Education Commons^™

Transcript Analyses As A Tool To Understand Community College Student Academic Behaviors., Linda S. Hagedorn

Linda Serra Hagedorn

Community colleges are truly an American invention that, despite many documented successes, remains controversial. There is a large body of research that criticizes these institutions citing non-successes (Dougherty, 1987, 1994; Brint & Karabel, 1989). Debates whirl not only about the overall outcomes of these institutions, but also about how to measure community college student progress and outcomes. This article specifically promotes the utilization of transcript analysis to document and understand the complex academic behaviors of community college students. Transcripts or the records of student activities that include enrollments, course drops, and grades are important, yet ignored documents that tell the …

A Longitudinal Study Of Chickering And Reisser’S Vectors: Exploring Gender Differences And Implications For Refining The Theory., John D. Foubert, Monica Nixon, Shamim Sisson, Amy B. Barners

John D. Foubert

A racially mixed random sample of 247 students at a midsized public university in the Southeast completed the Student Development Task and Lifestyle Inventory at the beginning of their first year, beginning of their sophomore year, and end of their senior year (Winston, Miller & Prince, 1987). Results showed partial support of Chickering and Reisser’s theory of development in that students progressed in their development along three measured vectors throughout their college career. Results contradicted the assumption that developing purpose is a vector experienced only toward the end of one’s college career. Important gender differences also emerged, particularly regarding issues …

The Role Of Contextual Influences On Self-Perceptions Of Identity, Christy D. Moran

Christy Moran Craft

This qualitative study investigated contextual influences involved in college student identity development. It examined events, experiences, and relationships that alumni suggest either nourished or thwarted their perceptions of multiple dimensions of their identity during college. Findings suggest that self-perceptions of identity often change as a result of the emotions experienced by individuals in reaction to various contextual influences.

Learning Commons Concept, Jeffrey A. Franks

Jeffrey A Franks