Digital Commons Network^™

Helping Hand Or A Hurdle Too High? An Evaluation Of Developmental Coursework At Arkansas's Flagship University, Evan Rhinesmith

Education Reform Faculty and Graduate Students Publications

High school graduation serves as an important gateway to increased professional opportunities. Not only does a high school graduate improve the national economy, a high school diploma is the key to opening the door to college. However, obtaining a high school degree does not necessarily ensure college readiness. In fact, many high school graduates are not prepared for college coursework, but still apply to and attend college in our college for all system. The class of 2013 saw only 38 percent of students test at a level considered prepared for college on the reading portion of the NAEP, but the …

Factors That Affect Reattempting The Emergency Medical Technician Cognitive Certification Examination, Kim Darlene Mckenna

Dissertations

Certification as an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) is often the entry point for firefighting careers and is a pre-requisite to enter Advanced EMT or paramedic programs. EMT candidates in most of the United States must pass the National Registry of EMTs cognitive examination (NREMT-C) to be eligible for state licensure. Many candidates who fail their first NREMT-C attempt never take even one of the five additional possible attempts within the specified two-year time frame. Using binary logistic regression with de-identified existing NREMT test data from 2007 though 2012, this research attempted to develop a model to show the relative contribution …

A Phenomenological Study Exploring Factors That Contribute To Academic Persistence For Nontraditional Undergraduate African American Male Degree-Completers From Bible Colleges In The Southeast, Rodney Phillips

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to understand factors that contribute to college persistence for nontraditional undergraduate African American male four-year degree completers from select evangelical Bible colleges in the southeastern United States. An ecological and adult resiliency theoretical framework guided the research. Three research questions framed this study: (a) How do nontraditional undergraduate African American male four-year degree completers from select evangelical Bible colleges describe persistence? (b) What type of experiences do participants understand as having contributed to their persistence at Bible colleges? (c) What specific factors do participants identify as having contributed to their persistence at …

An Assessment Of College Tuition Increases And Retention, Raymond N. Karasek Iii

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the relationship between tuition increases, retention, and Pell Grant recipients attending college for the first time at 279 four-year public universities in the southeastern and southwestern regions of the United States. The data for this study was gathered from the Integrated Postsecondary Education System (IPEDS) using the tuition, retention, and Pell Grant information collected in the fall of those corresponding academic years. APearson moment correlation and linear regression analysis was used to find significance between the three variables. The study revealed that there was no significant interaction with student retention. However, the study did reveal a correlation …

The Influence Of Spousal Support On Air Force Senior Noncommissioned Officers' Pursuit Of A Bachelor's Degree: A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study, Randy Croft

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to explore perceptions of spousal support among active-duty Air Force Senior Noncommissioned Officers (Senior NCOs) in their pursuit of a bachelor’s degree. Senior NCOs are comprised of enlisted Airmen in the ranks of E-7 through E-9. Fourteen active-duty Air Force Senior NCOs, who have completed, or are enrolled in a bachelor’s degree program completed an online survey and a personal interview regarding their perceptions of spousal support in their pursuit of a bachelor’s degree. In addition, participants completed a written timeline, which helped provide context to college degree enrollment decisions and spousal …

Inward Bound: An Exploration Of Character Development In Law School, Heather D. Baum

University of Arkansas at Little Rock Law Review

No abstract provided.

From Stopout To Scholar : Pathways To Graduation Through Adult Degree Completion Programs., Matt Bergman

Faculty Scholarship

Although colleges and universities are facing increased scrutiny to demonstrate a return on investment for their students, the demand for college-educated workers continues to grow. As of 2010, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated that more than one-fifth of Americans age 25 and older—around 43.5 million people—have some postsecondary education but no degree (Lumina, 2012). This article presents an integrative review of relevant, rigorous, and research based programs that create a fast path to degree completion for working adults. While national data still shows that postsecondary credentials remain a good investment for individuals and the overall economy (Carnavale & Rose, 2015), …

A Phenomenological Study: The Role Of Spiritual Support In The Persistence Of Online Doctoral Students, Clara Tickal

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to investigate the role of spiritual support in the persistence of online students who have completed their doctorate in education. The definition of internal spiritual support used in this study was “support perceived in the context of an individual’s relationship with God” (Maton, 1989, p. 319). Internal support included the prayers, personal Bible study, and other forms of spiritual interaction between the doctoral student and God. For the purpose of this study, external spiritual support was defined as the spiritual aspect of social support. External support included the spiritual support provided by …

Exploring The Transition Experiences Of Successful International Undergraduate Students At A Public Research University In The Usa: The Impact On International Student Success And Retention, Laurie-Ann M. Spencer

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study utilized surveys, interviews and document review to explore the transition experiences of international students at a large, public research university, specifically as it relates to their persistence and success. Within the context of challenges that they face, the study examined factors that the students perceived as jeopardizing their success and further explored both institutional and personal factors these students perceived as enhancing their success and persistence.

