teaching degree? There are countless studies about teacher attrition within the first five years in the classroom (DeAngelis et al., 2013; Kopkowski, 2008; Office of Postsecondary Education [OPE], 2015), but the research is sparse when it comes to the retention rate of education majors. Why do students get accepted and enter college as education majors and then not graduate with a degree to become a teacher? The purpose of this study was to consider factors …

Reconstructing Our Ships: Navigating The Use Of Simulation In Csd, Carol C. Dudding

Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders

Simulations for clinical training is an example of a disruptive technology in that it offers great potential in the training and assessment of students and professionals in Communication Sciences and Disorders. As such, those considering adoption of simulations should anticipate the need for restructuring of the educational program in order to take full advantage of the benefits and minimize the unintended consequences.

Black While Leading: Unmasking The Anti-Black Lived Experiences Of Senior-Level Black Men Administrators At Historically White Institutions, Dujuan Eugene Smith

Theses and Dissertations

This study explored the anti-black lived experiences of 9 senior-level Black men who are administrators at Historically White Institutions. Black critical theory (BlackCrit) and theory of marginality and mattering are the guiding frameworks used to examine the lived experiences of the Black administrators. The purpose of this study was to reveal the ways that Black senior-level administrators process, navigate, and make meaning of their lived experiences and anti-blackness at HWIs. Critical ethnography was used as the research methodology to help reveal the personal reflections and strategies that Black men who are senior-level administrators engage in to combat the pervasiveness of …

The Experiences Of Black Women In Diversity Roles At 4-Year Predominantly White Institutions, Tristen Brena� Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

Many Black women professionals at predominantly White colleges and universities share similar experiences regarding racism, sexism, and classism at their institutions. However, there is a dearth of research regarding the experiences of Black women who specifically work in diversity related positions at four-year predominantly White institutions (PWI). The purpose of this study was to explore the lived experiences of Black women who hold diversity related roles at PWIs. For the purpose of this study, diversity positions were defined as roles held in housing and residence life as well as in multicultural affairs departments and centers. Using a qualitative research approach …

The Influence Of Instructor Mental Illness Disclosure On The Perceptions Of Mental Illness, Classroom Climate, Teacher Credibility, Homophily, And Social Attraction, Kirsten L. Bridgemen

Theses and Dissertations

This study uses the lens of Communication Privacy Management theory to analyze the impact an instructor’s depth of disclosure of their mental illness can have on mental illness stigmatization, classroom climate, as well as teacher credibility, homophily, and social attraction. Participants responded to a series of quantitative-based questions regarding a hypothetical syllabus with varied levels of a teacher disclosing their mental illness. Results indicated that none of the investigated dependent variables were negatively affected by the hypothetical instructor’s disclosure, and mental illness stigmatization was lessened. Implications, limitations, and areas for future research are discussed.

Small-Town Living: Do Illinois Universities Understand The Rural College Student?, Erik Andrew Dalmasso

Theses and Dissertations

Rural students are confronted with unique challenges when considering postsecondary choices. According to McShane and Smarick (2018), scholarship on this overarching issue is limited, as it is “often shunted to specialized journals that have not been able to integrate findings into the broader education policy conversation” (p. 1). Rural students, and to a broader extent, rural education have little voice in the postsecondary pathways that have been created within higher education (Goldman, 2019). Recruitment of rural students, financial aid policy, remediation/developmental programming, state and federal postsecondary legislation have largely treated rural students in tandem with their urban and suburban peers, …

An Analysis Of Campus Services For International Students At Institutions In The Midwest, Sylvia Miriyam Findlay

Theses and Dissertations

Higher education campuses are becoming ethnoculturally diverse with the influx of international students from various parts of the world and must modify their international student recruitment and enrollment strategies in response to this trend. The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions of student affairs personnel to campus services for international students by comparing what should be provided to what is being offered. The study also attempts to identify the gap in their perceptions. Services identified in the literature were examined using the Briggs and Ammigan (2017) collaborative programming and outreach model, which combined concepts of student engagement …

Exploring The Relationship Between Members Of Lifelong Learning Institutes And Host Institutions, Jon Charles Neidy

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between an individual’s involvement in Lifelong Learning Institutes (LLIs) and his or her propensity for philanthropic giving to the institute or its hosting college or university. The dataset was acquired through a survey administered to eleven Osher Lifelong Learning Institutes (OLLIs) in the United States. Data analysis was conducted on seven research questions which explored how the length, type, and frequency of participation, as well as the level satisfaction, commitment, and feelings of community may relate to an LLI participant’s inclination to donate. The findings of this study reveal these …

Answering The “More And Cheaper ” Push Of The Completion Agenda: What Does It Cost An Illinois Public University To Deliver A Bachelor’S Degree?, Melissa R. Pitcock

Theses and Dissertations

Using readily available data, this study estimated the costs incurred by an Illinois public university to deliver a bachelor’s degree. Building on previous scholarship, the study used the transcript (based on the graduate’s path to the degree) and catalog (based on the major’s requirements listed in the university catalog) approaches to estimate costs, from three administrative purviews, for native and transfer students graduating from six different academic areas in fiscal 2015. Costs per credit hour were gathered from data prepared annually by the university for the state’s board of higher education.

