Education Commons^™

National Survey Of Student Engagement Findings At A Historically Black Institution: Does Student Engagement Impact Persistence?, Mondrail Myrick, D. Jason Desousa, Donald Mitchell Jr., Ph.D.

Executives, Administrators, & Staff Publications

How can historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) improve student degree completion rates? To the credit of HBCUs, many students who otherwise would not have had an opportunity for college access and success have enrolled and graduated with degrees. In practical numbers, HBCU enrollment increased from 223,000 to 324,000, or by 45%, between 1976 and 2011 (National Center for Education Statistics, 2011). Today, HBCUs enroll 9% of all African American men and women in American higher education, although they continue to enroll diverse populations. In spite of the increase in college-going rates, fall-to-fall retention, and six-year graduation rates, students at …

Introduction To Student Involvement & Academic Outcomes, Krista M. Soria, John A. Gipson, Donald Mitchell Jr., Ph.D.

Executives, Administrators, & Staff Publications

Even as access to higher education has widened considerably over the last century, diverse college students (i.e., first-generation, low-income, and racial minorities) face greater challenges regarding their access to college, choice of college, sense of belonging, and success in graduating from college (Choy, 2001; Fischer, 2007; Hossler, Schmit, & Vesper, 1999; Karabel & Astin, 1975; McDonough, 1997; Mauk & Jones, 2006; Mortenson, 2007; Pascarella & Terenzini, 2005; Paulsen & St. John, 2002; Smith, 2009; Walpole, 2007). According to Rendón, Jalomo, and Nora (2011): While traditional theories of student retention and involvement have been useful in providing a foundation for the …

Effective Teaching In Higher Education For The 21st Century Adult Learner, Denise Murchison Payton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract

As college populations are becoming increasingly diverse, institutions must find ways to meet the needs of their nontraditional students. Nontraditional adult learners are self-directed, ready to learn, and are internally motivated to engage in problem-centered learning. The purpose of this study was to expand and refine an active learning seminar in a higher education setting to improve the quality of teaching, student engagement, and retention rates. The site of the study was a Historically Black College and University (HBCU) in which adult students over 25 constituted 49% of the population. The faculty members at this site predominantly employed traditional …

Promoting Critical Thinking And Reflection In A Capstone Course For Adult Learners, James-Etta Goodloe

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

University instructors can improve how they promote critical thinking in the classroom by fostering reflective writing habits with students. Midwest University requires all undergraduate students to complete 2 capstone courses, which are framed around a critical thinking curriculum. The skills of analyzing and reflecting on experiences are important components of critical thinking. Despite this acknowledged importance of critical thinking, there is currently no structured training for instructors of the capstone course on how to develop critical thinking abilities among adult students. The purpose of this case study was to examine the perceptions of the instructors of the capstone courses and …