Education Commons^™

Arkansas High School Graduation Rates: 2013/14-2017/18, Martha Bradley-Dorsey, Sarah C. Mckenzie

Arkansas Education Reports

This report examines trends in high school graduation rates for the state of Arkansas. Graduation rates are evaluated at the school level for students overall and for students who face economic disadvantages. Earlier research by the Office for Education Policy (2014) found that larger high schools and schools serving more economically-disadvantaged students have lower graduation rates. We update the report by examining graduation rate trends across the five-year period of 2013-14 through 2017-18. We consider the relationship between graduation rate and variables of interest including school-level indicators of geographic region, achievement in literacy and math, proportion of racial minority and …

Factors Contributing To Student Retention In Online Learning And Recommended Strategies For Improvement: A Systematic Literature Review, Pauline S. Muljana, Tian Luo

STEMPS Faculty Publications

Aim/Purpose

This systematic literature review investigates the underlying factors that influence the gap between the popularity of online learning and its completion rate. The review scope within this paper includes an observation of possible causal aspects within the non-ideal completion rates in online learning environments and an identification of recommended strategies to increase retention rates.

Background

While online learning is increasingly popular, and the number of online students is steadily growing, student retention rates are significantly lower than those in the traditional environment. Despite the multitude of studies, many institutions are still searching for solutions for this matter.

Methodology

A …

Community College Completion: The Predictive Relationship Between Placement Scores And Graduation, Lisa Martin

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This predictive correlative study was designed to investigate the relationship between the entry placement-test scores of community college students as measured by the ACT® COMPASS® placement exams and the students’ successful completion of a degree or certificate program at a technical (community) college in South Carolina. The study was of importance, for it was designed to determine if ACT® COMPASS® placement test scores can predict graduation from a degree or certificate program in the subject college’s programs of study. The study will utilize archival data available in the college’s retention-management system. The selected college is a mid-sized institution that enrolls …

2017 Student Outcomes Report, Uno Office Of Institutional Effectiveness

Assessment

The 2017 Student Outcomes Report includes UNO retention rates, completion rates, student engagement in high-impact practices (NSSE), student learning (CLA+), and post-graduate and alumni employment outcomes and satisfaction (post-graduate and alumni surveys). The report is based on the most recent data available at the time the report was published.

Interpretative Analysis Of Adult Learners’ Lived Experiences In A Uniquely Designed Higher Education Program, Latonya M. Branham

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

The lived and collegiate experiences of adult learners, who are among the fastest growing student population in 21st century higher education, is the essence of this study. The study was conducted using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Fifteen baccalaureate level degree-seeking study participants consented to share their respective journeys. Twenty-one interviews were conducted for the study. Code-listed categories, themes and sub-themes emerged from two interview sessions, and member-checking sessions. Several themes were aligned to two research questions: In what ways, if any, are the distinctive needs and expectations of adult learners fulfilled through a baccalaureate level adult learner program; and, what does …

Hispanic Students' Perceptions Of Success: A Phenomenological Study On The Impact On K-12 Academic Achievement, Rodney Stephens

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand the impact of Hispanic learners’ perceptions of success on their completion of secondary/post-secondary studies. The following served as a guiding research question: How do the perceptions of success among male and female Hispanic high school completers/non-completers ages 18-29 impact their educational pursuits? This qualitative study examined the lived experiences of Hispanic participants through social/cultural contexts framed around Bronfenbrenner’s (1974) ecological systems theory, Vygotsky’s (1978) social learning theory, Rotter’s (1954) social learning, and Bandura’s (2002) social cognitive theory. Participants included 22 Hispanic high school completers/non-completers ages 18-29 who were clients or students …

Factors That Influence The Retention Of Urban, Hispanic High School Male Graduates: A Phenomenological Study, Robin Elliott-Ghalleb

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to investigate the factors that contribute to the retention of urban, Hispanic high school male graduates in East Harlem, New York. Originated through the works by W. E. B. Du Bois (1968), Gloria Ladson-Billings (1998) and Derrick Bell (1992) pioneered Critical Race Theory (CRT), which reported that the United States Education system has historically failed to adequately provide access to all students. Hispanics continue to have the lowest rates of high school and college degree attainment. This study’s purpose was to address the phenomenon of low retention rates of urban, Hispanic males …

