Education Commons^™

Off The Rural Back Road: Describing The Experiences Of Rural Students Who Enrolled At An Urban 4-Year University, Michaele Elizabeth Webb

Dissertations - ALL

Tinto (1993) argued that all students have different needs and require different resources and services to enable them to persist at the university level. One group of students that requires individualized attention is students from rural areas. During the 2010-2011 academic year, 57% of public school districts in the U.S. were in rural areas (U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics, 2013). These rural school districts serve a quarter of the students who attend public schools in the U.S. (Schiess & Rotherham, 2015).

Rural students have lower college enrollment and persistence rates than non-rural …

Higher Education For At-Risk Youth In Santa Cruz County, Abbye Bohon

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Friday Night Live, County of Santa Cruz is an adult-youth led partnership that advocates for the communities’ aids and needs. At-risk youth undergo higher chances of violence, disruption, demeanor, and staying in trouble due to the minimal amount of exposure when it comes to general education. Too many at-risk youths do not pursue higher education in the county of Santa Cruz due to the lack of exposure of higher education in this particular community. The purpose of this project is to raise awareness of what higher education looks like to this population through an 8-weekly session implementation and evaluation process …

Does Family Income Determine A Children Future Educational Attainment Level?, Diaisha T. Richards

Applied Economics Theses

Family income and education have been a major concern in a variety of researches, and as a topic in society. These two components are a major concern because they are known to be key elements in determining future success for an individual. Various studies investigated the significance, correlations and impacts these two factors have on one another. It is common for the amount of family income obtained to determine how much education one will receive in the future. This study focuses on testing the hypothesis that family income determines how much education a child will receive in the future. By …

Toward A Holistic Approach Of Evaluating Higher Education Institutes, Yidan Chen

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

In this thesis, I argue that higher education institutes generate significant positive externalities and other virtual benefits to the society they embedded in, which often dwarf the direct economic returns created. It would be an unfortunate oversimplification to throw economic theories developed from the private sector directly to higher education institutes without acknowledging their unique social values. Following a long tradition of integrating social and economic perspectives, I proposed a conceptual paradigm for higher education system to cover its social as well as economic role. An institute sets strategic intents to live up to stakeholders’ expectations and then develops an …

School Optimism: Fast Life And Slow Debt In The Financialized University, Mark Alan Porter Webb

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Over the past two decades, educational debt has quickly transformed US colleges and universities into spaces of cruel optimism: the higher education that students desire is all too often an obstacle to their flourishing. This study maps the contours of the white, middle-class attachment to the college dream, paying particular attention to the moments when the optimism surrounding higher education turns cruel. As this optimism wanes in the face of mounting educational debt, students deploy a myriad of fast life strategies—a flurry of actions that include work, activism, protest, leaving school and/or satirical critique—with the hope of mitigating the impact …

Art Across The Disciplines: How The Integration Of Fine Arts Across The Curriculum Is Influencing And Changing Stem Pedagogy, Ida Bazan

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Within the past decade, several academic institutions have begun to investigate techniques combining the fine arts and humanities into STEM coursework and curriculum. The resulting trend STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Mathematics) indicates that the arts could contribute to critical thinking, transfer across subject domains, and higher order thinking skills. This work examines the theoretical foundations of STEAM along with early and recent methodologies. Case studies are evaluated and the thesis concludes with recommendations suggesting how academics could apply these concepts to undergraduate studies.

Measuring Undergraduate Student Satisfaction As An Indicator Of Customer Service In Higher Education, Sanaz Shahi

Theses and Dissertations

The primary purpose of this study was to measuring undergraduate students' satisfaction at Rowan University. The theoretical framework that guided this study was Tinto's Theory, Astin's IEO Model, and Hezberg's Theory. This study use the quantitative method, which includes a survey focused on students' satisfaction of seven areas including: university staff, services provided by the university, academic advisor, class availability, academic major, and campus safety. One hundred seventy nine subjects completed a Likert-type survey using a five-point scale to assess their satisfaction in the seven focus areas. The Statistical Program for the Social Sciences (SPSS) was used to input all …

Investigating Student Service Member And Veteran Support In Higher Education, Andrew Robert Mcdonough

Masters Theses

Since the passing of the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act, more than 817,000 service members have participated in higher education. In this time, little research has been done to study student veterans as a unique college population; and to gauge whether the current best practices to support these students are impactful and effective. The purpose of this study is to further the scholarship on student veterans by investigating the transition into higher education and the factors that influence their engagement with academia. Both survey and interview data were collected to inform this research. 45 survey responses and 4 interview conversations …

The Effect Of High Impact Practices On Student Thriving In College, Cody Lloyd

Doctor of Education (Ed.D)

