Education Commons^™

Influence Of Mentors Of Female Development Among Higher Education Administrative Professionals, Courtney Van Leuvan

Theses and Dissertations

Leadership is a socially constructed concept that has been seen as a masculine quality; because of this women struggle reaching leadership positions and face many challenges when holding leadership positions. This study investigated the development of leadership styles and qualities of selected female administrative leaders at Rowan University through survey and interview data. The study specifically looked at the influence of these women’s mentors on their leadership development. The findings of the study showed that the women reported no negative experiences with male mentors, however several with female mentors. The interviews also revealed that there were differences among qualities and …

A Hidden Culture Of Carelessness: A Comparative Qualitative Study Of Gender Inequality And Its Implications For African American And South African Black Women Higher Education Administrators, Dawn S. Singleton

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore and compare the lived and career experiences of Black women higher education administrators in the United States and South Africa. This comparative study elucidated the women’s experiences while giving voice to Black women, whose experiences and status are often further marginalized under new managerial practices. This research used the theoretical lenses of intersectionality and carelessness, a new managerial practice within higher education, to uncover the challenges, opportunities, and contexts experienced by these women within gendered, racialized organizational structures and practices. A major finding of the research is that Black women shared …

Stimulating Diversity Outcomes? A Multicase Study Exploring Entrepreneurial Architecture And Storytelling In Higher Education Institutions, Noel Criscione-Naylor

Theses and Dissertations

There is limited research that explores the relationship between entrepreneurial architecture and diversity and its significance to the university and in higher education (Morris, 2010; Nelles & Worley, 2011; Nelles & Worley, 2010). This qualitative, multicase study explored how entrepreneurial architecture and storytelling by administrators contributes to university diversity agendas by investigating the linkages between entrepreneurial structure, process, and strategies and institutional diversity outcomes at two, New Jersey, public, four-year institutions. Semi-structured interviews took place with 12 administrators in which the characteristics of entrepreneurial architecture and storytelling at the universities was evident. Three main themes were identified including diverse voices, …

Exploring The Impact Of Group Work On Communication Apprehension For Business Students, Cynthia Vieth

Theses and Dissertations

Group work can have an impact on the experiences that students have in college. Specifically, working in groups can help students lower their level of public speaking anxiety. The purpose of this study was to determine how a group public speaking assignment can impact the overall level of public speaking anxiety experienced by business students in a required oral communication course. Two established and widely-used instruments, the Personal Report of Public Speaking Anxiety (PRPSA) and the Personal Report of Communication Apprehension (PRCA-24), were used to establish students' level of communication apprehension. In addition, two supplemental surveys were developed to collect …

Undocumented Hispanic Students And The Postsecondary Transition: A Narrative Perspective, Alfred Trafford

Theses and Dissertations

Undocumented students transition to college in extremely low numbers due to a high degree of marginalization, inequity in access to higher education, and constitutional confusion regarding federal and state issues of supremacy and inferiority in immigration, tuition, and financial aid policies. Such students must contend not only with traditional challenges of teenagers in high school "including identity and development concerns and academic and social pressures" but also with the issue of not being in the United States legally. A narrative strategy of inquiry was used to collect, analyze, and interpret data from extensive participant interviews and a research journal; the …

Performing And Defying Gender: An Exploration Of The Lived Experiences Of Women Higher Education Administrators In Sub-Saharan Africa, Ane Turner Johnson

Title IX Research and Resources

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the life and career paths of women higher education administrators in sub-Saharan Africa. Specifically, the study sought to interpret the women’s experiences and identities, through the framework of intersectionality and gender performance, as ones that contributed to advancement within contexts traditionally barred to women. This research illustrates commonalities among the participants, elucidating the faith, family, and education as common constructs in their experiences and as mechanisms that propelled career trajectories. A major finding of the research is that the participants both preformed gender and defied it through the enactment of gender …

Multimethod Study Of A Higher Education Special Admissions Policy: Exploring How Student-Athletes Navigage Their Educational Experiences, Sean Hendricks

Theses and Dissertations

In higher education, it is the role of the institution to ensure the success of all students, even those that failed to meet general admission requirements (Tinto, 1993). This explanatory sequential mixed methods study explored the challenges associated with enrolling student-athletes at a Division III institution with less than desirable admission standards (Creswell & Plano Clark, 2011). This study examined 199 specially admitted student-athletes that enrolled at Kerry State between 2007 and 2011 and found that increasing tuition, a lack of support and proper advising, time constraints, and issues related to student engagement have contributed to the lack of success …

