Digital Commons Network^™

Drop-Out Rates Among First-Generation Undergraduate Students In The United States, Rachel Alger

Ballard Brief

For first-generation college students, receiving an acceptance letter to an institution of higher education is a milestone: a means to secure economic and social opportunities not afforded to their family members. However, for many first-generation students, college acceptance does not equate to a college credential or degree, with only 27.4% graduating within 4 years. These lower attrition rates stem from a lack of familial financial resources and inadequate academic preparation in high school. Additionally, a different set of rules, jargon, and expectations between home life and institutions of higher education create a 'hidden curriculum' for first-generation students, making college completion …

Optimizing Preference Satisfaction With Genetic Algorithm In Matching Students To Supervisors, Azamat Serek, Meirambek Zhaparov

Applied Mathematics & Information Sciences

The allocation of students to supervisors is a crucial aspect of higher education, impacting the quality of guidance and support students receive for their academic projects. This paper explores the application of a genetic algorithm to optimize the matching process. The algorithm considers considers psychological compatibility between student and supervisor, and aims for maximization of preference satisfaction of students and supervisors regarding the match. Experimental results demonstrate high preference satisfaction (0.91), indicating effective alignment with students’ preferences. The algorithm’s time and space complexities show scalability, making it a promising solution for large-scale applications. Additionally, the workload distribution results highlight the …

A Qualitative Case Study Of Disabled Students’ Experiences With Online Course Accessibility During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Jason Altmann

Dissertations of Practice

ABSTRACT

A QUALITATIVE CASE STUDY OF DISABLED STUDENTS’

EXPERIENCES WITH ONLINE COURSE ACCESSIBILITY

DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

Jason Altmann, Ed.D.

Department of Counseling and Higher Education

Northern Illinois University, 2024

Xiaodan Hu, Director

This dissertation presents a qualitative case study exploring the experiences of disabled students with online course accessibility during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study investigates how the abrupt shift to online learning impacted the accessibility of educational materials and support services for disabled students in a large, suburban community college.

Critical Disability Theory (CDT) framework was utilized to guide interview questions and explore the connection between the initial …

Community College Library Technical Assistant Students’ Experiences With Student-To-Student Engagement In Asynchronous Online Courses: A Qualitative Case Study, Amanda Musacchio

Dissertations of Practice

COMMUNITY COLLEGE LIBRARY TECHNICAL ASSISTANT STUDENTS’

EXPERIENCES WITH STUDENT-TO-STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN

ASYNCHRONOUS ONLINE COURSES:

A QUALITATIVE CASE STUDY

This dissertation examined how community college students connect and engage with their peers via discussion forums in online asynchronous courses. Asynchronous online student interaction and knowing each other as more than a name on their screen is an important part of online learning. Examining how students can form peer connections in asynchronous online courses can help them to have a more meaningful learning experience. Using a case study approach and the Community of Inquiry model framework, the purpose of this study was …

"It’S Hard To Be An Enemy Of Student Success”: A Qualitative Case Study Of A Cultural Shift Towards Student Success, Lisa R. Lawless

Dissertations of Practice

Literature on how colleges change is limited and theoretical in nature. The purpose of this qualitative case student was to explore how Retention University changed their culture and norms to increase student persistence and retention. Data was collected with semi-structured interviews with 16 participants at a large, public university in the southeast. Four primary themes emerged from data: (1) leaders play an important role in fostering organizational change; (2) leaders need to be strategic about how they foster change; (3) leaders need to consider how organizational contexts might hinder change; (4) and value the people and process. Implications for further …

To Be Heard And Seen: Students Of Color Call For A Sense Of Belonging And Support In Higher Education, Daisha Dukes

Community Engagement Student Work

This research delves into the policies, procedures, and resources that higher institutions carry to best support their students of color. The support systems in this research centers on academic performance, cultural belonging, financial and mental health support of students of color. Many institutions concentrate on a general one-size-fits-all system that can be counterproductive because not all students are the same and their needs differ. This issue is important because students of color do not feel seen or heard at predominantly white institutions. This case study was created to find the weaknesses, strengths, and improvements on how higher institutions are best …

Empowering Students Of Color To Study Abroad: Effective Approaches For Predominantly White Institutions, A'Mari Bing-Way

Community Engagement Student Work

Traditionally studying abroad is an opportunity afforded to college students. For many, it is perceived as a desirable and essential component to the college experience. Initially developed by a white professor for white students at a predominantly white institution (PWI) to immerse themselves in European culture. The study abroad model in higher education was not designed with inclusivity in mind. However, research suggests that access to such opportunities depends on a student’s network to include: social, cultural, and financial capital as well as the university’s investment in empowering students to participate in study abroad programs. Historically, government funded initiatives have …

