Education Commons^™

Secret To Success: A Survey Of The University Of South Carolina Student Success Center, Lilian Mitchell

Senior Theses

This paper seeks to survey the practices of the Student Success Center (SSC) at the University of South Carolina (USC) and show the effectiveness of those practices. Through the analysis of the history of student success in higher education, current literature on student success, and the 2020- 2021 Blueprint for the SSC at USC, it is clear that the SSC has developed a successful and effective method of guaranteeing student success on USC’s campus. At USC, the main focus is on Supplemental Instruction, Peer Tutoring, and Academic Coaching (a.k.a. Success Consultations). By setting goals and measuring the outcome of those …

The Career Decision-Making Self-Efficacy And Career Action Steps Of Humanities Students: A Quantitative Survey Analysis, Catherine Gorman Cordova

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In an era of governmentally controlled education systems sustained through performance-based funding metrics, the value of higher education is often considered justified by socioeconomic impact and degree employability. Although modern academia traces its roots to the humanities and liberal arts for its foundation, degrees without direct job relation, and the students seeking these degrees, are often considered less employable than majors directly linked to vocations. However, the humanities and labor market are not mutually exclusive. Influenced by Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT) (Lent, et al., 1994), Self-Efficacy Theory (Bandura, 1977), and Career Maturity Theory (Crites, 1973), this cross-sectional quantitative survey …

A Case Study In Resiliency: How A University Survived A Pandemic, Mary Ellen Stewart

Dissertations

This case study was conducted to investigate how the COVID-19 pandemic affected the campus of a small private university in central Mississippi, where traditionally, relational community and interaction were key contributors to campus culture. Through document analysis, individual interviews with campus leaders, and focus groups consisting of members of key departments, the role of resiliency was examined during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. Emerging from the data were the four thematic categories of leadership, campus culture, engagement and interaction, and challenges. Key components in each category revealed the significance of resiliency of university leaders, faculty, and staff as …

How Important Are Accommodations? Examining The Retention Of Students With Specific Learning Disabilities In Higher Education, Donna Stanic

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Students with disabilities are entering higher education at higher rates than ever before. However, the retention rates of these students are disproportionately low compared to peers without disabilities. More so, students with learning disabilities are less likely to be retained compared to those with other types of disabilities. This study sought to examine the factors that influence first to second year retention of students with disabilities, specifically those with learning disabilities. Among these factors, the study placed a specific focus on the use of accommodations. Utilizing data from the High School Longitudinal Study (HSLS:09), descriptive and inferential analyses were conducted …

Prevalence And Correlates Of Food And Housing Insecurities At A Historically Black College, Melissa Massey Lockard

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative, predictive correlational study was to determine the prevalence of food and housing insecurities at one historically Black college and explore whether these insecurities influence students’ academic performance or their mental health quality. The study also explored possible predictors of students at risk of experiencing these basic needs challenges. A convenience sample of 175 participant surveys was collected in the fall 2021 semester at the small, private, liberal arts college in urban South Carolina. The instruments used in the survey included the USDA’s 6-item Household Food Security Survey Module, the Housing Insecurity and Homelessness Module, the …

An Evaluation Of The Impact Of Academic Policies And Athletic Procedures For Student Athletes, Seanta Cleveland

Theses and Dissertations

The current study is an evaluation of the ways academic policies and athletic procedures can impact learning for student athletes as inconsistent practices regarding athletic travel and make-up work can have negative effects on learning for student athletes. A total of 11 participants (i.e., 8 student athletes, 3 faculty members) participated in this qualitative phenomenological study. Chickering’s student development theory and Kolb’s learning theory framed the current inquiry into (1) the needs of student athletes and the ways they process important information (e.g., policies and procedures) and (2) related faculty guidance, student affairs, and the governing body for athletics, practices, …

A Transcendental Phenomenological Study Of Mental Health Symptoms And Awareness In The College Student Population, Stephanie Ann (Hare) Wallace