Raising Awareness In Study Abroad, Leslie Gassler

Theses and Dissertations

As a result of globalization, U.S. students need to acquire international knowledge, intercultural communication skills, and a global perspective in order to compete, succeed, and contribute to the interconnected world and global economy of the 21st century (Leask, 2001; Obst, Bhandari, & Witherell, 2007). Study abroad programs have been found to provide students with the necessary skills and competence required for the 21st century. The purpose of this action research study was to examine honors students' intercultural competency and the barriers they saw to studying abroad, and to develop of online study abroad information and promote a study abroad information …

Examining The Climate Of Academic Integrity At A Small Middle Atlantic Liberal Arts College, Keith Kemo

Theses and Dissertations

Academic integrity and moral development have always been synonymous with student learning in higher education. When combined, the two form the basis for positive learning at the college level (Pascarella & Terenzini, 1991, 2005). It is also clear from preexisting literature that a person experiences significant moral development during traditional college years (Kohlberg & Hersh, 1977; Perry, 1981; Gilligan, 1982; Chickering & Reiser, 1993). This study examined preexisting literature on leadership as well as previous studies dealing with issues of academic integrity in higher educational institutions. It combined leadership theory and the author's leadership style. An initial examination of the …

Undergraduate Students' Perceptions Of General Education: A Mixed Methods Approach, Rihab Saadeddine

Theses and Dissertations

Higher education institutions should offer students an enriching learning experience that fosters their academic competencies, professional skills, civic responsibility, and global preparedness (AACTE, 2010; AAC&U, 2007). Colleges and universities have been criticized for not adequately preparing students academically and professionally. They are urged to assess and improve their general education programs to provide quality education and meet the needs of 21st century students (AACTE, 2010; AAC&U, 2007; Boning, 2007; Rhodes, 2010). This study utilized a sequential explanatory mixed methods research design to indirectly assess the general education program through students' perceptions. It was designed to explore the differences in perceptions …

Diamond To Coal: An Educational Leadership Doctoral Program's Evolution And Devolution, Eva Ross

Theses and Dissertations

Extant research on educational leadership preparation programs (ELPPs) is cross-organizational and quantitative in nature. This descriptive sequential explanatory mixed-method study provides contextual depth by looking at the evolution (and devolution) of an on-campus doctoral-level ELPP model. This study examined contextual influences and programmatic effectiveness over time, as well as its uniqueness, integrity and import, from various key stakeholder standpoints. Data collection methods included a primarily quantitative alumni survey and follow-up interviews, as well as core faculty and program developer interviews. Qualitative data analysis methods included grounded theory analytic techniques; quantitative analysis methods used descriptive statistics. Findings and results indicated contextual …

Supporting African American Involvement In A Doctoral Program At A Regional Comprehensive University: A Research Study Of The Experiences And Perceptions Of African American Current Doctoral Candidates And African American Doctorates, Frankie Nicholson

Theses and Dissertations

Education has been the path to battle moral injustice and to encourage self-governing dialogue about doing the "right thing" (Freire, 1998; Fullan, 2007; Hurtado et al., 1999; Tatum, 1992). Fullan (2007) claims that education is the "vehicle" to diminish inequities for the academically disadvantaged. Through interviews and conversations regarding their experiences and perceptions, this research study "gives voice" to African American doctorates, current doctoral students, and doctoral students who chose not to complete the doctoral educational leadership program at a regional comprehensive university in a Mid-Atlantic State (Allen, 1992, 2000; Delgado, 1995; Freeman, 1997; Soloranzo & Yosso, 2000, 2001). Using …

Supporting Students In Higher Education Through Relational Augmentation, Tyrone Taylor

Theses and Dissertations

The present research was done to study the results of interactions among students at Rowan University and Rowan University's police and security personnel. This study demonstrates how students experiencing difficulty with their educational endeavors can enhance their educational status by establishing relationships with members of the Rowan University Department of Public Safety. For this purpose, seven students and seven police and security officers were selected to participate in the study. Information gathering techniques included a focus group, a two phase individual interview process, a two phase individual survey completion process, document reviews, and individual observations. During Cycle 3 as part …

Challenging The Status Quo For A Marginalized Group In Higher Education: Knowledge Sharing With Female Student-Athletes Who Aspire To A Career In College Athletics, Patricia Keller

Theses and Dissertations

Using an action research paradigm, this study explored the perceptions of coaches, athletic staff, and female student-athletes at X University, a four-year public Division III institution, regarding female student-athletes pursuing careers in college athletics. Title IX has increased the number of women student-athletes; however, the percentage of women coaches and women working in athletic departments has declined in comparison to the percentage of males, which has grown (Acosta & Carpenter, 2010). This decline in the number of female coaches is problematic, especially since the number of women in other male dominated professions, such as law and medicine, has been steadily …

Adult Student Practitioners: A Qualitative Study On Their Personal Experiences, Mark Zorzi

