Education Commons^™

Breaking Point: An Examination Of The Factors And Motivators That Determine Whether A Teacher Will Stay In The Classroom Or Choose To Leave The Profession, Katherine Treloar

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Teachers are quitting the profession in droves, leaving classrooms empty or overcrowded. As a result, students are receiving a sub-par education from unexperienced or underqualified teachers (Watling et al, 2010). Retaining teachers for more than five years is no small feat. Teachers face unrealistic expectations, chronic high stress, and mental and physical health problems that lead to widespread burnout. However, some teachers are able to overcome these obstacles and stay in the profession for long periods of time (Buric & Penzic, 2019). This study identifies the internal motivations and external factors that influence teacher job satisfaction and describes how those …

Latine Dual Language Bilingual Education Teachers' Work Experiences, Nelly Noemi Patiño Cabrera

Dissertations and Theses

Given the increasing concern about the scarcity of Dual Language Bilingual Education (DLBE) teachers, it is crucial to understand the trends in teacher retention and attrition from the perspective of DLBE teachers themselves. DLBE teachers departing from their jobs imposes a significant burden on schools and students and affects the implementation of DLBE programs. To delve into this issue, this critical qualitative study focused on the work experiences of Latine K-5 Spanish/English DLBE teachers. Specifically, this study involved six participants divided into two groups of DLBE teachers in the teaching trajectory: three Latine K-5 Spanish/English DLBE teachers currently teaching in …

University Interdisciplinary Linked Block Schedules And Developmental Student Success, Linda S. Reeves-Wymer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Developmental education is the starting point for many 1st-year college students, especially from underrepresented, low-income, and first-generation populations. One such 1st-year program linked block-scheduled academic skill-development courses with a required interdisciplinary general education science course where instruction was provided simultaneously in a lecture format to college-ready nondevelopmental students and developmental students in three skill-development courses: reading, writing, and combined reading/writing. Although this program had existed for over 20 years, the effectiveness of the program, meaning whether the linked skill-development courses were associated with academic success, had not been assessed. Guided by Tinto’s integration theory, a causal comparative design with the …

University Interdisciplinary Linked Block Schedules And Developmental Student Success, Linda S. Reeves-Wymer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Developmental education is the starting point for many 1st-year college students, especially from underrepresented, low-income, and first-generation populations. One such 1st-year program linked block-scheduled academic skill-development courses with a required interdisciplinary general education science course where instruction was provided simultaneously in a lecture format to college-ready nondevelopmental students and developmental students in three skill-development courses: reading, writing, and combined reading/writing. Although this program had existed for over 20 years, the effectiveness of the program, meaning whether the linked skill-development courses were associated with academic success, had not been assessed. Guided by Tinto’s integration theory, a causal comparative design with the …

The Effect Of A Specifically Designed First-Year Experience Course On Student Veteran Retention And Graduation Rates At A Public University, Anthony Dotson

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Capstones

Abstract

According to the United States Congressional Budget Office (2019) nearly $100 billion tax-payer dollars have been spent on education since the passing of the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008. That is more than the gross domestic product of at least 130 different countries per the latest World Bank’s (2022) rankings. Given the sheer enormity of the figure, one would likely assume that the educational needs of our veterans and their families have been well met if not surpassed. Unfortunately, like many assumptions related to veterans, that would be an inaccurate one. The reality is far more disturbingly …

A Comparative Exploration Into First Time In College Student Academic Performance In Face-To-Face Versus Remote Learning Environments, Ashley Click

Theses & Dissertations

In spring 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic forced educational systems to transition into an emergency remote learning modality. This quantitative study compared retention and productive grade rates of two 16-week academic semesters and compared face-to-face (fall 2019) and remote (fall 2020) emergency remote instruction. The study sample was drawn from the core courses of History, English, and Speech at San Antonio College. Those courses were selected in part due to the high proportion of first time in college students who were considered a vulnerable population regarding performance and persistence. Additional variables (i.e., gender, veteran status, first-generation status, and socio-economic status) were …

An Exploration Of Latinx Generation Z Secondary Teachers’ Lived Experiences, Motivations, And Retention Factors To Teach In The Rio Grande Valley, Kimberly B. Banda

