Education Commons^™

Community College Students' Perceptions Of Sense Of Community And Instructor Presence In The Online Classroom, Marla Cartwright

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this non-experimental, comparative, quantitative study was to determine if there were significant differences between the perceptions of male and female community college students about the importance of sense of community (SoC) in online classes and sense of instructor presence (IP) at eight southern, public, community colleges using survey data. It was the intent of the study to determine if there were significant relationships of students’ perceptions of the presence of sense of community in online classes among factors of age, race, grade point average, cumulative credit hours, credential type, major area of study, and number of previous …

College Commute Distance And Retention For First-Time, Community College Freshmen, Michael O'Hagan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this non-experimental, quantitative correlational study was to investigate whether any significant relationships existed between one-way student commute distance and retention for first-time, community college freshmen. Additional student success metrics such as three-year graduation rates, enrollment status, credit hours attempted and completed, and GPA were also analyzed for any possible relationship with commute distance.

Archival student data were collected from the participating institution, a public community college in the southeastern United States with four separate instructional site locations. This study followed the incoming class of 2016, entering in the fall semester, through the end of their third year, …

Learning Mindset Dimensions And Completion Status Of Tennessee Community College Students, Donna Sue M. Shellman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this nonexperimental, quantitative study was to analyze relationships between three learning mindset dimensions (growth mindset; purpose and value; and sense of belonging) to retention and persistence to graduation among first-time, full-time Tennessee community college student graduates and nongraduates who attended one of 13 institutions in Fall 2019. In addition to comparing Tennessee community college graduates and nongraduates’ learning mindset dimensions, I analyzed student subgroups to explore those dimensions with regard to gender and race. Additional analyses included correlations between students’ growth mindset scores; purpose and value scores; and social belonging scores.

Analyses included Tennessee Board of Regents’ …

Tennessee Promise And Two-Year Community College Retention And Graduation In Rural Appalachia, Tammy Dycus

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative, non-experimental study was to explore the relationship between the implementation of the Tennessee Promise scholarship program and the two-year Tennessee community college retention rates and graduation rates of first-time, full-time Tennessee students from rural Appalachian counties. Results from this study may help higher education stake-holders better understand the features of Tennessee Promise that are influencing an increase in community college retention and graduation rates for Tennessee students from rural Appalachian counties. The theoretical framework that guided this research was the social capital framework. Data including use of Tennessee Promise, county of origin, retention, and graduation …

Transfer Articulation And Transfer Agreement Success: Student Transfer From Community College To Locally Governed, Public, 4-Year Universities In Tennessee, Kathi Horne

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative nonexperimental study was to investigate the success of students who use transfer articulation agreements to transfer from any of the 13 community colleges in Tennessee to one of the state’s public, four-year, locally governed institutions to complete a bachelor's degree. Data were collected from five 4-year public universities across the state of Tennessee. The Tennessee Promise initiative was created to allow students the opportunity to begin postsecondary college careers at little to no cost. When combined with either the Tennessee Transfer Pathways or transfer articulation agreements, the goal was to create a seamless transition from …

Organizational Communication In Community Colleges: Staff Members’ Perspectives, Sinthea Reynolds

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to determine if there was a significant relationship between scores on the Communication Satisfaction Questionnaire (CSQ) scale of effective managerial communication and scores on the Job Descriptive Index (JDI) scale of job satisfaction for non-faculty staff members at the participating community college.

A total of 75 non-faculty staff members from three separate community colleges in East Tennessee participated in the study. A modified version of the Communication Satisfaction Questionnaire (CSQ) developed by Downs and Hazen (1977) was used to collect data. The instrument used a Likert-type scale with a 7-point scale with eight dimensions …

Udl And Motivation: Student Perceptions Of The Impact Of Universal Design For Learning On Motivation Of First-Year Community College Students In Rural East Tennessee, Jennifer Mayes

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative study was to identify the perceptions of how Universal Design for Learning (UDL) impacts motivation in first-year community college students in rural East Tennessee. This study investigated the effects of UDL on motivation of first-year community college students in East Tennessee. This involved multiple sections of courses participating in a UDL pilot training program with the college’s Instructional Design department. Two of the courses were part of the UDL pilot, and two of the courses were teaching the Standard approved Master Curriculum. The study had a total of 109 participants, and 9 research questions were …

Native And Community College Transfer Students In Biological Sciences At A Four-Year Institution: A Comparative Study, Nathanial Weber

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate differences between native and community college transfer students and identify factors that predicted upper-level biology course grade-point average and final overall grade-point average at a four-year institution in biological sciences. The results of this study indicated four-year institution persistence was not significantly related to gender, high school grade-point average, or ACT composite score. Persistence was significantly related to transfer status; whether the student was a native or community college transfer student with native students persisting at a higher rate at the four-year institution than community college transfer students. Furthermore, ACT composite score, …

Communication Apprehension Among Community College Students: A Phenomenology, John R. Bragg Jr.