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 …

A Phenomenological Study: Exploring The Needs, Wants, And Desires From The Voices Of African-American Males Desiring To Graduate From Community College, Yvette Harris

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore factors that could lead to academic success for African-American males enrolled in community college. By conducting a phenomenological study, those factors leading to graduation will be derived from the particular lens of perception of the participants’ lived experiences. The guiding theories are those of Derrick Bell’s Critical Race Theory (CRT, 1977), Vincent Tinto’s (1975) Theory of Departure, and John Bean’s (1979) Theory of Student Attrition. A convenience participant sample totaling 10 African-American males was comprised of students who were currently enrolled in a community college. The data collected for this …

Status Of Credit For Prior Learning (Cpl) At The University Of Kentucky For 2008 & 2009 Official Cohorts, Randolph Hollingsworth

Undergraduate Education White Papers

This paper explores the college readiness levels of University of Kentucky's incoming first-year students, especially in preparation for success in UK's STEM majors. Attention is paid to the statewide standards using ACT sub-scores in English, Reading and Mathematics, as well as the students’ scores from nationally recognized assessments (e.g., Advanced Placement scores). Evidence regarding a significant number of our entering cohorts for 2008 and 2009 (first time first-year, full-time, degree-seeking) who bring in credit for prior learning (CPL) is examined, and the paper discusses briefly how CPL affects their placement in their fall semester courses.

Western Washington University 2008 Survey Of Alumni Who Graduated Between Summer, 2006, And Spring, 2007 • Technical Report, Beth Hartsoch, Linda D. (Linda Darlene) Clark, John M. Krieg, Gary (Gary Russell) Mckinney, Joseph E. Trimble

Office of Institutional Effectiveness

Executive Summary: Since 1990, Western’s Office of Survey Research (OSR) has surveyed alumni biennially. Alumni who are one to two years past graduation are invited to participate. They reflect on their experiences at Western, and on their current situation regarding family, education, and employment. OSR uses a mixture of online and telephone survey methodologies, then, when applicable, links survey results with Western’s student records, thus expanding their usefulness to researchers. The 2008 alumni survey was administered to graduates earning their bachelor’s degrees between the summer of 2006 and spring of 2007. Of the 3,028 eligible alumni, OSR received valid responses …

The Graduation Efficiency Index: An Alternative Measure Of Time-To Degree Progress, Gary (Gary Russell) Mckinney, Joseph E. Trimble, Jacqueline M. Andrieu-Parker

Office of Institutional Effectiveness

Western has an access problem. While more students than ever want to come to Western, more students than ever are having to be turned away. There simply isn't the space. Fueled by the University's continued emphasis on academic excellence, regular placement among regional "best" in national publications, and the population influx known as the baby boom echo, Western has been inundated with the state's college-bound population. The Washington State Legislature, the Higher Education Coordinating Board, the Office of Financial Management-these bodies plus average citizens are hopeful that Western can address the access issue and let more students in. One solution …

Students Who Are The First Generation Of Their Family To Attend College: A Comparative Study Of Western Washington University Frosh, Sarah Dittman, Gary (Gary Russell) Mckinney, Joseph E. Trimble

Office of Institutional Effectiveness

Executive Summary: Information for this report was obtained from a study conducted to determine the relative level of adjustment to college of first-generation and second-generation freshmen at Western Washington University. The study utilized the Student Adaptation to College Questionnaire (SACQ), a 67 item self-report adjustment measure. The SACQ is composed of a full-scale and four subscales: academic adjustment, social adjustment, personal-emotional adjustment, and attachment to the school the student is attending. The SACQ was administered to a randomly selected sample of 250 first and second- generation freshman students. Data analysis of survey results indicated that first-generation students do not measure …

The Relationship Between Academic Performance, Students' Admission Status, And Selected Student Characteristics, Tracy Thorndike-Christ, Joseph E. Trimble, Jacqueline M. Andrieu-Parker

Office of Institutional Effectiveness

Executive Summary: This report presents the results of analyses of the relationships between a student's admission status, his or her grade point average and a variety of student characteristics, including gender, ethnicity, and age. The records for a sample of 982 Western Washington University upper-division students were provided by the University's Registrar for analysis. Upper-division undergraduates, defined as those having between 80 and 100 WWU credits, had an average GPA of 2.91. Students who began their higher education at Western (natives) were found to have a higher average GPA (2.96) than students who transfered from a two-year institution (2.85). These …