Adult and Continuing Education Commons^™

Staying The Course: Community College Student Lived Experiences On Program Completion And Motivation, Jessica Leigh Mills

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of former community college students who successfully completed an associate degree, certificate, or program of study and to understand how they experienced the personal, institutional, and environmental factors that supported their persistence to completion. The study, guided primarily by Tinto’s (1975,1988) Model of Student Departure and was complemented by Bandura’s (1988) Social Learning Theory (SLT), and Maslow’s (1943) Hierarchy of Needs, explored the extrinsic and intrinsic motivations students attributed to their successful completion of their associate degree, certificate, or program of study. Twelve former community college students who …

Understanding The Persistence And Retention Factors Among First-Generation Online College Students: A Comprehensive Study, Lakeeta Q. Prunty, Tana Palafox

Tapestry: Journal of Research in Education

This qualitative descriptive study examined the impact of internal institutional support on retention, as perceived by first-generation Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) online undergraduate students at a private Christian university. Institutional support encompasses academic advising, tutoring services, mental health counseling, career guidance, financial aid, diversity and inclusion programs, faculty support, and technological resources for online learning. The virtual learning environment presented unique challenges, particularly for first-generation BIPOC students, who navigate multiple layers of identity requiring specialized institutional support. Factors influencing online student attrition, including school policies, instructional methods, and personal circumstances, warrant collaboration among administrators, advisors, and faculty …

Exploring Effective Institutional Strategies To Retain Adult Learners In Undergraduate Online Programs At A Faith-Based Institution, Fernando Rodriguez-Ramos

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The aim of this qualitative research study was to identify dynamic advising and high-impact educational practices employed by advisors and faculty that prevent dropout and improve online adult learners’ performance and retention in undergraduate courses at a 4-year private, faith-based institution in the southwestern United States. This study explored the impact of these practices from the students’, faculty’s, and advisors’ perspectives to provide suggestions for improvement that would help retain these students in the classroom and the institution. The problem this study explored was that adult learner dropout from online higher education institutions is a persistent and increasing issue faced …

Exploring Contributions Of Partnerships Between Employers And Disability Organizations On Recruitment, Hiring, Training, Retention, And Accommodation Of Individuals With Disabilities In Mississippi, Peter Oluwadare Kalejaiye

Dissertations

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 provides equal employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities (IWDs) by prohibiting discrimination in employment. However, one out of four IWDs face discrimination in employment in the United States (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2023). Additionally, despite establishing the Office of Disability Employment Policy and enacting the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act to help integrate IWDs into the workforce, IWDs face barriers to equal and equitable employment (NASEM, 2017). Previous studies recommend partnerships between employers and disability organizations (DOs) to provide employment opportunities and benefits for IWDs through recruitment, hiring, training, retention, and …

Who Drops Back In? An Investigation Into Non-Traditional Post-Secondary Students Who Return After Time Away, David Comolli Jr

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Non-traditional students are adult learners that begin working on an undergraduate degree after their 25th birthday, many of whom enroll in a flexible baccalaureate program. These are programs that involve some component of learning outside of a traditional classroom (i.e., online, a job-site, etc.). The purpose of this research study was to investigate the like-experiences that exist among non-traditional students that left education and later returned, and to investigate desirable alternatives for students considering dropping out (taking time away). Three research questions guided this study, they were as follows:

1. To what extent do personal events contribute to students choosing to …

The Commuter Student Experience: Challenges And Impacts On Student Success, Seth A. Ressl

Educational Leadership & Policy Studies Dissertations - Archive

Commuter students at large public universities often face barriers to engaging in campus co-curricular activities, primarily due to off-campus commitments, which can affect their academic success and retention. Drawing on student engagement theory, this qualitative narrative study explores commuter students’ experiences with co-curricular involvement and its perceived impact on their academic performance, skill development, social connections, and persistence at a large public four-year university. Data collected through in-depth interviews with commuter undergraduates were analyzed to identify common themes regarding students' perspectives, challenges, and impact related to co-curricular activities. The findings suggest that active involvement in student organizations and campus events …

Impact Of Academic Advising On Student Satisfaction And Persistence, Michelle Pickett

Dissertations of Practice

Enhancing college student success is a critical challenge for higher education. Traditionally measured by retention and graduation rates, student success is now viewed through a more holistic lens. This dissertation of practice examines the impact of developmental academic advising on student satisfaction and persistence at a four-year regional public university in the Midwest, focusing on first-year students. Using a quantitative approach, this study addresses gaps in the literature by examining the impact of developmental advising on student satisfaction and persistence.