The Domino Effect: Discussing The Future Implications Of Students For Fair Admissions, Inc. V. Harvard, Marissa C. Meredith

Duquesne Law Review

Since 1978, the United States Supreme Court has grappled with creating fair policies and just parameters to enable institutions of higher education to incorporate race -conscious admission policies to diversify students' educational experience.¹ The Court began this vital discussion with its landmark ruling in Regents of the University of California v. Bakke, where it determined not just that diversity in education was a compelling state interest that could survive strict scrutiny,² but also that it could not be achieved through the use of a quota system or a specialized track.3 The Court continued shaping the parameters of …

Singapore Management University Report To Stakeholders 2023/24, Singapore Management University

Report to Stakeholders

The past year has been one of significant growth and achievement for Singapore Management University. As we navigated an increasingly complex and challenging world, SMU remained committed to doing the best by our students, harnessing the collective brain trust that our faculty represent, and the professional expertise of our staff, to deliver impact on our community, country, and region. Our focus on nurturing the next generation of leaders, thinkers, and change-makers continues to be at the heart of our educational mission, and our dedication to the highest quality research for academic and societal impact remains our commitment.

Simplifying The Hecvat: A Supplier Risk Assessment For Higher Education Institutions, Melissa Lopez-Barbosa

Undergraduate Honors Theses

The internet revolutionized global communication, enabling rapid messaging to thousands. This also means that malicious communication can happen quickly as well. In higher education, cyber risk has reached unprecedented levels due to the increased interconnectivity facilitated by the internet—it is one of the most cyber-attacked industries worldwide. Establishing robust preventative practices to safeguard sensitive data and maintain trust within the educational community is crucial. Preventative practices must be in place to ensure that suppliers and businesses follow specific security and privacy rules to warrant secure communication. Ensuring supplier compliance with security and privacy rules is critical to safeguarding student data, …

Technology Affordances And Curriculum Flexibility In Higher Education Blended Learning, Clement Chimezie Aladi

CGU Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation explores technological affordances in blended learning, their influence on the flexibility of statistics and data science curricula, and students' satisfaction with learning. While blended learning is often perceived as a flexible learning approach, its correlation with flexibility lacks substantial evidence in existing literature. This study contends that technological affordances significantly impact curriculum flexibility in blended learning, an aspect currently underrepresented in blended learning educational literature. Drawing on the theoretical frameworks of Technology Affordance and Constraint Theory (TACT) and Technological, Pedagogical, and Content Knowledge (TPACK), this research investigated six hypotheses to elucidate how technological affordances and the teacher's technology …

The High Maintenance Black Girl: Black Female College Students’ Experiences With Intraracial Stereotypes, Alexis Thrower

CGU Theses & Dissertations

While existing literature has extensively documented interracial stereotypes faced by Black individuals, this study delved into the lesser-explored realm of stereotypes emanating from within the Black community itself. This dissertation explored the experiences of Black female college students in predominantly white educational environments, focusing on the pervasive influence of intraracial stereotypes. Grounded in phenomenological inquiry and guided by Black Feminist Critique, the research investigated the impact of these intraracial stereotypes on relationships, sense of belonging, and coping strategies among Black female college students. Four research questions guided this dissertation: What are the intraracial stereotypes experienced by Black female college students? …

Onboarding Students At Scale: A New Student Orientation Course That Prepares Students To Succeed In Their Online Degree Programs, Heather J. Leslie Phd

Learning Design Center: Staff Scholarship

A new online orientation course equips students with the tools and skills to thrive in online programs. It welcomes them to the university, introduces the learning management system, fosters peer connection, and locates essential resources. Additionally, it teaches valuable strategies for time management, motivation, and success in online learning. This adaptable base course caters to the university’s diverse online programs while maintaining a core structure. Designed for efficient facilitation by Academic Directors, it also allows for a personalized touch. Surveys indicate the course effectively prepares students for their first online course. Notably, completing the orientation has become the strongest predictor …

Rhizomic Communication Practices Bridging International Students And The Host Society And Beyond, Suvi Jokila, Charles Mathies

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Faculty Publications

Evidence suggests that the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted international student communities while reflecting wider societal inequalities. This study in the Finnish context examined international students’ experiences of the published national crisis communication and media usage during the first year of the pandemic. Using the national COVID-19 crisis communication practices as an example, we examined what kinds of strategies the international students deployed to access information in this non-English-speaking country and how they perceived the information communicated. Theoretically, we based the analysis on the theories of crisis communication and information inequality, which identify communication practices, such as language choice, that …

Reclaiming & Reasserting Third World Womanhoods In U.S. Higher Education, Bhavika Sicka

