Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Commons^™

Improving The Rigor Of Online Education: Exploring Characteristics Of Faculty And Syllabi Within An Online Program Assessment Process, Brad J. Hamel

All NMU Master's Theses

As online course enrollments grow, overall perception of rigor still lags compared to that of traditional face-to-face education. The purpose of this research was to tie faculty and syllabi characteristics to the rigor of online courses. This study explored the relationship between faculty and syllabi characteristics and performance on an online entry-level course design quality assurance assessment (pass, pass with concern, or fail). A decision tree analysis was used to predict the relationship of the independent (faculty and syllabi characteristics) and the dependent (entry-level course design assessment) variables. Findings suggest that faculty rank and writing intensive are key characteristics predictive …

Utilization-Focused Evaluation: Exploring The Academic Self-Efficacy Of Paramedic Students In A Hybrid Learning Program, Amy Connerton

Higher Education: Doctoral Research Projects

The purpose of this study was to conduct a utilization-focused evaluation of the paramedic hybrid learning program at Colorado Mountain College, a rural community college. The study examined the relationship between student academic self-efficacy (SASE) and learning in a hybrid program and the effect of SASE on program satisfaction. Data were collected through multiple methods, including a questionnaire of program graduates from 2014 to 2018, interviews of seven past graduates, and a focus group involving eight stakeholders. These data were carefully analyzed for accuracy and then coded for relevant elements. The findings, evaluated in relation to two guiding research questions, …

The Role Of Higher Education In Rural Economic Development: A Program Evaluation Of The Colorado Rural Jump-Start Program, Maureen T. Stepp

Higher Education: Doctoral Research Projects

Since the financial crisis of 2008 and the subsequent recession, some urban and metro areas have experienced economic recovery, but not all geographic areas are recovering at the same pace. Federal, state, and local programs developed to help rural communities with their economic development efforts have failed to make much of a difference. In 2015, as a potential solution, Colorado spearheaded an initiative to incentivize economic development in rural communities. The Rural Jump-Start (RJS) Zone Act provides tax relief to new businesses and employees of those businesses, with the idea that because of these benefits, more businesses would retain, start, …

Orientation For College Success: A Utilization-Focused Evaluation Of The Student Orientation And Registration Program At The Steamboat Springs Campus Of Colorado Mountain College, Jacquelyn B. Brazill

Higher Education: Doctoral Research Projects

Successfully transitioning into postsecondary education can be challenging for new college students, particularly for students who are academically or socially underprepared for college. Transition programs can assist students with this process, thus increasing the likelihood of student retention. The author of this paper conducted a Utilization-Focused evaluation of the Student Orientation and Registration (SOAR) program at the Steamboat Springs campus of Colorado Mountain College with the intention of improving the program. The study examined the program through the lens of students’ perceptions of their academic and social preparation for their first semester of college after attending the SOAR program.

The …

Reducing The Attainment Gap For Low Socio Economic Status Students: Concurrent Enrollment Program Evaluation Colorado Mountain College, Jeremiah Fernandez Johnson

Higher Education: Doctoral Research Projects

A gap in college degree attainment is growing in the United States as college tuition and fees have drastically increased creating many barriers for students in low socio economic status (SES) families. These barriers are just the beginning in the many hurdles low SES students face in entering a college pathway and persisting to completing certificates or bachelor’s degrees. The state of Colorado has addressed this equity gap in higher education by creating a state wide initiative they have called Colorado Rises. This initiative is centered on increasing college completion statewide to 66% by 2025. In order to achieve this …

Advising Assessment Practices Of Advising Professionals At An Accredited United Kingdom Urban Career-Focused Higher Education Institution: A Replicated Quantitative, Descriptive Analysis, Catherine E. Mahrt-Washington

Dissertations

The Problem

As the world has flattened, the globalization and quality education movement surrounding higher education worldwide has led to the accountability of all stakeholders regarding student success in and beyond the classroom. Student mobility continues to impact tertiary enrollments as families and students consider the proliferated traditional and non-traditional enrollment alternatives along with prospective lower tertiary debt options. Although assessment, an accountability tool, in co-curricular areas such as advising has been overlooked by leaders, advising is not impervious to accountability consequences. The problem is that assessment of advising, if performed, is oftentimes implemented informally, without a well-defined framework or …

Effects Of A Peer-To-Peer Mentoring Program: Supporting First-Year College Students’ Academic And Social Integration On Campus, Griselda Flores Ph.D., Antonio G. Estudillo Ph.D.

