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2018

Retention

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Full-Text Articles in Education

Exploring Value Of Perceived Problem Resolution In Success Of Online Doctoral Students, Vanessa S. O'Neal Jan 2018

Exploring Value Of Perceived Problem Resolution In Success Of Online Doctoral Students, Vanessa S. O'Neal

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

How doctoral students view their institution's ability to resolve problems may be directly related to their overall satisfaction of the institution. Challenges such as barriers to communication could have a negative effect on the students' ability to be retained by the institution. Policies to address issues relating to retention; high default rates on student loans and student services are increasing and more constraining. While the literature indicates the formation of federal policies to monitor recruitment practices of for-profit online institutions, it is not known to what extent these policies have influenced the quality of postrecruitment services. Using the theoretical framework …


Perceptions And Experiences Of Students Who Withdrew From College Prior To Degree Attainment, Enedine B. Andre Jan 2018

Perceptions And Experiences Of Students Who Withdrew From College Prior To Degree Attainment, Enedine B. Andre

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Nationally an estimated 41% of traditional students who begin seeking an undergraduate degree do not persist through degree attainment. Guided by Tinto's theory of student departure and the theory of social integration, the purpose of this study was to identify the reasons students withdrew from college prior to degree completion. A qualitative case-study design was implemented, and 13 former college enrollees were purposefully selected for individual semistructured interviews. The students graduated from one high school in the Southeastern United States. Data analysis was conducted using open coding procedures with iterative recategorization to identify key themes. Findings indicated that inadequate preparation, …


Listening To Our Graduate Students' Feedback: Graduate Student Exit And Alumni Surveys, Alison W. Hong-Novotney Jan 2018

Listening To Our Graduate Students' Feedback: Graduate Student Exit And Alumni Surveys, Alison W. Hong-Novotney

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Student and alumni surveys have become some of the most widely-used methods of assessment of student learning in higher education. While the majority of literature on student surveys and assessment focuses on undergraduate students, this study looks specifically at why graduate student exit and alumni surveys can be valuable tools within a comprehensive assessment plan. Listening to the feedback of current and former graduate students, and then acting upon that feedback, is crucial for the engagement and success of this unique population of students who bring their particular strengths and needs to their educational experiences. This study examined how master’s …


The Importance Of Recruiting And Retaining International Students, Bill Mckibben Jan 2018

The Importance Of Recruiting And Retaining International Students, Bill Mckibben

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

A steady decline in enrollment among postsecondary institutions and cuts in educational funding, both at the state and federal level, have caused these institutions to look for alternative sources of revenue. With postsecondary institutions struggling to financially survive, international enrollment has become the focus of higher education. The purpose of this study is to provide a better understanding on the importance of recruiting and retaining international students. This study used a phenomenological approach and epistemology was used to provide the conceptual framework of the study. Qualitative methods were used to conduct this study. A series of semi-structured interviews provided the …


An Exploratory Case Study: Persistence And Retention Of Students In An Alternative High School, Lametrica Andrews Jan 2018

An Exploratory Case Study: Persistence And Retention Of Students In An Alternative High School, Lametrica Andrews

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Students with emotional behavioral disorders (EBD) are at greater risk for dropping out of high school than other students, and are likely to experience fewer employment options and more societal marginalization. Alternative schools have been viewed as a last chance and best option for educating many students with EBD who have not actually been diagnosed. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore persistence and retention in the alternative school setting for students who may or may not have been diagnosed with EBD. Students in this study will be referred to as EBD. Although they have not been …


The Effect Of Admissions Viewbooks On Students’ Expectancies And Engagement, Hayley C. Hoffman Jan 2018

The Effect Of Admissions Viewbooks On Students’ Expectancies And Engagement, Hayley C. Hoffman