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Faculty Publications

This study combines narrative inquiry with Third World feminism to bring a nuanced and scopic perspective of Third World women student experiences in US higher education. Specifically, it utilises Talpade Mohanty's concept of Third World womanhood to visibilise the experiences of five Third World international female students. Understanding womanhood as transnationally fluid and contextual, I investigate how women international students from the Third World perceive themselves to be misrepresented or homogenised in Western higher education. I also examine how gender and foreignness act as dynamic, interrelated categories in doubly‐othering this population. The purpose is to identify how Third World women …

Exploring Physical Activity Promotion And Implementation Within Inclusive Post-Secondary Education Programs: A Mixed-Methods Design, Shannon P. Zimmerman

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) exhibit lower physical activity levels compared to their non-disabled counterparts, with only 23% of U.S. adults with IDD engaging in the recommended 60 minutes per day of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity. Inclusive Post-Secondary Education (IPSE) programs in the U.S. offer an opportunity to promote physical activity and address the critically low physical activity levels. Few IPSE programs have formalized physical activity courses, warranting an evaluation and development of the national curriculum in this area. This study expands on previous work by examining current physical activity promotion strategies at both the program and course levels. …

From Individuals To Neighbors: Growth Through Embracing Positionality, Joy L. Hart, Andrea Radasanu, Rebecca C. Bott-Kutson, Jonathan D. Kotinek

Journal of the National Collegiate Honors Council Online Archive

Drawing inspiration from Dr. Ada Long’s (1995) presidential address, the authors describe an experience that facilitates neighborhood-building among honors educators and students across the nation as well as a neighborhood approach to understanding social problems. Focusing on food justice in the first year of the Justice Challenge, honors students learn about community needs, develop leadership and partnership skills, and collaborate with community members through an array of opportunities. Throughout the academic year, individual positionality shifts through deeper engagement with multiple viewpoints and facilitates new approaches for collaboration toward effectively addressing thorny problems. Cultivation of such connections is central in revitalizing …

Institutional Neighborhoods And The Stories They Tell, Joyce Olewski Inman

Journal of the National Collegiate Honors Council Online Archive

As part of the National Collegiate Honors Council's (NCHC’s) tribute to Dr. Ada Long (1945–2024), this response to “Honors as Neighborhood” (1995) encourages scholars and practitioners to (re)consider the problems with conceptualizing honors programs as neighborhoods given the systemic inequalities associated with both. Drawing from experience at an R1 regional institution in the South, the author outlines the institutional histories of programming in both basic writing and honors to elucidate the systemic racism leading to the creation of these programs and illuminate the stories these programs tell about the deep stratification evident on college campuses across the nation.

Neighbors Outside, Inside, And Beyond The Classroom: A Pioneering Honors Program In The University Of Illinois System, Katie Carlson-Eastvold, Marc Klingshirn, Elise Lobue

Journal of the National Collegiate Honors Council Online Archive

The authors describe the shift from an upper-division university to a four-year school and the establishment of an honors program as a result. This essay chronicles the inaugural honors class, characterizing the pioneering aspect of its undergraduates. Reflecting on institutional history and the neighborliness of honors, authors consider the impact that living-learning community (LLC) experience and classroom spaces have on both the individual and the collective. Authors discuss the utility of student codes of conduct, agreed-upon guidelines for class discussions, and student input on course design and delivery. Across the spectrum of undergraduate experiences—from those during the first year to …

Building, Dwelling, And Thinking With Ada Long, Lisa L. Coleman

Journal of the National Collegiate Honors Council Online Archive

In response to Dr. Ada Long’s (1945–2024) insistence that political conversation is key to teaching and service, both of which inform each other, the author contemplates the personal impact and evolving cultural import of Martin Heidegger. Using Heidegger’s “Building Dwelling Thinking” (1971) as touchstone, the author reflects on the conception of humans as “near dwellers,” or neighbors who “build” because they “dwell,” and considers the weight this idea carried as a graduate student and again as an instructor of Advanced Composition. The author describes a teaching methodology that used Heidegger’s essay as a lens through which students might view, read, …

Actualizing The Et Al.: Twenty Years Of Editor’S Introductions, Emily Walshe

Journal of the National Collegiate Honors Council Online Archive

The complete process of writing, conceived as the production of a cogent piece, is rarely a solitary pursuit. This essay celebrates Dr. Ada Long’s contributions as editor-in-chief of NCHC journals for over two decades. Using content and bibliometric analyses, the author provides insights on Long’s use of language and rhetorical purpose; her fostering of collaborative, multidisciplinary scholarship; and unwavering commitment to developing and maintaining strong editorial boards. Term map and visualizations are included.