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A qualitative investigation was conducted to explore the phenomenon of communication apprehension among a purposeful sample of five community college students with high levels of communication apprehension. The phenomenon of Communication Apprehension (CA) is “an individual’s level of fear or anxiety associated with either real or anticipated communication with another person or persons” (Beatty, McCroskey, & Heisel, 1998, p. 197; McCroskey, 1970, p. 269). All individuals experience some level of CA, and between 30% and 40% of individuals are estimated to experience high levels of CA. For the community college student with high levels of CA, the introductory communication course …

Perception Of Factors That Facilitate Or Inhibit Associate Degree Completion At The Community College Level: A Case Study, Cathryn J-C Hughes Miss

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions of students, administrators, and faculty of one community college on the factors that facilitate or inhibit collegiate student success toward associate degree completion. Degree completion was defined as graduating with an associate degree. The following research questions guided this study:

1) What support systems or resources are in place at the community college to assist students with degree completion?

2) What factors in the college student success course at this community college facilitate or inhibit successful degree completion?

The case study was conducted in a single community college inNorth Carolina. …

Cultural Influences Of Resource Dependence: Community College Administrator Perceptions Of Implementing Initiatives Related To Tennessee’S Performance Funding Model, John Owen Driskill

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this phenomenological research study was to describe the cultural influences of resource dependence for community college administrators responsible for the implementation of initiatives related to Tennessee’s new performance funding program. Tennessee’s funding formula, considered one of the most aggressive and robust in the country, is among a second generation of performance funding programs commonly referred to as performance funding 2.0. Cultural influences of resource dependence were defined as values, beliefs, and customs that influence administrator efforts to improve institutional outcomes and acquire additional resources through performance funding.

A top performing community college in terms of the performance …

A Comparative Study Of Instructor Status On Student Success And Retention At Motlow State Community College, Cheryl Hyland

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Data from the National Center for Education Statistics projects total enrollment in post secondary degree-granting institutions to increase 15% from 2010 to 2021 (U.S. Department of Education, 2012). National and state education efforts such as President Obama’s American Graduation Initiative, Tennessee’s Drive to 55, and Tennessee Promise encourage Americans to expand their educational pursuits in order to increase the number of individuals completing a post secondary degree. As states adopt funding formula measures tied directly to student success and retention, higher education institutions increasingly must rely on the effectiveness of academic and student service programs. Although the employment of adjunct …

Comparison Of Student Success By Course Delivery Methods At An Eastern Tennessee Community College, E. Ann Cunningham

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to compare academic success based on methods of course delivery for students in a computer applications course at an East Tennessee community college. Additionally, the researcher examined demographic relationships of age, gender, and race to student academic performance in the different delivery methods. The researcher used final course grades as a determinant of academic success. The study was focused on students who took the INFS 1010 Computer Applications course during the academic years, 2011-12, 2012-13, and 2013-14 at a southeast Tennessee community college. The population consisted of 1,177 students who took the INFS 1010 …

Student Success In Face-To-Face And Online Sections Of Biology Courses At A Community College In East Tennessee, Deanna Essington Garman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine if there were significant differences in student success in face-to-face and online biology courses as categorized by gender, major, and age; and as measured by lecture grades, lab grades, and final course grades. The data used for analyses included data from 170 face-to-face sections and 127 online sections from a biology course during the fall and spring semesters beginning fall 2008 through spring 2011.

Researchers have reported mixed findings in previous studies juxtaposing online and face-to-face course delivery formats, from no significant differences to differences in grades, learning styles, and satisfaction …

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 Study Of General Education Assessment., Debra Leonard Scott

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study was a correlational investigation of the effect of student demographic characteristics, prior academic performance, college academic performance, and college status on general education achievement at a rural community college in Tennessee. The criterion variable in this study was student performance on the Academic Profile examination, a nationally normed standardized test published by the Educational Testing Service that is designed to measure academic skills in general education subject areas.