Journal of Human Services: Training, Research, and Practice

This paper presents findings from a peer-to-peer mentoring program supporting ethnically diverse first-generation students at a mid-sized university in the Southwest. Research on mentoring during the undergraduate years has placed emphasis on the quality of lived-collegiate experiences from both a peer-mentor and mentee perspective (Crisp, Baker, Griffen, Lusnford, & Pifer, 2017). Using a mixed methods approach, two survey instruments and qualitative analysis, interviews with peer-mentors and mentees suggested student development occurred through various means: (i) academics, (ii) university involvement, and (iii) the reinforcement of friendship. These findings reinforce theory first drawn from Tinto’s (1993) student integration perspectives (e.g., academic and …

A Mixed-Methods Study Investigating The Relationship Between Minority Student Perceptions Of The Climate And Culture Of Their Institution And The Climate And Culture Of Higher Education, Melodie Carr-Winston

Dissertations

The researcher conducted a mixed-methods study at a private, Midwestern, Predominantly White institution in order to determine the relationship between minority student perceptions of higher education and minority student perceptions of their institution. The goal of the study was to determine whether minority student perceptions of the climate and culture of their institution influenced their perception of higher education as a whole. Another objective was to determine whether minority student perceptions connected to minority student retention. To determine the relationship, the researcher surveyed 20 undergraduate, African American students and conducted one-onone interviews with three of the students between the fall …

Performance-Based Funding Of Higher Education: Analyses Of Policy Discourse Across Four Case Studies, Mary Ziskin, Karyn E. Rabourn, Donald Hossler

Educational Leadership Faculty Publications

Performance-based funding (PBF) for public colleges and universities is increasingly prevalent worldwide, as a part of a broader pattern of marketisation in public education. This study focused on developing an empirical view of how, and in what contexts, policy makers use the concepts of neoliberal economics to design and support PerformanceBased Funding (PBF) policies in higher education. We analysed 121 policy documents, white papers, evaluation reports, and news items related to PBF policies in four case jurisdictions: Tennessee, Washington, United Kingdom, and Italy. We employed critical discourse analysis methods as framed by Fairclough and colleagues and implemented this approach within …

A Case Study On The Experiences Of Black Men Participating In An African-American Male Initiative At A Post-Secondary Institution, Michael A. Gibson

Dissertations

In the United States, African-American men are dominant in the entertainment industry mainly in sports and music. However, their success in entertainment does not translate to education. Many Black men grow up not having a positive experience in education, thus they do not see its value. However, many see the value in striving after a false sense of masculinity comprised of sex, drugs, money, and crime. This research was conducted to see how effective Black male mentorship through an African-American Male Initiative could be for Black males in a post-secondary institution in providing the positive experience in education that they …

Differences In The Dual Credit Experience Between High School And Institutions Of Higher Education, Micheala A. Steinmetz-Benton

Dissertations

Dual credit courses are college-level courses offered to high school students which are accepted for both high school and college credit (Hughes, 2016). Dual credit positively impacts students by reducing the time to complete a degree, enhancing the high school curriculum, increasing college accessibility, and lessening educational financial burdens (Hughes, 2016). The intention of this study was to survey adjunct instructors who have taught in both high school and college environments to determine their opinions of differences that exist between secondary and postsecondary dual credit experiences. College administrators were also interviewed to obtain insight into any variability of dual credit …

Introducing The Academic Discipline Of Agricultural Communications To The United Kingdom: A Needs Analysis, Sara Kathryn Maples