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to understand mental health concerns and the services provided within the college population located at an on-ground campus in the United States. The theories guiding this study were Schlossberg’s transition theory and self-efficacy theory, which play a major role in understanding the concerns and heightened symptoms students faced when transitioning into the college setting. The transcendental phenomenological study focused on gathering data from sophomore students enrolled at Rose College who have recently faced the transition from high school or undergraduate settings. The setting took place virtually due to restrictions and limitations of …

Passion To Purpose: An Autobiographical Narrative Inquiry Into The Development Of The Summer Ace Program, Owen Hooper

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Students transitioning from high school to college are met with many challenges beyond academics including social acclimation, campus culture integration, and holistic wellness. Researchers agree that a successful and purposeful transition for incoming college students requires involvement and engagement with peers to help students adapt and increase their likelihood to graduate (Astin, 1999; Kuh, 2009; Tinto, 1998). This autobiographical narrative inquiry reflects on past experiences in assessing the needs of transitioning students at the University of South Florida and developing a purposeful programming model to support students. I aim to help the reader understand my personal commitment to these programs …

Exploring Success And Challenges Of Black Students Taking An English Course Online At An Urban Community College, Latoya N. Bond

Theses and Dissertations

Community colleges have expanded access to higher education and were early adopters of online courses. Among literature on online course performance, Black students are least successful in online learning despite being one of the growing populations at community colleges. This case study investigated the experiences of Black community college students taking an online English course for the first time. These experiences were particularly unique because the students participated during the Covid-19 pandemic. The findings indicate that students navigate multiple priorities outside of school, technology challenges, and desire for increased preparation, representation, and support from the campus community. This study assists …

Brand And Culture Fusion: How Marketing Directors Lead Brand And Culture Alignment At Private Non-Profit Higher Education Institutions, Erin Hales

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to identify and describe, through the lens of activity theory (AT), the challenges and best practices of marketing directors at private, non-profit higher education institutions on how they lead brand and culture alignment.

Methodology: This phenomenological study collected, analyzed, and triangulated data through 15 semi-structured interviews and the collection of artifacts. Data was then coded into themes, frequencies were calculated, and data was organized into the four categories of AT: tools, rules, community, and division of labor.

Findings: Examination of the data found that marketing directors experienced six challenges representing all four …

2014-2019 National Science Foundation (Nsf) Rankings By Total R&D Expenditures, Katie M. Gilbertson, Caitlin J. Saladino, William E. Brown Jr.

Higher Education

This fact sheet presents National Science Foundation (NSF) funding data for 10 individual research universities in addition to the combined funding received by the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) and the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR) for the years 2014 to 2019.

Entrepreneurship Education As Part Of Higher Education Reform In Egypt: An Exploratory Qualitative Case Study, Mona Mersal

Theses and Dissertations

Higher Education plays a key role in developing societies’ economies through preparing successful leaders and citizens who can compete in today’s rapidly-changing labor market. Entrepreneurship education can pave the way for job creation, innovation, critical thinking, and economic growth. The aim of this study is to explore the views of higher education stakeholders about the economic, socio-cultural, and pedagogical implications of entrepreneurship education in a private international higher education institution in Egypt, namely the American University in Cairo (AUC). Moreover, the study seeks to investigate some of the obstacles and best practices of entrepreneurship education at the AUC. The study …

Supporting Refugees And Asylum Seekers On Their College Journeys, Lindsey Kingston, Esma Karakas

International Journal of Human Rights Education

Armed conflict and political repression have created a refugee crisis in higher education, interrupting many students’ university educations or blocking young people from beginning their studies in the first place. This article outlines preliminary research findings from an ongoing project centered on improving displaced students’ access to American higher education. Motivation for this research stems from the values inherent to human rights education (HRE). Preliminary research data drawn from qualitative interviews with ten forcibly displaced students (or former students) living in Saint Louis, Missouri, highlight how refugees and asylum seekers face unique challenges in accessing higher education. In particular, this …

تحديات تدويل التعليم العالي في جامعة السلطان قابوس. Challenges Of The Internationalization Of Higher Education At Sultan Qaboos University, عمر هاشم إسماعيل, خلف مرهون العبري, خلود محمد الهنائي

