Education Commons^™

How To Retain Your Best Faculty Members, Jeff Buller

Academic Chairpersons Conference Proceedings

As department chairs, we devote a great deal of time and energy to recruiting excellent faculty members, but we spend far less time and energy trying to retain them. Superb college professors are vital to a department’s success, but they are also highly competitive in the marketplace. They have options and, if they begin to think that they can do better (financially or otherwise) elsewhere or even outside of academia, they’ll start looking elsewhere. In this best practices workshop, we’ll explore how to apply certain strategies to our work at the departmental level so as to increase the likelihood that …

A Lifelong Network: Perceptions And Experiences Of First-Generation Alums After Graduation, Allison Toney

Theses and Dissertations

As first-generation students transition to college graduates, the question lies in whether institutions of higher education are continuing to provide opportunities for them as alums. As a result of first-generation college students being the first in their family to attend college, students may enter college not knowing what to expect. But institutions have evolved to provide services, resources and opportunities that support their success while enrolled. Upon graduation, the process of transitioning out of college can be a challenging time for students as they seek post-graduation success. Some institutions offer support and resources tailored specifically to first-generation graduates or graduates …

Investing In Our Faculty: Creative Virtual Recognition Ideas For Leadership, Celine S. Hall, Nikki L. Williams

Academic Chairpersons Conference Proceedings

Faculty are one of our greatest assets. Feeling valued and appreciated by leadership and peers help cultivate feelings of belonging and encourage engagement. In this presentation, we will share ways in which leadership recognizes faculty achievements and provide opportunities for peers to do so as well within an online setting.

Kentucky Public Charter Schools, Pamela Manning-Hamilton

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

Kentucky public charter school law was introduced in 2017, the purpose of the new innovative schools were to close the achievement gap among the education system within the state. Charter schools are new-age schools that have a smaller class size, use differentiated instructional strategies that integrate technology to promote engagement, which in turn increases student growth and success. Advantages of charter schools within other states include differentiated environment, culture, and performance. Disadvantages of charter schools involve taking resources from traditional schools, higher resource costs, and demands. The study was approached using a basic qualitative research method. The purpose of the …

Intrusive Academic Advising Student-Athletes At A Division Iii University, Robert Holmes

Dissertations

Abstract

There are many factors that affect the graduation of collegiate student-athletes. Factors include student-athlete characteristics, academic advising, engagement, and relationships. These factors affect student-athlete retention at the university. Student-athletes must navigate their academic and athletic success with assistance from academic advisors and other university support systems. The ability of the student-athlete and the academic advisor to communicate and cultivate a relationship that is built on regularly scheduled meetings, sharing of the student-athlete’s personal goals, suggestions for personal and professional improvement culminating in trust is paramount to the success of the student-athlete. This research focuses on the relationship between the …

The Out-Of-Classroom Engagement Experiences Of First-Generation College Students That Impact Persistence, Sherolyn Hopkins, Jamie L. Workman, William Truby

Georgia Journal of College Student Affairs

This article is the result of research conducted with first-generation upper-class college students enrolled at a comprehensive university in Georgia. The researcher sought to answer the following research question: How do first-generation college students perceive the impact of out-of-classroom engagement experiences on persistence?

Participants were selected based on a purposeful sampling technique. The researcher utilized a qualitative interpretive approach and collected data via individual interviews and a focus group. The researcher was able to organize the rich data into themes. The article concludes with implications for student affairs professionals and future research on first-generation college students.

Keywords: first-generation college students, …

Engaging College Communities In Collaborative Strategic Planning, Dawn Shinew, Brian Campbell, Tracy Huziak-Clark, Christina Lunceford, Trinka Messenheimer, Mary Murray, Patrick Pauken, Ray Schneider, Mark Seals, Maureen Wilson, Deborah Wooldridge

Academic Chairpersons Conference Proceedings

Strategic planning is often met with skepticism. Too often, this process goes nowhere and changes nothing. The leadership team from Bowling Green State University’s College of Education and Human Development share a collaborative strategic process focused on building a common college identity, concrete actions, and a collective sense of accountability.