Findings indicate that while developmental academic advising positively impacts student satisfaction with their advising experience, it does not significantly influence …

Examining Social Capital And First-Generation Student Status: Evidence From A Midwest University, Christine Sudbrock, Ximena Uribe-Zarain, Tracey A. Glaessgen, James Sottile, Kim K. Finch

Journal of Research in Technical Careers

As demand for college graduates grows (Times Higher Education, 2023) persistence rates for first-generation students continue to lag (Toutkoushain et al., 2018, 2021). Complicating our understanding of this opportunity gap is the diversity of how first-generation student status is defined (Jo Peralta & Klonowski, 2017). We argue that while notable differences exist between first-generation students whose parents have no college experience (FGS-none), and those from families with collegiate backgrounds (continuing-generation), the distinctions between first-generation students with parents who have some college experience (FGS-some), and the other two groups are unclear. As such, this study investigates the implications of varying definitions …

Simulacra Alligoría Spílaio Socráti A Reconsideration Of The Allegory Of Socrates Cave: Game-Based Theory In Inclusive Higher Education, Barry Karrh

Dissertations

This dissertation addresses the use of Game Based Learning (GBL) and Game Based Pedagogy (GBP) implemented in higher education and considers what effects may be measured on retention and learning.

Using the allegory of Socrates Cave, a story which challenges how learners’ perspectives differ according to each individual’s unique understanding, this study considered how participants reacted in similar scenarios during ‘serious games’ implemented in college level classes to reinforce and review material before testing. This study used a pre- and post-test model to assess the difference games used as an intervention had on short-term retention. The final credential scores of …

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 …

How Do Faculty And Staff Perceive The Effectiveness Of Student Support Systems That Promote The Retention Of First-Generation College Students?, David Shawn Wolff Dr.

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

Research showed faculty-student interactions impact student engagement and was a primary factor to student retention (Kuh & Hu, 2001; Means & Pyne, 2017; Swecker et al., 2013; Tinto, 1987). The literature revealed while retention may be an issue for many institutions, there is a greater need to address retention specifically related to first-generation college students (FGCS). Students often seek advice from faculty and staff when faced with questions about their academic progress. Faculty and staff voices need to be collected regarding their perceptions of the effectiveness of the support systems used within an institution that promote retention for FGCS. This …

The Impact Of Frequent Student-Faculty Interactions On Repeater Students, Shanda Hood, Josh Girshner

TFSC Publications and Presentations

Second Annual University of Arkansas Teaching and Learning Symposium: Sharing Teaching Ideas

Data show that half of all students who have dropped/failed Survey of Calculus or Finite Mathematics at the University of Arkansas will drop/fail again. These students face a lack of motivation and a fair amount of anxiety toward mathematics. To make connections and create an environment in which they are comfortable discussing any issues with the professor, repeater students were asked to meet with the professor to complete a personalized academic improvement plan. This plan establishes the need for regular contact with the instructor and should increase the …

The Principal’S Role As Mentor In New Teacher Attrition Rates: The Importance Of Teaching Teachers, William Dockery

Theses & Dissertations

Research Focus. Research tells us that it takes years of deliberate practice and ongoing coaching to become an “expert” in any field and that it can take from 3 to 7 years for a new teacher to grow into an effective educator. Yet, in America today, more than 50% of teachers quit in their first 5 years of service. In low performing economically disadvantaged schools, teachers leaving the profession in their first 3 years increases to 60%. The impact of highly effective teachers on students’ success can be seen through the increase in percentile on Math scores, moving the needle …

Magnetic Hallway Huddles: Attract And Retain High-Quality Professionals, David Wolff, Carissa Gober, Donna Zerr

Open Educational Resources - Teaching and Learning

This presentation was conducted for a national conference about mentoring. The authors discussed Tinto’s Model of Institutional Departure and Schlossberg’s Model for Analyzing Human Adaptation to Transition as theoretical frameworks to explain the transition and retention of university professors. The focus on the study was the three authors who transitioned to the same university during the 2022-2023 academic year. Authors discussed their experiences of the transition and found themes related to the mentoring process that that acclimated them to the institution and influenced their retention.

The Effect Of A Specifically Designed First-Year Experience Course On Student Veteran Retention And Graduation Rates At A Public University, Anthony Dotson

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Capstones

Abstract

According to the United States Congressional Budget Office (2019) nearly $100 billion tax-payer dollars have been spent on education since the passing of the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008. That is more than the gross domestic product of at least 130 different countries per the latest World Bank’s (2022) rankings. Given the sheer enormity of the figure, one would likely assume that the educational needs of our veterans and their families have been well met if not surpassed. Unfortunately, like many assumptions related to veterans, that would be an inaccurate one. The reality is far more disturbingly …

A Comparative Exploration Into First Time In College Student Academic Performance In Face-To-Face Versus Remote Learning Environments, Ashley Click