Association of Arab Universities Journal for Education and Psychology

هدفت الدراسة إلى الكشف عن واقع تدويل التعليم العالي في جامعة السلطان قابوس، وذلك من خلال تعرف إلى تحديات تدويل التعليم في جامعة السلطان قابوس وتحديد بعض الإجراءات المقترحة لمعالجة تلك التحديات. ولتحقيق أهداف الدراسة؛ اتبع المنهج الوصفي، وذلك من خلال أسلوب البحث النوعي، حيث تم جمع البيانات من خلال المقابلة، وتم تحليلها باستخدام أسلوب التحليل الموضوعي. وقد توصلت الدراسة إلى أن من أبرز تحديات تدويل التعليم العالي في جامعة السلطان قابوس هي: نقص الموارد المالية، وضعف التواصل باللغة الإنجليزية، وضعف تفعيل الاتفاقيات. وتوصلت إلى مجموعة الإجراءات المقترحة لمعالجة تحديات التدويل هي: البحث عن مصادر مالية أخرى لتفعيل التدويل، وتعزيز …

أثر برنامج رياضي في الحد من أعراض الاكتئاب وتحسين الرفاهية النفسية (دراسة شبه تجريبية لدى عينة من طلبة الجامعة). The Effect Of Sport Program In Reducing Light And Moderate Depressive Symptoms And Improving Psychological Well-Being (Experiment Study On Sample Of University Students), سعاد محمد اللواتية, كاشف نايف زايد, مها عبد المجيد العاني

Association of Arab Universities Journal for Education and Psychology

هدفت الدراسة شبه التجريبية التحقق عن مدى تأثير الأنشطة الرياضية المعتدلة للحد من أعراض الاكتئاب وتحسين الرفاهية النفسية لدى طالبات جامعة السلطان قابوس وذلك من خلال تطبيق برنامج رياضي تم تصميمه لهدف الدراسة. تكونت عينة الدراسة من 33 طالبة ممن يعانين من مستويات مختلفة من الضغوط النفسية بما في ذلك أعراض الاكتئاب (متوسط أعمارهن 21.2 ± 2.8) وقد تم تقسيمهن إلى مجموعتين: التجريبية (ن = 18)، والضابطة (ن = 13) وقد قد أخضعت المجموعة التجريبية لبرنامج رياضي من النشاط البدني المكثف 3 مرات أسبوعيًا ولمدة 8 أسابيع، في حين أن نظرائهن في المجموعة الضابطة لم يخضعن لأي نوع من التدخلات. …

Using Ability Grouping To Examine The Effects Of Differentiated Instruction In An Undergraduate Course In Communication Sciences & Disorders, Katherine B. Green, Jacqueline Towson

Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders

Differentiated instruction is a student-centered approach to instruction that considers the differing characteristics and aspects of the learner. With increasing diversity in higher education, differentiated instruction is one strategy that instructors may use to facilitate student success. However, there is limited empirical research examining the effectiveness of differentiated instruction in higher education. Using a quasi-experimental pretest posttest group design, the effects of differentiation of instruction, specifically differentiation of content and variable grouping, on student content knowledge were examined in an undergraduate course in a Communication Sciences and Disorders program. Students in the intervention group scored significantly higher on final course …

Learning From The Covid-19 Pandemic: How Faculty Experiences Can Prepare Us For Future System-Wide Disruption, Kathryn M. Bateman, Ellen Altermatt, Anne E. Egger, Ellen Iverson, Cathryn Manduca, Eric M. Riggs, Kristen St. John, Thomas F. Shipley

Geological Sciences Faculty Scholarship

The COVID-19 pandemic provided education researchers with a natural experiment: an opportunity to investigate the impacts of a system-wide, involuntary move to online teaching and to assess the characteristics of individuals who adapted more readily. To capture the impacts in real time, our team recruited college-level geoscience instructors through the National Association of Geoscience Teachers (NAGT) and American Geophysical Union (AGU) communities to participate in our study in the spring of 2020. Each weekday for three successive weeks, participants (n = 262) were asked to rate their experienced disruption in four domains: teaching, research, ability to communicate with their …

Seeking Equity, Agility, And Sustainability In The Provision Of Emergency Remote Teaching During The Covid-19 Pandemic: A Center For Teaching And Learning Takes An Expanded Role, Henry Trotter, Cheng-Wen Huang, Laura Czerniewicz

Higher Learning Research Communications

Objectives: The purpose of the study was to illuminate and assess the experiences and feelings of the staff of a center for teaching and learning at one South African university during the early months (April–June 2020) of the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns when it switched from face-to-face teaching to emergency remote teaching (ERT). It explores the practical, operational, ethical, cultural, and emotional questions that the staff of this center dealt with as they supported the university in ERT provision.