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to describe the changes that working practitioners experience while pursuing a doctoral degree. This qualitative study centered on the experiences of ten students who have successfully completed the doctoral program of Rowan University. Data was collected through personal interviews that explored their academic backgrounds as well as their views and experiences with the coursework. This study adopted elements of interpretive inquiry for development of a case study that sought to analyze meaning-making interactions of the participants lives and to make meaning of their doctoral experiences. A series of open ended questions in one-on-one interviews …

Looking To The Future: An Examination Of The Potential For Sat-Optional Admissions, Albert Betts Jr

Theses and Dissertations

The use of SAT scores in the college admissions process has been increasingly criticized in recent years for a variety of reasons. There are those who continue to support the use of the SAT in the college admissions process, those who oppose its use, and those who believe the best option is to make the submission of standardized tests scores optional. Currently, all applicants for undergraduate admission to Rowan University with less than 24 college credits earned must submit standardized test scores along with their high school and college transcripts when applying for admission to the university. The purpose of …

Through The Lens Of A College Success Seminar: Developing Workshops For Eof Students, Yesenia Madas

Theses and Dissertations

The body of research on first-year seminars has grown considerably and there is much evidence to support that college success seminars have increased student persistence and degree attainment (Fidler, 1991; Keenan & Gabovitch, 1995; O'Gara, Karp, & Hughes, 2009; Zeidenberg, Jenkins, & Calcagno, 2007). While most success courses come packaged with content such as study skills, test-taking, and time management, little assessment of the effectiveness of these areas has been conducted. Therefore, this study investigated the specific course components of the College Success Seminar that contribute to student success and used that information to create workshops for students in the …

Open Source Software As Applied In Higher Education: At One Four-Year University, Muneerah Wakeel

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of my study was to explain the implementation process of open source software (OSS) in a higher education setting, including any challenges that the faculty encountered during professional development, and implementation during instruction. This study was conducted at a four-year university in the southern region of New Jersey. In addition, as a participant observer I investigated my leadership throughout the research process so that I could employ reflective practice in order to determine if my espoused beliefs were aligned with my theory-in-use. I reviewed literature that discussed both OSS and distance education and connected them to the social …

The Professional Staff And Librarian Learning Community At Rowan University, Katherine Boland

Theses and Dissertations

As powerful forces of change continue to exert pressure on institutions of higher education, scholars are calling for strategies to sustain our most valuable asset, the academic community. One promising response is Milton Cox's work. He created the Miami University model for faculty and professional learning communities, a nationally-recognized strategy for supporting faculty development, addressing institutional needs, and promoting meaningful change. This mixed methods action research project introduced a new version of Cox's technology, a project-based learning community. This project-based version was the basis of my work with the Professional Staff and Librarian Learning Community (PSLLC). The PSLLC engaged in …

From Passive To Active Learning: Contingent Faculty Collaboratively Leading Pedagogical Change, Thomas Setaro

Theses and Dissertations

A paradigm shift is underway in higher education where the role of the college instructor moves from a pure disseminator of knowledge to a facilitator of collaborative knowledge creation. Successful active learning strategies are gaining prominence through proven empirical research. Most recently, active learning strategies utilizing emerging collaborative software such as Web 2.0 technologies have furthered advanced cooperative and collaborative learning. The research points to the far reaching benefits that active learning can have across an institution and the affects that it can have upon faculty and students alike. Better retention and deeper learning are just two outcomes derived from …

Leadership For Improvement: Promoting Student Learning Through An On-Campus Residential Learning Community For First-Year Female, Minority, And Low Income Engineering Students, Patricia Zobel

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this action research study was to examine the effects of an Engineering Living and Learning Community (ELLC) comprised of minority, female, and low-income engineering students and their perceptions of their first-year experience regarding their transition to college, their peer-to-peer and peer-to-faculty relationships, and their connection to campus. This study explored the impact of the creation of the ELLC and the researcher's evolution as a leader during the process. Hinchey (2008) defines action research as a process of systematic inquiry usually cyclical, conducted by those inside a community with the goal to identify action that will generate some …

Changing Times: Engaging Faculty In Online Education, Steven Farney

Theses and Dissertations

The Internet has become a popular vehicle for the delivery of programs and courses among institutions of higher education. Nevertheless, it appears that many faculty members are still resistant to engage in online delivery based on biases and preconceptions rather than facts. The purpose of this action research project was to learn positive and negative views of faculty at Rowan University regarding online delivery of courses in an attempt to increase their participation in this mode of delivery. Additionally the researcher sought to explore if faculty concerns about online education could be addressed, clarified, or dispelled. The research was conducted …

An Evaluation Of Graduate Students' Perceptions Of Mattering At Rowan University, Christopher D'Angelo

