Education Commons^™

Online Versus On-Ground: Student Outcomes And The Influence Of Student Engagement In A College Success Course, Theresa Elizabeth Orosz

Theses and Dissertations

Online course enrollments are growing despite concerns about higher withdrawal rates and lower persistence rates, academic performance, and levels of engagement (Bambara, Harbour, Davies, & Athey, 2009; Blackner, 2000; Jaggars & Xu, 2010; Xu & Jaggars, 2011). College success courses, which are meant to bolster new students' academic skills and foster engagement, are being offered online, placing academically inexperienced students in a high risk learning environment. This mixed methods study sought to understand the experience of community college students enrolled in online and on-ground sections of a college success course and how engagement may have influenced their outcomes. Despite similarly …

Encouraging Professional Competency Development Of Higher Education Administration Graduate Students Through Supervised Student Affairs Practice, Andrew S. Tinnin

Theses and Dissertations

Professional preparation and socialization of student affairs educators and their competency development is increasingly important in today's higher education environment (ACPA & NASPA, 2015; Janosik, Creamer, Hirt, Winston, Saunders, & Cooper, 2003; Schuh, Jones, & Harper, 2010). This professional preparation often occurs during graduate programs in higher education administration, and features a supervised practice component (CAS, 2012; Janosik, Cooper, Sauders, & Hirt, 2015). The purpose of this grounded theory study is to explore the process of competency development of higher education administration graduate students as part of their professional socialization into the student affairs profession. The intent of the study …

The Challenges That International Students Face When Integrating Into Higher Education In The United States, Raja Almurideef

Theses and Dissertations

For the last two years, the number of international students aspiring to obtain a qualification in U.S. universities has been exponentially growing by 8% (IIE, 2014). The purpose of this study was to discuss the challenges faced by international students in the United States. Although international students benefit universities, they encounter adjustment difficulties that differ from those of domestic students, such as culture shock, homesickness, loss of social support, discrimination, language barriers, loneliness, depression, anxiety, and academic adjustments. This quantitative study was conducted with undergraduate international students from different countries enrolled at Rowan University during the spring semester of 2016. …

College Student Attitudes Toward Intercollegiate Athletics At Rowan University, Donald Nathanial Parsley

Theses and Dissertations

The purposes of this study were to (a) analyze undergraduate residential student attitudes towards athletics at Rowan University; (b) discern differences between self-identified student-athletes and non-athletes with respect to athletic programs at Rowan University in regards to resource allocation, corruption, relevance of athletics to the college experience, and academic matters of student-athletes; and (c) examine differences in attitudes of the student sample at Rowan University with previous studies. The survey tool that was utilized consisted of 44 items, which collected demographics and employed a series of Likert-style statements. The subjects consisted of 431 residential, undergraduate students at Rowan University enrolled …

Understanding The First-Year Student Athlete Experience At Rowan University: A Qualitative Approach, David Joseph Naphy

Theses and Dissertations

Retaining students in higher education is a continual process, in need of constant evaluation, to ensure best practices are being implemented to meet the needs of the students. When implementing retention and transition programs, colleges and universities must understand the varying needs, particularly for those who are members of a subgroup within the traditional population (Bean & Metzner, 1985). One subgroup, in particular, that could benefit from a more focused transitional experience during their first-year at college are student athletes (Crom, Warren, Clark, Marolla, & Gerber, 2009).

The purpose of this study was to better understand the first-year experience at …

Involvement Patterns Of International Students And Their Overall College Experience, Kesiane C. Costa-String

Theses and Dissertations

The goal of this mix method study was to examine the involvement patterns of Rowan University international undergraduate students and their overall college experience and satisfaction. The study further explored what services are most used from international students at Rowan University. The survey sample included the available population of all international undergraduate students from Rowan University, Glassboro main campus, during spring 2015. Of the 59 international undergraduate students who received the survey, 33 students responded yielding a 56% response rate. The purposive sample included four undergraduate international students from Rowan University, Glassboro, main campus, enrolled during the 2014-2015 academic year, …

Leadership Development And Ethnic Identity Of Latina/O Students At Rowan University, Andrew Montanez

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the influences of leadership and ethnic identity among selected Rowan University Latina/o undergraduate students. More specifically, the study replicated Oldham’s (2008) research, which was based on Erikson's Identity Development Theory (1980) and the Leadership Identity Model of Komives, Owen, Longerbeam, and Mainella (2005). In addition, the study probed how Latina/o Rowan University undergraduate students viewed their ethnicity using Phinney’s (1992) Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure (MEIM).