Method: This paper draws on in-depth interviews with 23 staff members of the Centre for Innovation in Learning and Teaching (CILT) who …

The Role Of Liberal Arts Education On Academic Choices: The American University In Cairo Case Study, Nourhane Mohamed Kamal El Maraghi

Theses and Dissertations

Providing a qualified higher education is a crucial component of any developmental plan in any country. This paper tackles the issue of educational decisions and will mainly focus on presenting the American University in Cairo (AUC) as a case study. The paper addresses undergraduate college students’ choices of their subjects and fields of study during the first year of university and how liberal arts education influence such decisions. The main aim is to build valuable recommendations to ease the transition of students from high school to universities, help them rationally choose their area of study, facilitate the financial burden on …

Autism To Higher Education: Tools For Parents, Amber L. Jordan, Shannon Emery

Graduate Student Dissertations, Theses, Capstones, and Portfolios

Over the years, a marked increase in the number of students with High Functioning Autism (HFA) attending colleges and universities has occurred. This can be attributed to: (a) the passage of legislation such as the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA); (b) revisions to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM); and (c) early intervention and treatment (Pillay, 2012). Although the increase in enrollment may be an indicator that a more welcoming climate for individuals with HFA has been created, many institutions are not adequately prepared to accommodate these students and parents have …

An Abrupt Transition To Remote Learning: The Tenuous Educational Experiences Of First-Generation College Students Amidst The Covid-19 Pandemic, Beth Ellen Taylor-Nolan

Graduate College Dissertations and Theses

ABSTRACTAnd just like that, on March 11th 2020, the university released a startling update informing the campus community that due to the COVID-19 pandemic, in-person instruction would not resume after Spring Break and that all classes would shift immediately to remote instruction. What does remote instruction mean? What happened to these students as a result of the university’s sudden transition to technology-enabled and online courses? What was their academic and social experience really like throughout emergency remote learning? Of particular concern to me were first-generation college students who relied upon the university’s infrastructure to meet their needs. Consequences associated with …

A Case Study: Determining Factors On Student Persistence In A Community College Spanish Program, Kristin Ea Peters

Theses and Dissertations

World language study exposes students to more than just language; they are also exposed to different cultures. After graduating, students will be exposed to different languages and cultures in the workforce, and they must be prepared. Students often leave their language of choice after the one or two semester course requirement; it takes more than those one or two courses for students to gain the cultural and linguistic skills needed to succeed. Institutions must start to convey the importance of those skills in order produce culturally aware and global students. Student placement, student motivation, and classroom pedagogy all contribute to …

Retention Issues In Nonprofit University Foundations, Sarah Kay

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Turnover of major gift officers (MGOs) within university foundations has been a problem for foundations and their affiliated universities. Turnover of MGOs results in less fundraised dollars, fewer donor-fundraiser relationships, and higher incomings costs. Retention of MGOs is vital for foundations’ success and directly correlates to the overall prosperity of the respective university. The purpose of this descriptive, non-experimental study that utilized a cross-sectional survey design was to examine perceptions of currently employed MGOs, in the interest of determining what was important to them to remain employed at their nonprofit university foundation. Using a web-based survey, data showed MGOs need …

The Effects Of Stem And Non-Stem Mathematics Corequisite Courses On Student Success At Public Institutions In West Virginia, Vanessa S. Keadle

