Education Commons^™

Examining Social Factors Influencing Latino Students' Academic Learning In Rio Grande Valley Via A Quantitative Design, David T. Smith

Theses and Dissertations

This research study aimed to examine the social factors that could influence the academic learning experiences of Latino college students. Hispanic students are pursuing post-secondary degrees at a higher rate than in previous years. Many Hispanics represent their respective family members as the first members of their respective families to attend college (Trevino & DeFreitas, 2014). The academic achievement of Latino college students is becoming a major concern in the United States due to their growing population and special needs (Trevino & DeFreitas, 2014).

It is imperative to examine the social factors that could affect the academic learning experiences of …

The Relationship Between Academic Self-Efficacy And Academic Achievement Of First-Time First-Year Students Enrolled At A Technical College, Heather Marie Hoppe

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Student persistence, retention, and completion are continued concerns in higher education. While external influences contribute to persistence and retention, the focus of this research study was to determine the academic self-efficacy and self-regulated factors that influence the academic achievement of first-time first-year students who persist from the fall to spring semester at a Southeastern technical college. One hundred four first-time first-year students who persisted from fall 2021 to spring 2022 completed an Academic Self-Efficacy Survey. There were five significant predictors identified in the analysis. The three self-regulated learning tasks: “I can finish homework assignments by deadlines,” “I can organize my …

Meta-Analysis Of The Effectiveness Of Project-Based Learning Approach On Academic Achievement In Higher Education Worldwide, Ziyu Meng

Doctoral Dissertations

This research study conducted a meta-analysis to integrate the studies that investigated the effectiveness of project-based learning on academic achievement based on a worldwide higher-education population. The researcher explored the variables that previous meta-analysis studies used to evaluate academic achievements, such as student grade point average (GPA), course grades, and test scores, to explore the use of these variables in project-based learning. There were 17 studies in total included in the meta-analysis evaluating the effect size of academic achievement, which was influenced in moderator variable by subject-matter areas, school location, hours of instruction, technology support, and group size. The researcher …

Generation Z : Who Are They And What Do They Expect From Student Affairs On Campus?, Mary Elizabeth Wake

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

This quantitative study aimed to expand upon existing research, which discussed student expectations, the relationship between expectations and retention, persistence, and student success, as well as why understanding student expectations is important to supporting student success. This research study explored these concepts from a lens of Generational Theory, which includes the notion that each generation has differing values, experiences of life events and motivational factors. Effective delivery of services, which can aid student success and retention, is enhanced when professionals within student affairs are able to appreciate students as individuals, as well as who they are as a generational cohort. …

A Case Study The Effects Of Student Engagement On Academic Achievement In African American Women: Comparing Undergraduate Stem Majors To Non-Stem Majors From A Historically Black College And University, Zenora E. Gay

STEMPS Theses & Dissertations

The nation is at a critical juncture in history as it seeks to increase the number of students who enter the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) workforce. The national push to have a properly trained STEM workforce was at the forefront of the past administration’s top priority list. The higher education community has a unique opportunity to contribute to the creation of a sustainable U.S. STEM workforce. Although significant progress has been made in STEM fields, some argue that movement has been too slow in certain cases, as shown in degrees earned by women in engineering (National Academies of …

The Influence Of Black Identity Development On Academic Achievement Of Black College Students At Pwis, Abbey Rae Jerome

Culminating Experience Projects

Past and present literature suggests that racial identity development has a presumably positive influence on Black students’ academic achievement in college settings. The literature also shows that Black students continue to underperform in academic settings when compared to their White counterparts. Throughout this literature and development of an intervention, these issues begin to merge as racial identity development is linked to academic achievement at PWIs. This project explores what exactly it means to develop Black Identity in college, and why this is impacting academic achievement among Black students. Through identification of these issues, a course will be designed in order …

First-Year College Students' Perceptions Of Writing And Writing Instruction Across High School To College Transitions, Laura Dacus

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Over the past few decades, standards-based educational reforms in the U.S. have sought to enhance students’ college and career readiness. The most recent wave of such reforms has emphasized writing as an essential aspect of college readiness and a 21st century skill necessary for success in the workplace. A common feature of these conversations concerning college writing readiness is a prevailing sense that high school graduates are underprepared for postsecondary literacy demands and, relatedly, that standards-based instruction is the key to bridging this “gap.” Compared to the number of studies that focus on writing at either the secondary or postsecondary …

The Relationships Between Grit, Mindset, And The Academic Success Of Nontraditional Students At Online Colleges, David W. Franklin Jr