Students were surveyed randomly via an electronic version of the instrument on Rowan’s Volvici survey software, and by convenience sampling through paper formatted surveys gathered at the …

First-Year Students: Investigating The Impact Of Participating In A Mathematics Learning Community, Lindsay Barrie

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate how participating in a mathematics learning community can impact a first-year students’ experience in college. The total population in the Math Learning Community (MLC) was 40, 36 of these members participated in a survey and five volunteered to participate in an interview. The survey collected demographic information and responses to statements regarding the students’ transition to college, their connectedness to Rowan, their peer interaction, faculty interaction, and their overall satisfaction at Rowan. The interview questions asked about their most and least satisfying aspects of participating in the MLC and what recommendations they …

Examining Student Leader Involvement Patterns Related To Academic Success, Stephanie Reiley

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores the desirable limits of Astin’s Involvement Theory. Astin (1993) reports that involvement on campus is positively related to student success, however, in other portions of his work, he reports that there are certain limitations on the theory of involvement. The purpose of this study was to investigate the involvement patterns and academic impact of highly involved students at Rowan University, in Glassboro, New Jersey in the spring 2015 semester. The target population for this survey was current Resident Assistants, Orientation Staff, and members of the Student Government Association. The instrument to assess students’ patterns and levels of …

The Collegiate Experiences Of Lesbians In Panhellenic Sororities, Rebecca Marie Littefield

Theses and Dissertations

Fraternities and sororities are a well-established culture on many college campuses. Today, about 16% of all college graduates were members of a fraternity or sorority while attending their alma mater (Gallup, 2014). Out of this 16%, approximately 3-4% of sorority membership is known with certainty to be lesbian or bisexual (Case, 2005). What are the experiences of these women? Do they face specific challenges within sorority life due to their sexual orientation? This qualitative study examines the experiences of lesbians in Panhellenic sororities in order to bring light to a relatively invisible subculture and inform the practices of current practitioners. …

A Quantitative Study On Student Perception Of Campus Climate For Diversity At A Predominantly White Institution, Tyler O. Harrison

Theses and Dissertations

This quantitative study was conducted during the spring 2015 semester at Rowan University—a Predominantly White Institution located in Glassboro, NJ that also consists of classes in Camden, NJ. The target population of this study was all main-campus, full-time undergraduate students at or above the age of 18 years who were enrolled in Rowan University for at least a full semester—during the Fall 2014 semester and returned in the Spring 2015 semester.

The purpose of this research study was to close a knowledge gap for research surrounding undergraduate perception of campus climate for diversity at a Predominantly White Institution as represented …

Rowan University's Rowan 101 Transfer Seminar: Impact On Transfer Students, Michele Applegate

Theses and Dissertations

The primary purpose of this study was to explore the impact of the Rowan 101: College Success (Transfer Student Section) transfer seminar course offered to incoming transfers at Rowan University. The study explored students’ college preparedness, support, concerns, and attitudes towards Rowan University; experiences with diversity; college goals and outcomes; study strategies; work patterns and reasons for working; and self reports of the impact that the Rowan 101: College Success (Transfer Student Section) course had on them. A total population of 41 students from the fall semester’s courses were contacted to take the Transfer Student Survey and to participate in …

Town And Gown Relations: Finding Equitable Prosperity For Neighborhood Resident Stakeholders, Ian T. Foley

Theses and Dissertations

An effective and prosperous community is measured by the sum of its parts, and in the case of a college town, everyone from the college students, to the neighborhood residents are stakeholders in what represents a college town. The neighborhood resident is a less researched stakeholder, but none the less important in understanding challenges. This study expands the limited knowledge base on attitudes of neighborhood resident stakeholders in college towns. A randomized door-to-door survey was conducted in the Glassboro, New Jersey neighborhood surrounding Rowan University, collecting the attitudes of permanent residents regarding interactions with students, property and public safety concerns, …

Scratching The Surface Or Digging Deeper: An Exploration Of Students' Attitudes Toward Their Ethnic Identity And Cultural Proficiency Among Undergraduate Students At Rowan University, Danielle Simcic

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to gauge the attitudes of selected undergraduate students toward their ethnic identity, cultural knowledge, and cultural accountability at Rowan University. This study was conducted in the spring 2015 semester; freshmen residing in the Chestnut residence hall and seniors residing in the Rowan Boulevard apartment complex were surveyed. There was a total of 260 subjects surveyed over the course of three weeks. The subjects reported generally positive attitudes regarding their ethnic identity, cultural knowledge, and cultural accountability. The findings of this study revealed that Rowan University students indicated positive attitudes regarding their ethnic identity, cultural …

