Education Commons^™

Today A Reader, Tomorrow A Leader: How Reading Comprehension Plays A Role In Academics Among Low-Income Students, Marissa Sandra Francisca Torrez

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

For this Capstone Project, the researcher investigates how teachers and low-income families view the resources needed for students to increase their reading comprehension and what they thought could be done to improve access to those resources. Interviews included a fieldworker who has a child enrolled in a middle school, a middle school Community Liaison who is very familiar and close to low-income families and the issues they face with education. Additionally, three middle school students completed a survey on reading comprehension. Based on an analysis of the interviews, surveys and the relevant research literature, the researcher used what they had …

Do Academic Characteristics Predict Chinese Private University Students’ Success In English Language Testing?, Feijun Yu

Education (PhD) Dissertations

Conventional language learning theory, which holds that learning outcomes are solely associated with learners’ competencies, has begun to be disputed in the dynamic learning environment. This study used English learners’ academic characteristics from the 2014 cohort in a private university in Shanghai, China, to explore the relationship between language learners’ academic characteristics and their learning outcomes in a national standardized English examination. Via the collection of extant data, 3,580 cases were included for logistic and multiple regression analysis. Results showed factors associated with English learning are the NCEE English score, the number of tests taken by students, provincial origin, gender, …

Social And Emotional Learning Difficulties Of Refugee High School Students In An After-School Tutoring Program, Xiaofei Xu, Xibei Zhu, George Zhou

Teaching Culturally and Linguistically Diverse International Students in Open or Online Learning Environments: A Research Symposium

School-aged children constitute a significant portion of the large number of refugees who have resettled in Canada in recent years. Due to the lack of cross-cultural competencies, a social justice focus, and transformative leadership skills, Canadian schools are often challenged to effectively address refugee students’ socio-psychological problems. Moreover, educational literature and policy, which specifically target Canadian refugee students, are scarce. To help with the issue, this study examined eight refugee high school students through an online after-school tutoring program and evaluated their performances in the five domains of social-emotional learning competencies: social awareness, self-management, relationship skills, responsible decision making, and …

Which School- And Community- Characteristics Lead To Charter School Success?, Susan Marino, Sarah Ranney

Dissertations

Charter schools have existed in the United States for thirty years, with mixed results. Research has largely focused on charter school failure and an analysis of what led to the demise. This study aimed to understand characteristics predicting charter school success, alongside those predicting failure. Specifically, it focused on a charter school’s first six years to understand how one successfully establishes a strong foundation, with the expectation that early success will lead to long-term success.

To understand characteristics predicting charter school success and failure, a review of existing data determined which charter schools were successful. Then, founding school leaders were …

Parental Involvement In Education, Molly Schnekloth

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

Parental involvement in children’s education is important for academic success. Parental involvement can have effects on a child’s social development, cognitive development, and behaviors in the classroom. It is important to have parental involvement at home and at school. Teachers are looking at ways they can involve parents more within their child’s education, and what barriers may cause parents to be less involved or seem to not be involved. This literature review examines research has been conducted on parental involvement in early childhood, elementary and secondary levels of education, parental involvement in different families and their background, and how parental …

The Effects Of Technology On Student Engagement And Academic Success, Austin Reese

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

The prevalence of educational technology has grown exponentially over the last decade. As schools continually increase use of educational technology throughout the various classroom environments and settings, does educational technology actually increase student engagement and academic success? A multitude of research studies regarding educational technology use in various K-12 classroom settings were analyzed while writing this literature review. The research found various educational technologies and methods, when applied appropriately for differentiated populations, can be a contributing factor to yield increased student engagement and increased academic success.

School Violence And Its Impact On Student Academic Achievement, Kewanis Kennedy

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

This study explores the occurrence of school violence and its impact on academic success and attendance. This study will encompass K-12 academic institutions in the state of Kentucky during the 2018-2019 academic school year, with an in-depth analysis of data submitted to the Kentucky Department of Education by the 171 participating school districts. The participating schools shared data in the form of disciplinary actions, attendance, graduation rates, academic achievement, and other relevant demographics. The collected data was analyzed to determine if there was a statistically significant difference among attendance rate, graduation rate, math ACT benchmark scores, and English ACT benchmark …

Community College Instructional Support Of Nontraditional Students Using Technology, Charlotte Ann Graham