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

This study explored the differences in student success outcomes between students enrolled in non-STEM and STEM corequisite mathematics courses at 18 postsecondary institutions across five academic years in West Virginia, using de-identified student data. The researcher analyzed this extant data to determine if student characteristics were predictors of success, as defined as passing the mathematics corequisite course, retention to the next semester, and earning a GPA of 2.0 or higher. The researcher also conducted analyses to understand if the differences in those outcomes between STEM and non-STEM courses were significant. This study identified statistically significant gaps in success for students …

A Study On Formerly Incarcerated Women From Appalachia Pursuing Higher Education, Marcie Simms

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The pursuit of higher education is a goal that is embedded in secondary education and often correlated with the American dream. This study concentrated on the barriers that women with a felony conviction face when pursuing higher education after incarceration. Based on the identified barriers, current best practices for admission to higher education institutions and individual resources available for the ex-offender population were assessed. Using a questionnaire and interviews, a qualitative research approach helped identify the barriers that women with a felony conviction face when pursuing education and best practice solutions for institutions of higher education when working with the …

The Relationship Between The Diversity Of Illinois Community College Staff And Graduates: An Exploratory Quantitative Study, Rachel Boldman

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

The present study sought to answer the research question, to what extent is the staff racial demographic profile, as a numeric representation of staff diversity, related to the diversity of graduating cohorts from public community colleges in Illinois? The exploratory quantitative study used five years of Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) survey data for both the staff and graduate populations. The years connected to staff represented the years the graduating cohorts entered college, and the years connected to graduates represent 150% of the normal time to their degree following the year of entry (cohort year). The sample was comprised …

A Circular Pedagogy For Higher Education, Lucia Morales, Jon-Hans Coetzer, Nadia Barkoczi, Lia Pop, Claudia Marian, Patrick Flynn

Working Papers

Over the last two decades, higher education has been subject to significant scrutiny due to increasing pressures to provide a meaningful and relevant learning experience to the student population, and by their strong connection to the functioning of the economic and political systems. By reflecting on the controversies surrounding pedagogy, this paper contributes to the current debate by exploring pedagogy as a circular process where learners grow and develop by taking different roles and identities as they navigate a research-informed learning continuum defined by growing levels of complexity and uncertainty. This study introduces a new pedagogical paradigm for adult education, …

Higher Education Information And Communication Technology Implementation Project Success: The Effect Of Organizational Culture, Reginald W. Brinson

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation employed a non-experimental quantitative research method to examine the relationship between organizational culture and perceptions of Information and Communication Technology implementation project success in higher education institutions. The study used Sociotechnical Systems Theory to frame the higher education institution’s work system and the Competing Values Framework (CVF) in distinguishing the cultures of the institution, its colleges/divisions, and its departments to determine if differences in culture tendencies impacted faculty, staff, and administrators’ perception of project success. A survey consisting of the Organizational Culture Assessment Instrument (OCAI, © Kim Cameron) and a Project Success scale was used to gather data. …

Cultural And Gender Shifts: Trends And Factors Hmong Male Students Face In Pursuit Of Higher Education, Sai Yang Xiong

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

The educational trends in the attainment of Hmong American students in higher education have grown significantly over the past 40+ years. However, modern academia is still somewhat new to most United States Hmong refugees since their resettlement in 1975 after the Vietnam War. Hmong students are children of refugee immigrants who came to the United States with no formal schooling, limited English proficiency, and a low-socioeconomic background. Hmong parents believe that having an education will enable their children to seek employment, perform well in society, and gain financial stability. The purpose of this study was to analyze challenges that contribute …

Juntos Luchamos: A Postcritical Ethnographic And Photovoice Study On Latinx Student Civic Engagement Practices At A Hispanic-Serving Institution, Liliana Diaz

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Situated at a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI), this postcritical ethnographic and photovoice study sought to explore how Latinx students define and practice civic engagement. Theoretically framed by Latino Cultural Citizenship (LCC), the study explored how current Latinx student civic engagement practices inform a Hispanic-Serving Institutions’ civic engagement efforts. Data collection took place over the 2021-2022 academic year and an exhibition of the study’s findings was made publicly available at the culmination of the study. Findings from the study indicate that Latinx postsecondary students define civic engagement as knowledge and resource sharing (KRS) and achieving success. Findings for how Latinx postsecondary students …