Education Commons^™

Persistence Of Female Faculty In Stem, Andrea Constantinou

Dissertations

The lack of women entering certain STEM fields impacts female representation in research faculty, teacher faculty, and leadership positions in higher education. Through a narrative inquiry methodology utilizing the theoretical paradigms of self-determination theory and relational autonomy, this study extended understanding of the factors that motivate persistence for women in certain STEM fields. While prior research focused on understanding the barriers to retention, this study sought to identify the factors motivating retention for women in certain STEM fields. The results of this study contribute to understanding the motivating factors that influence a woman’s persistence in STEM. The data gathered from …

The Experiences Of Low-Income Students Focusing On An Online Learning Environment In Southwest Georgia: A Hermeneutical Phenomenology, Jayda M. Williams

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this hermeneutical phenomenological study is to understand the experiences of low-income students in an online learning environment and how they are socially and academically integrated at an institution in southwest Georgia. Tinto’s 1997 revised student integration model and theory on how institutions must socially and academically integrate students to improve students’ persistence is to guide this research. The participants for this study are ten low-income students who participated in the data collection tools, which are surveys, focus groups, and individual interviews. The participants expressed their experiences, barriers, social and academic integration, and persistence in an online learning …

(In)Effectiveness Of Summer Bridge Programs Among First-Year Low-Income, First-Generation College Students, Joy N. Emmanuel

The Vermont Connection

Summer bridge programs have become a widely adopted strategy in four-year institutions to address the unique challenges faced by first-year, low-income, first-generation college students. These programs aim to enhance academic preparedness, foster a sense of belonging, and improve retention rates. However, this paper critically examines the effectiveness of summer bridge programs in achieving these goals. Drawing on a review of existing literature, it becomes evident that while summer bridge programs offer certain benefits, they may not be as effective in promoting holistic success, persistence, and retention among this specific group of students. The analysis highlights several limitations, including a limited …

Resiliency, Mindset, And Academic Performance: A College Athlete's Perspective, Trisha C. Giacomazzi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The problem addressed in this qualitative case study was the low graduation rates self-reported by the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics institutions when compared to the general student population at a small Christian university in the Southern United States. In this study, I sought to acquire a deeper understanding of the degree to which an athlete’s mindset and psychological resilience influenced their perseverance and academic achievement on their path toward graduation. Utilizing semistructured interviews as the primary data collection method, I used purposive, convenience, and snowball selection methods to enlist a total of 10 participants from a pool of 52 …

Help Or Hindrance: Latinx College Graduates’ From Stem Majors Perceptions Of University Culture Following Vincent Tinto’S Theoretical Framework Of Student Persistence, Carmen Gonzalez, Carmen Lucia Gonzalez

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore how Latinx college graduates who have achieved STEM degrees perceive the culture of their university and the STEM program they were enrolled in as supporting or not supporting a Latinx college student’s persistence to graduation.

Methodology: A qualitative phenomenological approach was the methodology selected for this study. This phenomenological research captured and described the lived experiences of study participants through interviews and artifacts.

Findings: The findings of this research illustrate (a) Research participants all perceived that creating relationships with STEM program faculty was important in supporting them toward degree completion, …

Persistence Of First-Generation College Students During Campus Closure, Ruby Lin

Journal of Critical Issues in Educational Practice

On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus a pandemic, which caused the largest education disruption in world history. Prior to the pandemic, first-generation college students were considered an underrepresented and vulnerable population at four-year institutions (Engle & Tinto, 2008; House et al., 2020). This study sought to capture the lived experiences of seven first- generation colleges students at a four-year, private institution in Southern California who had to unexpectedly leave their university community during the COVID-19 pandemic. The participants recount their experiences of having to leave their university campus suddenly without direct access to resources provided …

Profiles Of Satisfaction And Frustration Of Undergraduate General Chemistry Students’ Basic Psychological Needs At The Beginning And End Of The Semester, Cara E. Worick

Theses and Dissertations--Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology

The early college years represent an adjustment period characterized by motivational destabilization and academic and career-related uncertainty for many STEM majors (Robinson et al., 2019). Although students who begin college less academically prepared than their peers are at greater risk of struggling in introductory STEM courses, many still struggle in these courses despite adequate academic preparation (Perez et al., 2014). Self-determination theory proposes that motivation, optimal functioning, and psychological well-being occur through the satisfaction, as opposed to the frustration, of three basic psychological needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness (Ryan & Deci, 2020). Although many studies in educational settings demonstrate …

Success Beyond Access: Examining Institutional Barriers To Persistence And The Supports Needed By Nontraditional Students Participating In A Tuition-Free Community College Program, Amanda K. Roeher