Theses and Dissertations--Communication

This study seeks to explore the impact that admissions viewbooks have on students’ expectancies of an institution as well as their academic and social engagement. Because few studies exist on admissions viewbooks, the literature review seeks to establish a base for the importance of viewbooks in students’ college choice and their development of expectancies of their chosen institution, as well as the subsequent impacts of violated expectations on engagement and retention. Using both qualitative and quantitative methods, this study examines (1) the promises made by institutions in their viewbooks as found via textual analysis and (2) the impact of violated …


Missing In Action: A Critical Narrative Study Of The Absence Of Black Female Secondary Science Teachers, Nadia Despenza Jan 2018

Missing In Action: A Critical Narrative Study Of The Absence Of Black Female Secondary Science Teachers, Nadia Despenza

LMU/LLS Theses and Dissertations

Despite the increasing research that lists cultural incongruence in the classroom among the top factors that speaks to the disproportionate numbers of Black females obtaining STEM degrees there is limited research on the actual number of Black female science teachers at the secondary level in education and the impact this plays on Black females in science, technology, engineering, and math classrooms (STEM). The consequence of all this is that we find ourselves with Black female science teachers “missing in action,” and only 5% of Black females receiving a STEM degree. I employ critical pedagogy, critical race theory, and Black feminist …


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.


Impact Of Retention Initiatives On The Levels Of Self-Efficacy And Hope In African American Students On A Historically Black College And University Campus In Kentucky, George Maurice White Jan 2018

Impact Of Retention Initiatives On The Levels Of Self-Efficacy And Hope In African American Students On A Historically Black College And University Campus In Kentucky, George Maurice White

Online Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the levels of self-efficacy and hope of the students at-risk that participated in a college program with multiple retention initiatives. The students selected were identified as students at-risk due to their high school GPAs and standardized test scores. The initiative focused on enhancing their self-efficacy and hope through additional resources that assisted with a student's academic and social life. The development of self-efficacy has been proven important to a student's academic, cognitive, and personal development. Hope has been proven to be important in finding different routes to success and the motivation a person has to take those …


Predicting First-Year Academic Success Of African American And White Students At Predominately White Institutions, Jerel Benton Jan 2018

Predicting First-Year Academic Success Of African American And White Students At Predominately White Institutions, Jerel Benton

Online Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to determine how models utilizing demographic, academic, and social pre-college characteristics are related to first-year academic success of White and African American students at PWIs. The demographic pre-college factors include students& race and gender; the academic factors include ACT composite score and high school GPA; and the social factors include the distance from home, percent of African American in students& high school, and parents& highest education level. First-year academic success is defined by the three dependent variables: first-year retention, first-year GPA, and first-year credit hour completion percentage. The results of the study showed that …


A Causal Comparative Study Of Student Success And Retention In An Undergraduate Program Offered Online And On Campus, Daniel David Tudor Jan 2018

A Causal Comparative Study Of Student Success And Retention In An Undergraduate Program Offered Online And On Campus, Daniel David Tudor

Online Theses and Dissertations

Online education has grown significantly both in the number of courses offered and the number of degrees offered. The delivery format is being fueled by a student population that is growing more non-traditional. Work and family obligations dictate that classes are offered in a format that meets the needs of the students. The growth of universities toward online courses and degrees has brought opportunities to students, but it has also given institutions of higher education new income streams. In the case of public universities in Kentucky, this has helped offset reductions in state support. The viability of this format for …


Personal Connections Of First-Year College Students, Jaclyn Kopel Jan 2018

Personal Connections Of First-Year College Students, Jaclyn Kopel

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A private, not-for-profit, 4-year urban university had been struggling to improve its 1st-year retention rate despite conducting previous studies and implementing various initiatives. This study explored the influence that students' personal connections to the study site had on their experience in their 1st year in college. Tinto's student integration models of attrition, Astin's theory on student involvement, and Berger and Milem's model of persistence served as the conceptual framework. A case study design was employed to examine faculty and staff members' beliefs on how the university established and maintained connections with its students and how faculty, staff, and students viewed …