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

There is a current need to identify and describe opinions of prospective employers and current agricultural students about the prospects of developing an agricultural communications academic discipline in the U.K. An understanding of the competencies employers would expect of agricultural communications graduates, as well as an understanding of what students would expect to learn, would form the conceptualization and development of the discipline in the U.K. A total of 22 agricultural communications professionals and 67 agricultural students from across the United Kingdom completed the survey. Collected data showed agricultural students and agricultural communications professionals answers overall were not statistically different. …

Undocumented Hispanic Students In Higher Education: A Phenomenology Of Students Struggling To Obtain Educational And Career Goals, Marvin Rondon

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative transcendental phenomenological study is to describe the experiences of undocumented Hispanic students paying out-of-state tuition while enrolled at selected community colleges in Eastern North Carolina. This study is guided by Arnett’s emerging adulthood theory, a stage of life linking adolescence and young adulthood marked by self-identity issues, exploration, planning for the future, instability, crisis, commitment, family expectations, new relationships, and new roles. The central research question focuses on the educational experiences of undocumented Hispanic students paying out-of-state tuition enrolled in rural North Carolina community colleges with restrictive in-state tuition laws. A purposeful sample of 12 …

Motivational Decline And Recovery In Higher Education Stem Courses, Anna M. Young, Paul J. Wendel, Joan M. Esson, Kathryn M. Plank

Education Faculty Scholarship & Creative Works

Decline in student motivation is a concern for STEM education, especially for underrepresented groups in the sciences. Using the Science Motivation Questionnaire II, 41 foundational STEM courses were surveyed at the beginning and end of each semester in an academic year at a small primarily undergraduate university. Significant pre- to post-semester declines were observed in each of five measured motivational factors (Intrinsic motivation, Career motivation, Self determination, Self-efficacy, and Grade motivation), with effect sizes ranging from 0.21 to 0.41. However, in the second semester pre-survey, four motivational factors rebounded, including three returning to initial levels, suggesting that the observed motivational …

A Mixed-Methods Study On Emotional And Social Intelligence And Grit In Graduate Students At A Private Four-Year University, Emilee S. Schnefke

Dissertations

The researcher observed, as an educator, administrator, and graduate student, college student’s withdrawal from school due to personal reasons or lack of determination. The study of Emotional and Social Intelligence (ESI) and grit enabled the researcher to learn about the traits or characteristics one must possess to achieve a goal, more specifically earning a college degree. The researcher tested hypotheses for a difference in ESI and grit scores among the studied population and sought the perception of ESI and grit through a mixed-methods study. The researcher measured the ESI and grit among Educational Leadership Specialists and Doctoral students and graduates …

Comparing Active Duty And Transitional Military Veteran Students' Evaluation Of Online Distance Higher Education Learning Environments, Sherry Crissman

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Active duty service members’ participation in non-traditional higher education designed for veterans and other non-traditional adults can be uniquely impacted by their unpredictable military schedules, geographic instability, and frequently limited access to technology needed to complete course requirements while in remote areas. The purpose of this study was to examine whether active duty undergraduates differed significantly regarding their attitudes toward distance learning and their perceptions of the distance learning environment compared to veterans and non-traditional adults. This causal comparative study examined adult students’ perceptions after participating in 200-level undergraduate education delivered online at a private four-year institution based on their …

Exploring The Learning Experience Of Higher Education Students In A Midwestern University Who Suffered Childhood Trauma, Dora Jean Washington

Dissertations

This study explored the learning experiences of higher education students who suffered childhood trauma (CT). Eleven participants both undergraduate and graduate who attended a Midwestern university self-identified as CT survivors. There was research on the negative impact of CT on learning in children and adolescents, as well as posttraumatic stress and veterans. However, the PI was unable to find research on the impact of CT on adults in higher education. Higher education institutions and professors may benefit from understanding how to help these students who often have an invisible learning disability. Research questions asked, what is the learning experience of …