What College Presidents Need To Know About Governing Boards, Randall Brumfield

Journal of Research on the College President

This article focuses on several keyaspects that college presidents and/or chancellors should bear in mind as they work with their governing boards. Above all else, presented here is the idea that organizational goals need to supersede individual goals, and that ultimately, the success of an institution is predicated on its ability to meet the needs of its society.

Exploring The Opportunities Of Minority Senior Executive U.S. Federal Government Agency Leaders: A Qualitative Analysis, Crystal Gathers-Whatley, Tyrone Chase

Journal of Research Initiatives

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the opportunities and challenges minority senior executive U.S. federal government agency leaders (MSELs) faced on their path to leadership, and their strategies to manage and overcome these challenges. The phrase minority senior executive leaders refer to individuals who lead U.S. executive departments; individual federal agencies, departments, or commissions; and those that report under the direct leadership of majority or minority leaders. This study explored how MSELs gained entry into leadership positions typically held by majority leaders; how MSELs take advantage of the opportunities presented to them; and what had the most …

Institutional Mentorship For Bridge Program Students: Fostering Meaningful Engagement, Elizabeth Hoehn Mcdermott

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

This study explored the relationships between at-risk, bridge program students and institutional mentors. The purpose of this dissertation was to learn more about the ways that bridge program students’ relationships with institutional mentors may (or may not) influence students’ development of academic confidence and campus engagement. Bridge programs are designed to foster student mentoring relationships with both faculty members who teach within the programs, as well the administrators and staff members (usually student affairs professionals) who run the program. Thus far, the research on bridge programs has been overly focused on predictive student attributes and quantitative outcomes (e.g. GPA or …

Personal Connections Of First-Year College Students, Jaclyn Kopel

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A private, not-for-profit, 4-year urban university had been struggling to improve its 1st-year retention rate despite conducting previous studies and implementing various initiatives. This study explored the influence that students' personal connections to the study site had on their experience in their 1st year in college. Tinto's student integration models of attrition, Astin's theory on student involvement, and Berger and Milem's model of persistence served as the conceptual framework. A case study design was employed to examine faculty and staff members' beliefs on how the university established and maintained connections with its students and how faculty, staff, and students viewed …

Instructional Behavior And Its Impact On Student Engagement, Debra Joan Crumpton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of this quantitative study was to expand understanding of leadership behaviors and their influence on follower engagement. Researchers have shown that engagement is a predictor of retention and organizational performance. Leadership theory and the conceptual framework of worker engagement were the study's theoretical anchors. Despite a proliferation of leadership studies, engagement antecedents are largely unknown. The aim of this study was to narrow the gap in the literature by examining the extent to which there may be a relationship between college instructors' behaviors and student engagement. Although not traditionally regarded as frontline leaders, extant leadership literature affirmed college …

Exploring Nontraditional Learner Engagement And Motivation Through Music Integration, Jessa Rae Hershner

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The increase in population of nontraditional adult learners paired with a demand for multisensory learning created a need for further research in best pedagogy in higher education. Thus, the purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore the central question on how the integration of music, lyrics, or music videos into higher education classrooms affected the motivation and engagement levels of nontraditional adult learners. The conceptual framework was based upon self-determination theory, andragogy, multiple intelligences, and visual literacy. A multiple case design was used to collect data from 8 nontraditional higher education students. Data were collected via telephone interviews …

2025: 2011-2016 Progress Report, Kansas State University, Office Of The President

Special Publications

2025 Progress Report is an annual publication highlighting key activities and accomplishments for the year at Kansas State University. The report reflects progress towards K-State 2025, the visionary plan for the university, and covers the seven themes set in 2025 strategic planning: research, scholarly, creative activities and discovery, undergraduate educational experience, graduate scholarly experience, engagement, extension, outreach, and service, faculty and staff, facilities and infrastructure, and athletics.