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

This research study examined the experiences of nontraditional community college students attending through a tuition-free grant. The intent of the study was to explore the student identified barriers to degree persistence and the student support services nontraditional students recognize as being beneficial towards their academic journey. This qualitative case study was guided by three research questions and utilized Bean and Metzner’s (1985) Nontraditional Student Attrition Model as a guide for study design and analysis. Data collection consisted of student interviews and institutional document collection. Data analysis explored themes related to nontraditional student motivations for attendance, persistence factors, and student support …

Motivation In Student Retention: A Phenomenology Of Non-Traditional Undergraduate Students In Online Learning, Jasmine Monique Reynolds

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenology study was to understand the experiences of non-traditional undergraduate students taking online courses at a public or a private university in Virginia. The self-determination theory, which guided this study, explained the motivated behaviors of intrinsic and extrinsic needs that affect the determination in non-traditional students completing a task. Self-determination theory provided the theoretical framework to answer the central research question for this study as well as the sub-questions: (1) What are the lived experiences of non-traditional students while taking online courses at a public or private university in Virginia? (2) What influences non-traditional students …

The Predictable Relationship Between Demographic Factors And Persistence Of First-Year Students At A Historically Black College & University, Dominic Thomas, Syreeta Landy-Blacklock, Jessica D. Davis, Lillian Poats, Ronnie Davis, Dwalah Brown-Fisher

The Journal of the Research Association of Minority Professors

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship and predictability of demographic factors, on the persistence rates among first-year, full-time, four-year degree-seeking students at a Historically Black College and University. Specifically, this study focused on the predictive power of demographic factors (gender, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status), and (high school GPA and number of hours passed) on the persistence rates among first-year, full-time, four-year degree-seeking students attending a Historically Black College and University.

The study approached the research questions from a correlational research design perspective. This type of research design was the most appropriate for this study because the …

Factors Related To Online Doctoral Program Retention And Completion Rates: A Phenomenological Study, Paula Rae Dietz

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to understand doctoral students’ experiences participating in an online doctoral program at a university. The study was conducted to answer the central research question: What are the experiences of online doctoral students who attended a program requiring a dissertation? Sub-questions included: (1) Among doctoral candidates in online degree programs, what are the perceived barriers to completing the dissertation? (2) In what ways do online doctoral candidates think the barriers to the dissertation component could be eliminated? The theories guiding this study are Tinto’s (1994), theory of student departure and Bandura’s (1997) theory …

A Case Study On Persistence Among Financially Stressed College Students From Low-Income Families, Steven E. Mcdaniel

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore the perceptions of low-income undergraduate students concerning the effects of financial stressors and the persistence to academically succeed at Anytown University. Anytown University is a large institution of higher education with over 100,000 total student enrolments, 46,438 undergraduate students and 154 programs of study. The theory supporting this study is Deci and Ryan’s theory of self-determination which is concerned with the motivation behind one’s choices and their goal to fill a psychological need. As applied to this study, the psychological need is the motivation to pursue the attainment of a …

Persistence And Retention Of Adult Learners: Results Of A Program Evaluation Of Tuition Funding Provided By Employers, Andrea J. Gross

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As the looming enrollment cliff approaches and more adult learners return to higher education, understanding the factors that affect their persistence and retention is vital for higher education institutions. Previous studies have shown that external factors influence post-traditional learners’ pursuit of higher education. This program evaluation aimed to acquire knowledge of up-front employer tuition funding and its effects on adult learners' persistence, retention, and time to degree completion. Through a quantitative approach, this program evaluation examines the differences between students receiving up-front employer tuition funding and those who do not. The results indicated that students who received employer funding retained …

Self-Determination And Student Persistence: A Case Study Of A Higher Education Institution Exclusive To Students With Disabilities, Nachole Marie Stewart

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative embedded single case study was to understand how the unique experience of attending a post-secondary school exclusive to students diagnosed with LD and ADHD affects student success in developing and using self-determination skills to increase persistence to graduation. Guiding this study is the theory of self-determination while seeking to explain the reasoning for student persistence to degree completion and the execution of self-determination skills autonomously. This study uses a qualitative embedded single case study design to examine a post-secondary educational institution that exclusively services students with learning disabilities from different perspectives. The research setting is …

First-Year Engagement And Intention To Return In Higher Education: A National Study Of Undecided Major Students, Jacqueline Galler

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Research suggests that a student’s persistence in higher education is influenced by their academic preparation, commitments, and involvement, (Tinto 2005). Predictors including student demographics, academic preparation and commitments have shown in previously studies to affect the rate at which students persist in higher education, (Pascarella & Terenzini 2005, Astin & Oseguera 2005, Terenzini & Reason 2005). Involvement at an institution contributes to a students’ engagement and intent to persist in higher education or at a specific institution. Researchers have found that students engage in the university, academically and socially, based on how their values align with the institution, feedback they …

Empowerment Agents: How Student Affairs Professionals Facilitate The Persistence Of Undocumented Students, Tiffany Paige

Dissertations

This qualitative study investigated how student affairs professionals (SAPs) assist undocumented students in their designated institutional roles, and how their support empowers undocumented students to persist. This research sought to document and assess how student affairs professionals—who interact with undocumented students— identify and respond to the issues they face in their work. Built on the theoretical frame of social capital, and using a thematic analysis design set forth by Braun and Clarke (2012), the researcher interviewed seven SAPs and used a phenomenological approach to design the study and to collect and analyze the data.

