Education Commons^™

(In)Effectiveness Of Summer Bridge Programs Among First-Year Low-Income, First-Generation College Students, Joy N. Emmanuel

The Vermont Connection

Summer bridge programs have become a widely adopted strategy in four-year institutions to address the unique challenges faced by first-year, low-income, first-generation college students. These programs aim to enhance academic preparedness, foster a sense of belonging, and improve retention rates. However, this paper critically examines the effectiveness of summer bridge programs in achieving these goals. Drawing on a review of existing literature, it becomes evident that while summer bridge programs offer certain benefits, they may not be as effective in promoting holistic success, persistence, and retention among this specific group of students. The analysis highlights several limitations, including a limited …

The Unrealized Promise Of College-In-Prison: Financial Hurdles To Reenrollment And Completion In The Era Of Pell Reinstatement, Julia Bowling, Pavithra Nagarajan, Kristen Parsons, Neal A. Palmer

Journal of Student Financial Aid

College-in-prison programs are positioned to expand substantially under the reinstatement of Pell Grant eligibility for people in prison. While this change will enable more students who have been systemically excluded from higher education to attend college, degree completion is rare during incarceration and post-release. Student perspectives can shed light on both the value of college-in-prison and the financial barriers to realizing its value. This study analyzes data from 12 focus groups with 105 total college-in-prison student participants, 114 student survey responses, and 45 stakeholder interviews. The data were collected between 2018-2022 during a process evaluation of the College-in-Prison Reentry Initiative, …

“I’M Staying And You’Re Gonna Love Me”: Finding Authentic Freedom & Fostering Belonging As Black Female Early Faculty, Roszina D. Scott, Tinotenda Mupambo

The Journal of Advancing Education Practice

The purpose of this reflection is to expand the knowledge on the retention of early Black female faculty by exploring their challenges and triumphs in dismantling Whiteness and developing an authentic sense of belonging in the academy. In higher education, Black women experience marginalization at the intersection of anti-black racism and sexism. Faculty of color experience racial microaggressions, excessive workloads and service expectations, and their expertise is seldom recognized. Despite these challenges, marginalized faculty authentically persist and find a sense of belonging within the ivory tower by building mentorship relationships, departmental DEI efforts, opportunities for innovation, and cultivating Black sisterhood. …

Teacher Retention: Retaining Teachers In High-Needs, Urban Secondary Schools In A Midwest State Post-Pandemic, Christopher K. Schmit, Erin Lehmann, David Swank, Sue Alborn-Yilek, Tasha Dannenbring

Journal of Educational Leadership in Action

Teacher retention has been a challenge for most schools for several years. High-needs schools have been known to have twice the trouble with teacher retention as schools not considered high-needs. The purpose of this study was to identify effective practices school principals can implement to retain teachers at high-needs, urban secondary schools. This quantitative study called on teachers from high-needs schools in Iowa to complete a survey identifying principal qualities related to retention, perceived reasons for teacher attrition, and reasons they continue to teach at their current school. Three hundred eighty-five teachers from five different Iowa school districts participated in …

Partners In Graduate Student Retention: A Library-Led Outreach Collaboration, Ashley R. Lierman

Collaborative Librarianship

Past research has indicated that social connection with their community is an important factor in the retention of graduate students. To help address this need, a Rowan University librarian led an interdepartmental team of collaborators from across campus in developing a series of outreach events specifically for graduate students, which evolved over time to include more and richer programming and opportunities for socialization. This article describes the evidence basis for these events’ inception, the essential components of each iteration of the event and its programming, and the results of holding these events, including both their successes and their failures. Recommendations …

Faculty Retention: A Case Study Examining The Factors That Influence Faculty Retention At The Northern Marianas College, Barbara C. Hunter

Journal of Fundamental & Applied Business Research

The issue of the need to recruit and retain faculty has become increasingly discussed in educational literature. Retention programs for faculty play a strategic role in developing the institution, especially when it involves building capacity and maintaining a competitive advantage. The goal for this fundamental research is to illustrate how the qualitative methods applied will identify the factors that influence retention among faculty at the Northern Marianas College (NMC, 2020). To ensure that the case study was conducted thoroughly, a deeper and theoretically sound approach was explored to understand the perceptual views of current faculty and administration on retention. The …