Academic Engagement, Motivation, Self-Regulation, And Achievement Of Georgia Southern University Sophomore Students, John O. Lemay Iv

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Research has shown that engagement, motivation, self-regulation, and their individual effects on student achievement are established factors that influence college students’ success. However, what is less clear are these variables’ relationships and their collective influence on achievement. Since students face unique trials as they persist through college, consideration of these relationships and their effect on the achievement of all students is necessary. There is a widening achievement gap between sexes; females have now passed males in enrollment, persistence, and graduation rates. Previous research in this area has been largely centered on undergraduate female students in their freshman year, but the …

Engaging Master’S Students: The Forgotten Population, Caitlin Lindsay

Culminating Projects in Higher Education Administration

This study evaluated the way in which master’s degree students report engagement at three institutions within the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities System (MnSCU. Utilizing a quantitative online survey, participants’ perspectives were compared based on age, relationship status, and family status to determine factors which influence their engagement. Overall, the population reported engagement as related to both academic and social factors; however, their views of the statistically significant factors differed.

Key factors included family, academic, and work demands. Single participants, 20-24 year olds, and single participants who either had no children or were expecting were more likely to report statistically …

The Cit Extended Campus Model, Irene Sheridan, Daithí Fallon, Deirdre Goggin

Conference Papers

In 2006 the Higher Education Authority (HEA) in Ireland released a call for proposals under its Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF). The OECD (2004) review of higher education in Ireland had made a compelling case for reform of third and fourth level education in Ireland. In the context of increasingly difficult economic circumstances the SIF became an important driver for investment and reform of higher education. One projects funded under the SIF was the Education in Employment project focused on ensuring that higher education can serve the learning needs of those in the workplace, in a partnership model which recognises the …

Engagement In An Online Course: Thestudents' Viewpoint, Michael B. Miller

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Distance education is not a new phenomenon, distance education had its beginning with correspondence education through postal services in the 19th century (Daniel, 2000) and progressed into the 21st century with the use of computer-mediated instruction. Еvеn with аll оf itѕ соnvеniеnсе аnd роrtаbility, thе оnlinе сlаѕѕrооm iѕ ѕtill ѕееn by mаny аѕ lасking thе humаn “соnnесtivity” оf fасе tо fасе соurѕеѕ. Rесеnt findingѕ hаvе ѕhоwn thаt оnlinе lеаrnеrѕ’ lеvеlѕ оf ѕаtiѕfасtiоn, реrfоrmаnсе, аnd ѕеnѕе оf соmmunity аrе rеlаtеd tо thе intеrасtiоnѕ thеy hаvе with thеir inѕtruсtоrѕ, inсluding thе tyре аnd frеquеnсy оf fееdbасk thеy rесеivе оn аѕѕignmеntѕ аnd соurѕе …

Effects Of Greek Affiliation On African American Students' Engagement: Differences By College Racial Composition., Lori D. Patton, Brian K. Bridges, Lamont A. Flowers

Lori Patton Davis

This study used a nationally representative sample of African American college students to examine the degree to which their affiliation with a Greek-letter organization contributed to engagement in effective educational practices by analyzing National Survey of Student Engagement data at historically Black colleges and universities and predominantly White institutions. Overall, the findings indicated that Greek affiliation does enhance African American student engagement, particularly as it relates to interactions with faculty members and peers. Data also indicated that Greek affiliated members at historically Black colleges and universities appear to be more engaged than their counterparts at predominantly White institutions.

Voice And Volume Of Leader Self-Awareness, Michael J. Mcdonald

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This study proposed that the level of self-awareness possessed by a leader has a direct relationship with the engagement level of the team he or she leads. A quantitative approach using the results of self-other leadership ratings and team engagement ratings were examined to explain employee engagement through perceptions of leadership awareness.

By understanding leadership through the integration of two instruments, one designed to measure seven specific demands of leadership (the L7 instrument) and another to measure employee engagement on twelve dimensions (the Q12 instrument), this study explored the relationship between leader self-awareness and the effect of that awareness on …

A Case Study On Graduates From An Online Certificate Program And Their Experiences Related To Engagement Practices, Lorraine Angelino

All Dissertations

The number of students taking online courses increased 146% from fall 2002 through fall 2007. In addition, the number of distance education programs increased 299% from 2000–01 through 2006–07. As the number of students taking online courses continues to increase, institutions of higher education will need to focus on increasing student retention and increasing student success. Low retention rates plague online programs that lack engagement practices. One method to achieving student success is engaging online learners early and often using engagement practices focused on increasing interactions with faculty, other students, course content, and members of the community.
Angelino and Natvig's …