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Nontraditional students often enroll at institutions of higher learning without the technology skills needed to complete coursework and achieve academic success. The problem at a small community college in the Southern United States is that instructors are providing limited support for nontraditional students using technology, which may leave students ill-prepared to complete coursework. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine instructional support of nontraditional students using technology to complete coursework and to make recommendations to improve instructional support of students. Knowles’s adult learning theory, Daloz’s mentoring theory, and Siemens’s connectivist theory provided the framework for the study. Research …

Student Perceptions Of Their Academic Success At Higher Education, Faith-Based Institutions, Amber Nicole Grady

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this manuscript is to examine any existence between student academic success and faith-based engagement experiences in higher education.Higher education, faith-based institutions provide spiritual support to help ensure students’ academic success. Student fit, especially for faith-based institutions, is critical to student persistence and involvement. As faith-based institutions and practitioners explore these student experiences, they can maximize their resources to provide substantial and quality programming to engage all students. Religiously focused programming at these faith-based institutions is intended to support students’ academic relationships and success.

Promoting Success For First-Generation Students Of Color: The Importance Of Academic, Transitional Adjustment, And Mental Health Supports, Sophie W. Schuyler, Jonique R. Childs, Timothy A. Poynton

Journal of College Access

Nearly 1 in 3 college students (30%) are first-generation students of color (FGSOC), possessing the intersectional identity of being both a first-generation college student and a racial minority. FGSOC face increased psychological and social difficulties in college when compared to students in other groups, resulting from cultural differences, lack of academic preparedness, stigma surrounding socioeconomic status, racial discrimination, and marginalization. This article summarizes peer-reviewed literature related to three types of supports that can improve the college experience and promote the academic success of FGSOC: academic supports, transitional adjustment supports, and mental health supports. The reviewed literature is framed by a …

The Power Of Kindness And Positivity In The College Environment, Kayla M. Vasilko, Joseph T. Stewart

Purdue Journal of Service-Learning and International Engagement

Research has shown that positivity in school climates has a direct connection to academic success. Building high self-esteem and recognizing the value of kindness in terms of emotional learning are key factors for schools to prioritize when aiming to help students succeed (Gadermann & Reichil, 2016). Additionally, it has been shown that kindness and positivity naturally trigger upward spirals of improvement, and have been noted to promote better social interactions, relationships, and health. Positive emotions, such as happiness, also broaden thought-action repertoires, which in turn builds intellectual, physical, social, and psychological factors in all of us (Otake, 2006; Bhujade, 2017). …

“Helping Me Learn New Things Every Day”: The Power Of Community College Students’ Writing Across Genres, Tanzina Ahmed

Publications and Research

Although community colleges are important entry points into higher education for many American students, few studies have investigated how their students engage with different genres or develop genre knowledge. Even fewer have connected students’ genre knowledge to their academic performance. In the present article, 104 ethnically, culturally, and linguistically diverse students reported on classroom genre experiences and wrote stories about college across three narrative genres (Letters, Best Experience, Worst Experience). Findings suggest that students’ engagement with classroom genres in community college helped them develop rhetorical reading and writing skills. When students wrote about their college lives across narrative genres, they …

Identifying The Unique Characteristics Of First-Generation College Students Whose Parents Never Attended College, Reena Patel

Theses and Dissertations

In this descriptive study, I examined data from the Bill and Melinda Gates Millennial Scholars Cohort 3 Longitudinal Survey which comprised of high- achieving, low-income and historically marginalized college students, to compare students whose parents never attended college (“True” FCGS) to students whose parents attended but did not graduate along five variables: academic preparation, academic transition, academic and social integration, and academic outcome patterns. This study addressed a significant void in prior research with respect to the need for a clearly established FGCS definition. Bourdieu’s social and cultural capital framework is the theoretical foundation for this study because his theory …

Understanding Campus Support Programs: How Universities Are Assisting Foster Care Alumni In Achieving Success, Bonnie Wilson Brown

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Young adults with foster care experience encounter a number of challenges related to obtaining a college degree. To assist this population in reaching their academic goals, many colleges and universities have created campus-based support programs. These programs are designed to assist former foster youth through an array of services, which range from financial aid to mentorship. However, little is known about how these programs are designed or implemented, or how effectively they are meeting the needs of this population. This dissertation sought to build upon previous research that examined the barriers faced by former foster children who are pursuing a …

Community College Student Organizations And Hispanic Students' Gpa, Retention, And Graduation Rates, Joanne Alvarez

Ed.D. Dissertations

Although the Hispanic population continues to grow throughout the United States, Hispanic students still have some of the lowest college retention and graduation rates. Administrators at post-secondary institutions need evidence for effective strategies to recruit, retain, and graduate Hispanic students. The current study was created to determine if there was a difference in grade point averages (GPA), retention, and graduation rates between two specific groups. The first group consisted of 506 self-identified Hispanic students engaged in at least one community college student organization versus 506 self-identified Hispanic students not engaged in any campus organization. A quantitative study was conducted to …

