Education Commons^™

The Impact And Lasting Effects On Students Involved In A Campus Closing, Julie Caldwell

Master of Arts in Higher Education (MAHE) Theses

Despite the prevalence of campus closures, there is a lack of literature discussing the impact on a variety of constituencies. This study was conducted to explore one particular campus closing. The study sought to answer the following research question: How and in what ways does the closing of a branch campus affect the traditionally-aged, full-time, residential, undergraduate student over time? Employing the qualitative research methodology of narrative research design, the researcher conducted interviews with seven participants who met the pre-determined qualifications. The interviews provided themes shared by the participants, which led to a more complete perspective on what students faced …

When Pastor's Kid Becomes College Student: Identity Development Of Pks During College, Janette E. Delozier

Master of Arts in Higher Education (MAHE) Theses

Pastors’ kids (PKs) have a very unique childhood experience with certain, inherent challenges, but there has not been any prior research on how this unique background impacts the establishment of their identity when they matriculate into college. The purpose of this study was to investigate the characteristics of and challenges to a healthy identity development that pastors’ kids experience during their years in college. Participants included current undergraduate students who grew up as pastors’ kids, and each was interviewed using the phenomenological qualitative methodology. Three primary themes that emerged from the interviews are discussed: the uniqueness of their faith development, …

Student Experience In A Blended Learning Model, Jooyong Park

Master of Arts in Higher Education (MAHE) Theses

As blended learning becomes the norm in higher education, social software creates new environments where students communicate and learn, such as online discussion or blogs. However, previous research has not presented a specific model to explain how to use social software for facilitating student learning. In this study, the blended learning model was created based on Kolb’s experiential learning cycle, Vygotsky’s social interaction theory, and Palmer’s concept of learning community. Facebook was used as the communication tool, and the blog tool within Blackboard was used as a content creation tool in order to understand the application of social software in …

How Faculty Promote The Development Of Self-Authorship At A Private, Faith-Based Institution, Heather Jane Tyner

Master of Arts in Higher Education (MAHE) Theses

The purpose of this study was to understand the elements of self-authorship and the methods faculty used to promote self-authorship at a private, faith-based institution. Self-authorship is a developmental theory and framework that explores how people develop cognitively, intrapersonally, and interpersonally. In self-authorship, individuals move from externally defining who they are, what they believe, and how they relate to others, to internally defining their identity, beliefs, and relationships. The capacity to internally define one’s identity, beliefs, and relationships is essential in order to live an intentional, purposeful, and meaningful life.

Higher education institutions are ideal environments for the development of …

Faith Maturity Effects On Sexual Decision-Making, Isaac S. Bryan

Master of Arts in Higher Education (MAHE) Theses

Research has shown a strong connection between faith/religiosity/spirituality and sexuality – the more religious or spiritual a student is, the less sexually permissive he or she is. While this connection is confirmed in different studies, there are still nuances to be explored, such as the connection of sexual decision-making – the precursor to sexual behavior. This research looks to confirm that the factors impacting the decision to initiate or abstain from sex are also connected to faith maturity. Quantitative data was collected using the Faith Maturity Scale and Sexual Decision-Making scale from male undergraduate students living at a residential, private, …

Five Factors Relating To Students' Academic Advising Experience At A Small, Private, Liberal Arts University, Jeff Strietzel

Master of Arts in Higher Education (MAHE) Theses

Academic advising is an important part of the college experience but has innate challenges. Much research has been done to try to improve the quality of students’ academic advising experiences, but limited research has focused on student factors that contribute to their experiences. This project sought to discover if certain factors impacted students’ academic advising experiences for better or worse at one institution. The research question guiding the study was “Is there a relationship between students’ academic preparedness, school, gender, class, and ethnicity with their academic advising experiences at a small, private, liberal arts university?” The 2012 NSSE 2.0 Pilot …

A Narrative Study Into The Motivations Of Missionary Kid Involvement In Mu Kappa, David W.J. Restrick

Master of Arts in Higher Education (MAHE) Theses

Missionary kids are individuals with a great variety of life experiences, often growing up in many different countries with the influence of other cultures. These individuals most often enroll in Christian colleges which place some priority on their transition and involvement in the community. Mu Kappa, an organization for missionary kids, exists on over 50 Christian colleges campuses and seeks to be a support structure while also providing community and involvement opportunities. This study examined missionary kids’ involvement in an effort to understand the factors influencing their involvement in Mu Kappa and other organizations. The goal was to examine these …

The Relationship Between Students' Perceptions Of Academic Support And Their Willingness To Seek Support, Lance Vanderberg

Master of Arts in Higher Education (MAHE) Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine how students’ perceptions of academic support impact their willingness to seek support from an academic support center at a small, faith-based, liberal arts university. Eight students were interviewed for the study, with an even divide of four students who had voluntarily sought academic support and four non-support-seeking students enrolled in an individualized probationary course. A major finding related to the importance of developing need recognition for academic support among individual students. Research showed that students’ perceptions of academic support were closely tied to their perceived need of services. It was also clear …

The Impact Of Evangelical Gender Roles On College Females' Vocational Aspirations, Amy L. Wilson

Master of Arts in Higher Education (MAHE) Theses

The purpose of this study was to understand the impact Evangelical gender roles have on college females’ vocational aspirations. The participants were divided into two groups based on common Evangelical gender roles, Complementarianism and Egalitarianism. Groups were determined by the participants’ responses to a gender role ideology inventory that was completed prior to qualitative interviews with the researcher. The research was guided by one research question:

1) How do Evangelical gender role perspectives impact college females’ vocational aspirations?