Two findings and five corresponding themes …

Factors Influencing African American Women To Attend A Rural Community College And Persist To An Associate Degree, Lorraine Anita Justice

Educational Foundations & Leadership Theses & Dissertations

African American women utilize the community college environments as an avenue to attain an education and eventually pursue career and educational goals while remaining in their own communities. However, not much is known about the unique perceptions and experiences of African American women impacting their enrollment and persistence at rural community colleges. The purpose of this qualitative, descriptive research study was to examine the reasons African American female students choose to enroll and attend a rural community college to further their education and persist towards graduation with an Associate degree.

The data were collected using semi-structure individual interviews. Twelve African …

The Influence Of Campus Facilities On The Satisfaction And Retention Of Students In A Higher Education Setting, Tim Norton

Culminating Projects in Higher Education Administration

The goal of this quantitative study was to provide insight into the influence of facilities on satisfaction and retention of students in a single higher education setting, St. Cloud State University (SCSU). I used a survey research design with current undergraduate and graduate students to examine relationships among various aspects of facility design, student satisfaction, and student intention to persist to graduation. The survey was used to explore (a) the influence of specific campus facilities on students’ current level of satisfaction and intention to continue enrollment; (b) specific types of facilities most affecting student choice and satisfaction; and (c) how …

Enhancing Institutional Support Through A First Year Transfer Experience Program, Jade E. Bowman

Culminating Experience Projects

There is a great deal of literature revolving around the transfer student population. Many researchers argue that transfer students do not receive adequate attention and support within their first academic semester, considerably when transferring from a two-year to a four-year institution. In order to improve retention rates and overall persistence, postsecondary institutions need to prioritize transfer student initiatives for proper academic and social integration. This project aims to identify key components that impact the transfer process, while recognizing successful, adaptable interventions that can support the unique needs of the transfer student population. The design and implementation of a First Year …

An Exploration Of The Role Persistence Plays For First-Generation, African American Males Enrolled At Four-Year, Primarily White Institutions: A Phenomenological Study, Daniel Michael Lee

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Many first-generation, African American male students who enroll in primarily White institutions do not persist. This phenomenological study aimed to understand academic persistence in first-generation African American male students enrolled at a four-year, primarily White institution. The theory guiding this study is the theory of human motivation developed by Abraham Maslow. Maslow's theory of motivation provided the necessary framework that assisted in understanding the basic needs required first-generation, African American male students to persist academically. A qualitative research methodology was appropriate as it is designed to increase understanding of first-generation African American male students' lived experiences as they endeavor to …

A Transcendental Phenomenological Investigation Of Perceived Spirituality And Persistence Of Jamaican Women Who Have Received A Tertiary Degree, Ashleigh Jacqueline Yearde

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to discover the perceived spirituality and persistence for Jamaican women who had received a tertiary degree at schools in Jamaica. At this stage in the research, a tertiary degree was generally defined as all formal post-secondary education, including public and private universities, colleges, technical training institutes, and vocational schools. The theory guiding this research was Lev Vygotsky’s social constructivist theory. Constructivists believe that knowledge was informed by perspective and shaped by values. The theoretical framework for the study was based on the positive foundation of social support in the learning process. Moustakas’s …

Understanding The Lived Experiences Of Parenting Adult Learners Regarding Persistence In Two-Year Community Colleges, Michelle T. Webb Ed.D.

Doctor of Education Program Dissertations

This qualitative phenomenological study examined the results of semi-structured interviews conducted with six parenting adult learners (ParentALs) enrolled in three public two-year community colleges in the United States. This study investigated the problem of a lack of understanding of the experiences of ParentALs enrolled in community colleges. The purpose of this study was to examine how the lived experiences of ParentALs enrolled in community colleges may influence their persistence. Three themes emerged from the literature review and data analysis: the identity of the ParentAL, characteristics and intersectionality of factors, experiences, and perceptions that may influence ParentAL persistence in community college, …

The Lived Experiences Of First-Generation Black Male Graduates Who Participated In A Black Male Initiative Program, Rah'shad Ra'hyim Bryant