A primary finding of this study was that costs …

You Belong Here: Residence Halls As Disparate Predictors Of Sophomore Year Persistence At Predominantly White Institutions, James Raymond Neville

Theses and Dissertations

The goal of this study is to compare the influence of residence hall living on student persistence between white and nonwhite students at predominantly white institutions. The Beginning Postsecondary Students (BPS) 2012/2014 longitudinal study dataset was acquired from the National Center for Education Statistics. A logistic regression was run to determine the predictive value of residence on student persistence by census race group. The findings of this study reveal that residence halls are not accomplishing as much for Black and Latino students as they are for White students. The results of this study challenge PWIs to take additional steps to …

A Critical Walk Down Illinois Career Pathways, Michael Cermak

Theses and Dissertations

This study analyzes high school Career and Technical Education (CTE) enrollments in Illinois public high schools. Emphasis is placed on considering how enrollments of students of color differs from their white peers. Gender and racial imbalances prove pronounced in STEM-related career pathways and reveal a large proportion of students of color enrolled in courses leading to low-skill, service-sector occupations. Given future economic and social implications, I recommend future researchers consider how students of color select and how underrepresented students are placed by institutional members and practices into CTE courses.

Navigating For The Adult Student: Ways To Help Adult Students Transfer Successfully From Community Colleges To Universities, Bethany M. Craig

Theses and Dissertations

Despite the research that exists about transfer students, there is limited literature on the services that colleges and universities provide to adult students who transfer from community college to university. The number of adult students who participate in postsecondary education continues to grow. The purpose for this mixed method exploratory study was to gather data through both telephone conversations and a survey of transfer coordinators at Illinois institutions of higher education, including community colleges, public four-year institutions, and private, nonprofit four-year institutions. The study sought to understand what transfer coordinators perceive their colleges and universities are doing to help adult …

Promoting Persistence Among Lgbtq Community College Students, Gregory D. Robinson

Theses and Dissertations

A vast amount of research has been devoted to the persistence and retention of college students since the 1970s. Recent research has focused on targeted populations such as first year students, racially minoritized, students with low social economic status and students at the developmental/remedial level. Nevertheless, limited scholarly research has been conducted on the persistence and retention of another category of students, sexual and gender minorities. This qualitative study examined the experiences that promote persistence among Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer/Questioning (LGBTQ) community colleges students. Interviews with eight LGBTQ students from three community colleges in the state of Illinois …

An Evaluative Study Of A Health Information Management Program Following A Significant Curricular Change, Jennifer Lynn Peterson

Theses and Dissertations

The advent of electronic health records (EHRs) has led to significant changes in the role of those who managing patient health information, Health Information Management (HIM) professionals. These changes have further led to significant changes in the educational training required for HIM professionals, leading to new curriculum requirements. Based on the need for well-prepared professionals in the changing HIM environment, it is essential to insure that educational programs are effectively preparing students for the new roles they will be expected to fill. This study is an in-depth case study of the HIM academic program at Illinois State University. The purpose …

A Mixed Methods Study Of The Implementation Of Collaborative Technology Tools For Enhancing Collaboration And Student Engagement In Online Learning: Faculty Experiences And Student Perspectives, Ayshah Abdullah Alahmari

Theses and Dissertations

The appropriate implementation of collaborative technology tools in online courses leads to a culture of social learning where technology empowers students to take central roles in their learning. Yet, critical questions still exist about how faculty design, develop, implement collaborative eLearning activities using technology tools that support collaboration and student engagement in online courses, and what perspectives students have toward their experiences while participating in these activities. The purpose of the study is to explore the experiences of faculty members implementing collaborative technology tools in online courses to support collaboration and student engagement, in addition, to obtain the perspectives of …

Analysis Of Grade Variances In Multisection Calculus Classes, S. Paul Shaffer

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation was to explore grade variances associated with multisection calculus grades. The method for the project was quantitative examining grade distribution patterns that existed between calculus sections at a public university void of an over-arching grading policy during the case study. Results showed that different grade distribution patterns by different instructors were primarily due to student-centric characteristics. The significant findings suggest that student grades are firmly in control of students. Only when course grade averages were at the extreme did evidence suggest that instructor-centric characteristics played meaningful role in student grade determination.