Contest Or Congruence: The Effects Of Work/School Conflict And Facilitation On Working College Students, Madeline Mareen Miscenich

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to find out more about working students perspectives on work/school conflict and facilitation. The subjects that participated in the study included students workers of Rowan University employed through the Federal Work Study (FWS) Program in the area of Gloucester County, New Jersey. Data from the subjects were gathered using a quantitative survey design, with items presented in a Likert scale format. The data were analyzed using SPSS Software, and frequency of response, measures of central tendency, and Pearson correlations were examined in order to determine student attitudes regarding work/school conflict and facilitation. Subjects were …

Leadership Development And Involvement: A Study Of The 2015 Peer Referral And Orientation Staff At Rowan University, Naquan Redd

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this mixed method study was to (a) assess the Peer Referral Orientation Staff (PROS) program at Rowan University, (b) assess if PROS members identify themselves as leaders on campus, (c) assess if other students identify the PROS members as leaders on campus, and (d) assess PROS member’s beliefs that the program helped them to develop and identify as leaders. A total of 36 subjects took part in the survey portion of the study which helped to assess the above areas. Out of the 36 subjects, four agreed to be participants in the interview process. To give the …

Involvement Patterns Of Campus Recreation Employees, Justin Fletcher

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the patterns of involvement exhibited by student employees employed by Ashland University Department of Recreational Services during the 2015-2016 academic year. In addition to examining the involvement patterns, the study also examined any links between involvement in specific areas of employment and involvement in other areas on campus. These links of involvement and the amount of involvement were also examined in connection with the satisfaction of different areas of campus, leading to understand the level of satisfaction with the subjects collegiate experience.

The gap in research had not examined the demographics of …

Understanding How The Interaction Between The Community College And The Underprepared Student Positions The Student's Developmental Educational Outcomes, Alberta Mary Jaeger

Theses and Dissertations

Underprepared urban community college students from low socioeconomic backgrounds face numerous challenges as they pursue a college degree. They can have weak academic skills that places them in non-college credited developmental education courses, which many do not complete. This qualitative case study used Bourdieu’s (1977) theories of cultural capital, habitus, field, and practice as a critical test of a significant theory (Yin, 2009) to understand how the interaction between the urban community college and these students positioned the students’ educational outcomes. Developmental reading/writing courses were observed. Students enrolled in these courses, faculty who taught the courses, and administrators who interacted …

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder And The Impact On Adults Exiting School, Dana Lynn Kilroy

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this thesis study was to see if there was a connection between Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and going on to attend college. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a disorder commonly diagnosed in children during the developmental years that impedes on their abilities to pay attention and stay still, which could be detrimental in a school setting. Previous research shows that students with ADHD are not going on to attend college and to receive a higher level of education. Adults with ADHD tend to present their symptoms differently than they did when they were children. This thesis …

Strategies For Teaching Developmental Mathematics Students At The College Level, Natalie Lynn Kautz

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this investigation was to identify strategies used by effective instructors of developmental mathematics, and to discover the perceptions developmental mathematics students have about these strategies. While there are research projects focusing solely on developmental mathematics achievement, this study fills a need by incorporating views of teaching effectiveness from multiple viewpoints.

In this research project, college-level instructors of developmental mathematics students were recorded on video before, during, and after the teaching of an algebraic concept. Students were given a pre-lesson survey and post-lesson survey to see if there were gains in their learning. Students completed a survey about …

The Role Of Professional Advising In The Liberal Arts, Kimberly Rose Poolos

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of professional academic advising in the liberal arts. This study focused on the impact of professional academic advising in the liberal arts. This study also focused on the extent to which professional administrators are involved in supporting the professional academic advisors. This was a Total Population Study since all five College of Humanities and Social Sciences embedded advisors participated in this study and the four administrators participated in this study. Qualitative research, through the use of 30 minute individual interviews, was used to collect data. Interview questions focused on demographic …

Student Loan Debt Influence On Graduate Degree Attainment, Alicia Clendaniel

Theses and Dissertations

Student loan debt is an important topic up for discussion and has become a huge issue affecting multiple dimensions of today’s society. Undergraduate students are accruing more debt than ever to pay for college degrees, and recent trends in higher education report a raise in cost of tuition. Current statistics reveal over 1.2 trillion dollars in outstanding student loan debt from over 40 million borrowers, however, students are still being encouraged to further their education to gain an economic edge. An array of previous research has focused on various effects of student loans, however, there have been limited studies which …

