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Full-Text Articles in Education

¡Puedes Hacerlo! A Qualitative Case Study Exploring The Experience Of Latina Community College Students With Aspirations To Transfer, Sandra Pizano Jan 2023

¡Puedes Hacerlo! A Qualitative Case Study Exploring The Experience Of Latina Community College Students With Aspirations To Transfer, Sandra Pizano

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation examined the motivation and source of support for first-generation Latina community college students who aspire to transfer to a four-year institution. The study is informed by Yosso’s Community Cultural Wealth model, to explore how participants navigate their school environment and the vertical transfer process through an asset-based lens. The study aims to dismantle the deficit narrative that is many times told about communities of color. Eight students who self-identify as first-generation community college Latinas, plan on completing an associate degree within 1-2 semesters of the interviews, and have identified a transfer four-year institution were interviewed for this study. …


The Relationship Between Fully Online Gateway Science Courses And Student Academic Performance In Health Career Associate Degree Programs At Regional Community College, Mukesh George Jan 2023

The Relationship Between Fully Online Gateway Science Courses And Student Academic Performance In Health Career Associate Degree Programs At Regional Community College, Mukesh George

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

The severe shortage of healthcare professionals creates an increased demand for new graduates in Allied health and Nursing programs. Gateway science courses to HCAD programs such as A&P are often considered predictors of student success in Allied health and Nursing programs. A&P courses have been traditionally taught face-to-face, and the COVID pandemic has forced institutions to switch these courses to a fully online format. Despite its increased popularity, the impact of fully online gateway courses on student academic performance in HCAD programs needed to be clarified. This quantitative study examined the relationship between fully online gateway science courses and student …


We Made It. Now What? A Qualitative Case Study Exploring How The Transition Of Black Men To A Historically Black Community College Is Influenced By Orientation 101, Eric R. Agee Jr. Jan 2022

We Made It. Now What? A Qualitative Case Study Exploring How The Transition Of Black Men To A Historically Black Community College Is Influenced By Orientation 101, Eric R. Agee Jr.

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

A gap in achievement among Black men who pursue post-secondary education remains. Many Black men start their college education at community colleges, but little is known about their experiences at Historically Black Community Colleges (HBCCs). The purpose of this dissertation of practice was to gain insights into the influence of College 101, also labeled Orientation to College 101 (ORI 101), on the transition of Black men to an HBCC. I utilized a qualitative case study design. The main data source were 15 semi-structured interviews, which were supplemented with closed-ended student survey responses on the ORI 101 course evaluation and the …


The Relationship Between The Diversity Of Illinois Community College Staff And Graduates: An Exploratory Quantitative Study, Rachel Boldman Jan 2022

The Relationship Between The Diversity Of Illinois Community College Staff And Graduates: An Exploratory Quantitative Study, Rachel Boldman

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

The present study sought to answer the research question, to what extent is the staff racial demographic profile, as a numeric representation of staff diversity, related to the diversity of graduating cohorts from public community colleges in Illinois? The exploratory quantitative study used five years of Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) survey data for both the staff and graduate populations. The years connected to staff represented the years the graduating cohorts entered college, and the years connected to graduates represent 150% of the normal time to their degree following the year of entry (cohort year). The sample was comprised …


A Qualitative Case Study Examining Women Of Color’S Experiences As They Pursue A Criminal Justice Degree, David John Dammon Ii Jan 2022

A Qualitative Case Study Examining Women Of Color’S Experiences As They Pursue A Criminal Justice Degree, David John Dammon Ii

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation examined the experiences of women of color (WOC), defined as African American and Latina women for this study, as they pursued a degree in a criminal justice program at a Midwest community college. Utilizing Schlossberg’s transition theory, the qualitative case study sought to learn how WOC experience the transition to being students in a criminal justice program and the support and strategies they utilized to adjust to and navigate it. The study sought to fill a gap in the literature on WOC seeking degrees in criminal justice programs. The study also sought to learn more about student experience …


Touchpoints: How Faculty And Advising Understand And Colloborate On Guided Pathways Reforms To Influence And Support Major Choice In A Community College, Bryant Bates Manning Jan 2022

Touchpoints: How Faculty And Advising Understand And Colloborate On Guided Pathways Reforms To Influence And Support Major Choice In A Community College, Bryant Bates Manning