Successful Pathways To Undergraduate Completion, Tara M. Jones, Bryan Q. Patterson

Tapestry: Journal of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging in Education

This article explores the critical factors that led to successful college completion for Black men. By focusing on success factors from Black male college graduates' lived experiences, a roadmap to college success for this group may be shared with others to encourage increased degree attainment for this population. The lens for this study drew from Harper’s (2012) antideficit theory, which highlights students’ successes rather than problematic issues. A non-random approach of purposeful sampling from eight Black men from LinkedIn who had completed an undergraduate degree from a private, predominately White college in the southeast United States defined the sample size. …

Beyond Certification: Innovative Strategies To Tackle The Teacher Shortage, Abbigail Lp Morris

Kentucky Teacher Education Journal: The Journal of the Teacher Education Division of the Kentucky Council for Exceptional Children

This article challenges educational leaders to look beyond alternative routes for teaching certification and more towards an increased collaboration between districts and universities to help alleviate the teacher shortage issue in Kentucky. It specifically highlights the works of Omaha Public School District and the University of Nebraska Omaha as a model for proactive teacher pipeline.

A Case Study Of Successful Graduate School, Elsa-Sofia Morote, Nalini Singh, Judith Jeremie

Journal of Graduate Education Research

Data indicate that out of the thirty-eight percent of the doctoral students who graduated in the United States, 24% are students of color. This case study examined the lived experiences of doctoral educational leadership alumni of a college in New York with an 88% graduation rate, 60% of which were students of color. The graduates of this program were consistently successful educational leaders. This study focused on three areas of the college’s graduate program: the process of selection, retention, and post-graduation success. It included document analysis as well as in-depth interviews with alumni, faculty, and administrators. Thirty-two alumni responded to …

Reporting Of Doctoral Student Attrition: A Policy Brief, Cece Lively

Journal of Multicultural Affairs

Roughly half of all doctoral students in the United States will never complete their degree requirements (Council of Graduate Schools, 2020). That staggering number is larger for ethnic minority and female students, particularly for Black students who have the lowest completion rate (47 percent) and who make up only 13 percent of doctoral degrees (Lovitts, 2001). Additionally, retention rates for online students are an additional 10 to 20 percent lower than students who attend in-person (Rovai & Wighting, 2005). Thus, ethnic minority students in online doctoral programs are at a higher risk of not finishing their degrees compared to other …

Review: Implementing Excellence In Diversity, Equity, And Inclusion: A Handbook For Academic Libraries, Lalitha Nataraj

Communications in Information Literacy

Review of Lee, C., & Lym, B. (Eds.). (2022). Implementing excellence in diversity, equity, and inclusion: A handbook for academic libraries. Association of College and Research Libraries.

Why Youth Leave 4-H After The First Year: A Multistate Study, Kendra M. Lewis, Sarah Hensley, Marianne Bird, Jeannette Rea-Keywood, Jolynn Miller, Car Mun Kok, Nancy Shelstad

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

Enrollment in US youth development programs is decreasing annually. Research has shown that youth in the 4-H youth development program experience a broad range of positive youth development outcomes, including greater community contributions, healthier choices, higher academic competence, critical life and leadership skills such as problem-solving, goal setting, communication, responsibility, and a sense of belonging and purpose. Finding ways to retain youth in the program for more than a year or two can profoundly impact society due to the skills developed and opportunities provided to youth in 4-H. The purpose of this study was to understand why youth might leave …

An Exploration Of Communities Of Practice In The Stem Teacher Context: What Predicts Ties Of Retention?, Brandon Ofem, Michael Beeth, Jessica Doering, Kathleen Fink, Rebecca Konz, Margaret J. Mohr-Schroeder, Samuel J. Polizzi, Gillian Roehrig, Gregory T. Rushton, Keith Sheppard