Baseline Data Collection On The Overall Health Of First-Year Engineering Students At The University Of Arkansas, Braeley George

Biomedical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Many factors contribute to college student's success both inside and outside of the classroom. Physical activity, mental health, sleep, and grit are key influences for academic achievement and retention. Exercise is Medicine (EIM) On Campus is part of a worldwide initiative through the American College of Sports Medicine that recognizes the importance of physical activity for health by both assessing and promoting physical activity to all students, faculty, and staff. The EIM survey is a tool for collecting general health information about a campus population, as it consists of questions on demographic information, health status, familial health history, diet choices, …

Self-Determination And Academic Success Of College Students With Disabilities, Lindsay F. Farrar

Graduate Dissertations and Theses

Within education, there have been many legislative changes in the last several decades to promote equitable access for students with disabilities. However, many barriers still exist that prevent these students from being academically successful once they have gained appropriate access. Research in the last 10 to 15 years has consistently identified these barriers as well as pinpointed some predictors of success for students with disabilities. Much of this research acknowledges the importance of self-management, goal-setting, and self-determination, yet there is a gap in the body of literature that specifically links self-determination to academic performance within the postsecondary setting. This study …

Opportunities In Manufacturing Of Advanced Materials For Second Career-Seeking Students, Oleksandr Kravchenko, Konstantin Cigularov, Tancy J. Vandecar-Burdin

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Faculty Publications

Many non-traditional students face similar challenges including lack of institutional support network, challenges to connecting with other students on campus, which may negatively affect degree persistence rates. The lack of financial support has been acknowledged nationwide as a barrier for STEM students including second-career seeking (SCS) students. The term career is defined as an occupation or course, which relates to a range of aspects of an individual’s life, learning and work and is undertaken for a significant period of a person’s life and with opportunities for progress. We target academically talented SCS students at Old Dominion University (ODU) with demonstrated …

Effects Of Aromatherapy On Academic Success, Perceived Stress, And Coping Skills Of Graduate Students, Lakisha S. Witter

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

This quasi-experimental study will explore whether the use of aromatherapy increases students’ academic success and coping skills and decreases the level of perceived stress in graduate college students.

Perceptions Of Academic Success Of English As A Second Language Nursing Students, Jean Lansang

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Hispanic or Latino and Asian communities represent two of the rapid-growing ethnicities who seek healthcare in the United States. However, the U.S. nursing workforce does not reflect the ethnic or cultural makeup of the patient population. The purpose of this study was to examine the lived experiences of Asian and Hispanic or Latino English as a second language (ESL) nursing students and learn the barriers and facilitators they experienced in their nursing program. A qualitative phenomenological approach underpinned by the social-ecological model and the Cummins language acquisition model was used for the study. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with 7 Asian …

Faculty Supporting Community College Students' Academic Success, Personal Development And Social Adjustment: Perspectives Of First-Generation African American Men Students, Natalie Renee Page

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Guided by Rendón’s (1994) Validation Theory, this qualitative case study focused on first generation African American men students’ perceptions of academic and interpersonal validation they received from faculty at a minority serving community college and how such validating behaviors was instrumental to their success. Twenty first generation African American men students were interviewed. Findings indicate that when faculty demonstrate care and concern; are observant, approachable, and create interesting and stimulating class environments; are intentional in using encouraging and affirming validating words; and treat students as individuals and not just learners, first generation African American men students perceive them as supporting …

Single Parents Level Of Hope To Achieve Graduation From College, Rhoda Maunupau Robertson

Student Research Posters

Despite the growing number of single parents returning to college to gain a better future for their families, 53% of student parents leave college within 6 years without a degree (Beeler, 2016). However, being hopeful enables student parents to focus on success which increase the probability to attain their goals and success (Snyder et al., 1991). The ability to achieve those goals comes from help-seeking, mentoring, and the ability to seek resources (Snyder et al., 1991). The goal of the present study is to examine levels of hope which enhance help-seeking skills to increase academic success within this population. The …

A Quantitative Study On The Effectiveness Of A Rural Magnet School Versus An Urban School Magnet Program In Academic Success And Stakeholder Satisfaction, Shayera Whitfield