Challenges To Student Success In An Introductory Music Theory I Course, Megan Darby Jan 2018

Challenges To Student Success In An Introductory Music Theory I Course, Megan Darby

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A state college in the mid-Atlantic United States requires a music theory course for 4 of its undergraduate music programs. In the 6 years prior to this study, students had difficulty with the course, with many failing or withdrawing. Tinto's theory of student retention served as the foundation of the conceptual framework for this study, the purpose of which was to identify challenges to successfully completing the course. This purpose was reflected in the study's driving research question focused on students' experiences regarding challenges to success. In this instrumental case study, 12 students and 2 instructors participated in individual interviews, …


Student Self-Reported Academic Confidence As An Indicator Of First-Year Retention, Dr. Narine Mirijanian Jan 2018

Student Self-Reported Academic Confidence As An Indicator Of First-Year Retention, Dr. Narine Mirijanian

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many first-year college/university students have low retention and success rates which affect their ability to remain in college and attain a career. Despite matriculation practices employed by institutions of higher learning to increase retention, a gap remains in the understanding of the causative factors of retention. The purpose of this study was to determine if academic self-confidence scores of students prior to entry and post- completion of an FYS are reliable predictors of students' ability to progress from the first year to the second year of college. Tinto's (1987) academic retention theory framed the study. A quantitative case study approach …


Engagement Factors Impacting First-Year Persistence Of Hispanic And Non-Hispanic Students In Idaho Community Colleges, Kimberly May Scheffer Jan 2018

Engagement Factors Impacting First-Year Persistence Of Hispanic And Non-Hispanic Students In Idaho Community Colleges, Kimberly May Scheffer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Although minority students are enrolling in community colleges at increasing rates, these students also leave at higher rates than their non-minority counterparts. The purpose of this quantitative study was to understand the relationship between selected antecedents of educational engagement and student persistence and to examine how persistence varied for first-year Hispanic and non-Hispanic students in Idaho community colleges. Drawing from Kahu's holistic approach, which conceptualizes students' engagement as arising from an interrelationship between institutional and student characteristics, this study surveyed 132 first-semester Idaho community college students. A MANOVA was used to identify the relationship between variables representing aspects of student …


Principal Leadership Style, Teacher Motivation, And Teacher Retention, Willie E. Williams Jan 2018

Principal Leadership Style, Teacher Motivation, And Teacher Retention, Willie E. Williams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem of teacher turnover in the United States has received significant attention from policymakers and district leaders. Improving teacher motivation is a concern and challenge for principals because they are faced with retaining highly qualified and capable teachers in the classroom. Researchers have indicated that principals can play a crucial role in motivating teachers. This nonexperimental correlational study used Deci and Ryan's self-determination theory and the leadership theories of Burns, Avolio, and Bass as a framework to address 2 research questions. The first research question examined the relationship between principal leadership style and teacher motivation, and the second question …


Texas Success Initiative Test Scores As A Predictor Of College Mathematics Success, Brooke Lee Jan 2018

Texas Success Initiative Test Scores As A Predictor Of College Mathematics Success, Brooke Lee

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Advisors use placement test scores as a means of predicting students' proficiency in mathematics; however, there is a debate about how accurately these scores predict students' success. This nonexperimental quantitative study focused on one test, the Texas Success Initiative (TSI). The purpose of the study was to determine whether the test is an accurate predictor of students' success in college algebra for students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) majors, and whether students who took the test continued pursuing a STEM major. The theoretical framework for this study was Tinto's theory of retention. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences …


Examining Attrition Among Bahamian Special Education Teachers And Implications For Special Education Reform, Norrisa Newton Jan 2018

