Education Commons^™

Self-Efficacy, Locus Of Control, And Their Effect On Online Returning Students' Graduation, Matthew Dean Greene

Theses and Dissertations

The aim of this study was to understand the factors that affect returning students' ability to complete their degrees through online degree programs. Logistic regression was used to determine which factors had a significant relationship with persistence to graduation and how they contributed to the odds of students graduating. The findings show that academic locus of control and academic self-efficacy had a significant positive relationship with returning student persistence to graduation, with the locus of control contributing to the odds of graduation more than self-efficacy. Additionally, the amount of time between the student's initial dropout and subsequent return to complete …

Service Learning In The Digital Age: Understanding Nontraditional Students And Their Experiential Journey Through Electronic-Service Learning, Qianhui Hub

College of Education Theses and Dissertations

Service learning (SL) is an experiential learning pedagogy that merges real-life community service activities with structured reflection. Electronic-Service Learning (e-SL) is a blended pedagogy that combines online education and SL. The pandemic has significantly prompted the evolution of SL toward e-SL. In planning pedagogy initiatives, educators must not overlook the changing demographics of their student bodies. Within higher education in the U.S., 75% of students have at least one nontraditional student characteristic. Yet, the perceptions and experiences of nontraditional students on e-SL are critically underexplored. Thus, this dissertation examined the potential and value of developing e-SL with particular attention to …

The Impact Of Distance Learning On Nontraditional High School Student’S Attendance At A Predominant Hispanic Alternative High School In South Texas, Teresita De Saro, Alejandro Garcia, Velma D. Menchaca

Organization and School Leadership Faculty Publications and Presentations

High school dropout rates have long been a problem for school districts, and various contributing factors have solved the problem. Most of these students have been plagued by the inability to integrate into the mainstream of school life due to socio-economic standing, lack of parental support, and many other problems. This qualitative study examined how distance learning courses have the potential to increase high school graduation rates and attendance rates. This study was conducted at an alternative high school where the primary goal is to ensure nontraditional students' academic and personal support needed to graduate from high school. Five themes …

Constructing A Clear Definition Of Neotraditional Students And Illuminating Their Financial Aid, Academic, And Non-Academic Experiences And Outcomes In The 21st Century, Tuan D. Nguyen, Jenna W. Kramer

Journal of Student Financial Aid

Decades of research related to the experience of postsecondary students who are adults, work full-time, or have other life roles have not led to agreement in the field regarding who is a “nontraditional” college student. This study leverages nationally representative data to illuminate shifts in this student population in the 21^st century and builds a picture of their demographics, financial aid receipt, and academic experiences. Our results suggest that, in order to capture the diversity of the 21^st century students and ubiquity of students with multiple life roles, we need to carefully define this student population; the use …

Adult Learners And Credit For Prior Learning: Analytical Thinking And Motives, Carrie J. Boden, Catherine A. Cherrstrom, Todd Sherron

Adult Education Research Conference

This study examined 364 adult learners using linguistic inquiry and word count (LIWC) of reflective writing assignments with implications for adult learners and educators and credit for prior learning (CPL).

Hispanic And Non-Hispanic Adult Learners: Analytical Thinking And Affiliation, Catherine A. Cherrstrom

Adult Education Research Conference

This study examined 364 Hispanic and non-Hispanic adult learners using linguistic inquiry and word count (LIWC) of reflective writing assignments with implications for adult learners and educators.

Nontraditional Student Persistence Amid The Transition To Corequisite Remediation: Examining The Relationship Of Developmental Education And Academic Support Courses, Priscilla Renee Burns

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This quantitative, correlational study was conducted to examine how persistence of nontraditional college students is influenced by participation in developmental education and academic support courses. The persistence rate of students, especially nontraditional students, can have a profound impact on today’s workforce and the funding of the postsecondary institution. This predictive correlational study utilized logistic regression to examine the relationship between the predictor variables (developmental mathematics, developmental reading, and academic support courses) and the criterion variable (persistence to the next academic year). The sample for each research question was comprised 100 first-year college freshman who met at least one of the …

An Autoethnograpy Of A Baby Boomer In Higher Education: Challenges And Catalysts For Change, Deborra Finlan

Theses & Dissertations

Higher education as a baby boomer brings mental, physical, and economic adjustments, concerns, and insecurities. Additionally, life delivers unexpected challenges and barriers which can cause hardships requiring various types of motivation. Fortunately, there are also catalysts which can contribute toward successes. Literature from four major elements were the focus in this study: motivation, adult learning, challenges, barriers, and catalysts. Theorists and theories included Vroom’s expectancy theory of motivation with the added factor of cost, and Ryan and Deci’s theory on self-determination; Mezirow’s transformative learning and Knowles’s self-directed learning; Cross’s theory on educational barriers—situational, dispositional, and institutional; and Cobb’s social support …

