Education Commons^™

The Impact Of Sense Of Belonging In First-Generation College Students On Gpa And Retention, Lynda Smith

Theses and Dissertations

The purposes of this quantitative, correlational study were to (a) understand how the perceived sense of belonging in first-generation students impacts their academic success, as defined by GPA, and (b) to determine how the aforementioned factors impact the students' intention to persist. A survey was distributed to all reported first-generation students at Rowan University with questions including demographics, an adapted sense of belonging index, intention to persist, GPA, and co-curricular involvement (N = 285). Research indicated that 89.8% of students recorded moderate to high levels of sense of belonging. Regression analyses revealed that a positive relationship exists between sense of …

Special Education Teacher Burnout: A Factor Analysis, Heidi Celeste Bussey

Theses and Dissertations

The poor retention of special education teachers negatively impacts student academic outcomes. Special education teachers commonly cite burnout as a primary reason for leaving the field; however, there is a deficit of literature available to validate claims concerning special educators and their level of burnout. This study analyzed the psychometric properties of the Maslach Burnout Inventory: Educators' Survey using a sample of 349 special education teachers from schools across the nation (201 resource room special education teachers and 148 self-contained special education teachers). The Maslach Burnout Inventory: Educators' Survey measures three factors (e.g. subscales) emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal accomplishment. …

Adult Students’ Perceptions Of Tutoring As An Academic Support Tool, Jennifer Filz

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study examined adult student perceptions of academic support services at an urban-service research university in the Midwest. While adult students often return to school to start or finish their degrees, the six-year graduation rate for students who enter college over the age of 20 is 12% less than those who enroll in college before the age of 20. Adults face situational, institutional, and dispositional barriers to graduation. This qualitative research study examined the perceptions of tutoring as an academic support tool of 13 adult students. Using Cultural Historical Activity as a theoretical framework, three major themes emerged from …

Investigating Student Perceptions Of The Effectiveness Of A First-Year Experience Online Program On Student Retention, Jennifer P. Bowman-Wilson

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation is a mixed-methods study designed to collect student perspectives of an online First-Year Experience (FE) course and to determine the overall value of the FE course. The researcher sought to identify what is the value of the FE course to the students enrolled in this online course. In the study’s survey, students will be asked a series of questions designed to determine the overall value of the FE course. For this study, the online FE course survey addressed the following theme areas: Course Content, Overall Satisfaction, Transfer Perceptions, and the participants are the new incoming students (first-year …

Alternate Route - An Examination Of Alternatively Certified Teachers' Job Satisfaction And Self-Efficacy, Adrienne W. Mcelroy

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation was designed to examine the job satisfaction and self-efficacy of alternatively certified teachers in a rural, midsize, public school district in Florida. The examination will include the relationship between job satisfaction and self-efficacy. The results of this study aim to provide school officials with a better understanding of the role alternatively certified teachers fill during the teacher shortage facing our nation.

The researcher utilized two existing surveys. The Job Satisfaction Survey (JSS) was developed by Paul Spector. The JSS further delineates job satisfaction into two subscales: intrinsic and extrinsic job satisfaction. The Teachers’ Sense of Efficacy Scale …

Exploring The Effects Of An Afrocentric Learning Community On The Retention Of African American Students In Community Colleges: A Quantitative Study, Andre Crenshaw

Theses and Dissertations

The majority of African American students who begin postsecondary educational pursuits do not graduate within 6 years, resulting in one of the lowest postsecondary completion rates in America. As of Fall 2019, the degree applicable retention rate for African American students in California community colleges was 62%, compared to all students 87.65%. The purpose of this quantitative, nonexperimental study was to examine whether a learning community positively affected retention and success rates of African American students in community colleges, comparing outcomes with cohort Fall 2016 with cohort Fall 2019. This analysis applied Tinto’s Student Integration Model Theoretical Framework with supporting …

Diversity In School Leadership: Re-Conceptualizing The Narrative Of Black Male School Principals And Assistant Principals For Recruitment And Retention, James Avery

Theses and Dissertations

Educational leadership is one of the most vastly explored topics in education. School principals and assistant principals make up a substantial portion of those in leadership positions. Experiences in educational leadership have been chronicled for a number of years; however, the diversity in the recorded lived experiences is lacking. To that end, the purpose of this study was to contribute to the literature by developing an understanding of and recording the essence of Black males’ experiences working in K-12 school leadership positions.

The intersection of race and gender has been proven to create dynamics which impact the enactment of leadership …

Understanding Effective Orientation Practices From Orientation Professionals At Public Hbcus, Ronnie Mack Jr

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation focused on understanding the perceptions of orientation professionals of the impact of orientation programming at public historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). This study illustrates the effective practices of orientation programming and their impact on the retention of first – year African American students.

The theoretical framework that supported this study focused on challenge & support, retention, involvement, transition, belonging, and Black identity theory. The research study looked to understand orientation professionals’ perceptions of the impact of orientation programming at a public HBCU on the successful transition and retention of first-year students.

The qualitative multiple case study …

Predicting Black Male Undergraduate Degree Completion At A Pwi Examining Single Indicators Of Religiosity, Anxiety, And Depression., Nickolas Spears Jr.

Theses and Dissertations

Religiosity is a well-known protective factor for mental health as a coping and resilience source, which positively affects Black male college students' academic success. However, less is known about whether religiosity predicts degree completion and buffers Black males' mental health from a quantitative research approach. Black males have one of the lowest degree completion rates at four-year institutions. Students who experience poor mental health outcomes have lower degree completion. This study utilized logistic regression to investigate whether religiosity: (1) predicted degree completion among Black male undergraduate students and (2) moderated anxiety and depression. The results suggest Black males identify high …