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to understand the lived experiences of first-generation Black male graduates who participated in a Black male initiative in the Southeast region of the United States. The theory guiding this study is Astin’s theory of student involvement. In support of the theory guiding this study, the central research question for the study is What are the lived experiences of first-generation Black male college graduates who participated in Black male initiatives? This research study will utilize the phenomenological design, which will consist of 10-12 first-generation Black male graduates who were involved in a Black …

Understanding Involvement And Integration Factors For International College Student Persistence, Linda Okoye Fagan

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

The purpose of this study was to investigate the involvement and integration factors that contribute to the persistence of international students. Persistence and retention are central to improving higher education, and individual student persistence as well as the rates at which students persist have direct ramifications on the university retention rate. With an increased focus on campus diversity as well as a global focus on the internationalization of higher education, it is evident that gaining a firmer grasp on the experiences of international students is necessary in order for institutions to effectively achieve their mission. This study aims to better …

The Persistence And Ethnic Identity Of Latino Fraternity Members At Predominantly White Institutions In Georgia, Christian Bello Escobar, Jamie L. Workman, James Martinez, Regina L. Suriel

Journal of Sorority and Fraternity Life Research and Practice

We explored how Latino fraternity members at predominately White institutions in Georgia perceive their affiliation affects their collegiate persistence and ethnic identity development through an interpretive qualitative research design. Torres’s Bicultural Orientation Model served as the theoretical framework. Our findings indicate that participants strengthened and solidified their ethnic identity during their college years. Fraternal interactions and their college environment enhanced or helped them solidify their ethnic identity. Latino fraternity members perceived their involvement enhanced their academic persistence through various aspects of brotherhood and academic expectations. Implications for practice and future research are discussed.

The Unvoiced Barriers Of African American Females Who Did Not Persist To Graduation From A Predominantly White Technical College: A Phenomenological Study, Alisa F. Kinnebrew

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative transcendental phenomenological study was to describe the lived experiences of African American female past students, regarding unvoiced barriers, at Seven Hills Technical College. The theory guiding this study was Tinto’s theory on student integration. Tinto believed that a student’s academic and social interactions are indicators of whether a student will be successful. The interpretive framework utilized in this study was critical race theory. The central research question guiding this study was: What are the lived experiences of African American female past students who did not persist to graduation from a predominantly White technical college? The …

Attributes Of Successful Graduate Students: Facilitating Self-Efficacy And Persistence, Hamid H. Atchan, Hannah M. Terry, Jacob H. Perner, Jesse Gonzalez, Joseph R. Mueller, Kornelia Staniszewska, Mendela K. Paulsen

The Journal of Advancing Education Practice

Colleges and universities struggle with declining program completion rates among graduate students. While the attrition rate of graduate students declined over the last five years in the United States, the issue of graduate student persistence continues to be challenging. This study identifies and explores reported characteristics: expectations, motivation, self-discipline, emotional intelligence, and passion for learning. Graduate students studying educational leadership conducted a qualitative inquiry to approach theoretical comprehension of the intrinsic motivations, expectations, and major attributes of successful graduate students. Examining these areas provides a deeper understanding of success achieved by graduate students.

Using Grounded Theory To Understand How Commuter Students Develop A Sense Of Belonging, Amy M. Barnhart

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

This study is concerned with the fact that commuter students persist at a lower rate than their residential peers. As colleges and universities seek to increase educational attainment rates, understanding why commuter students struggle with retention is important. Research shows sense of belonging can positively affect intention to persist. As such, the guiding research question for this study was as follows: How do commuter students develop a sense of belonging in their university? This research was conducted at a large, public, primarily nonresidential, doctoral university in the Midwestern United States. This study utilized constructivist grounded theory methodology to understand how …

Navigating The Financial Aid Application Process: The Voices Of First-Generation College Students, Holly Kirkpatrick

West Chester University Doctoral Projects

This qualitative case-study explored how the financial aid application process contributed to or detracted from the persistence of first-generation college (FGC) students. FGC students are the first in their families to attend college and make up one-third of college-going students each year (RTI International, 2019). FGC students use financial aid at a higher rate than their continuing generation peers, are less likely to have funding from outside sources, such as their parents (Martinez et al., 2009), are more likely to default on their student loans, and do not persist to graduation at the same rate as their non-FGC peers. Semi-structured …

The Role Of Student Services In Student Retention: A Case Study Of A Ugandan Private University, Olive Kajoina

Theses & Dissertations

Student services plays an essential role in higher education not only by reducing student dropout rates, but also by increasing student retention. This study explored the role of student services in promoting student retention which in turn addresses the problem of college student drop out at a private, non-profit Ugandan university. The purpose of the study was to identify the types of student services available at the university and understand how such are utilized to meet student needs and promote student retention. A qualitative case study method was be used to understand the role of student services in student retention …