Dispatch From Ada Long’S Honors Neighborhood, Michael E. Sloane

Journal of the National Collegiate Honors Council Online Archive

Dr. Ada Long (1945–2024) launched the honors program at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) in the fall of 1983 and directed it until her retirement in 2004. This essay examines how the defining characteristics of neighborhoods she discusses in her 1995 NCHC Presidential Address were embedded in her honors program. As a close colleague and teacher in Long’s interdisciplinary arts and sciences program, the author considers how the characteristics of diversity, sense of personal affiliation and belonging, and culture of caring were woven into the fabric of the program she founded and developed. As Ada’s successor, the author …

Equity And Inclusion In Honors: A Case Study Of Admissions Changes, Trevor Zink, Andrew Dilts

Journal of the National Collegiate Honors Council Online Archive

Creative levers for change often emerge in times of institutional uncertainty. As higher education continues to confront institutional racism, honors programs can exercise their power to increase diversity and educational outcomes for excluded and marginalized students, as well as influence related university-level policy. This case study chronicles dramatic changes to admissions policies and programmatic offerings in honors between 2020–2023. Changes in admissions practices markedly diversified the student body, moving it from a 60% white population to 60% minority population in just three years. Conversations around race and racism were initiated, inculcating a culture of inclusion rather than elitist exceptionalism. As …

2024 F1rst Look, Nova Southeastern University

First Look

No abstract provided.

Stakeholder Engagement: Challenges, Metrics, And Tactical Solutions In Higher Education Strategic Planning, Stephanie Miller Gillen

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

Effective stakeholder engagement is critical in higher education strategic planning, particularly as institutions face challenges such as changing demographics, technological advances, and evolving student expectations. This study explores the complexities of engaging diverse stakeholders, including students, faculty, community members, and governance, in the strategic planning process. Using a qualitative approach, the research examines how stakeholder engagement practices contribute to the development of strategic plans. The study emphasizes the importance of moving beyond superficial engagement to foster genuine collaboration and accountability, ultimately enhancing higher education institutions' adaptability. The research provides valuable insights for institutions aiming to enhance the efficacy of the …

Lobbying As A Means For Expanding The Communication Instructional Base In Higher Education Iii, Craig Newburger, Patricia L. Donat, Sherwyn P. Morreale

Journal of the Association for Communication Administration

Based on several national mandates, this essay examines the support for and importance of active advocacy among our discipline members in framing the conversation about oral communication proficiency, leading instructional design, and assessing student learning on our campuses. Recommended action involves the development and implementation of a coordinated strategy for engaging both institutional accreditors and those charged with the development and modification of individual campus general education requirements regarding the importance of communication scholars and instructors as principal designers of learning goals, subsequent learning activities, and the corresponding assessment of oral communication instruction on college campuses.

The Role Of Holistic Mentoring Ecosystems In Mitigating Covid-19 Pandemic Impacts On The Persistence Of Low-Income Stem Students, Raeshan D. Davis, Zakiya S. Wilson-Kennedy

Faculty Publications

Holistic mentoring ecosystems are a comprehensive approach to addressing the diverse needs of students through interconnected support networks. While mentoring has been well-documented in existing literature, more research is needed to determine the effectiveness of mentoring ecosystems in mitigating the impact of critical junctures for vulnerable, high-attrition student populations. Guided by Tinto’s model of retention, this qualitative case study investigated the role of holistic mentoring ecosystems in mitigating the impacts of the two combined critical junctures—the COVID-19 pandemic and the first year of college—on low-income STEM undergraduates. Our findings suggest that holistic mentoring ecosystems were essential in helping students adjust …

Supporting The Well-Being And Engagement Of Occupational Therapy Students Through Sensory Modulation: A Pilot Study, Rebecca Matson, Jo Linforth, Julie Hanna, Vikki Barnes-Brown

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Student well-being is an increasing area of concern within higher education and one of the biggest causes of attrition. This study sought to investigate the potential for sensory modulation strategies as an approach to support student well-being and engagement in studies through an action research project. Sixteen second-year occupational therapy students took part in a two-week trial of items designed to support sensory modulation, following which they were asked to complete an online survey evaluating the effectiveness of the item in relation to affect, regulation, attention, and activity. Eight students completed the survey containing a mix of Likert scale and …

The Pacifican January 2024, University Of The Pacific

All Issues - Student Newspaper, The Pacifican, Pacific Weekly

No abstract provided.

Unmasking The Hidden Curriculum: How It Negatively Impacts The One-Shot Model And First-Generation Lower-Income Students, Kathryn Albright, Don Simmons Jr.

LOEX Conference Proceedings 2024

No abstract provided.