Theses and Dissertations

Generation Z teachers have encountered pivotal events in their lives that have empowered them into becoming change agents in society. They have entered the classrooms during a time of great change in education caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing teacher shortages in schools. Generation Z teachers have had to adapt to the changes in education and endure the challenges of transitioning back to face-to-face instruction. As school districts prepare for the post-pandemic era, it is important to capture the lived experiences of Latinx Generation Z secondary teachers to understand the motivation and retention factors that influence their decision …

Examining Strategies That Promote Success For Adult Basic Education Students: A Professional Development Seminar For Educators, Andrew Brottlund

Ed.D. Dissertations in Practice

ABE writing courses have historically helped students develop White, westernized cultural capital. Yet they often fail to acknowledge community cultural wealth that students bring with them to the classroom or build upon these strengths that students possess, and this has a negative impact on student persistence. This dissertation argues that to increase retention and persistence, ABE writing instructors must look at how curriculum can center a diverse range of identities and better reflect the lived experiences of all their students. To address this problem of practice, this dissertation is divided into three parts. First, it explores ABE legislation and critiques …

Pathways To Retention Of Alternatively Licensed Special Education Teachers, Meghan W. Sinning

Education Doctorate Dissertations

Special Education teacher retention has been a chronic concern for administrators for the past 45 years. Since 1975 when the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) was passed, providing Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) to students with exceptionalities, school districts' ability to hire appropriately licensed Special Education teachers has been a continual concern. Additionally, Special Education teachers’ turnover rate exceeds that of many other content areas in education. The Special Education teacher's attrition rates who have completed an alternate route to licensure program have been even greater than traditionally trained Special Education teachers. The study’s quantitative research has focused on a …

College Transition Experience: First Year Undergraduate Students And Self-Identified Mental Health Challenges, Kathlene R. Seymour

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Retention rates of college students has continued to be a large concern for those associated with higher education (Habley et al., 2004). A successful high school to college transition experience has been identified as a key factor in a student’s decision to remain in college and persist to graduation (Broglia, et al, 2016). Furthermore, more students with mental health challenges are entering higher education settings (Bewick, et al., 2008).

The intent of this study was to describe the college transition experience through the lens of the theoretical framework from Schlossberg’s (1984) transition theory. This theory provided a framework through which …

Examining Changes In Learning And Engagement Of Higher Education Students In A Fully Online Flipped Learning Distance Education Classroom, James David Riel

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

The challenge of implementing effective online distance education courses for academics and institutions is a centuries-old task. We can look across early developments in the 18^th century with the creation and delivery of correspondence courses; into the 20^th century with teaching and learning across analog methods such as audio and video; and now in the current era of digitized mechanisms that enable the online classroom. This includes advances in internet technologies and computing abilities that are the empowering the backbone processes, bridging connectivity between the student and the instructor. As society has trended toward massive increases in online …

A Pilot Study On The Impact Of Teaching Assistant Led Cs1 Study Sessions Using Peer Instruction, Megan E. Gilbert

Senior Honors Projects, 2020-current

James Madison University’s Computer Science program strives to be a student-centered learning environment with a focus on creating a community for undergraduate success. National data reveals computer science has the lowest student retention rate compared to other STEM majors. The National Center for Women and Information Technology (NCWIT) has compiled a list of ways to retain students in Computer Science. In particular, NCWIT calls for collaboration indicate that “a sense of belonging, or a feeling of fit, is important for supporting student interest and persistence.” One aspect of creating community is the department’s longstanding commitment to provide undergraduate teaching assistants …

How Student Perceptions Of The Online Learning Environment And Student Motivation Predict Persistence, Completion, And Retention In Developmental Mathematics Courses, Samuel K. Gedeborg

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Online developmental mathematics courses have high dropout rates. The focus of this study is to improve understanding of how students’ perceptions of the online learning environment and student motivation from course design predict student drop out. This understanding will benefit faculty and institutions on student support for online developmental mathematics students.