Innovating For Student Success: A Course-Integrated Approach To Delivering Academic Skills And Competency Resources, Danielle Palombi

The Dissertation-in-Practice at Western University

This Organizational Improvement Plan (OIP) explores student academic support delivery in Burns College (a pseudonym), a large postsecondary institution in Central Canada. The Problem of Practice (PoP) addresses a gap in the consistent and equitable delivery of academic supports, and the increasing need to meet students within the classroom in their first year. The problem responds to nontraditional student needs, but the solution is meant to be beneficial for all students. Nontraditional students are the majority in higher education today, with competing responsibilities that impact their ability to access academic supports outside of the traditionally structured classroom. By integrating skills …

The Impact Of Distance Learning On Nontraditional High School Students' Attendance And Dropout Prevention, Teresita De Saro

Theses and Dissertations

High school dropout rates have long been a problem for school districts, and various contributing factors have excavated the problem. Most of these students have been plagued by the inability to integrate into the mainstream of school life, due to socioeconomic standing, lack of parental support, and many other problems. This qualitative study examined how distance learning courses have the potential to increase high school graduation rates and attendance rates. The research perspective was conducted at an alternative high school where the primary goal is to ensure nontraditional students' academic and personal support needed to graduate from high school …

Plus 50 Students And Their Experiences With Technology In Undergraduate Classes, Jamillah L. Boyd, Nykea T. Watts-Edwards

Dissertations

As adult learners over 50 continue to pursue higher education, postsecondary institutions should have resources and services available to support this demographic. Previous research often combines Plus 50 students with all nontraditional students 24 years and older, making it difficult to understand the unique needs and learning experiences of older adult students in the academic environment. The use of technology for curriculum has increased significantly over the years and may present challenges for Plus 50 learners as they are introduced to it and learn to navigate it. The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of Plus 50 …

Toward An Invitational Andragogy: Articulating A Teaching Philosophy For The Andragogic Classroom, Whitney Tipton, Stephanie Wideman

Journal of Communication Pedagogy

Students older than 25 years are a growing population on our campuses. However, separating these students and labeling them as “nontraditional” further isolates them from campuses that are already geared toward younger learners. This reflective essay explains the need for a philosophy of invitational andragogy—a classroom approach rooted in invitational rhetoric (S. Foss & Griffin, 1995) and Knowles’s assumptions about older learners (1980, 1984). While inviting transformation is important in all classrooms, it is especially important for older learners who often feel separated from the campus at large. To explain how an invitational approach to the andragogic classroom can be …

College Students Level Of Educational Success And Social Capital: A Comparison Of Traditional And Nontraditional Students, Travis Jacklyn

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The present study investigated how female/male nontraditional and traditional college students’ educational success could be influenced by both the social capital their family and friends provide and the responsibilities those close to them require. However, gender socialization may influence how certain networks, such as family and peers can help or hinder college students. Previous research found family and peers could help college students’ educational success (Betts et al., 2013; Seon, 2019), however, they can also be detrimental (Dill & Hayley, 1998). This study examined whether (1) gender and traditional/nontraditional student status are associated with educational success; and (2) whether support …

I'M Still Valid: An Explanatory Sequential Mixed-Methods Study Of Part-Time Phd Students' Motivation And Satisfaction., Heather A Turner

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Doctoral attrition rates are consistently documented at approximately 50% in the United States, and attrition rates are typically higher for all students who pursue degrees on a part-time basis, regardless of degree level. Yet an increasing number of students are deciding to pursue research doctorates on a part-time basis. This growth in the part-time PhD student population requires an understanding of the factors that affect their persistence. I investigated part-time PhD student persistence through an explanatory sequential mixed methods approach to understanding the relationship between motivation and satisfaction through the lens of Self-Determination Theory. Findings suggest that part-time PhD students …

Perceptions Of Nontraditional Students Towards Extracurricular And Student Leadership Programming, Allison V. Niemiec

Theses and Dissertations

Nontraditional student populations at higher education institutions have been continuously growing, which requires institutions to become better prepared to address their unique needs. The purpose of this sequential explanatory mixed methods study was to explore the perceptions of nontraditional students towards extracurricular and student leadership programming at Rowan University. This research study involved a cross-sectional survey that identified characteristics of nontraditional students enrolled at Rowan University since at least the fall of 2019 and identified their satisfaction with and interest in extracurricular and leadership opportunities. Optional one on one interviews were administered to gain a better understanding of the survey …

Enrolling And Matriculatiing Adult Learners At A Public Community College In Illinois, Christina J. Coclanis-Loding