The purpose of this study was to understand the impact of campus involvement, specifically high impact practices, on college student thriving. This single institution quantitative study was conducted at a mid-sized Christian university in the southeastern region of the U.S. Using preexisting data, a predictive analysis was conducted via multilinear regression techniques. Through evaluating college student participation in high-impact practices (HIPs), in addition to “alternative engagement indicators,” as independent variables and college student thriving, using the Thriving Quotient, as the dependent variable there were several notable findings. When considering “alternative engagement indicators”, three of the 11 included in the study …

Addressing How Whiteness Silences African American Narratives In Higher Education In The United States Through Narrative Analysis, Keith Bistodeau

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

Addressing systemic issues of Whiteness in higher education in the United States is vital for understanding how Whiteness influences the culture and environment of college campuses and within college classrooms. Furthermore, the experiences of those negatively impacted by Whiteness help to explain and provide examples of how Whiteness exists in higher education, and what areas of our college climates need to be addressed and changed in order to provide an equitable environment for all individuals involved in higher education in the United States: students, faculty, staff, etc. This dissertation aims to better understand and more accurately address how Whiteness, the …

Improving The Rigor Of Online Education: Exploring Characteristics Of Faculty And Syllabi Within An Online Program Assessment Process, Brad J. Hamel

All NMU Master's Theses

As online course enrollments grow, overall perception of rigor still lags compared to that of traditional face-to-face education. The purpose of this research was to tie faculty and syllabi characteristics to the rigor of online courses. This study explored the relationship between faculty and syllabi characteristics and performance on an online entry-level course design quality assurance assessment (pass, pass with concern, or fail). A decision tree analysis was used to predict the relationship of the independent (faculty and syllabi characteristics) and the dependent (entry-level course design assessment) variables. Findings suggest that faculty rank and writing intensive are key characteristics predictive …

Impact Of A Leadership Development Intervention On Career Decision-Making Self-Efficacy Of Community College Students: A Quasi-Experimental Research Design, Sarah Jane Mcelroy

Theses and Dissertations

The overall purpose of this quasi-experimental research study was to determine if a formalized leadership development program had an effect on a community college student's level of career decision-making self-efficacy. This research study utilized the Career Exploration & Decision-Making Learning Experiences Scale (CEDLE) and the Career Exploration & Decisional Self-Efficacy Brief Decisional (CEDSE-BD) questionnaire to determine a student's level of career decision-making self-efficacy before and after participation in a leadership intervention (n = 411). Propensity Score Matching was utilized to account for a variety of confounding variables and self-selection bias. Results showed that community college students who participated in a …

The Practice Of Assessment Data Use In Student Affairs: The Need For An Expanded Conceptualization, Mark D. Manderino

Dissertations

Over the past three decades, student affairs assessment, as an organized functional area, has matured and established itself as an essential and expected component within higher education in the United States (Elkins, 2015; Ewell, 2002; Henning & Roberts, 2016). While professionals know that data use is part of the process of assessment (Banta & Blaich, 2010), there has not been sufficient evidence of what use of assessment looks like both in higher education and specifically student affairs, or how best practice strategies encourage assessment data use (Kinzie, Hutchings, Jankowski, 2015). There is a dearth of empirical evidence related to use …

Navigating The Career Pipeline: Experiences Of Female Community College Presidents, Andrea Allen Deal

Theses and Dissertations--Education Sciences

Despite holding a majority of lower and middle management positions in public two-year institutions, women still hold only one-third of current community college presidencies. This study explored the gendered phenomenon of navigating the career pipeline in higher education to reach the office of community college president. The purpose of the study was to examine the educational backgrounds and career paths of recently-appointed female community college presidents, as well as the barriers and sources of support they encountered while navigating the career pipeline.

A phenomenological approach was utilized for this qualitative study. Data was primarily collected using semi-structured interviews. Additional sources …

The Diversion Of Diversity: Uncovering The Antiblackness Of Diversity Initiatives, M. Jordan Alexander

Honors Theses

In more recent years, Diversity has been a driving force in universities across the country. As underrepresented groups in the United States have gained more traction in the political and legal realms, they have gained the agency and the ability to advocate for their inclusion in institutions and structures that previously denied their access. This gaining of agency within these public realms is what has fueled higher education institutions across the country to really push for diversity, in both their faculty and student populations. The ideology behind this push is multiculturalism or multiracialism; this idea by its premise, the inclusion …

Theorizing The Experiences Of Chicana Faculty At A Hispanic-Serving Institution, Karina Chantal Canaba

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Hiring and retaining a diverse faculty has demonstrated to have positive outcomes on student success. However, different forces have made it difficult for universities to have a diverse make-up that reflect their student populations, making it particularly important to investigate how faculty engage with the university. This study seeks to better understand how Chicana faculty engage with the university through the tenure and promotion process. Situated in a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI), this study looks to better understand how Chicana faculty navigate the complex, political environment of academia through their testimonios as faculty at the university.