Putting Students In The Front And Center: Exploring And Refining Student Centered Learning Techniques, Michelle M. Bennett, Anne Boettcher, Brent D. Bowen, Tonje Crossley, Dawn Groh, Tyrone Groh, Timothy B. Holt

Publications

Student-centered learning (SCL) represents a growing trend in higher education that emphasizes active learning strategies in lieu of more traditional passive strategies such as lecture. This study explores different techniques under the rubric of SCL to evaluate the utility of selected tools to enhance student knowledge and student learning. Specifically, this study tests the use of student portfolios, flipped classrooms, digital learning strategies, and problem-based learning to enhance a student’s learning experience. Originating as a collaborative effort from a university faculty learning community, this study includes a multi-disciplinary look at the effects of SCL approaches in the fields of aviation, …

Is It Worth The Effort? Evaluating A Third Generation Research Method For A Third Generation Approach To The First Year Experience In Higher Education, Trevor S. Black, Romina Jamieson-Proctor

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

: The first year experience of students studying at higher education institutions has been intensively studied over the past forty years (Nelson & Clarke, 2014). Much has been learnt, but institutions are continuing to face unacceptable levels of student withdrawal. Concerns have been raised that the constructs on which previous studies have been based may be restricting researchers’ efforts to develop a deeper understanding of the first year phenomena (Kahu, 2013). There is strong support for new and creative ways to investigate the lived experience of first year students across their full first year of study. This paper details and …

Utilizing A Learning Management System To Support Access To Study Abroad: A Program Evaluation At The University Of Denver, Christopher Chaves E Silva

Higher Education: Doctoral Research Projects

This doctoral research project investigated issues of access to study abroad at the University of Denver (DU). The study evaluated the use of the learning management system Canvas during Fall 2017, in preparation for student applications for study abroad during Fall 2018. The evaluation utilized qualitative data from focus groups with students and families, interviews with higher education professionals and analytics data on the usage of Canvas. The findings identified that the usage of Canvas during Fall 2017 was low in comparison to the number of individuals who applied to study abroad and was focused on the preparation for the …

Predicting First-Year Academic Success Of African American And White Students At Predominately White Institutions, Jerel Benton

Online Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to determine how models utilizing demographic, academic, and social pre-college characteristics are related to first-year academic success of White and African American students at PWIs. The demographic pre-college factors include students& race and gender; the academic factors include ACT composite score and high school GPA; and the social factors include the distance from home, percent of African American in students& high school, and parents& highest education level. First-year academic success is defined by the three dependent variables: first-year retention, first-year GPA, and first-year credit hour completion percentage. The results of the study showed that …

Interpretative Analysis Of Adult Learners’ Lived Experiences In A Uniquely Designed Higher Education Program, Latonya M. Branham

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

The lived and collegiate experiences of adult learners, who are among the fastest growing student population in 21st century higher education, is the essence of this study. The study was conducted using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Fifteen baccalaureate level degree-seeking study participants consented to share their respective journeys. Twenty-one interviews were conducted for the study. Code-listed categories, themes and sub-themes emerged from two interview sessions, and member-checking sessions. Several themes were aligned to two research questions: In what ways, if any, are the distinctive needs and expectations of adult learners fulfilled through a baccalaureate level adult learner program; and, what does …

Funds Of Knowledge And The College Success Of First-Generation Students, Low-Income Students, And Students Of Color: A Transformative Mixed Methods Study, Delma Margot Ramos

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Increases in college enrollment have led to assessments of college success. These assessments consistently reveal disparities between students from historically underserved communities and students from the majority. Specifically, first-generation to college students, low-income students, and students of color continue to experience unequitable success in college. In response to these concerns, the scholarly community engages in research that expands our understanding of college success of these students and offers solutions to bolster their success. Nonetheless, much of this work engages a deficit oriented approach that centers attention on the resources that historically underrepresented communities do not possess and attributes lower college …