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Christina J. Coclanis-LodingDepartment of Higher Education and Student Affairs Northern Illinois University, 2021 Carrie A. Kortegast, Director

There are 44 million adults over the age of 24 who hold a high school diploma, and another 35 million adult who have some college credit, but have not earned their college degree. These numbers make adult learners a viable population to attract and matriculate at community colleges. Considering the impact adult learners would have on enrollment in a time when enrollment numbers have been declining and the benefits to the local economies by providing skilled workers, the recruitment of adult learners is …

Online Nontraditional Students’ Attitudes About Software Used By Academic Advisors, Monica Triplett

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractWhile many universities rely on student success software to facilitate the academic advising process, little is known about how nontraditional students view technology-mediated advising and its usefulness for preventing attrition with this population. The purpose of this study was to explore how nontraditional undergraduates who may lack facility with technology view software as a tool to engage with their advisors and provide support for their academic decisions. Moore’s theory of transactional distance and Astin’s theory of engagement served as frameworks. Using a basic qualitative method, 14 students over the age of 40 years who were enrolled in various online undergraduate …

Community College Instructional Support Of Nontraditional Students Using Technology, Charlotte Ann Graham

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Nontraditional students often enroll at institutions of higher learning without the technology skills needed to complete coursework and achieve academic success. The problem at a small community college in the Southern United States is that instructors are providing limited support for nontraditional students using technology, which may leave students ill-prepared to complete coursework. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine instructional support of nontraditional students using technology to complete coursework and to make recommendations to improve instructional support of students. Knowles’s adult learning theory, Daloz’s mentoring theory, and Siemens’s connectivist theory provided the framework for the study. Research …

Higher Education And Covid-19: Impact On Nontraditional Students Following A Traditional Path, R. Lauren Miller

All Theses, Dissertations, and Capstone Projects

This phenomenological research aimed to examine the impact that transitioning to online education in March of the Spring 2020 semester in response to COVID-19 had on nontraditional students. Students are considered nontraditional if they meet at least one of the following criteria: are at least 25 years old, attend school part-time, work full-time, are a veteran, have children, wait at least one year after high school before entering college, have a GED instead of a high school diploma, are a first-generation student (FGS), are enrolled in non-degree programs, or have reentered a college program (MacDonald, 2018). Nontraditional students hold multiple …

Reaching Out Handbook, Boise State University

Rebuilding the Launchpad: Serving Students During Covid Resource Library

The Reaching Out Handbook has been created for the purpose of providing you with information about Counseling Services, about other campus resources, and how to most effectively assist individuals in distress.

Our goal is to help you recognize some of the symptoms of individual distress, as well as provide some specific options for intervention and for referral to campus resources. We are available to assist you with problem situations and to consult with you on whether to intervene with a particular individual and when to refer.

Guidelines are offered but each individual will need to consider what is appropriate in …

#Realcollege During The Pandemic: New Evidence On Basic Needs Insecurity And Student Well-Being, Sara Goldrick-Rab, Vanessa Coca, Gregory Kienzl, Carrie R. Welton, Sonja Dahl, Sarah Magnelia, Sarah Magnelia

Rebuilding the Launchpad: Serving Students During Covid Resource Library

In March 2020, the coronavirus pandemic struck American higher education. Colleges closed campuses, students lost jobs, and emergency resources failed to meet the demands caused by the crisis. This report examines the pandemic’s impact on students, from their basic needs security to their well-being, as indicated by employment status, academic engagement, and mental health.

Perspectives On Working With Nontraditional Students, Edward Trombley, Linda Dammer

Edward F. Trombley III

University Admissions and Registrar staff may believe that serving the non-traditional student would be an easier task than working with the traditional, millennial students. However, intuition is often proven wrong, as discussed “Perspectives on Working With Non-traditional Students,” a journal article based on a conference presentation that was given on Monday, February 17, 2014 at the Southern Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (SACRAO) Regional Conference in Raleigh, NC.

Linda Dammer, Director of Student Affairs, formerly Director of Admissions at ERAU Worldwide, and Edward Trombley, Registrar at ERAU Worldwide, discuss these realities in “The Challenge of Supporting Adult Learners: …

Factors Contributing To Military-Veteran Student Success, Charlene Sutton Cofield

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The enrollment of military/veteran students at U.S. colleges and universities is growing steadily; however, factors affecting their academic success need further investigation. Guided by Tinto's student integration model and Bean and Metzner's model of nontraditional student attrition, the relationships between student characteristics and academic success for military/veteran, and civilian students were investigated. For this nonexperimental study, preentry characteristics (military/civilian status, race/ethnicity, age, gender, transfer credits) as well as 1st-year academic performance (total terms attended and grade point average [GPA]) archived in 393 students' records were examined to determine whether these variables predicted 4 student success measures: retention after 1 year, …