Journal of STEM Teacher Education

The STEM teacher workforce in the United States has faced a host of pressing challenges, including teacher shortages, pervasive job dissatisfaction, and high turnover, problems largely attributable to working conditions within schools and districts. These problems have been exacerbated in high-needs districts with fewer resources and more students from low-income communities. Since social network research has shown that workplace relationships are vital for retention, this study investigates the demographic and relational antecedents to what we dub ties of retention. We explore how demographic and relational properties affect the likelihood that teachers have “retention-friendly” networks, characterized by connections important for …

Contributing Or Clocking In: A Study Of Work Engagement, Stacey Ellison, Amy Harder

The Journal of Extension

While organizations benefit from lower operating costs resulting from higher quality and quantity of work when employees are engaged in their work, (Risher, 2018). This study used the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (Schuafeli & Bakker, 2004) to uncover the work engagement levels of county extension agents at one University. Findings suggest Extension agents report Florida Extension agents reported possessing high levels of self-perceived work engagement. These findings were consistent with other previous research (Abbott, 2017; Weyrauch, 2010) which likewise found Extension agents often or very often report dedication.

The Effect Of Scheduling Distributed Practice According To The Kinetic Behavior System In Learning Artistic Performance And Retain Some Basic Football Skills, Mustafa Sabah Jumaah, Sarmad Ahmed Mousa

Journal of STEPS for Humanities and Social Sciences

- Preparing an educational curriculum using the distributed method according to the kinetic behavior system in learning the technical performance of some basic skills for young footballers.

- Recognizing the impact of the educational curriculum using the distributed method according to the kinetic behavior system in learning the technical performance of some basic skills for junior footballers.

- Detecting the effect of using the distributed method according to the kinetic behavior system in maintaining the level of technical performance of some basic skills of football juniors.

The researchers used the experimental method, and the research community consisted of the players …

The Anatomy Of A Crisis: Law Enforcement Leaders’ Perspective On Police Enforcement, Kayleigh Axtell, Jesse Llamas, Michael Llamas, Amor Roma

The Scholarship Without Borders Journal

Although law enforcement in the United States has faced past challenges, it is currently facing unprecedented crises. Previous research has shown that police officer retention and recruitment rates are diminishing, causing ripple effects throughout the U.S. police departments (Bowman et al., 2006). This study examines the anticipated challenges that law enforcement leaders face in lieu of the current social and political climate. The study uses a grounded qualitative theory and a phenomenological approach to understand participants’ experiences. Police chiefs and sheriffs were interviewed to get a leadership perspective on the anticipated challenges. The leaders described that challenges expected in the …

Centering The Marginalized: The Impact Of The Pandemic On Online Student Retention, Joshua Travis Brown, Joseph M. Kush, Frederick A. Volk

Journal of Student Financial Aid

During the pandemic, much of the focus of administrators and scholars has been on its impact on residential students and the sudden shift to online instruction. While justified, researchers have yet to focus on online students—who often represent marginalized communities in higher education—to ask whether they were impacted by factors related to the pandemic other than the modality shift. In this study, we examined how the first-year retention of online students was affected during the pandemic, and whether it differed from first-year residential students who transitioned online. We examined records of two student cohorts (Fall 2017 and Fall 2019) from …

Increasing The Educational Retention And Attainment Rates Of Southeast Asian American College Students Through Aanapisis, Alice Chu

The Vermont Connection

Since its emergence in the 1960s, the Model Minority Myth (MMM) has been pervasive in its assumption of Asian Americans as a monolithic racial group of naturally high-achieving individuals. This widely accepted stereotype has not only dismissed the educational challenges that diverse subpopulations may face within the context of higher education, but also made it hard for them to garner targeted resources and support throughout their educational journey. In particular, Southeast Asian American (SEAA) college students have suffered the runt of the consequences, as their unique challenges and experiences have been heavily erased. Unlike their Asian American peers, Southeast Asian …

First-Year Experience Course Impact On Undergraduate International Student Retention And Graduation, Dylan Rust, Raghvendra Singh

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

As institutions look to improve student retention through first-year experience (FYE) courses, some have implemented courses targeted specifically to the international population. A quantitative comparison of international students who took an FYE course with international students who did not take an FYE course was completed to analyze the differences in retention and graduation rates between the two groups. International freshmen who participated in the FYE course were retained and graduated at significantly higher rates than international freshmen who did not take the course. Aspects of the course that likely led to student retention and graduation are discussed.

