Digital Commons Network^™

Full Issue 16(4) 2024

Journal of Comparative & International Higher Education

No abstract provided.

Current Insights On Using Social Robots To Support Second Language (L2) International Students In Higher Education

Journal of Comparative & International Higher Education

No abstract provided.

A Delphi Study Defining Catholic Identity In American Diocesan Catholic Higher Education, Katherine E. Grooms

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Over the past 60 years, there have been general comments and outcry that Catholic higher education schools simply are not Catholic enough anymore. The concern about the lack of identity started with the decline in ordained leadership and mounting pressures to compete with secular institutions. To measure if Catholic identity has declined, a working definition of Catholic identity is needed. This study employed the Delphi methodology to define Catholic identity among a subset of Catholic higher education institutions—diocesan-sponsored schools. The primary research question was how the identified schools defined Catholic identity, with subquestions that included who was responsible for the …

Faculty Perspectives On Research Mentoring Across A Multi-Level Statewide Lsamp Alliance, Tokesha Warner, Shaniqua Nixon, Terrance Mcneil, Denise Green, John T. Robinson

The Journal of the Research Association of Minority Professors

In this, mixed-method exploratory sequential design study, we examined a multi-level state-wide mentoring program for underrepresented students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). This study examined faculty perspectives on the factors involved in, and the impact of, mentoring minoritized students at the critical retention-to-graduation stage. Between 2020 and 2022, an online survey and two rounds of focus group interviews were conducted with faculty members at participating institutions. Data were analyzed using an iterative, thematic coding method. Analysis of the comments from faculty focus groups and a faculty survey revealed eleven themes that codified the faculty member’s perspectives on mentoring. …

Recruitment And Retention Of Black Faculty Women In Higher Education: A Phenomenological Study, Gerald Keith Warmack

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to examine Black Faculty Women's (BFW) lived experiences concerning recruiting and retention practices. The theory guiding this study was Critical Race Theory (CRT). CRT acknowledges that racism is central and the norm in the educational system. In addition to CRT, Social integration theory plays a critical role in how BFW form relationships, participate in social activities, and integrate into higher education. This research project used a hermeneutical phenomenological research design for BFW’s recruitment and retention experiences. Data for this study was collected using individual interviews, letters of advice, and journal prompts. Data analysis …

A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study Of College Students' Experiences With College-Provided Mental Healthcare Services, Adrian M. Campbell

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand college students' perspectives on college-provided mental healthcare services. The framework guiding this study is the theory of planned behavior (TPB), developed by Fishbein and Ajzen. The TPB theory is based on attitude, social norms, perceived behavioral control (PBC), and intention. The central research question: What are college students' perspectives on college-provided mental healthcare services? The design of this qualitative study is hermeneutic phenomenology, a rigorous and well-established approach. A sample of twelve participants, carefully selected based on pre-determined criteria, was included in the study. The participants, a diverse mix of current …

Investigating Mixed Effects Random Forest Models In Predicting Satisfaction With Online Learning In Higher Education, Jiaqi (Jackie) Shi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

One of the many impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic has been the increasing prevalence and accessibility of online education. This trend has also introduced challenges for students, instructors, and institutions. This study examines factors affecting online course satisfaction, focusing on individual, instructor, and institutional level characteristics with clustered, separated train and test datasets across two terms. This study compares Hierarchical Linear Model (HLM), Non-clustered and Clustered Random Forest (RF & MERF) models to understand these impacts. This intention is to provide a comprehensive framework comparing traditional HLM with the latest developed MERF models while delving into the effectiveness of RF …

The Impact Of The First Language Usage For Chinese Undergraduate International Students, Qiunan Liu

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

English as the “lingua franca” serves as a bridge across diverse nations, cultures, and economies and plays an important role in modern society, which has increased the number of English language learners around the world. In the United States, over 30% of international students are from China, with the majority being undergraduate students. A significant number of Chinese students need to enroll in English learning courses when they attend universities in the U.S. due to insufficient English language test scores. Chinese international students often incorporate their first language (L1) when they are learning English in the U.S. Therefore, understanding the …