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Grit and mindset are two of the hottest topics in education today, but research on their predictive power for academic success is inconclusive and rife with gaps and limitations. The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationships between grit, mindset, self-regulated learning (SRL), and academic outcomes for adult students attending online colleges. This was investigated using data from the Diagnostic Assessment and Achievement of College Skills (DAACS) project, and includes 9,276 undergraduate, mostly adult students from two online institutions in the United States. The results indicate that while grit, its two components, and mindset were significantly correlated with …

Mindfulness & Mindset: The Winning Combination? The Exploration Of The Unstuck Method® On Developmental Math Students: A Mixed Methods Study, Edite Birnbaum, Edith L. Birnbaum

Graduate Theses & Dissertations

Many students enter colleges having to take non-credit-bearing courses, and many do not pass these courses due to numerous factors, including anxiety and stress, especially in mathematics. Current literature shows how mindfulness-based interventions (Bamber, & Schneider, 2016; Dvořáková et al., 2017; Hidman, 2013; Miller et al. 2019; Regehr et al., 2013) and a growth mindset (Blackwell et al., 2007; Boaler et al., 2018; May, 2009) have a positive effect on student stress, anxiety, and academic success. This mixed-method study focused on the unSTUCK strategy’s impact, a mindfulness-inspired tool, on foundation math students. The unSTUCK strategy is a mindfulness-inspired program. The …

Short-Term Financial Confidence As A Predictor Of Academic Achievement And Six-Year Graduation Success Of First-Year Students., Shawna M. Clark

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation explores the relationships among short-term financial confidence, academic achievement, six-year graduation success, and pre-college demographic characteristics for first-time, full-time, traditionally aged first-year students. The sample population was from a mid-sized Midwestern four-year degree granting university. These students were enrolled for the first time in Fall 2013 and participated in the survey used for data collection during that term. Examining the role of socioeconomic status and its relationship with short-term financial confidence was first addressed to provide a context for the other research questions. From this, the research question examined the predictive nature of pre-college demographic characteristics on short-term …

Cultural Wealth And The Racialized Experiences Of Persisting Latinx Business Students In A Predominantly White Institution: A Study On Sense Of Belonging, Rebecca Sue Sanchez

Dissertations and Theses

The changing landscape of higher education calls for a shift in approach to ensure that all students are given not just the opportunity but also the environment in which to succeed. In order to facilitate the growing demand for a diverse workforce, universities must work to retain students and support them sufficiently as they move toward graduation. Student persistence rates from year one to year two show markedly different rates based on race and ethnicity with the lowest persistence rates associated with Latinx and Black students. National projections of college attendance by race and ethnicity predict that Latinx students will …

The Effect Of Standardised Learning Diaries On Self-Regulated Learning, Calibration Accuracy And Academic Achievement, Avanelle Joseph-Edwards

STEMPS Theses & Dissertations

The online learning environment is a dynamic yet complex learning modality. Students are physically separated from their peers, they grapple with feelings of isolation, and they may be unable to self-regulate their learning. Studies have shown that self-regulation is related to academic achievement and student metacognitive monitoring in online settings. The present study investigated the effects of a standardized diaries on students’ self-regulatory behaviors, calibration accuracy and academic achievement within an online learning environment. Using this self-monitoring and evaluation tool, forty online graduate students enrolled in a research methods course at a southeastern university in the United States participated in …

The Relationship Between Undergraduate Research Training Programs And Motivational Resources For Underrepresented Minority Students In Stem: Program Participation, Self-Efficacy, A Sense Of Belonging, And Academic Performance, Jennifer Lindwall

Dissertations and Theses

Although calls for a more diverse workforce in biomedical fields have been widespread, racial and ethnic gaps in biomedical degree attainment persist. In order to succeed, URM STEM students must persevere despite numerous challenges and stay continuously motivated on the long road to degree attainment in biomedical disciplines. Past higher education research has identified two key self-appraisals, a sense of belonging and self-efficacy, as crucial for student success. These beliefs, which can serve as motivational resources for students, include students' convictions about whether they are a valued member of their academic community and whether they have what it takes to …

The Influence Of Engaging Centralized Student Support On The Academic Achievement Of Student Veterans, Paul Morgan

Dissertations, 2014-2019

As more veterans and service members enroll in higher education, institutions are investing greater resources in the establishment and enhancement of centers to support them. However, little is known about the outcomes associated with utilization of the centers. Furthermore, researchers have consistently aggregated veterans and service members under “student veterans” with little regard for potential differences. Using regression analyses and analysis of variance, this case study explored the effect of visits to a veterans center on grade point average (GPA), the effect of academic need on frequency of visits, and differences in academic achievement for different types of military-affiliated students. …

Involvement Theory: An Examination Of Community College Student-Athletes, Kaitlyn Marie Matthews