The Effect Of Instructor-To-Student Ratios, Academic Preparation, And Selective Admissions On Retention Rates Among Caahep Accredited Paramedic Training Programs., Justin G. Tilghman

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: This study was a non-experimental evaluative study designed to identify the effects of instructor-to-student ratios, academic preparation, and selective admissions processes on retention rates among CAAHEP accredited paramedic training programs in the United States. Methods: Self-reported data from accredited program directors was analyzed to identify what relationships, if any, existed among the variables. Results: Results showed no effect of instructor-to-student ratios or academic preparation on retention rates. However, those programs that utilized selective admissions processes reported a statistically significantly higher student retention rate when compared to those that did not. Conclusions: Paramedic programs seeking to improve retention rates …

Identifying Key Success Indicators In Student Letters For Reinstatement From Suspension, Angela Bowlus, Jamaica Delmar

The Interactive Journal of Global Leadership and Learning

Retaining and graduating students continues to be an issue that higher education institutions are longing to solve, especially for the growing non-traditional student body whose list of competing priorities continues to grow. As academic suspension hinders persistence, this article examines a key aspect of the reinstatement from suspension process for students: the letter of appeal. The narrative provided is impacted by how the writer expresses their acknowledgment of what went wrong and what changes will be made to ensure administrators of future success, it too is impacted by the interpretation of the institutional decision maker. By reviewing a sample of …

The Art Of Nurse Mentoring: A Framework Of Support, Diane S. Kramer, Victoria Y. Mccue, Eve Butler, Andrea S. Prentiss, Maria M. Ojeda, Kayce K. Tugg, Vivian Fuentes, Sally Bonet

Nursing & Health Sciences Research Journal

Introduction: Nursing mentoring relationships are vital to the advancement of personal and professional growth in nursing. Mentoring has been identified as an effective method to decrease turnover resulting in retention of experienced nurses. Despite the benefits of a mentoring relationship, barriers exist in creating and cultivating a formal mentoring program in the hospital setting.

Methods: A qualitative descriptive study approach that explored nurses’ perceptions of a mentoring culture within a hospital environment. Open-ended, conversational-style interviewing techniques with a semi-structured interview guide were utilized to gain a full description of nurses’ perceptions of a mentoring culture within a hospital environment.

Results: …

Female First-Generation College Students: A Review Of Challenges And Successes, Junghwan Kim, Sarah M. Miller, Jihee Hwang, Joann S. Olson

Journal of Global Education and Research

With increasing college access rates of underrepresented populations in recent years, first-generation college students (FGCSs), those who are the first in their family to attend college, have caught the attention of researchers and policymakers in the U.S. higher education system. This study focused on female FGCSs to identify the various challenges that are unique to this population. Through a systematic literature review, 13 studies were analyzed related to female FGCSs. Three themes were found from the analysis: role expectations, support systems, and socioeconomic background. These explain the challenges and self-identified strategies that female FGCSs discussed as contributing factors to their …

Admitting Smarter: Refining The Admission Process Through Professional Dispositions, Catherine Snyder

University of South Florida (USF) M3 Publishing

Since 2018, news agencies have shifted from reporting teacher layoffs to teacher shortages. This swift shift in the industry left many floundering to recruit enough teachers to fill classrooms. Even in the midst of the Covid-19 crisis, there is still a demand for teachers, now with added online teaching skills. This article addresses one program’s admissions improvement process: an analysis of the acceptance process, improvements and changes in the process with the goal of reducing attrition, and improving the quality of candidates admitted. Several improvements were made, specifically related to introducing dispositional tools and standardizing the acceptance process across the …