Findings revealed that academic challenges tended to occur during the first year and included teaching styles, course-load/assignments, language issues, time management and understanding the US academic system. Social and cultural challenges …

Traditional Student Perceptions And Experiences Contributing To Community College Persistence, Naomi Elizabeth Simpson

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

An increased effort to improve the retention percentages and number of college graduates must address the unique characteristics and experiences of the traditional-aged community college student population. Models of student departure and attrition seek to explain why a student stops attending a college through the analysis of quantitative data. These data, whether about student demographic characteristics, academic intent, institutional factors, motivational factors, etc. are used abundantly to predict persistence and retention patterns of 4-year college and university students. Perceptions and experiences of traditional-aged community college students relating to persistence and retention is an area of higher education research with insufficient …

College Experiences Of The Eastern Band Of Cherokee Indians, Rebecca W. Lasher

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Many Native American students face challenges when entering and attending institutions of higher learning. For Native Americans, seeking postsecondary education frequently means overcoming hurdles, such as inadequate college preparatory courses work, economic hardships, leaving Native American communities behind and acclimating to the expectancies and values of a dominant culture. These barriers often result in Native American college students leaving college early or failing to graduate.

One solution to this problem has been the creation of Tribal colleges where Native American students are able to practice their cultural traditions and preserve tribal values, while at the same time developing skills to …

The Complex Life Experience Of First-Generation College Students Who Are Working Adults In The Appalachian Region Of The United States: A Phenomenological Study, Deborah Thurman

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

he purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe and understand the complexity of life experiences for first-generation college students or recent graduates who are working adults in the Central and South-Central Appalachian region of the United States in light of the construct resilience and how purposefully selected students continued study despite difficulties. In this study, information gathered was synthesized regarding three issues: first-generation students, working adult students, and the influences of Central and South-Central Appalachian regional culture. The theory used to guide this study is resilience as it relates to the educational persistence of working, adult, first-generation college …

A Descriptive Study Of Career Perceptions Of Diverse Freshmen Students In A First-Year Experience Course, Clay Andrew Woemmel

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examined archival data gathered from freshmen students who completed a career exploration unit in a first-year experience course during a four-year time span (2011-2014) in an effort to determine how levels of career confidence differed among students based upon race, gender, and place of college residence. Four specific research questions were examined: (1) How does confidence in the ability to identify the skills necessary for a desired career differ among freshment students based on race, gender, and collegiate residental status; (2) How does confidence in chosen academic major vary among freshmen students based on race, gender, and collegiate …

Persistence Factors For Nontraditional Undergraduate Students At A Northeast Catholic College, Heather Macneil Pfordresher

Higher Education Student Work

Nontraditional students are an extremely diverse group with very unique backgrounds and needs, and their motivations to enroll, persist, and graduate vary depending on factors internal and external to the college and are often dissimilar to their traditional aged counterparts (Pelletier, 2010). Given this difference and increasing enrollment numbers of nontraditional students, understanding the lived experiences of these students is critical for institutions of higher education. This study examined persistence factors for nontraditional students at a Northeast Catholic college, including academic and social engagement, the role of support systems in their lives, and their sense of belonging. It also sought …

Why Do They Stay? A Phenomenological Study On The Lived Experiences Of Teachers Who Persist In Urban K-12 Christian Education, Marie Teodori

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe the lived experiences of teachers who persist in urban K-12 Christian education at five Association of Christian Schools International schools located in the United States. The central research question was: What are the lived experiences of teachers who persist in urban K-12 Christian education? Sub-questions explored the source of motivation, role of intrinsic goals, and contextual/environmental supports for teachers who persist in this setting. Methodology utilized a transcendental phenomenological design, purposeful participant sampling, data collection primarily through in-depth interviews and focus groups, and data analysis using Moustakas’ (1994) recommended procedures. …

Exploring The Social Experiences Of College Students Who Have Autism Spectrum Disorders: Examining Neurodiversity On Campus, Monique N. Colclough

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

Research and discussion on the prevalence of autism spectrum disorders in education is longstanding, albeit almost exclusive to secondary students. Within less than ten years the number of secondary students who were receiving special education services for autism doubled, two percent of which later self-identified at 2yr and 4yr institutions upon enrollment. This phenomenological study explores the experiences of college students who have autism spectrum disorders, focusing on the social experiences that impact college persistence and retention. The following research questions were guide to this study: what are the social experiences of college students who have autism? What role(s) do …

Female Student Veterans' Resiliency In Their Role Transitions, Michael Dennis Parise

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

This study examined female student veterans as they pertain to Schlossberg's Theory of Transition (1981), which asserts that many life events influence one’s ability to adapt when transitioning from one role to another in a linear fashion. The results of this study reveal that the participants viewed change not as a transition, but that they faced conflict from competing roles and stressors. Their attainment of their goals resulted from their ability to be resilient.