The population for this study included students at Walters State Community College located in Morristown, Tennessee, who had completed or were nearing completion of a minimum of 60 semester hours …

Faculty Adoption Of Computer Technology For Instruction In The North Carolina Community College System., Karen Hill Less

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Computer technology has become an integral part of instruction at the elementary, secondary, and postsecondary levels. Some instructors have enthusiastically adopted technological innovations in their classrooms, often expending their own funds for hardware and software, while others have resisted the trend, citing a myriad of reasons for not including computer technology. Significant research on the adoption of innovations has been undertaken by Everett M. Rogers, who identified individuals on a continuum from Innovator to Laggard. Rogers’ research was used as a basis to classify full-time faculty teaching in degree programs in the North Carolina Community College System and to compare …

The Assessment Of Tennessee Community College Roles In Business Incubator Development As Perceived By Administrators And Tenants., Garry Grau

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As accountability pressures have increased on community colleges, they have been challenged to demonstrate their value to the communities they serve. One role commonly included in community colleges' mission statements in Tennessee and nationally is support of local economic development. The purpose of the study was to assess the importance and accomplishment of 17 activities and 3 roles of Tennessee community colleges regarding their support of business incubators that provide resource-sharing networks to entrepreneurs in their critical startup phases.

To conduct this study, a questionnaire was developed and provided to administrators associated with incubators and incubator tenants to ascertain their …

Policy And Practice Concerning Essay-Grading Criteria In Developmental English And College-Level English Programs In Tennessee Community Colleges., Walter Paul Wolford

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The criteria used to grade college essays have been the subject of research for over three decades. Using quantatative data, this study investigated the differences in essay-grading criteria and essay-grading policy among full-time faculty members who teach English composition in Tennessee's community colleges.

This study revealed beliefs about the importance of essay-grading criteria and beliefs about written and unwritten essay-grading policies among those who teach developmental English, college-level English, and those who teach both levels of English. This study hypothesized that there were no differences among the English composition teacher's beliefs about the importance of the twenty essay-grading criteria nor …

Pre- And Post-Matriculation Correlates Of Student Retention Within A Community College Setting, Pamela E. Goodman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In the 1990s, due in part to declining enrollment numbers and prolonged budget constraints, student retention became a primary focus in higher education. Aligned with the nationwide interest, this longitudinal, archival study focused on the correlates of student retention at Walters State Community College, located in Morristown, Tennessee. The population involved 17,497 students enrolled from the fall semester of 1992 through the fall semester of 1997. Four sets of variables were investigated--demographic variables, pre-matriculation variables, post-matriculation variables related to grades, and post-matriculation variables related to enrollment. The data were collected through the use of a computer program written to access …

Perceptions Of Tennessee Community College Leaders Regarding External Mandates, Institutional Effectiveness Practices, And Institutional Performance, Gary J. Skolits

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions of academic and administrative community college leaders regarding the relationship between select external mandates and associated institutional effectiveness practices, institutional performance, and the use of assessment results for institutional improvement in Tennessee community colleges. Tennessee community colleges were selected for this study due to their decades long history with institutional assessments through the performance funding program. A primary assumption underlying this study was that Tennessee community colleges provide a historically unique assessment context for this study. The researcher developed a specific survey instrument for this study. The design of the …

A Study Of The Relationships Between Knowledge And Attitudes Toward Computer Ethics Among Computer Users In The Tennessee Community College System, Qing .. Yuan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to obtain information about the knowledge and attitudes of students, staff, faculty, and administrators in the community colleges in the Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR) system about the ethical issues relating to the current policies and laws regarding the use of computers and software; to compare the knowledge and attitude of these users and to investigate any relationships that may exist between users, knowledge and attitude toward computer ethics. A total of 700 students (280), staff (140), faculty (140), and administrators (140) from the 14 TBR community colleges were surveyed. The total responses was …

The Educational Needs Of Welfare Recipients And The Role Of The Community College As An Agent Of Social Change, Carolyn L. Browning

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate two underlying questions related to welfare reform and its impact on participants in the Cumberland Plateau Region: (1) What are the training and other noneducational needs of the participants in the VIEW program? and (2) What is the projected success of the impact of the training on the lives of the participants? The research study included 47 interviews with four distinct groups of individuals--VIEW participants, case managers, administrators, and trainers. Three focus group interviews were conducted with individuals who were participants in the VIEW program or professionals actively involved in the administration …

Perceptions Of Classroom Social Environment Held By Virginia Community College Students And Instructors In Developmental Courses, Ann C. Bartholomay

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine students' classroom social environment needs by identifying characteristics of actual and ideal classroom environments as perceived by students taking developmental math or English courses in Virginia community colleges, characteristics of the actual classroom environments as perceived by their instructors, and characteristics of actual and ideal classroom environments as perceived by subgroups of students. The subgroups were formed by gender, race, age, type of developmental course, size of college, and whether students were first generation college students. The Adult Classroom Environment Scale was administered to students and instructors in developmental studies classes in …