Comparing Three Different Vocabulary Teaching Techniques For Retention, Nermin Punar-Ozcelik, Levent Uzun

University of South Florida (USF) M3 Publishing

In relation to all languages, communication is the key concept, so vocabulary and grammar are the basis of communication. There have been conducted some studies considering the effect of different techniques on vocabulary retention. However, these studies are mostly limited not to integrate skill-based activities to language teaching techniques for effective vocabulary retention. Based on this gap, the present study aimed to discover the differences among three vocabulary learning and teaching techniques integrated with skill-based activities (reading only, pictured reading with writing, and video watching with speaking) for vocabulary retention. Pre-experimental research was carried out, and the treatment based on …

Better Together: The Effect Of Learning Communities On Business Student Retention And Performance, Lynn Murray, Alexander Binder, Gail Yarick, Mary K. Wachter

Mountain Plains Journal of Business and Technology

College student performance and retention have been areas of concern for higher education for decades, and increasingly so over the last quarter century. This study explores how creating a learning community comprised of a first-year seminar and two disciplinary gateway courses across two semesters affected student performance in the gateway classes and in student retention. The study found three things of interest: 1) participation in a learning community and in a residential learning community each slightly improve the likelihood that a student will enroll in the second semester; 2) performance in Introduction to Business, a disciplinary gateway course, is highly …

Completion Grants: A Multi-Method Examination Of Institutional Practice, Sara Goldrick-Rab, Travis York, Clare Cady, Christy Baker-Smith

Journal of Student Financial Aid

Public universities are intent on increasing degree completion for many reasons. A stronger policy focus on completion and interest in removing students’ financial hurdles has led to a rapid proliferation of completion grant programs. This paper reports on a mixed method implementation study of completion grant programs at seven broad- and open-access universities. Drawing on case studies of completion grant programs and student surveys, we examine the work of the administrators and professionals who create and implement these programs. As it can diminish program efficacy and increase inequality, we pay particular attention to administrative burden for staff and students. We …

Performance In Calculus Ii For Students In Clear Calculus: A Causal Comparative Study, Ty Mckinney, Rebecca Dibbs

Pursue: Undergraduate Research Journal

Calculus is one of the greatest intellectual achievements of the world and is the main gateway for students that are heading into the fields that will power the economy of the 21st century. However, over 25% of students fail U.S. calculus courses each year and end up changing majors. It is important for educators and researchers to try to improve student success and find ways to increase STEM major retention. The purpose of this study was to compare the performance between students that are in traditional and non-traditional calculus II courses based on their preparation in either traditional or non-traditional …

Teaching Foundational Aquatic Skills To Children In Open Water Environments, Chris Button, Angela J. Button, Anne-Marie Jackson, Jim D. Cotter, Brian Maraj

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

Learning to swim in a swimming pool might not prepare water competence sufficiently for different aquatic environments. The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of teaching children water safety knowledge and skills in open water environments (i.e., harbor, river, and surf). The aquatic knowledge and skills of 98 children (7-11 years old) were tested in a swimming pool before, immediately after, and three months after receiving a three-day intensive education program. At pre-test, typically fewer than 50% of children achieved a high level of water safety competence. After the program, competency in each of the six tasks …

A Transdisciplinary Laboratory Course Increases Stem Retention, Caroline A. Brown, Royce Dansby-Sparks, Sarah Formica, Margaret (Meg) Smith

Georgia Journal of Science

STEM retention is a national challenge. Recent literature suggests that students leave STEM for many reasons including lack of context, lack of academic preparedness for entering college, and challenges with quantitative reasoning. These observations compelled us to design an introductory, transdisciplinary STEM lab course which we describe herein. This course was designed to integrate the disciplines of biology, chemistry, physics, and mathematics with activities that engage students in real-world, inquiry-based exercises and help students develop quantitative reasoning skills. Assessment showed that students in this STEM lab have higher STEM retention rates than those in equivalent disciplinary courses. The largest gains …