Do I Belong? Narratives Of Sense Of Belonging And Fit From Underrepresented African American And Latina Women In Science Undergraduate Majors, Jacqueline Shantell Moore

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the sense of belonging of underrepresented African American and Latina undergraduate women in science majors. More specifically, the study focused on the factors that contributed to the participants being engaged or disengaged in the science campus community. The use of narratives provided a detailed understanding about experiences that described the participants’ sense of belonging at the higher education level. Sense of belonging was used as a framework for understanding the experiences and the motivation of African American and Latina undergraduate women studying in a science major. The research method utilized for …

Organizational Development And Learning Technology In The Workplace: The Migration Of University Reporting Tools, Anne C. Pinder

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation study focused on organizational development (OD) as it related to implementing a new technology, the Cognos reporting tool, within working groups at a mid-sized University, in southern New Jersey. In this study, I intended to understand how these two work groups accomplished this change on an individual, team, and organizational level, while they achieved success through dealing with stressors associated with the software implementation. I was especially interested in how individuals in the two workgroups dealt with a major change within their organization. I was also interested in evaluating my personal leadership skills as a contributor to the …

In Their Voices, With Their Words: A Case Study Of Student Success In Accelerated Developmental Writing Courses, Shawnda Lynae Floyd

Theses and Dissertations

This study uses qualitative research to give voice to students in accelerated developmental writing courses. Using a review of survey data and structured interviews, students were asked about their lived experience in accelerated developmental writing courses. Four cases of students were studied from two different community college settings. Particular attention was given to capturing the students’ voices in answering why the students believed they were successful in these courses.

Stories Of Becoming And Being An Associate Degree Nurse Educator: A Narrative Inquiry Study Examining How Participants' Ways Of Knowing Evolved Through Their Experiences, Bonnie Jill Ross

Theses and Dissertations

This study explored the stories of the experiences of three associate degree nurse educators and how they evolved in the way they viewed their world as they transitioned in their role from nurse expert to experienced nurse educator. As associate degree nursing education is the most commonly reported initial nursing education of registered nurses in the United States, and, because of the highly affordable and accessible means for educating the next generation of nurses, the purpose of this study was to address the projected nurse and nursing faculty shortage. Through narrative inquiry, this study has provided a means to inform …

Recruitment And Retention Of Hispanic Nursing Students: Through The Lens Of Associate Degree Nursing Program Administrators And Hispanic Nursing Students, Debra Jean Handlos Devoe

Theses and Dissertations

The Hispanic population in the United States is changing and will constitute 30% of the population in 2050; however, the Hispanic registered nurse population is less than 3%. Cultural differences between patients and nurses may cause harm and a mistrust that can affect patient outcomes. A mixed methods convergent research study was done by an electronic survey, non-electronic surveys, telephone interviews, and focus groups to compare the perceptions of nursing program administrators at seven community colleges in a Mid-Atlantic state, in the United States, and the perceptions of 15 Hispanic nursing students regarding the challenges, barriers, and obstacles of Hispanic …

Student Engagement In Undergraduate Social Work Education Among “At-Risk” Students, Ananda Newmark

Theses and Dissertations

College student engagement is an important factor that contributes to student success. This study is one of the first to explore student engagement in undergraduate social work education by examining engagement levels among at-risk social work students. In this study, two types of at-risk student groups were studied: First Generation College Students (FGCS) and transfer students. A cross sectional research design was used. Secondary analysis was performed on data gathered by the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) from five accredited, Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) programs in one southeast state. A sample of 135 BSW seniors were included in …

The Experiences Of Black Males In Honors Colleges, Sandra Greene

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to explore the experiences of Black Males in honors colleges. Specifically this study aims to highlight the successes, challenges, and common experiences of Black males in honors colleges. To this end, the researcher interviewed six Black men in an honors college located in a predominantly White institution in the southeast. This study sought to share a story of success to counteract the majoritarian narrative of Black male underachievement. Critical Race Theory provided a framework and lens to help understand the emergent themes and findings. Through interviews with the study participants the following seven themes …

How Female Social Studies Department Chairs Navigate Their Roles As Leaders, Jeffrey C. Eargle

Theses and Dissertations

During the past four decades, state and federal education policy in the United States has focused on standardization and increased accountability. In contrast, education researchers advocate elevating the status of teachers through the professionalization of education. Teacher leadership is a concept that is used to reform schools and increase student achievement. The high school department chair is a formal teacher leadership role in the school hierarchy. Because research indicates that a majority of social studies teachers are male, female social studies department chairs are in a position to lead predominantly men.

A gap exists in the research on social studies …