The Effect Of Concept Mapping On Baccalaureate Nursing Students' Knowledge Acquisition, Pamela S. Laskowski

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation is a series of three papers on the effect of concept mapping on baccalaureate nursing students’ knowledge acquisition. The first paper is an integrative review of the literature on the use of concept mapping in nursing education. The review evidences that concept mapping has been effective in nursing education for increasing students’ critical thinking. However, it shows that no studies addressing the level of nursing knowledge gained using concept mapping were identified, indicating a need for research in the area of the use of concept mapping for nursing knowledge acquisition. The second paper is a feasibility study of …

The Tropes We Tutor By: Names And Labels As Tropes In Writing Center Work, Scott R. Sands

Theses and Dissertations

The following study explores the way names and labels function as tropes in writing center work. Building on Lakoff and Johnson’s work on metaphors, and using Kenneth Burke’s concept of the trope, this study analyzes the way names and labels for writing center spaces, people, activity, and preparation function metaphorically, synecdochically, metonymically, and ironically to shape the way people understand and value writing centers. This study demonstrates the ways in which names and labels used in writing center work both focus attention on particular aspects of that work and also minimize or hide other important aspects of that work. Ultimately, …

Culturally Responsive Educational Leadership: A Qualitative Study Of Indigenous Innovations, Bert Klunder

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study of culturally responsive educational leadership (CREL) explores noteworthy cases of system-wide innovation spanning decades through interviews with seven education professionals active within Indigenous movements and organizations driving Native Hawaiian education and the revitalization of Hawaiian language and culture. The research focus includes the Na Honua Mauli Ola Guidelines (and Pathways) for Culturally Healthy and Responsive Learning Environments, along with the preceding Kumu Honua Mauli Ola Philosophy Statement. Interviewees, all with direct connections to these innovations, illuminate their local and global significance through personal accounts of their development and implementation. The study’s uniquely situated methodology yields rich data …

Student Demographic And Academic Characteristics That Predict Community College Student Success In Online Courses, Jennifer L. Davidson

Theses and Dissertations

Online student success is a concern for higher education institutions especially community colleges with open enrollment admission. This study analyzed online student success using online GPA (dependent variable) and both demographic and academic characteristics of online students (independent variables) to determine which characteristics significantly correlated to and predicted student success in online courses. The sample included an unduplicated count of 4,046 online students enrolled in at least one online course during fall 2015 and spring 2016 at a public, Midwestern community college. Six research questions and twelve hypotheses were used to determine which independent variables led online students to a …

Senate Meeting, May 10, 2017, Academic Senate

Academic Senate Minutes

No abstract provided.

Senate Meeting, April 26, 2017, Academic Senate

Academic Senate Minutes

No abstract provided.

Senate Meeting, April 12, 2017, Academic Senate

Academic Senate Minutes

No abstract provided.

Senate Meeting, March 29, 2017, Academic Senate

Academic Senate Minutes

No abstract provided.

Students’ Expectations And Faculty Approaches To Instructional Activities: Are Faculty Meeting The Needs Of This Generation?, Julie Ann Brines

Theses and Dissertations

Students who engage academically and socially with others on campus are more likely to stay at their institution and graduate, and the continued success of higher education institutions depends on the persistence of those students. An extensive body of literature for student retention and faculty teaching practices exists, but the present study focused on how student persistence may be affected by the interactions between students and faculty, especially when students and faculty were members of different generational cohorts. Investigating those interactions revealed there is a significant difference between students’ expectations and faculty approaches to instructional activities inside and outside the …

Senate Meeting, February 22, 2017, Academic Senate

Academic Senate Minutes

No abstract provided.

Faculty Role In Curriculum Delivery At An International Branch Campus, Edith Pfeifer List

Theses and Dissertations

Focusing on faculty and curriculum at international branch campuses (IBCs), this study uses a qualitative case study method to examine faculty role in and perception of curriculum delivery. Interviews and observations were conducted at a midwestern institution and it’s European IBC. The areas of investigation include faculty involvement in curricular decision making, modifications for curricular delivery at the course and program level, communication between campuses, perceived differences and similarities between campuses, and professional development opportunities through the institution. The aim of this study was to gain insights into the program-level curriculum and course decision-making and delivery at international branch campuses …