Settler Colonialism And Refusal Through Indigenous Eyes, Charlie Amáyá Scott

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The educational system within the united states has benefited and continues to benefit from the structures and systems of settler colonialism. Yet, despite such colonizing goals of displacement, removal, and genocide, Indigenous Peoples are still here. This critical Indigenous qualitative research study sought to understand descriptions and interpretations of settler colonialism from the perspectives of Indigenous undergraduate students and how they have, refused settler colonialism while navigating their undergraduate journeys. Indigenous ways of knowing and ways of being were centered and cited in a manner that made this dissertation more than just a research study; it became a home where …

Institutionalizing Community Engagement: A Quantitative Approach To Identifying Patterns Of Engagement Based On Institutional Characteristics, Natasha Hutson, Travis York, Daesang Kim, Jamie L. Workman

Journal of Community Engagement and Higher Education

Community engagement is recognized as a high-impact practice in higher education. However, while best practices in engagement have been broadly accepted, standard metrics for engagement across institutions have not yet been established. The purpose of this research study was to explore the relationship between community engagement and a variety of institutional characteristics among higher education institutions in a Southeastern state. Findings indicated that a pattern of engagement existed among the 48 participating institutions.

Lessons Learned From Faculty Service-Learning Mentoring, Elizabeth A. Robinson, Debra A. Harkins

Journal of Community Engagement and Higher Education

Service-learning that targets issues of injustice within a community shares the goal with institutions of higher education of helping students become transformational citizens who deeply question and try to change unjust and ineffective social systems. Unfortunately, challenges to growing and sustaining service-learning pedagogy at institutions of higher education are many. This project discusses challenges and makes recommendations based on a pilot mentoring program at an urban, four-year university in the Northeast for faculty interested in integrating service- learning into their curriculum.

Pursuing Reciprocity In Engaged Scholarship Partnerships Using Community Sustainability Certification Programs, Elyzabeth W. Engle, Michele W. Halsell

Journal of Community Engagement and Higher Education

In recent years, there has been a proliferation of sustainability certification programs at the local, state, and national level to highlight the use of policies, programs, and infrastructure to achieve sustainable development outcomes within communities. In this paper, we use examples from Penn State’s Sustainable Communities Collaborative to demonstrate how institutions with community-engaged scholarship programs can use these certification programs to enhance program operation and reciprocity by identifying projects, engaging new disciplines, and improving relevance.

University-Community Civic Collaboration: Reaching For Social Justice In University Partnership, Jessica T. Shiller

Journal of Community Engagement and Higher Education

A community partnership between the Collins Academy, Jefferson, Texas, and the Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture, Stephen F. Austin State University, Nacogdoches, Texas, developed a plan to manage the 38-acre Port Jefferson History and Nature Center, located on Big Cypress Bayou. Students used knowledge of the resources, GPS (global positioning systems), ArcGIS 10.4, presentations, and posters to complete the project. The reflection and feedback with the community partners continued throughout the project and as guidance for future work. This partnership instilled in participating students the value of incorporating service learning into development of professional relationships for continued cooperation …

Researcher-Practitioner Collaborations: Applying Developmental Science To Understand Sport Participation And Positive Youth Development, Andrea Vest Ettekal, Lily S. Konowitz, Jennifer P. Agans, Richard M. Lerner

Journal of Community Engagement and Higher Education

We report data from the first year of a three-year collaboration between a sport-based youth development program, Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA), and a university-based research institute. The theory of change of PCA was tested with youth athletes, representing multiple sport types (e.g., individual/team) and seasons (e.g., fall/winter), who completed self-report surveys indexing a key facet of positive youth development—character. Noting assets and challenges of such researcher-practitioner collaborations, we discuss the results of the first year of data derived from this collaboration and differences in their use to the researchers and practitioners. Using this collaboration as a sample case, we discuss …

Sustainable Campus Landscapes In The United States And China: A Comparative Analysis, Zhaofang Zhang, Jing Zhou, Deanna Schmidt, Kathleen Garland

The Geographical Bulletin

This paper explores landscapes of sustainability. Universities across the world have incorporated sustainability into their curriculum, research, infrastructure operation, and resource management. However, campus landscapes are relatively unexplored assets to promote university sustainability. As the physical embodiment of university values as well as an enduring legacy, campus landscapes offer the potential to integrate sustainability into the fabric of universities for generations to come. The paper presents findings from an empirical study of two universities: China T hree Gorges University, Yinchang City, Hubei province, China, (CTGU) and the University of Houston, Clear Lake, Texas, United States (UHCL). The research utilizes landscape …