Friendships And Retention At A Historically Black University: A Quantitative Case Study, Mondrail Myrick, John A. Gipson Jr, Donald Mitchell Jr.

Journal of Research Initiatives

The retention and graduation rates of underrepresented minority, first-generation and low-income college students persist as problems in U.S. higher education. While researchers have documented the ways in which minority-serving institutions have been successful in serving these students, little is known about how friendships influence retention at these institutions. This study examines retention factors of first-year students who began college with close friends at a historically Black university. The researchers used exploratory factor analysis and binary logistic regressions to determine the factors and significance. In addition, the researchers used linear structural relations to estimate hypothesized causal models. Results of the study …

“From Whence Cometh My Help?” Exploring Black Doctoral Student Persistence, Melanie Acosta, Shaunte Duggins, Thomas E. Moore, Thomasenia Adams, Bridgette Johnson

Journal of Critical Scholarship on Higher Education and Student Affairs

In previous decades, the bulk of research focused on Blacks in doctoral programs highlight issues of recruitment and access with little attention given to the racialized experiences or perspectives of African descent scholars-in-training. More recently, a growing body of research has used qualitative methods to dismantle the myth of a colorblind doctoral student experience. Instead these scholars illuminate the ways in which race and racism create challenges for Black doctoral students. The present study adds to this literature by revealing the ways that Black doctoral students persist amid this highly racialized context. Researchers employ critical race theory and qualitative focus …

Engagement Behaviors' Impact On Course Success And Persistence Rates Of Community College Students, Van F. Whaley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

As enrollment in U.S. community colleges increased, both the percentage of students successfully completing courses and the percentage of students persisting to their second year decreased. This study focused on the problem of low student course success and persistence rates at a community college. The purpose of the study was to determine whether students who demonstrated engagement behavior by visiting a Center for Academic Success (CAS) either passed more courses, persisted more often, or both, than students who did not visit a CAS. Tinto's engagement theory was the theoretical framework as it postulated that students who interacted with school support …

The Relationship Between High School Culinary Curriculum And Culinary Arts College Student Achievement And Completion, Emily Knight

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There is a lack of persistence and completion of students enrolled in a local college culinary arts program, a problem also evident in national data. Some students entering the college program have participated in a defined high school curriculum focused on culinary arts, such as the National Restaurant Association Education Association's ProStart curriculum. The purpose of this study was to determine if participation in the ProStart program was related to the mean grade point average (GPA) and time to completion in the college culinary arts program. Dewey's theory of experience provided the theoretical framework. Participants from 2 cohorts at the …

Creating A Culture Of Completion In Two-Year Institutions: Examining The Influence Of Participation In The Community College Completion Corps On Institutional Stakeholders, Jennifer Blalock

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation assessed the effect of participation in Community College Completion Corps and associated activities on campus stakeholders’ perceptions of a culture of completion. The national initiative to increase completion rates at community colleges has resulted in a heightened awareness of this performance measurement. A number of community colleges have participated by hosting a C4 signing event, the hallmark activity associated with the movement. This inaugural event served as a public declaration of the two-year institution’s intention to provide an environment in which policy and practice, as well as theory and application, focus on supporting and increasing student completion. …

Persistence, Major, Vocational Technical Preparation, And Provisional Acceptance At A Private For-Profit Hospitality College, Joshua Luke Seery

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

At a private for-profit hospitality college in Philadelphia, there are rising percentages of students not persisting to the sophomore year. The study was grounded by the theoretical framework of Tinto's model of student retention. The purpose of this causal comparative study was to examine the relationship between student persistence and the academic variables of major, vocational technical preparation, and provisional acceptance. The relationship was analyzed using a chi-square test of independence. The data collected for the study came from archival data based upon the sample of 162 full-time students enrolled during the August 2014 class start in the majors of …

From The Valley To The Mountaintop: A Case Study Of Resilience And Persistence Among First-Generation African American Males Who Have Achieved Doctoral Success, D'Jalon Janeece Jackson

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This case study examined the lived experiences of three first-generation, African American men whom have persisted to achieve doctoral success in the form of Ph.D. attainment. Participants were interviewed in order to gather data in their own voices about their educational experiences as first-generation African American Males (AAMs). Participants attributed their success to what can be categorized as sociocultural capital in the form of resilience and persistence factors. Based on the findings of this study, recommendations were made to educational stakeholders on how to transform educational spaces into venues that build cultural capital and promote resilience and persistence within this …