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Guided pathways is a nationwide whole-college reform that aims to improve college completion rates and times for students, especially in the community college sector. This multisite case study sought to explore how pathways institutions supported students to better align with the right academic and career programs. Through individual semi-structured interviews, faculty members and advisors reflected on if and how they collaborated to better serve students in this capacity. Three themes emerged during data analysis and were reported in narrative form: a.) divergent faculty and advising attitudes about pathways reforms, b.) inconsistent perceptions on levels of collaboration, and c.) criticisms and …


Creating A Sense Of Belonging For Latinx Students In Community College: You Matter, You Fit In, And You Belong, Francisco Javier Bataz Jan 2022

Creating A Sense Of Belonging For Latinx Students In Community College: You Matter, You Fit In, And You Belong, Francisco Javier Bataz

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation examines the perceptions of Latinx sense of belonging in a Midwest community college and how their academic and social experiences are impacted. Sense of belonging is meaningful to community college students because Latinx students are historically underserved in postsecondary education. The goal is to better understand the perceptions of Latinx students in a community college setting and to find out what factors impact sense of belonging. This study is significant because Latinx student retention outcomes in higher education are very low. The Latinx population is the fastest growing group in the United States. Therefore, providing support and an …


A Narrative Inquiry On The Leadership Of Latina Women Practitioners In Community Colleges, Cynthia Padilla-Gaytan Jan 2022

A Narrative Inquiry On The Leadership Of Latina Women Practitioners In Community Colleges, Cynthia Padilla-Gaytan

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation of practice explored the experiences of Latina women student affairs practitioners as they engage in leadership at community colleges. Guided by LatCrit, this study combined a narrative inquiry approach with the use of pláticas. Data was collected via interviews with five Latina women student affairs professionals. Through the use of pláticas, the findings narrates participants’ reflections on their experiences of navigating white, masculine leadership norms. Specifically, white, masculine norms of leadership led to Latina women not seeing themselves as leaders growing up and early in their careers. white, masculine norms of leadership also created barriers for when Latina …


A Phenomenological Study Exploring Arab Muslim Students At Community College And Islamophobia, Dustin French Jan 2022

A Phenomenological Study Exploring Arab Muslim Students At Community College And Islamophobia, Dustin French

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Arab Muslim students continue to face various forms of islamophobia on campus despite efforts from the college to make campus more welcoming and inclusive. As Muslim students express concern about the rise of islamophobia on campus and bigoted rhetoric on social media, college leaders, administration, and faculty have an imperative role to play in curbing anti-Muslim sentiments, xenophobia, and racism across campus and in the classrooms. To address these concerns effectively and meaningfully, it is important for colleges to understand who their Arab Muslim students are and the challenges they face as college students amid islamophobia. This dissertation explored how …


To Note Or Not To Note: Students' Conceptualizations Of Note Taking During Academic Reading In A Developmental Reading Course, Margaret J. O'Kerns Jan 2021

To Note Or Not To Note: Students' Conceptualizations Of Note Taking During Academic Reading In A Developmental Reading Course, Margaret J. O'Kerns

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

This grounded theory research study investigated one active reading strategy, note taking, with a goal of creating student-centered, evidence-based curriculum for the developmental reading instructor. Sixteen students participated in a two-part session: a semi-structured interview and a think aloud of an assigned, academic text. The students were asked to discuss their attitudes regarding reading, both academically and for pleasure, and about any previous reading instruction. They were then observed reading their assigned text, an expository article, and queried as to their use (or not) of any note taking procedures or strategies. As an outcome of this study, it became apparent …


The Relationship Between Academic Coaching And Student Retention For Community College Students Enrolled In Developmental Education Courses, Tanya Woltmann Jan 2021

The Relationship Between Academic Coaching And Student Retention For Community College Students Enrolled In Developmental Education Courses, Tanya Woltmann

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation examined the relationship between participation in an academic coaching program and retention for community college students enrolled in developmental education courses. With low retention and completion rates for students beginning in developmental courses, support programs to improve student success are needed. This quantitative study examines the participation in an academic coaching program and student retention in both the short-term and the long-term as well as the effect of the level of program participation on retention. Data was collected on over 8,000 students attending a community college who were enrolled in a developmental education course. The quantitative analysis included …


Ascension To The Presidency: A Narrative Inquiry Of African American Women, Konya Monique Sledge Jan 2021

Ascension To The Presidency: A Narrative Inquiry Of African American Women, Konya Monique Sledge

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

This narrative inquiry study examined the lived experiences of African American women serving as community college administrators to gain perspectives on how they overcame obstacles to career advancement and strategies used to achieve the presidency. Narrative inquiry is used to restory field texts, is applied to underscore their lived experiences, and establishes a timeline detailing their early career experiences. Only one president sought to lead a community college; all others arrived at the presidency by non-traditional paths. Three themes emerged from responses provided by presidents during their interviews and are as follows: (a) nontraditional pathway to presidency; (b) heightened awareness …


Experiences Of Southeast Asians At A Community College In The Midwest, Emmanuel Canlas Esperanza Jr. Jan 2020

Experiences Of Southeast Asians At A Community College In The Midwest, Emmanuel Canlas Esperanza Jr.

