Education Commons^™

College Academic Engagement And First-Year Students' Intention To Persist, Monica Ng Burnette

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

To remain globally competitive, the United States continues to set forth federal initiatives to promote college retention, persistence, and graduation. While employers seek graduates who demonstrate strong collaboration, communication, and time management skills, research reveals the level of academic engagement on college campuses is low. Although several factors contribute to first-year student persistence, researchers suggest that academically engaged students who participate in educationally purposeful activities in college are more likely to intend to persist than disengaged students.

Combining national data from the Beginning College Survey of Student Engagement (BCSSE), National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE), and the First Year Experience …

Stay In The U.S. Or Return Home: A Qualitative Examination Of The Decisionmaking Process Of Nigerian Doctoral Students And Recipients, Felix Kanyip Kumai

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Like many developing countries, Nigeria has suffered from an extensive “brain drain” as its most able young people, especially those at the graduate or doctoral levels, seek educational and career opportunities in the mature Western economies. While other developing nations, especially China, have taken concrete action to stem and even reverse their brain drain, Nigeria has been slow to act. This study sought to illuminate the situation of Nigerian doctoral students in the Diaspora in order to chronicle how they wrestle with decisions about returning to the homeland as a means of formulating effective strategies for repatriation or, at least, …

The Chosen Tokens: Exploring The Work Experiences And Career Aspirations Of Latina Midlevel Student Affairs Administrators In Higher Education, Sofia Bautista Pertuz

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Student Affairs serves as a viable career option for professionals working in higher education, including Latinas, who have increasingly entered as undergraduate students and found careers in student affairs. Latinas seem to be bottlenecked at midlevel, with few advancing to senior level leadership positions. According to the literature, negative work experiences and barriers related to identity have impacted advancement opportunities for Latina administrators. This qualitative study employed the methodology of narrative inquiry. Interviews were conducted with 26 participants selected by purposeful sampling of Latina professionals holding midlevel positions in student affairs. Data was analyzed using traditional coding methods of constant …

Beyond Socioeconomic Status: The Impact Of Principal Leadership In Urban And High Poverty Turnaround Schools, Mojisola Adejumo

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

The quest to transform failing urban and high-poverty schools in America has been a slippery uphill battle since the banner of war was raised against the many schools serving impoverished children. As battle rages, a few are schools leading their students, teachers, parents, and community to victory by turning their once-failing schools into institutions of academic excellence. However, the shouts of victory and strategic planning that led to their success have been overlooked or relegated to mere happenstance. As these successful schools claim unchartered territories of success, a quick glance at the battlefield reveals the reality that the battle is …

Exploring Respiratory Care Faculty And Students’ Perceptions Of Effective Clinical Instructor Characteristics, Saad Mohammed Alrabeeah

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Background: Clinical instructors play a crucial role in shaping the future of healthcare by training students on site to deliver patient-centered team based care. Respiratory care clinical instructors play an integral part in preparing respiratory care students to be effective practitioners given that almost 50% of the respiratory care curriculum is conducted in the clinical environment under the supervision of clinical instructors. Professional competence, interpersonal relationships, personality characteristics and teaching ability are all qualities that clinical instructors should possess in order to provide students with quality clinical education experiences. The purpose of this mixed method study was to (1) explore …

Exploring Postsecondary Market And Discipline Influences On Faculty Role Performance, Wendiann R. Sethi

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Prior research has shown that the type of institution, disciplines, and characteristics of the faculty influence the structure and character of academic work. Zemsky and Shaman (1997) and others have suggested that differentiation among institutions, which has historically been structured along level of degree offerings and size/complexity, is now becoming increasingly structured along the lines of market segments – with many non-selective four-year institutions increasingly resembling two-year “convenience” institutions in terms of their academic organization. The purpose of this study was to test the extent to which academic work is increasingly organized by institutional market segment rather than traditional categories …

Bicultural Socialization Experiences Of Black Immigrant Students In Selective Predominantly White Institutions In America, Erasmus Igbozurike Okere

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Minority and dominant cultures present a power dynamic that could promote or impede academic achievement for Black immigrant students. Drawing upon bicultural socialization as a conceptual framework, this study explores the predictability of various factors on academic outcomes among foreign-born compared to US-born Black immigrant students. Using a sample of 959 Black students (662 US-born and 297 foreign-born) from the National Longitudinal Survey of Freshmen (NLSF) conducted in the fall of 1999–2003, the current study examines indicators that inform the integration of Black immigrants into mainstream college environments by disaggregating the Black student population by nativity, to look more closely …

Understanding Latina Doctoral Student Experiences: Negotiating Ethnic Identity And Academic Success, Omayra Arocho

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Latinas currently attain the lowest number of terminal degrees in the United States when compared to White, African American, and Asian American women. While Latina doctoral students share common struggles with other minority/female doctoral students, the unique cultural expectations associated with their racial/ethnic and gender related identities conflict with traditional American educational values in important ways and may be a contributing factor to their significant underrepresentation among women who have earned doctoral degrees in the U.S. Latina doctoral students experience cultural incongruity as they realize that the intrinsic principles that contribute to their ethnic identity are incompatible with those deemed …

The Perceptions Of Alternative Education Students Ages 18-21 About The Factors In The Traditional School Setting That Inhibited Their On-Time High School Graduation, Ericka Roberson Hursey

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore how students ages 18-21 who are currently enrolled in a non-traditional educational setting articulate their educational pathway. The narrative inquiry method of research allowed the research participants to tell “their stories” in “their own” words. The research participants could articulate their views and perceptions on the factors that affected their educational pathway. Thirteen participants participated in the focus groups sessions and in-depth, semi-structured interviews.

Bronfenbrenner’s social systems theory (1979), environmental factors, educational experiences, excessive discipline infractions, and legal problems were dominant themes in the study. The study examined the at-risk social, …

Understanding How Sub-Saharan Africans Experience Higher Education In The United States, Reuel N. Mebuin

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Sub-Saharan African immigrant students constitute an important cohort on United States college campuses. In order for U.S. colleges and universities to better accommodate the significant number of Sub-Saharan African immigrant students, it is critical to identify factors that influence these students’ cultural and academic processes and provide professionals with guidelines for creating culturally appropriate services and programs for them. The purpose of this research is to undertake a single case study to study and understand the experiences of Sub-Saharan African immigrant students who are currently pursuing an undergraduate degree at an American 4-year public institution of higher education. Although Sub-Saharan …