Clinical Field Experiences Of Nontraditional Pre-Service Teachers: Issues And Beliefs, Melanie Diloreto

Journal of Practitioner Research

According to the American Association for Colleges of Teacher Education (AACTE, 2010), effective teaching practices and good clinical experiences share a mutually beneficial relationship. Additionally, according to research reported by AACTE (2010), an important link exists between future P–12 student-achievement and effective clinical practices experienced by pre-service teachers. This case study sought to determine experiences deemed effective or important by nontraditional pre-service teachers while engaged in fieldwork completed in an elementary and/or middle school classroom setting. Four themes were derived from the qualitative data obtained through semi-structured interviews of four junior or senior teacher education students engaged in clinical field …

Counselor Educators’ Perceptions Of Nontraditional Master’S-Level Counseling Students And How Those Perceptions Shape Teaching Practices, Pamela J. Jordan

Dissertations

Graduate students age 40 and older, defined as “nontraditional” for this study, consistently represent approximately 20% of the graduate student population (United States Department of Education National Center for Education Statistics, 2015). Master’s degree programs in counseling may attract a higher percentage of these students, as some studies suggest that careers in fields such as counseling are sought out by adults changing careers at midlife and later (Bluestone & Melnik, 2010; Schaefers, 2012). These nontraditional students bring to the classroom their own characteristics of age, life stage, and experience, and they have distinct strengths and challenges that set them apart …

The Perceptions And Experiences Of Faculty Teaching A Mix Of Traditional And Nontraditional Students In Online Classes, Christina Marie Trombley

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this interpretive qualitative research study was to explore how faculty perceived and experienced teaching multigenerational (having traditional and nontraditional students) online classes. The online classes researched served only undergraduate students and had at least thirty percent of traditional students in the class. Ten tenured faculty were drawn from a four-year institution of higher education in the Midwest of the United States. Data were collected through semi-structured in-depth interviews. Findings revealed that research participants relied on their own personal experiences as students to inform their teaching and morph the definition of teaching as it relates to online education …

Exploring The Effects Of Pacing In Community College Courses, Robin Dillon Shepherd

STEMPS Theses & Dissertations

For-profit colleges are threatening community college enrollments by recruiting low-income and minority students with the appeal of quick degree and certificate program completion rates. To remain competitive, community colleges are creating guided pathways for student success. A guided pathway is a clear road map to certificate or degree completion. Community colleges that offer guided pathways challenge students to choose an academic program in their first semester and no later than their second semester. Once students choose their academic program they begin taking specific classes in pursuit of certificate and degree completion, which offer students flexibility in format (face-to-face, hybrid, and …

Investigating The Predictive Relationship Between Adult Reading Ability And Age, Ethnicity, Race, And Educational Attainment, Angela Leigh Castleman

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The demand for literacy skills in today’s everchanging workforce is an issue that plagues our nation. With millions of Americans reading below basic levels of proficiency, adults are not equipped to meet the demands, and colleges and universities must identify ways to address the problem. The purpose of this correlational study was to determine if any predictive relationship exists between the predictor variables age, ethnicity, race and educational attainment and the criterion variable, adult literacy, as measured by the Pearson MyReadingLab Pre-Assessment. The participants used in this study were non-traditional students enrolled in the Associate of Science Business program (ASB) …

The Dividing Lines Of Opportunity: The Relationships Among Student Characteristics And Selected Institutional Services At Two-Year Public And For-Profit Colleges, Elizabeth Anne Gilblom

ETD Archive

This study examined if and to what extent selected institutional services and special learning and credit opportunities in the 2-year private, for-profit college sector and community colleges in the United States are related to race, socioeconomic status and urbanicity. The researcher evaluated whether the institutional services and special learning and credit opportunities available to students at these 1,479 institutions are stratified by the socioeconomic and racial characteristics of their student bodies and their local communities, by institutional control, by the institution’s degree of urbanization, and the student financial aid characteristics. The researcher also investigated the relationship among institutional services, special …

Experiential Journey Of Females Who Enter Or Re-Enter College Later In Life To Degree Completion, Rita Audy Johnston

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

Given the scope and paucity of knowledge about the lived experiences of the female adult student entering or re-entering college later in life to degree completion, this research study identified significant themes in their lived experiences. With an appreciative eye, this study captured the female adult students’ lived experiences conveyed in a rich, inter-connected, and inspiring picture of who they are embedded into the larger context of society; such as role identity theory, social identity theory and the applicability and interpretations of these two theories on their journey to degree completion. This study also portrayed selected aspects of the feminist …