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation explored what contributed to Southeast Asian students’ persistence in an urban community college in the Midwest. A qualitative case study was used to reveal how Southeast Asian students perceived personal and educational experiences and how those experiences created an impact on their persistence. This project addressed the lack of research on Southeast Asians and their challenges attaining academic success in higher education. This study is critical, as there is a lack of research on Southeast Asian students’ experiences within higher education institutions, particularly within community college settings. The majority of research has focused on Asian American or international …


I Belong At Harper College: A Qualitative Case Study On Fostering Community College Students’ Sense Of Belonging Through A First-Year Seminar Course, Emily Reabe Jan 2020

I Belong At Harper College: A Qualitative Case Study On Fostering Community College Students’ Sense Of Belonging Through A First-Year Seminar Course, Emily Reabe

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

While community college is often seen as an avenue that provides access to higher education to a greater part of the population, community colleges have struggled with improving retention, persistence, and degree completion. Research highlights the importance of helping students develop a sense of belonging at the institution, which has been found to improve retention, persistence, and degree completion. One avenue to do so may be through requiring students to enroll in a First Year Seminar course. This qualitative case study explored the way in which a First Year Seminar course may influence students’ sense of belonging at a community …


The Relationship Of The First-Year Seminar Course And Degree Completion At Kishwaukee College, Michelle Rothmeyer Jan 2020

The Relationship Of The First-Year Seminar Course And Degree Completion At Kishwaukee College, Michelle Rothmeyer

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine whether there is a relationship between students’ enrollment in the First-Year Seminar (FYS) course of Counseling and Student Development 100 (CSD 100), which is called The College Experience course at Kishwaukee College, and completion of an associate degree in a three-year period at Kishwaukee College. Specifically, what was the relationship between students who took the FYS course of CSD 100 and completed an Associate of Arts (AA) or Associate of Science (AS) degree over a three-year period, and does the effect of the relationship between students who took the FYS course …


Post-Traditional Student Perceptions Of Academic Advising In Community Colleges, Lindsay Rae Eickhorst Jan 2020

Post-Traditional Student Perceptions Of Academic Advising In Community Colleges, Lindsay Rae Eickhorst

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Fifteen post-traditional, working professional community college students from a public, two-year institution located in the Midwest Region of the United States participated in this case study, which describes the participant’s experiences receiving academic advising. The purposeful sampling of working professional students represented mixed demographics including; five men and ten women, ages 20 to 54, all of whom worked full-time and attended school part-time. The martial status of the participants included single, divorced, and married. Nine of the participants were parents while one participant was responsible for her three younger siblings. For ten of the participants, this was not their first …


Exploring The Cultural And Structural Barriers Justice-Involved Individuals Of Color Encounter In Urban Community Colleges, Eddie J. Phillips, Jr. Jan 2020

Exploring The Cultural And Structural Barriers Justice-Involved Individuals Of Color Encounter In Urban Community Colleges, Eddie J. Phillips, Jr.

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation examines the cultural and structural barriers justice-involved individuals of color encountered at an urban community college and the construct of stigma as a mechanism for creating cultural and structural barriers. Additionally, this study explores justice-involved individuals’ sense of belonging and self-efficacy as community college students. Findings revealed that all justice-involved individuals participating in the study encountered barriers. Despite the cultural and structural barriers participants encountered, many expressed a positive sense of belonging, self-efficacy, and “gifts” based on their newly discovered purpose as college students. Cultural and structural barriers, as well as a new sense of pride and purpose, …


Exploring African American Students’ Perceptions Of Belonging At An Urban Community College In The Western United States, Sylinda Nicole Gordon Musaindapo Jan 2018

Exploring African American Students’ Perceptions Of Belonging At An Urban Community College In The Western United States, Sylinda Nicole Gordon Musaindapo

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

African American students’ perceptions of belonging impact their experiences on community college campuses and in their local communities. This research study explores the impact of gentrification on a group of resilient African American college students in an urban community college located in the western region of the United States. Participants used negative experiences with onlyness and otherness as opportunities to build community for other African Americans.