The study was rooted in grounded theory; therefore a core story emerged from participants: Evangelical college females heard conflicting messages and internalized …

A Model Of Faith-Learning Integration In Exemplary Teaching Faculty, Kathryn A. Westrate

Master of Arts in Higher Education (MAHE) Theses

The integration of faith and learning serves as a central tenet for Christian higher education. Though valued for its guiding principles of faithful scholarship, the ambiguous and philosophical nature of the concept leaves a gap of understanding of how faith-learning is actualized, let alone actualized excellently, in the classroom. In order to explore the essence of the concept, 11 academic teaching faculty members selected for their exemplary faith-learning work from a small faith-based liberal arts institution were interviewed. Representing a diverse field of disciplines, the interviews explored the faculty members’ excellence in faith-learning conceptualization and practice. Strong emergent themes resulted …

The Impact On Career Women Of Mentoring, Role Models, And Defining Moments During College Student Leadership Experiences, Lisa A. Barber

Master of Arts in Higher Education (MAHE) Theses

Female leadership development is an important and relevant topic. In an effort to connect female college leadership experiences to career women 12-18 years post-graduation, this study looked at the impact on career women of mentors, role models, and defining moments during college leadership experiences. Mentoring is an important element for the formation of women in leadership, both in college and in the workplace. Because of limited available mentors, role models and defining moments were also investigated for their impact on female leadership development. Results from this study suggest that there are significant ways women are shaped by their college leadership …

The Impact Of A Student's Attachment To God On College Adjustment, Cody J. Lloyd

Master of Arts in Higher Education (MAHE) Theses

This study examined the impact a student’s attachment to God has on his or her college adjustment. Past research has indicated that a person’s parental attachment can impact their ability to adjust. More recent research builds upon the construct that an attachment relationship can be formed with God. Using the Attachment to God Inventory and the Student Adaptation to God Questionnaire, 141 students were surveyed at a mid-sized, faith-based institution located in the Midwest. Using a one-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), the influence of attachment to God was measured on overall college adjustment as well as the sub-categories of academic …

Mixed Signals: A Phenomenological Study On The Effects Of Cell Phones On College Student Involvement, David M. Chizum

Master of Arts in Higher Education (MAHE) Theses

Leading the United States of America in cell phone use are American college students, of whom 94% have a cell phone, 85% use text messaging, and 75% send texts every day (Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education, 2008). This study utilized a phenomenological qualitative methodology to examine the effects of cellular telephones on college student involvement, based on Alexander Astin’s (1986) theory of involvement. Seven participants from a small, residential university in the Midwest participated in the study and shared their lived experiences as college student cell phone users living on a cell phone-saturated campus. The results of this study …

Minding The Gap: Impact Of Pre-College Gap Year On Transition To College, Julie M. Cline

Master of Arts in Higher Education (MAHE) Theses

This study was focused on the gap year taken between the completion of high school and entry to college, also known as a pre-college gap year. The goal of the research was to understand the growth that comes from the experience of a gap year as well as the transition process upon entering the university setting. The question used to guide the research is as follows: What is the impact of a pre-college gap year devoted to service on the student’s transition into the first year experience as well as the overall impact on a student’s college experience? Understanding student …

Student Leadership Development: A Focus On Experiential Leadership Orientation Within Higher Education, Logan R. Denney

Master of Arts in Higher Education (MAHE) Theses

Higher education is a fertile learning environment for student leaders. Theorists have asserted the worth of student leadership education as a core developmental component within the four-year undergraduate experience (Astin, 1993; Komives et al., 2011; Komives & Wagner, 2009; Kouzes and Posner, 2008; Roberts, 2007). This study utilized a pre-test, post-test design incorporating the Student Leadership Practice Inventory (SLPI) to assess a student life orientation program (N=38) and to evaluate the change in student leadership skills due to the experiential orientation intervention at a small, private, Christian university on the west coast. Some components of the intervention included journaling quiet …

Finding A Place In The World: The Impact Of A Semester Abroad On Life Calling, Emily M. Bryan

Master of Arts in Higher Education (MAHE) Theses

The purpose of this study is to understand the impact of a semester study abroad experience on students’ perceptions and development of their life callings. Through phenomenological research, this study explores the individual experiences and insights of six study abroad alumni and will be guided by the following research questions:

1. What are the experiences of students participating in semester-long study abroad programs?
2. How does participation in a semester-long study abroad program impact students’ perceptions and development of their callings?

Major findings include the participants’ sense of preparedness and prior exposure to cross-cultural encounters, the influence of shared experiences and challenges …