Theses & Dissertations

In spring 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic forced educational systems to transition into an emergency remote learning modality. This quantitative study compared retention and productive grade rates of two 16-week academic semesters and compared face-to-face (fall 2019) and remote (fall 2020) emergency remote instruction. The study sample was drawn from the core courses of History, English, and Speech at San Antonio College. Those courses were selected in part due to the high proportion of first time in college students who were considered a vulnerable population regarding performance and persistence. Additional variables (i.e., gender, veteran status, first-generation status, and socio-economic status) were …

Engaging The Adult College Student: A Case Study On Improving Nontraditional Students’ Persistence, Conzolo L. Migliozzi

Instructional Design Capstones Collection

Nontraditional students, defined as those age 25 and older, had a first-year persistence rate of just 46.8% in 2019 (National Student Clearinghouse, 2021). The Education Fund, a large non-profit that provides training and tuition assistance to healthcare workers, is acutely aware of this problem as its membership is made up almost entirely of nontraditional learners. The Education Fund has many college readiness programs, and in an effort to improve upon their outcomes, requested this study on student persistence. Research on nontraditional student persistence was conducted and key Education Fund staff were interviewed as part of this project. While the literature …

The Effect Of Instructor-To-Student Ratios, Academic Preparation, And Selective Admissions On Retention Rates Among Caahep Accredited Paramedic Training Programs., Justin G. Tilghman

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: This study was a non-experimental evaluative study designed to identify the effects of instructor-to-student ratios, academic preparation, and selective admissions processes on retention rates among CAAHEP accredited paramedic training programs in the United States. Methods: Self-reported data from accredited program directors was analyzed to identify what relationships, if any, existed among the variables. Results: Results showed no effect of instructor-to-student ratios or academic preparation on retention rates. However, those programs that utilized selective admissions processes reported a statistically significantly higher student retention rate when compared to those that did not. Conclusions: Paramedic programs seeking to improve retention rates …

Career Longevity In Student Affairs: Implications For New Professionals From A Qualitative Study, Diane R. D'Arcangelo

West Chester University Doctoral Projects

Over the past several decades, the retention of new professionals in student affairs has been a concern. Many newcomers leave the profession before completing five years in the field. This qualitative study explored factors contributing to career longevity in student affairs professionals through semi-structured interviews. I interviewed eight participants working at Mid-Atlantic University for more than five years. The semi-structured interviews were set up with a dual focus. The first half of the interview focused on the participants' experience as new professionals, followed by questions that explored their perspectives on supervising new professionals. Seasoned professionals who remained in the field …

Trends In Student Attrition At An Urban Community College In The Southeast Region, Shirley Hardy

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the understudied reasons for attrition among urban community college students by way of Satisfactory Academic Program (SAP) appeals. The researcher used a qualitative methodology to understand the challenges associated with the mitigating circumstances attributed to academic attrition resulting in SAP appeals. The foundation for this study was laid by two renowned student departure theories: conceptual model of nontraditional student attrition (Bean & Metzner, 1985) and theory of student persistence in commuter colleges and universities (Braxton et al., 2014). The researcher sought to gain further knowledge to identify environmental factors that cause nontraditional …

The Relationships Between Grit, Mindset, And The Academic Success Of Nontraditional Students At Online Colleges, David W. Franklin Jr

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Grit and mindset are two of the hottest topics in education today, but research on their predictive power for academic success is inconclusive and rife with gaps and limitations. The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationships between grit, mindset, self-regulated learning (SRL), and academic outcomes for adult students attending online colleges. This was investigated using data from the Diagnostic Assessment and Achievement of College Skills (DAACS) project, and includes 9,276 undergraduate, mostly adult students from two online institutions in the United States. The results indicate that while grit, its two components, and mindset were significantly correlated with …

Female First-Generation College Students: A Review Of Challenges And Successes, Junghwan Kim, Sarah M. Miller, Jihee Hwang, Joann S. Olson

Journal of Global Education and Research

With increasing college access rates of underrepresented populations in recent years, first-generation college students (FGCSs), those who are the first in their family to attend college, have caught the attention of researchers and policymakers in the U.S. higher education system. This study focused on female FGCSs to identify the various challenges that are unique to this population. Through a systematic literature review, 13 studies were analyzed related to female FGCSs. Three themes were found from the analysis: role expectations, support systems, and socioeconomic background. These explain the challenges and self-identified strategies that female FGCSs discussed as contributing factors to their …

Text-Relevant Video Segments And Reading Comprehension Of Culturally Unfamiliar Texts With Adult Speakers Of English As A Second Language (Esl), Amirreza Karami, Freddie A. Bowles