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine whether graduate students at Rowan University felt as though they mattered to the university. The subjects in this study consisted of 320 full-time and part-time matriculated graduate students at Rowan University during the spring 2010 semester. Data were collected using a revised version of the Mattering Scales for Adult Students in Higher Education, which consists of 45 Likert scale statements meant to gain insight into how students felt about their graduate school experience, and how they felt their needs were being met by the university community. Data analysis found that participants generally …

Impact Of A Selected Remedial Mathematics Course On Accuplacer Re-Test Results, Denise Chalow Case

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a selected remedial mathematics course offered at a selected community college. Initial placement test scores were compared with scores resulting from a placement retest after completion of the remedial course. While the majority of students placed higher on the retest, the most significant increases were achieved by students who earned an A for the remedial course. This study also analyzed the level of education and degree major of the instructors of the remedial courses. The results indicate that instructors holding master's degrees may be slightly more effective than those …

An Investigation Of The Lasting Impact The C.H.A.M.P/Gear-Up Program At Rowan University Has On Selected Alumni, Jamar Morton

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this exploratory investigation was to determine the lasting impact of the C.H.A.M.P./GEAR-Up program alumni before the fall of 2004. The study involved 78 subjects, divided into two groups. Group one consisted of 70 subjects who participated in a survey. Group two consisted of eight subjects who participated in an interview.

The data collection instruments included a 30-item survey using the Likert scale format. The questions were arranged in a five factor grouping consisting of postsecondary exposure, identity development, social development, academic enrichment, motivational aspect, and program impact. The interview consisted of 12 questions ranging from general demographics, …

The Learning Curve: The Thinking And Learning Styles Of Selected Student Athletes At Rowan University And The Impact On Academic Achievement, Robert Bullard

Theses and Dissertations

This study was designed to determine if thinking and learning styles of selected student-athletes at Rowan University impact academic achievement. Ninety-six undergraduate student-athletes from Rowan University participated in the study completing both the Inquiry Mode Questionnaire (InQ) and the Learning Connections Inventory (LCI) to measure thinking and learning styles. The InQ consists of 18 statements which are followed by five possible endings in which respondents indicate the degree to which each statement is most like you (5) or least like you (1). The LCI is a 28 Likert item self-reporting instrument that allows the respondent to learn of their learning …

A Longitudinal Study Of The Educational Advancement Alliance, Inc. Afterschool And Summer Enrichment Programs, Karen E. Nicholas

Theses and Dissertations

By all accounts there is a crisis in the American educational system. From government officials at all levels to educators, both practitioners and researchers, the question of how to reconnect with America's youth is debated on a daily basis. Solutions to the problems are suggested, debated, and sometimes tested. One of the topics that is often deliberated is the impact of supplemental educational programs. In an effort to address issues of academic skill deficiencies and college preparedness, the Educational Advancement Alliance (EAA) was founded in 1990.

The intent of this study was to quantitatively evaluate the impact of the Educational …

A Longitudinal Study Of The Enrollment Patterns Of Fulltime, First-Time Degree-Seeking Recent High School Graduates At A Community College, Ramsaran Ramoutar

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the enrollment patterns of first-time, full time recent high school graduates enrolled a community college. This longitudinal study focused on students who were enrolled at Cumberland County College in the fall of 2002 through the fall of 2008. Enrollment and transfer patterns and graduation rates were explored for the sample population of 209 students who came from all ethnic background. The databases of the Cumberland County College and the New Jersey Higher Education Clearing House were examined in order to retrieve the relevant information. The study revealed that although financial concerns impacted the educational outcomes, there was …

The Effectiveness Of Incident Command Systems Training For Residential Learning Personnel At Rowan University, Lori Ann Troise

Theses and Dissertations

Emergency Response is a topic addressed by colleges and universities across the country. Adequate training for response personnel is encouraged by the institutions and, in some cases, enforced by state and federal governments. On college campuses, emergencies occur at all areas and can occur at any given time, which includes residential areas. At Rowan University in Glassboro, NJ, these residential areas are staffed by undergraduate and graduate students.

This study analyzed the effectiveness of Incident Command Systems training for personnel hired to work within the residential areas at Rowan University. Incident Command Systems is a national emergency management structure adopted …

The Impact Of Injuries On Division Iii Student-Athletes, Danielle Lodics

Theses and Dissertations

The primary purpose of this study was to examine emotions and processes of 21 Rowan University student athletes that experienced a minor or major injury during the fall and spring semester of the 2008/2009 academic year. A minor injury is defined as an injury that keeps the student athlete out of competition for 7 to 10 days. A major injury is defined in this study as an injury that is season-ending or surgical. Of the 21 student athletes 13, experienced a minor injury and eight student athletes experienced a major injury. The major injuries in this study were: a torn …