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to assess selected community college student athletes' involvement in athletic and non-athletic activities at Rowan College at Gloucester County (RCGC). The researcher surveyed 67 student athletes at RCGC who competed during the spring 2017 semester. The subjects were administered a survey to measure their level of involvement, as well as their attitudes toward involvement at RCGC. Surveys were statistically analyzed to determine frequency, percentages, means, standard deviations, and significant correlations between selected demographics and specific involvement activities. The study provides insight on the attitudes of importance and satisfaction that student athletes at RCGC have …

The Role Of Resistance And Social Capital In Facilitating Latino/A College Success, Patricia Sánchez-Connally

Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation examines the relationship between race and educational achievement among inner city, low income, first generation, and high achieving Latino/a students. Research on students of color has focused on cultural deficit models, which portray students as culturally deprived and proposes cultural assimilation as the solution (Nieto 2010; Delpit 2006; Solórzano & Yosso 2002). As a way to contest these models, I describe the role of Academic Support & College Readiness Program (ASP) as a place where community cultural wealth (Yosso 2005) is being created and transferred. Community cultural wealth is an alternative concept that uses Critical Race Theory (CRT) …

The Influence Of Academic Momentum And Associate Degree Credit Requirements On Community College Student Degree Completion, Daniel Knox

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

This study addresses gaps in the theoretical and policy literature by examining the relationship between associate degree program credit requirements and four student outcomes: associate degree attainment, time to degree, final associate degree grade point average, and persistence. Using student unit record data, a longitudinal quantitative study of a cohort of community college students was conducted for the observational period of fall semester 2011 through winter semester 2016, in order to determine if community college students enrolled in academic programs with higher minimum credit requirements have different outcomes than students in programs with lower minimum credit requirements.

Relationship Between Living Environment And First-Year Student Academic Achievement And Persistence., Shannon Deaton Staten

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Student apartments that are privately owned and managed on the edge of higher education campuses have become a new paradigm in campus housing. Campus administrators consider privatized housing as a financial resource for providing updated housing facilities. There is minimal research regarding how students succeed academically if living in the privatized housing properties. Krause (2007) confirmed that research regarding how students living off campus succeed in college needs to be more fully addressed. This study was designed to contribute information of how students who live in off-campus privatized student housing apartments succeed academically. This information is important to campus administrators …

The Relationship Among The Timing Of College Start, Remedial Education Participation, And Postsecondary Persistence, Craig Lamb

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Approximately one-third of all college entrants enroll in at least one remedial education course during their college career. At the same time, large numbers of college entrants begin their postsecondary career after some formal departure between high school completion and college start. Previous research suggests that remedial education participants and delayed-start students persist in college at lower rates than their non-remedial participants and immediate-start counterparts. With such large numbers of students delaying their college start and participating in remedial education courses during their college career, it is important to fully understand the persistence implications when these three variables are examined …

Academic Performance In College Online Courses : The Role Of Self-Regulated Learning, Motivation And Academic Self-Efficacy, Catherine L. Basila

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Abstract

Are Physically Active College Students More Successful Academically Than Their Inactive Peers?, Jared T. Meacham

University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

This research project intended to explore the possible relationship between physical activity and academic achievement in college students. Using an anonymous online survey, data was collected over two semesters. Ten thousand currently-enrolled college students ages eighteen and older from all states and recognized territories of the United States participated. The survey gathered data concerning a student’s age, gender, race, body weight, height, geographic region of college attendance, cumulative GPA, and physical activity level. The FIT Index of Kasari was used to classify each student’s physical activity level. A quintile split by FIT score was conducted to determine if physically active …

Classroom Engagement As A Proximal Lever For Student Success In Higher Education: What A Self-Determination Framework Within A Multi-Level Developmental System Tells Us, Una Ji Chi

Dissertations and Theses

This study examined the role of course engagement in college student success, especially for students who have multiple life commitments and few social supports. Building on previous measurement work and based in self-determination theory, the study was organized in five steps. Relying on information provided by 860 undergraduates from 12 upper and lower division Psychology classes, the first step was to improve the measurement of course engagement, by mapping the increased complexity found in self-reports of college students (by incorporating items capturing engagement in "out-of-classroom" activities and general orientation, to standard items tapping classroom engaged and disaffected behavior and emotion). …

Exploring The Experiences Of Latina/Os In Graduate Health Science Programs: A Qualitative Study, Mijiza Malane Sanchez

Doctoral Dissertations

This qualitative study conducted at a Northern California university explored how six Latino/a health science professionals navigated their academic trajectory. The six participants identify as Latino/a and shared their journeys to the health sciences. This study examined how participants utilized their community cultural wealth to navigate the complexities of campus climate during their pursuit of a graduate or professional degree in the health sciences. Research data included narratives from in-depth interviews with the six participants and a focus group.