Student Experiences With Self-Determination And Agency: Centering Disabled Voices Through Photovoice, Rebecca Boineau Smith Hill

Theses and Dissertations

Young adults with intellectual and developmental disability (IDD) are less likely than young adults without disability to be employed, enrolled in postsecondary education, or live independently after high school (Lauer & Houtenville, 2017; Newman, et al., 2011). Self-determination, or the freedom to act as the primary causal agent in one’s life (Palmer & Wehmeyer, 1998), is a well-documented component of enhanced quality of life (Shogren et al., 2017) and a predictor of postschool success (Mazzotti et al., 2021; Test et al. 2009) for students with disabilities. People with IDD are less self-determined than their nondisabled peers, and often less self-determined …

Institute Of Enslavement: Enslaved Lives At South Carolina College, Jill Found

Theses and Dissertations

“Institute of Enslavement: Enslaved Lives at South Carolina College” argues that enslaved people used the structure of the school, their own knowledge, and connections to other individuals and institutions to negotiate the terms of their enslavement. It examines how enslaved people on campus influenced their daily lives to the best of their abilities, in ways that were similar and different to other forms of enslavement. “Institute of Enslavement” considers how the unique structure of enslavement on a college campus, with multiple potential masters creating inconsistent authority for the school officials over enslaved people, created opportunities as well as moments of …

Exploring School Of Education Faculty Emotion, Attitudes, And Experiences Related To Student Mental Health, Jesse Mossholder

The Interactive Journal of Global Leadership and Learning

Student mental health concerns among adolescents and young adults are continuing to rise (Reis et al., 2023, Ashoorian, 2018; Burns et al., 2017; Davies et al., 2016). The purpose of the present study was to explore teacher preparation faculty perceptions of student mental health concerns. The author adapted Stine Ekorne’s (2016) Perceived Competence Scale to score each participant's perceived competence, responsibility, and emotions related to addressing student mental health concerns. The 27-item Qualtrics questionnaire was distributed to faculty and academic staff in the School of Education at a midwestern public university. Participants were recruited through email. Participants included tenured and …

Acquisitions Unit Annual Report 2023-2024, Andrée J. Rathemacher

Technical Services Reports and Statistics

Annual Report of the Acquisitions Unit, University Libraries, University of Rhode Island for FY2024. Covers personnel, work flow, special projects, and serial, monograph, and e-resource acquisitions. Supplemental files include data on library materials expenditures by a number of variables as well as important working documents from the year.

The Lived Experiences Of Educators Leveraging Educational Technology And Connectivism For Fostering Academic Achievement In Higher Education: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study, Cynthia T. Plueger

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of the transcendental phenomenological study was to describe the lived experiences of educators at public universities in the southern region of the United States who leverage educational technology to enhance student engagement and improve academic achievement through the application of connectivism principles in learning environments. This study was guided by the connectivism theory, which highlights the significance of interconnected networks, contemporary knowledge, and the interrelatedness of information in digital higher education learning environments. The central research question was: How do educators at public universities in the southern region of the United States describe their lived experiences with leveraging …

Exploring The Lived Experiences Of Mentees Involved In A University Transfer Program In A Two-Year Technical College: A Qualitative Case Study, Jason Ray Whiteside

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore the lived experiences of mentees involved in a University Transfer program in a two-year technical college. The theory guiding this study is Bandura’s (1986) social cognitive theory. Bandura postulated that learning occurs in the social context through observing and emulating a mentor (model), thus creating the opportunity for the mentee (observer) to acquire new practices and skills. The study consisted of 10 mentees who participated in individual interviews and focus groups and maintained a reflective journal to share their personal experiences with their assigned peer mentor during the mentorship. The …

Treating Higher Education As An Investment, Roger E. Meiners, Andrew P. Morriss

San Diego Law Review

College is one of the costliest investments many people make; yet, prospective students are often not provided accurate information about the cost of college, nor are they provided information about the likely outcomes upon completion of a degree. Rather than address the problem by focusing on ballooning college debt, we propose that the rules that apply to sellers of other services and investments should apply to colleges. Colleges behave much like competitive firms. They engage in costly efforts to lure students. They sometimes produce false or misleading information that gives students the impression of higher payoffs from a degree than …

Grounded In Liquidity: Writing And Identity In Third Space, Alicja Syska, Carina Buckley, L Heggie