The importance of retaining Chicanas …

Experiences Of Music Therapy Junior Faculty Members: A Narrative Exploration, Carol A. Olszewski

ETD Archive

Very few music therapists have educational background or training to be proficient at teaching at institutions of higher education. With only minimal (if any) training in andragogy and in research methodology, music therapy junior faculty (MTJF) members find themselves novice academics in the highly structured, competitive environment of the academy. In order for music therapists to be successful in their career change from clinical work to the academy, improvements and modifications to the education of future music therapy professors are likely, but data are necessary to intimate and to guide those changes. This narrative research study explored the lived experiences …

Impact, Implementation, And Insights Of Peace Education: A Case Study Of The M.A. In Peace Studies And Conflict Transformation Program At The University Of Rwanda, Sarah M. Doerrer

LMU/LLS Theses and Dissertations

Higher education is arguably critical for healing and stabilization in postconflict contexts, by developing leaders who value peace and have the skill sets to achieve it in various sectors. A rapidly growing body of literature concludes that peace education in particular has great potential to transform postconflict communities, both in higher education and at other levels of schooling. Yet there exists little rigorous analysis of the decisions faced by educational leaders responsible for implementing such programs, particularly those in postconflict settings where the needs are uniquely challenging.

This qualitative investigation documented the M.A. in Peace Studies and Conflict Transformation program, …

Using Spanish In English-Language Spaces: Identifying Bilingual Composition Students' Translanguaging Practices, Maria Isela Maier

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This Dissertation is a qualitative study that uses ethnographic research methods to examine the translanguaging practices of bilingual students in first-year composition at a university along the U.S.-Mexico border. Specifically, I observe how and why bilingual students employ translanguaging practices, as they are encouraged or invited by their instructors, in contexts where English Standard Language policies exist. The results of this qualitative project demonstrate bilingual students' use of translation as part of their translanguaging practices, as well as a tool that uncovers students' writing processes which also demonstrates their language negotiation. Furthermore, the students' translanguaging practices reveal the rhetorical use …

The Perception Of Female Leadership: Impact Of Gender And Leader's Qualification On Leader's Effectiveness, Ala'a Fahad Al-Shakha

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study examined how gender and years of working with a female leader influence the gendered perception of female leadership effectiveness in Saudi Arabian higher education institutions. This study compared male and female leaders’ perception of female leadership effectiveness as well as highlighted the relationship between leader’s gender, experience working with a female leader and perceived female leadership effectiveness. To answer the research questions, four hypothesized models were proposed (simple direct model, mediation model, moderation model, and mediation moderation model). Data was collected from administrated leaders, who hold a position in five public universes located in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia with …

Rankism In Higher Education: A Critical Inquiry Of Staff Experiences, Erin M. Christensen-Mandel

Higher Education: Doctoral Research Projects

Missing from the discussions of inequitable treatment of employees in higher education are the experiences of staff members. In work interactions, staff are frequently treated differently (often as inferiors), depending on their level of education and their role in the hierarchy on the non-academic side of an institution (Anonymous, 2006; Young, Anderson & Stewart, 2015). This difference in treatment has been termed, “rankism” in the broad sense or “hierarchical microaggressions” for smaller incidents and is especially troublesome as higher education is presumed to create upward mobility and lead towards a more equitable society (Young et al., 2015).

The research questions …

Student Satisfaction With Canvas Use In Face-To-Face Courses At Colorado Mountain College, Chris N. Wenger

Higher Education: Doctoral Research Projects

By examining the relationship between the use of LMS tools and student course satisfaction, institutions can purposefully target areas most in need of improvement. The inconsistency in the application and use of LMS tools has resulted in a fragmenting of the student experience and has had a potentially negative affect on student attitudes toward its use. In order to address these issues and to support CMC’s mission, college leadership has created a minimum usage requirement for Canvas in all credit courses. This evaluation aims to provide insight for improving the use of Canvas tools and increasing student course satisfaction in …

The Role Of Higher Education In Rural Economic Development: A Program Evaluation Of The Colorado Rural Jump-Start Program, Maureen T. Stepp

Higher Education: Doctoral Research Projects

Since the financial crisis of 2008 and the subsequent recession, some urban and metro areas have experienced economic recovery, but not all geographic areas are recovering at the same pace. Federal, state, and local programs developed to help rural communities with their economic development efforts have failed to make much of a difference. In 2015, as a potential solution, Colorado spearheaded an initiative to incentivize economic development in rural communities. The Rural Jump-Start (RJS) Zone Act provides tax relief to new businesses and employees of those businesses, with the idea that because of these benefits, more businesses would retain, start, …