Examining Attrition Among Bahamian Special Education Teachers And Implications For Special Education Reform, Norrisa Newton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Increasing levels of teacher attrition in special education within Bahamian public schools are preventing students with learning disabilities from achieving their learning goals within inclusive classroom settings. Addressing factors that influence attrition is vital to enhance the quality of education and the efficacy of educators while supporting positive social change. The purpose of this general qualitative study was to ascertain why Bahamian educators leave special education. This was achieved by exploring the influencing factors that have incited the decisions of public special education teachers within The Bahamas to resign or request premature retirement from the teaching profession, as well as …


An Exploration Of Male College Student Departure In The Southcentral United States, E. Ted Siebert Jan 2018

An Exploration Of Male College Student Departure In The Southcentral United States, E. Ted Siebert

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Male college students' attrition has been a concern for higher education for 3 decades. This study focused on why young male college students leave postsecondary education before graduating. The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences former male college students that led to their decision to leave a community college in the Southcentral United States. Research questions in this generic qualitative study were: How do men describe their experiences leading to the decision to discontinue their community college education and what supports do men perceive colleges could offer to support their decision to continue postsecondary education. Astin's theory …


Strategies Used To Retain Teachers In Hard To Staff Schools, Levi Shavers Jan 2018

Strategies Used To Retain Teachers In Hard To Staff Schools, Levi Shavers

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Teacher attrition has serious consequences in hard to staff schools. Mostly poor and ethnic minority students are deprived of being taught by stable, experienced teachers. The purpose of this study was to explore the strategies used to effectively retain teachers in such schools through the perspective of teachers at a high school that comprises poor and ethnic minority students in southwest Georgia. The conceptual framework that guided this study was Chen's theory about race and social class which postulated that a high percentage of poor ethnic minority students results in low teacher morale. This study explored the reasons why teachers …


Instructional Behavior And Its Impact On Student Engagement, Debra Joan Crumpton Jan 2018

Instructional Behavior And Its Impact On Student Engagement, Debra Joan Crumpton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of this quantitative study was to expand understanding of leadership behaviors and their influence on follower engagement. Researchers have shown that engagement is a predictor of retention and organizational performance. Leadership theory and the conceptual framework of worker engagement were the study's theoretical anchors. Despite a proliferation of leadership studies, engagement antecedents are largely unknown. The aim of this study was to narrow the gap in the literature by examining the extent to which there may be a relationship between college instructors' behaviors and student engagement. Although not traditionally regarded as frontline leaders, extant leadership literature affirmed college …


Engagement Strategies And Their Impact On Underserved Students, Tonyalle Vershutte Rush Jan 2018

Engagement Strategies And Their Impact On Underserved Students, Tonyalle Vershutte Rush

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.


The Online Student Experience: An Exploration Of First-Year University Students’ Expectations, Experiences And Outcomes Of Online Education, Melanie Henry Jan 2018

The Online Student Experience: An Exploration Of First-Year University Students’ Expectations, Experiences And Outcomes Of Online Education, Melanie Henry

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Online higher education presents a critical opportunity to extend and diversify the student body. The Online Student Experience (OSE), and online student outcomes, however, remain shrouded in ambiguity. The literature presents conflicting reports of online education (OE) quality, confounded by a lack of appreciation for potential differences between online and on-campus education, and a diversity of interpretations for what constitutes OE. The present research conceptualises OE as representing university courses that require students to interact with instructors and course materials via the internet, with no expectation of attending a university campus. A broad student-centred perspective is notably lacking from the …


Collegiate Recreation Participation And Student Retention, Progression, And Graduation, Gabriela Mccollum Jan 2018

Collegiate Recreation Participation And Student Retention, Progression, And Graduation, Gabriela Mccollum

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between collegiate recreation participation and students’ retention, progression, and graduation (RPG) rates. This study employed a quantitative, ex post facto research design along with descriptive analyses of two research questions. Archival data were gathered for an incoming first-year cohort of 3,516 students at a research-intensive university in the Southeast United States. The present study found that participants within the cohort who were classified as high participation in collegiate recreation were more likely to be retained from the first to the second year. Evidence of this finding was presented with statistical …