Curriculum and Instruction Faculty Publications and Presentations

This pilot study is a mixed-methods sequential explanatory study that investigated the effects of watching text-relevant video segments supported by the Schematic Information-Processing (SIP) model of reading comprehension on reading comprehension of adult speakers of English as a Second Language (ESL) in terms of text familiarity and the retention of the content of a culturally unfamiliar text. Twenty homogeneous participants were randomly assigned to two groups: one control group and one experimental group. The results of the quantitative analysis showed that the experimental group outperformed the control group in both the immediate and delayed post-tests. Qualitative findings also highlight the …

The Impact Of The Online Learner Advising Model On Retention And Grade Point Average, Julie Delich

Doctorate in Education

As more students experience online learning environments, the academic community must invest more energy into improving retention of these learners. The purpose of this research was to study the impact of an advising model designed to support online learners, the Online learner advising model (OLAM). This study examined new student retention in the first 3 terms and GPA outcomes to measure the impact of the advising approach. OLAM was designed to address the specific needs of online learners through bringing together elements of proactive advising, shame resilience theory, and appreciative advising.

The sample was selected from Concordia University, St. Paul …

Pathways To Retention Of Alternatively Licensed Special Education Teachers, Meghan W. Sinning

Education Doctorate Dissertations

Special Education teacher retention has been a chronic concern for administrators for the past 45 years. Since 1975 when the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) was passed, providing Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) to students with exceptionalities, school districts' ability to hire appropriately licensed Special Education teachers has been a continual concern. Additionally, Special Education teachers’ turnover rate exceeds that of many other content areas in education. The Special Education teacher's attrition rates who have completed an alternate route to licensure program have been even greater than traditionally trained Special Education teachers. The study’s quantitative research has focused on a …

Examining Changes In Learning And Engagement Of Higher Education Students In A Fully Online Flipped Learning Distance Education Classroom, James David Riel

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The challenge of implementing effective online distance education courses for academics and institutions is a centuries-old task. We can look across early developments in the 18^th century with the creation and delivery of correspondence courses; into the 20^th century with teaching and learning across analog methods such as audio and video; and now in the current era of digitized mechanisms that enable the online classroom. This includes advances in internet technologies and computing abilities that are the empowering the backbone processes, bridging connectivity between the student and the instructor. As society has trended toward massive increases in online …

The Role Of Faculty In Fostering Psychosocial Wellbeing Among University Students, Kelley Wick

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The transition to college represents a major life event, and successfully navigating this shift has implications for students’ psychosocial wellbeing. While there is ample support for the idea that social relationships can facilitate student wellbeing during the transition to college, there is limited understanding of the unique role faculty may play in supporting students. The aim of this study was to determine the relation of faculty support to student wellbeing and self-efficacy, independent of peer support and student level of stress. Additionally, the primary questions were to examine whether self-efficacy mediated the relation of faculty support to student wellbeing, and …

Dnp Final Report: The Flipped Classroom: An Evidence-Based, Course Redesign To Increase Retention Rates In A Vocational Nursing Program, Jennifer P. Hauger

DNP Final Reports

Over the past three decades, Vocational Nursing has been taught using a conventional didactic method that is content heavy and lecture focused. Despite having a group of highly qualified professors and an excellent student pass rates on the National board examinations, student retention in a Vocational Nursing Program in central Texas remains below the National benchmark. With a unique student demographic that is identified as non-traditional (over 21, full-time working adults, English Second Language and single parents), we embarked upon the redesign of a Medical-Surgical Nursing course using the flipped pedagogical framework to increase retention rates. Therefore, in 2019 we …

Evaluation Of The Role Of Self-Efficacy As A Retention Strategy In The Implementation Of A Nurse Residency Program, Judith Diane Jackson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Newly licensed graduate nurses are transitioning to practice with low self-efficacy and competency gaps leading to poor patient outcomes and low retention rates within this population of nurses. These low rates of retention create an environment in which newly licensed graduate nurses have failed or are delayed in their transition from novice to expert. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of the implementation of the Vizient/AACN nurse residency program on the first-year retention rate of newly licensed graduate nurses within an organization in central Texas. The program was evaluated utilizing newly licensed graduate nurse pre- and …

Predicting Black Male Undergraduate Degree Completion At A Pwi Examining Single Indicators Of Religiosity, Anxiety, And Depression., Nickolas Spears Jr.

Theses and Dissertations

Religiosity is a well-known protective factor for mental health as a coping and resilience source, which positively affects Black male college students' academic success. However, less is known about whether religiosity predicts degree completion and buffers Black males' mental health from a quantitative research approach. Black males have one of the lowest degree completion rates at four-year institutions. Students who experience poor mental health outcomes have lower degree completion. This study utilized logistic regression to investigate whether religiosity: (1) predicted degree completion among Black male undergraduate students and (2) moderated anxiety and depression. The results suggest Black males identify high …