The study included 330 undergraduate students enrolled in online developmental mathematics courses during the Fall 2018 semester at eight public universities and colleges in the Utah State Higher Education (USHE) system. Participants completed a survey with questions measuring their perceptions of the learning environment. They also completed a survey …

Students' Performance, Satisfaction And Retention In A Hybrid And Traditional Face-To-Face Science Course, Principles Of Biology I, In A Community College, Abdallah Mohammad Matari

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Hybrid teaching, comprised of both in-class and online teaching, is rapidly becoming a favorite mode of teaching and learning. Online and hybrid courses on have become more and more appealing to both higher education institutions and the students they serve. In particular, hybrid teaching has an increase appeal to community colleges as they serve a diverse student population with varied academic levels, cultural background, and personal responsibilities. Hybrid courses promotes flexibility in course scheduling options for students and enables institutions to accept more students without worrying about physical classroom space concerns. This study explored and compared students’ learning outcomes, satisfaction, …

Retaining Gifted Individuals For The Sustainability Of Rural Communities, Jessie B. Matthews

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Retaining Gifted Individuals for the Sustainability of Rural Communities examined the supports and barriers to young gifted adults’ choices regarding living in rural communities. The narrative methodology revealed the perceptions of remote rural community members through single, face-to-face interviews to understand the challenges and opportunities young gifted individuals encounter. Through community member interviews, participants echoed sentiments indicating supports, barriers, and the power of place play a significant role in gifted individuals’ desire to remain in their local community. The findings suggested through celebrating place, engagement in the local community, and encouragement to solve local problems, gifted individuals will engage in …

At The Heart Of Policies And Programs: Community College Faculty Members And Peer Mentors As Human Levers Of Retention, Kimberly Russell

Theses and Dissertations--Educational Policy Studies and Evaluation

Student attrition prior to the completion of a credential is an issue that has increasingly demanded the attention of stakeholders in higher education, particularly in the community college sector, in which less than half of all students complete a credential after six years. The costs of student attrition are high and widespread, ranging from the financial costs for institutions and federal and state governments to the personal and monetary costs paid by those students whose personal and professional goals are not achieved. With the ever-increasing focus on accountability for institutions of higher education and the growing movement toward performance-based funding, …

The Impact Of Kinderquest On Reading And Math In Early And Intermediate Elementary Students, Stephanie Sullivan

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

This paper explored the history of education, including how the focus has evolved into the current demand for a qualified workforce, and the practices of retention and social promotion. Grade level retention research examined the positive and negative impacts on students, as well as alternative intervention approaches. An in-depth study of an early intervention program, KinderQuest, was conducted to determine the relationship between students’ reading and math achievement. Data was analyzed by comparing students that participated in the KinderQuest program and students that progressed through the traditional progression of kindergarten through Grade 6. Additionally, reading and math scores of KinderQuest …

Effect Of Response To Intervention On Developmental Education Students' Persistence, Retention, And Completion, Cheryl Garayta

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In 2012, national rates of degree or certificate completion for students beginning college in developmental education courses were 35%. At a Midwestern state community college completion rates were even lower, with only 27% of developmental reading/writing (DRW) students completing their program. Therefore, the purpose of this causal- comparative study was to compare success rates for DRW students beginning college in a multileveled (MLI) program and in a response to intervention (RtI) based program. The MLI program was grounded in a scaffolded learning framework, and the RtI program was grounded in a transformative learning framework. Four research questions were posited to …

A Phenomenological Study Of Teachers' Perceptions Of Kindergarten Retention: Are Standards To Be Blamed?, Ginger Delaigle

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Currently there are a number of Kindergarten students who are being retained for not mastering Common Core State Standards. One of the methods that teachers can use to support Kindergarten students in achieving these standards are Developmentally Appropriate Practices. The exploration of the perceptions of teachers who have experienced the phenomenon of retaining Kindergarten students served as the goal for this qualitative, phenomenological study. The results provided data for examination of the perceptions the teachers had with retaining Kindergarten students and their perceptions of the developmental appropriateness of the Common Core State Standards. Four Kindergarten teachers participated in three interviews …

Relationship Between First-Generation College Students' Expectations For Experiences With Faculty Members And Students' Success After The First Year, Christina D. Nelson

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

As the landscape of higher education changes to allow increased access for first-generation college students (FGS), emerging research should take into account the unique nature of this at-risk population of students (Aspelmeier, Love, McGill, Elliott, & Pierce, 2012). These students tend to be less prepared for the rigors of college coursework (Horn & Bobbitt, 2000; Strayhorn, 2006; Thayer, 2000) and may lack appropriate expectations (Pascarella, Pierson, Wolniak, & Terenzini, 2004). In particular, FGS may struggle with understanding the importance of creating and maintaining relationships with faculty (Cotten & Wilson, 2006; Davis, 2010).