Reducing The Attainment Gap For Low Socio Economic Status Students: Concurrent Enrollment Program Evaluation Colorado Mountain College, Jeremiah Fernandez Johnson

Higher Education: Doctoral Research Projects

A gap in college degree attainment is growing in the United States as college tuition and fees have drastically increased creating many barriers for students in low socio economic status (SES) families. These barriers are just the beginning in the many hurdles low SES students face in entering a college pathway and persisting to completing certificates or bachelor’s degrees. The state of Colorado has addressed this equity gap in higher education by creating a state wide initiative they have called Colorado Rises. This initiative is centered on increasing college completion statewide to 66% by 2025. In order to achieve this …

Women Coaches Navigating The Leadership Labyrinth At A Division Ii Regional Comprehensive University: Queering Discourse And Narratives, Julie A. Wienski

Higher Education: Doctoral Research Projects

Representation by female head coaches in the NCAA is at an all-time low. This study analyzed an institution (LSU) where women’s representation and gender equity is higher than average. Using a qualitative inquiry approach applying Critical Narrative and Foucauldian Dispositive Analyses in a queering fashion, the study explored ways in which institutional (macro) discourses shaped individual (micro) daily narratives. The overarching goal for this study was to reveal themes, language and discourse informing women’s coaches’ recruitment, retention and persistence at an NCAA Division II and Regional Comprehensive University excelling in gender equity and inclusivity.

Findings indicated power-knowledge connections via Foucauldian …

Exploring The Impact Of Diversity Training On The Development And Application Of Cultural Competence Skills In Higher Education Professionals, Kendra Cabler

Theses and Dissertations

In recent years the terms diversity and inclusion have become major buzzwords across industries and fields of study. Within the field of education broadly, and higher education in particular, a shifting student demographic can be seen across the country. Issues of equity and inclusion have become central complexities for present day educational strategists, and organizations committed to cultivating a culture of inclusion must do so with intentionality. In the context of higher education, this often requires the intentional development of professionals within a particular college or university. There has been a great deal of research concerning the development of cultural …

Cherokee College Students' Experiences With Cultural Incongruence On Primarily Whitestreamed Campuses, Matthew Rom

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The persistence rates of Native American students in higher education are lower than other underrepresented groups. Research suggests that the discrepancy could result from factors outside of students' academic knowledge. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore how Cherokee students perceive their tribal culture affects their ability to persist at institutions of higher education with a primarily Whitestreamed campus culture. Tharp's cultural compatibility theory and Astin's student involvement theory guided the development of the research questions. The research questions explored potential differences between Cherokee students' tribal culture and the culture these students percieve exists on their college …

A View From Within: University Honors Programs And African American Women At A Predominantly White Institution, Janell Lindsey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

American higher education undergraduate honors programs are respected for the work they do to encourage college students to push themselves towards achievement in learning during their time earning an undergraduate degree. The social movements of the mid-20th century forced open the doors of predominantly white institutions (PWIs) to African American students. Since that time, the number of African American students attending PWIs has increased; however, the research that focused on African American women in higher education, and more specifically honors programs, has not been a significant topic of study. The findings indicate that being the only female person of color …

Utilization-Focused Evaluation: Exploring The Academic Self-Efficacy Of Paramedic Students In A Hybrid Learning Program, Amy Connerton

Higher Education: Doctoral Research Projects

The purpose of this study was to conduct a utilization-focused evaluation of the paramedic hybrid learning program at Colorado Mountain College, a rural community college. The study examined the relationship between student academic self-efficacy (SASE) and learning in a hybrid program and the effect of SASE on program satisfaction. Data were collected through multiple methods, including a questionnaire of program graduates from 2014 to 2018, interviews of seven past graduates, and a focus group involving eight stakeholders. These data were carefully analyzed for accuracy and then coded for relevant elements. The findings, evaluated in relation to two guiding research questions, …

Orientation For College Success: A Utilization-Focused Evaluation Of The Student Orientation And Registration Program At The Steamboat Springs Campus Of Colorado Mountain College, Jacquelyn B. Brazill

Higher Education: Doctoral Research Projects

Successfully transitioning into postsecondary education can be challenging for new college students, particularly for students who are academically or socially underprepared for college. Transition programs can assist students with this process, thus increasing the likelihood of student retention. The author of this paper conducted a Utilization-Focused evaluation of the Student Orientation and Registration (SOAR) program at the Steamboat Springs campus of Colorado Mountain College with the intention of improving the program. The study examined the program through the lens of students’ perceptions of their academic and social preparation for their first semester of college after attending the SOAR program.

The …