Doctor of Education Dissertations

Research studies has indicated there is a correlation with magnet school curriculum being the cause of an increase in student achievement, high levels of student motivation, and satisfaction with morale as well as an increase in the number of parents satisfied with the school. However, according to Gamoran (1996), there have only been studies examining the academic achievement of magnet school students to non-magnet school students. This research study was designed to determine the effectiveness of a magnet school program in a rural and urban school district on the academic performance of students in reading and math as well as …

Computer Self-Efficacy, Digital Learners, And Completion Rates In The California Community College System, John R. Otte

CUP Ed.D. Dissertations

The importance of online learning in higher education has increased considerably over the last two decades. As a result, online learning has become an important area of research. The purpose of the study was to examine if higher levels of computer self-efficacy (CSE) contributed to online course completion among online California community college students. Guided by Bandura’s (1977) work on self-efficacy and the work of Compeau and Higgins (1995) and Howard (2014) on computer self-efficacy, this study revealed that there is no relationship between high levels of CSE and successful completion of the course. A judgement sample was used to …

Explicit Inclusion Of Fun In Instruction As A Catalyst For Academic Success, Kimberly Tyskiewicz

CUP Ed.D. Dissertations

Low graduation rates, rising drop-out rates, and increasing apathy and disengagement in learning has prompted the need for new strategies and interventions in education. This case study provides an analysis of the perceptions of high school teachers related to the impact of the explicit, intentional inclusion of fun in direct instruction. The participants included approximately 20% of the faculty in a semirural high school of approximately 1,325 students. The case study involved individual interviews with half of the participants and the other half participating in a focus group conversation. Six participants in each group were observed. All comments and concepts …

What Do We Know About The Health Of First-Generation College Students? A First Look At Compensatory Health Beliefs And Behavior, Kristel M. Gallagher

Perspectives In Learning

First-generation college students are less likely than continuing-generation students to reach graduation. Many colleges are working to bridge this divide, however little is known about the physical health of first-generation students. As physical health is associated with academic success, it is important to understand the beliefs and behaviors underpinning the physical health of first-generation college students. The present study examined the relationship between a specific type of unhealthy belief, compensatory health beliefs (CHBs), and the health behaviors of college students, with a focus on eating practices. Participants were first- and continuing-generation students attending a liberal arts institution who completed an …

Successful Models For Enhancing International Students’ Academic Success: Research And Recommendations, Joan Sweeney-Marsh, Kathleen Oakey

Publications and Scholarship

No abstract provided.

College Adjustment, Belongingness, Academic Self-Efficacy, Persistence, And Academic Success Among First-Generation College Students, Heather R. Highhouse

Dissertations

Previous research has compared the impacts of college adjustment, belongingness, and academic self-efficacy on first-generation and continuing-generation college students. However, the impacts of these factors on academic success (GPA) and persistence of first-semester, first-generation college students have not been investigated. The primary purpose of this study was to examine college adjustment and belongingness for first-semester, first-generation college students, with a focus on race and gender. This study also examined the impact of academic self-efficacy (i.e., course self-efficacy and social self-efficacy), college adjustment, and belongingness for academic success (GPA) and persistence of these students. The roles of race and gender in …

Investigating The Effects Of Motivational Interviewing Compared To Action Planning On Supporting The Emotional And Academic Success Of Ninth Grade Students In Advanced Placement Classes, Kai Zhuang Shum

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

High school students in accelerated curricula (i.e., Advanced Placement classes or pre-International Baccalaureate program) tend to report higher level of perceived stress compared to general education students due to additional academic demands that stemmed from accelerated courses (Suldo & Shaunessy-Dedrick, 2013). However, this group of students often receives limited if any targeted supports in schools because they tend to perform well academically (Suldo, O'Brennan, Storey, & Shaunessy-Dedrick, 2018). To address this gap in literature, this study investigated the efficacy of a targeted intervention in development to support academic and emotional success among students in accelerated curricula, namely the Motivation, Assessment, …

Pathways To School Success: An Examination Of Perspectives Of African American And Latino/A Low-Income Students, Uzoamaka Chinyelu Unobagha

Dissertations - ALL

This research study examines the perspectives of African American and Latino/a students from low-income families who are especially successful in an urban, public school to elicit and gain insights into factors that mediate their academic success, conditions and contexts that nurture these factors, and the process through which these factors mediate their academic success. Utilizing a qualitative, phenomenological theoretical framework (Van Manen, 1990), this study bridges critical gaps in the empirical research literature on the academic success of such students by centering and validating the marginalized, yet authentic, voices, perspectives, and lived experiences of the adolescents (Gayles, 2005; Howard, Dryden …