In order to discover any correlation between expectations …

Career-Focused Course Sequencing And Retention To Graduation In A Tennessee Community College, Samuel S. Rowell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to identify course sequencing associated with Industrial Technology Associate of Applied Science students who persisted to graduation at Northeast State Community College (NSCC) in Blountville, TN. The participants in this study were first-time full-time freshman Advanced Technology students whose 3-year program of study at NSCC happened during the years of 2009-2012, 2010-2013, and 2011-2014. Participants were divided into 2 groups, students who graduated (completers) and students who did not graduate (noncompleters). The researcher examined student persistence to graduation. Data for this study were obtained from the college’s information database.

The predictive variables used included …

Factors Impacting Success In Ninth Grade Algebra I For High School Students, James M. Lamie

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The implementation of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS, 2013), No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, and the Race to the Top initiative of 2009 has placed a greater emphasis on high stakes testing. A renewed emphasis on math education for all students and their ability to succeed in high school mathematics place new challenges on today’s classroom teachers. Although the belief is that with new standards and best teaching strategies students will improve their test scores, there are multiple factors that can serve as deterrents to the success in mathematics for at-risk high school students (Balfanz, 2009). The …

A Study Of Persistence In The Northeast State Community College Health-Related Programs Of Study., Allana R. Hamilton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to identify factors that were positively associated with persistence to graduation by students who were admitted to Health-Related Programs leading to the degree associate of applied science at Northeast State Community College. The criterion variable in this study was persistence, which was categorized into two groups the persister group (program completers) and the nonpersister (program noncompleters) group. The predictor variables included gender, ethnic origin, first- (or nonfirst-) generation-student status, age, specific major program of study, number of remedial and/or developmental courses taken, grades in selected courses (human anatomy and physiology I and II, microbiology, …

A Phenomenological Study Of The Perceptions And Experiences Of Seven Urban Middle School Science Teachers Related To Retention, Lu Dunn

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background: Job satisfaction is essential to retain teachers in classrooms. Increased challenges in today s classrooms discourage many teachers from reaching veteran status. Teachers with a perception that they are making a difference appear to have more resilience in the difficult times in their classrooms. Purpose: To investigate the experiences of middle school science teachers. This study explored the influence of perceptions, beliefs, and experiences on job attrition and teacher satisfaction; and helps explain the cumulative effects that contributed to teachers' dissatisfaction. This study analyzed the intensification of the teaching profession and the increased emotional stress this causes for teachers. …

Effects Of Illustrations On Retention And Visual Attention Using Authentic Textbooks, Loris P. Fagioli

Master's Theses

Problem

The purpose of this exploratory study was to validate a model of multimedia learning, incorporating learner-specific characteristics such as intelligence, memory, and measures of visual attention.

Method

The sample consisted of 62 Andrews University students (26 males, 36 females, and mean age 21.7). Data were gathered by means of standardized testing (RPM, WAIS- III) and eye-tracking. MLR was used to determine significant visual attention predictors for retention and SEM was used to test a hypothesized model of multimedia learning.

Results

Multiple Linear Regression was significant (p.05; GFI = .923; CFI = .986; RMSEA = .043; PGFI = .451) proving …

The Influences Of Interaction On The Satisfaction, Achievement, And Retention Of Developmental Community College Students, Elizabeth Copeland Wilmer

Educational Foundations & Leadership Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of social and academic interaction, demographic characteristics, social and academic adjustment, and learning communities on the satisfaction, achievement, and retention of developmental English community college students.

The literature presented discusses the retention theories of Tinto, Astin, and Bean and their overlapping ideas on persistence. A common thread among these theories is the role of academic and social interaction on the personal development, satisfaction, achievement, and retention of students. Learning communities represent one academic structure that has proven effective in increasing the level of academic and social interaction. Unfortunately, the existing …

Factors Associated With Retention Rates In Career And Technical Educat, Jo Ann Whiteman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

There is a recognized state and national shortage of Career and Technical (CTE) teachers; in certain school districts or by subject area, it is defined as a "Critical Shortage". At the same time, both statewide and nationally, the number of teacher preparation programs for Career and Technical Education (CTE) teachers has decreased. To alleviate the shortage and increase access many Career and Technical Education (CTE) teacher preparation programs use the web. This study examined retention rates in courses from Fall 1997 through Fall 2003 within web-based courses in a CTE teacher preparation program at the University of Central Florida to …