School of Law, Humanities and Social Sciences

This paper argues that writing for publication has the potential to support the creation, negotiation, and stabilising of the professional identities of third space (Whitchurch, 2013) practitioners in higher education. Caught in the impermanence and unpredictability of ‘liquid life’ (Bauman, 2005), third space opens up unique opportunities in writing that afford its practitioners a means of building and sustaining identity. Third space expands academic writing beyond its normative constraints, creating a tension between the apparent permanence and solidity of writing and the liquidity that allows for the negotiation of meaning andidentity. As such, writing, particularly for dissemination, provides third space …

Navigating The Academic Labyrinth: Describing The Landscape Of Women Faculty In Hospitality Higher Education, Kelly A. Way, Clarissa Mason, Betsy Garrison

Human Development and Family Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Purpose

The purpose of the study was to describe faculty women’s perspectives of the workplace environment in hospitality higher education. Design/methodology/approach

Female faculty members in hospitality (n = ∼50) completed an online survey about their beliefs about women’s experiences, advancement characteristics the glass ceiling and gender equity. Findings

Respondents concurred that being self-directed, assertive and a risk-taker were essential; leadership is the most important characteristic for advancement and the glass ceiling is prevalent and prominent. It may be assumed that the milieu of academia would be free or freer of the glass ceiling, but research, including this study, suggests otherwise. …

Supporting High School Students In Their Transition To College Through A Comprehensive College Prep Bootcamp, Brooke E. Baneck

Masters Projects

When transitioning from high school to college, many students struggle with increased academic rigor, time management, and lack of financial literacy, while also facing social and emotional difficulties such as homesickness and stress. Addressing these challenges holistically, this project outlines the Next Step: College Prep Academy, a pre-college bootcamp designed to enhance students' academic preparedness, social integration skills, emotional and psychological health, financial literacy, and cultural competency, particularly for first-generation and minoritized students. Grounded in theoretical perspectives, the bootcamp aims to equip students with essential skills and support systems to thrive in their first year of college and beyond.

A Qualitative Description Of Graduate Students’ Perceived Decline In Physical Activity From Undergraduate School, Kristin M. Jett, Bryce T. Daniels, Max Brigance, Jessica L. Passarelli, Erin Howie

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 17(5): 1038-1055, 2024. Many university students, especially graduate students, are experiencing poor physical and psychological health. Thus, universities are initiating programs like Exercise is Medicine-On Campus (EIM-OC) to promote positive physical activity behavior to improve physical and mental health for primarily undergraduate university students. However, the influences on physical activity when transitioning from an undergraduate to a graduate student are unknown. To explore perceptions of if and how the physical activity levels of graduate students changed from their time as undergraduate students while considering environmental and lifestyle factors. METHODS: Using a qualitative, phenomenological research design, …

Understanding The Internationalization Of Higher Education In The Context Of The War In Ukraine: Critical Conversations From Kazakhstan

Journal of Comparative & International Higher Education

Special Issue

Full Issue 16(3)

Journal of Comparative & International Higher Education

No abstract provided.

Wooyake Winyan: The Experience Of Three Native Women In Higher Education Leadership At 4-Year Institutions In The Midwest, Raven Gray

Theses and Dissertations

Native women in higher education have faced many challenges and disparities, specifically within 4-year institutions. This research used a qualitative method known as storytelling to identify ways of progression for Native women in higher education leadership while being supported by the theoretical framework of aspirational capital. Additionally, this knowledge is explained through cultural ways of storytelling, with hope of gaining perspective of Native female leadership and how this impacts Native communities within higher education. Through this research, it portrayed the experience of Native women in Higher education leadership which included their successes and challenges. Each participant shared their background of …

Exposing The Pervasive Culture Of Whiteness At Predominantly White Institutions: A Narrative Analysis Of White Deans Of Students' Understanding And Role In Responses To Campus Racial Incidents, Jennifer Helen Reid

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

Deeply embedded in U.S. higher education institutions is a culture of whiteness that benefits white students, staff, faculty, and administrators through racist policies, structures, and cultural norms designed to uphold whiteness. This culture not only minimizes the presence of racism, but also is pervasive on college campuses, where administrators often fail to recognize blatant racism and treat ongoing campus racial incidents as isolated events. Despite the frequency of racial incidents, campus responses are typically ineffective, failing to address the underlying institutional practices that reinforce white supremacy and further harm those affected. This study explored the experiences of white deans of …