The key findings of this study illustrate the profound significance of mentorship in the pursuit of health science careers. This study …

Sistahs With Voices : Influences That Affected The College Choice Of High-Achieving African American Women Who Chose To Attend A Predominantly White Institution Instead Of An Historically Black College Or University., Angela Denise Duncan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Despite a long struggle to gain access, African Americans have always highly valued education. Historically Black colleges and universities (HBCU) were established specifically to educate this group, but the integration of predominately White institutions (PWI) in the 1960s led to decreased HBCU enrollments and, thus, challenges to their continued relevance. The numerous options for higher education add to the complexities of college choice, especially for students who have various intersecting identities to consider (e.g., African American women). The purpose of this study was to discover what influenced eight high-achieving African American women who chose to attend a PWI instead of …

Facilitating Master's Student Success: A Quantitative Examination Of Student Perspectives On Advising, Sarah Brooks Drummond Hays

Dissertations and Theses

Faculty advising is crucial for student success, but little is known about the specific relationship between advising and master's students' success. Given that master's student enrollment is growing and diversifying, examining the relationships between advising and success is imperative for institutional efficiency and educational excellence. This quantitative study investigated nearly 1,000 master's students' experiences with two primary types of advising--administrative and mentoring. The study looked for correlations with multiple proxies of student success (e.g., graduation, retention, institutional commitment, and GPA). As well, other potentially influential individual, educational, and organizational variables (e.g., background characteristics, peer culture, and department climate) were examined …

The Effects Of Collective Racial Esteem On African American Undergraduate Male Involvement In Public Four-Year Institutions Of Higher Education., Michael David Anthony

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines the influence of collective racial esteem (CRE) on the quantity and type of involvement for African American male undergraduate students in public four-year institutions of higher education in the U.S. In addition, this relationship is examined to determine if differences exist across gender (male and female), and institutional variables (specifically, public HBCUs vs. public PWIs). The persistence and graduation of African American males at four-year institutions of higher education has increased in past decades, but still remains consistently and significantly lower than that of their non-African American male counterparts (Planty et al., 2009). African American male retention …

The Impact Of Self-Efficacy And Motivation Characteristics On The Academic Achievement Of Upward Bound Participants, Brenda Leigh Brown

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of self-efficacy and motivation characteristics on the achievement of at-risk students. Seventy-nine Upward Bound program participants completed self-efficacy, motivation, and demographic questionnaires. The relationship between GPA and self-efficacy was significant, negative, and low in strength. High GPA was associated with high self-efficacy (as shown by lower numbers on the survey). Gender, length of time in the Upward Bound (UB) program, length of participation in the UB summer program, college sponsor (community or four-year college), self-efficacy characteristics, and motivation characteristics significantly predicted academic achievement as measured by GPA. The relationship between …

English Language Proficiency And Academic Achievement Of International Students: A Meta-Analysis, Rachawan Wongtrirat

Educational Foundations & Leadership Theses & Dissertations

Studies have been conducted to determine the impact of English language on the academic achievement of international students in higher education institutions in the United States. The results of these investigations have been varied and at times contradictory. The purpose of this meta-analysis was to investigate studies from 1987–2009 that examined the correlation between the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) on grade point average (GPA) and course completion. The results indicated that the TOEFL has a small predictive ability on GPA and course completion of international students at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. The findings are …

A Formal Mentoring Program And Its Relationship To Academic Success And Retention Rates Of First-Time Freshman College Students At Walla Walla University, Sallieann Brown Hoffer

Dissertations

Problem. For almost 160 years, researchers have studied freshman college students because attrition is heaviest during the first year. At Walla Walla University, statistics have shown that approximately 30% of each incoming freshman class will not return their sophomore year. The attrition rates represent an astounding loss of resources for the institution and in many cases a devastating loss of time, money, and self-worth for the students. Across the United States a concerted effort is being made to develop mentoring programs for undergraduate students, creating an environment where they could thrive socially and academically.

Method. In this study, an ex-post-facto …

Effect Of Outside Employment On Academic Success Among Full-Time Associate Degree Nursing Students, Julian A. Moore

Educational Foundations & Leadership Theses & Dissertations

Large portions of the United States are experiencing a shortage of nurses in the workplace. In 2001 the American Hospital Association reported that there were 126,000 vacancies for RNs nationwide. Sixty percent of all U.S. educated RNs who entered the field in 2000 received their education at the associate degree level and 79% of these associate degree recipients graduated from a community college. Improving completion rates in nursing programs is one major strategy in the effort to relieve this shortage of nurses.

The intent of this research was to study the effect of various factors on the academic achievement of …