A Nice Place To Live And Work: A Mixed-Methods Case Study Of A Residential Life Living-Learning Community And Employment Model At A Top-Tier Midwestern University, Justin Paul Linsenmeyer

Dissertations

Colleges and universities worldwide are competing with one another to provide undergraduate students with top-tier learning experiences to increase and retain enrollment. Many institutions are developing living-learning communities to maximize non-academic learning, promote social development, and facilitate interactions among students, faculty, and staff. This study was a mixed-methods, single case study of a living-learning program at a top-tier, Midwestern university. The purpose of this study was twofold: to explore the effectiveness of an undergraduate residential living-learning community at a top-tier university in regards to student satisfaction and interaction, and to investigate elements of staff job satisfaction and long-term retention of …

The Impact Of Substance Use On The Prevalence Of Sexual Misconduct At Institutions In The Midwest, Jerilyn Jean Reed

Dissertations

Sexual assault has been an issue facing institutions of higher education for many years (Office of Civil Rights, 2011). Alcohol plays a role in both who have been victims of sexual assault and who have perpetrated the crime of sexual assault (Crawford, Wright, & Birchmeier, 2008). The purpose of this study was to look at sexual misconduct at institutions of higher education and to determine if substance use, such as alcohol or drugs, is a factor in the incidence of sexual misconduct happening to students on college campuses. The quantitative data section of the study reviewed three years of data …

International Student Enrollment Trends From 2008-2014: Country Case Studies And Comparison To A Midwest Liberal Arts Institution, Emin Hajiyev

Dissertations

The international student recruitment and overall cross-border education have constantly been evolving. In the past two decades, higher education institutions were developing and implementing their plan of campus internationalization. Various universities and colleges have different approaches to the internationalization. However, through the implementation of the process, most of the institutions realized that the cornerstone of the internationalization is the international student recruitment. Despite providing the financial health to the institutions and overall to the process of internationalization, international student recruitment is the provider of the campus multiculturalism and diversity. This research is concentrated on the external factors of the cross-border …

Exploring The Impact Of Undergraduate Intramural Sports On Undergraduate Students’ Perceived Sense Of Community: A Multiple Regression Analysis, Nathan Penland

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Research has shown benefits to the student experience for college students when they participate in intramural sports on university campuses. These benefits include improved physical and social health as well as academic performance. This non-experimental, predictive correlational study sought to understand if a relationship exists between the predictive variables of length and frequency in intramural sports and sense of community as the criterion outcome with undergraduate students on private liberal arts campuses. Participants were undergraduate students from two institutions of similar size, and sense of community was measured by Chavis, Lee, and Acosta’s (2008) Sense of Community Index 2 (SCI-2) …

Informal Order, Needs Analysis, And The Eap Curriculum, Faisal S. Al-Maamari

The Qualitative Report

The academic curriculum is developed through a systematic process whereby content is created through the alignment of needs to stakeholder or target group. This qualitative research study features a small-scale, English for academic purpose (EAP) needs analysis (NA) of three credit-bearing EAP programs and the corresponding departmental programs conducted at a Language Center at a higher education institution in Oman. Based on interview, observational and documentary data, the analysis showed divergences in academic literacy (writing and reading) between the EAP and content programs. Principally, the findings pointed to the presence and operation of a group of informal orders and the …

An Evaluation Of The Effects Of The Search For Education, Elevation, And Knowledge (Seek) Program On Short- And Intermediate-Term Outcomes, Raymond Galinski

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The Search for Education, Elevation, and Knowledge (SEEK) program is an educational opportunity program within the City University of New York designed to provide economically and academically disadvantaged students, who otherwise would not have such access, the opportunity to attend college and to succeed once enrolled. However, despite being in existence for a half-century, surprisingly little is known about how the SEEK program contributes to student achievement and success. This study was the first to empirically measure the short- and intermediate-term impacts of this program on student outcomes.

Using propensity scores to match SEEK students to similar non-SEEK students to …

An Evaluation Of Arkansas’ Developmental Coursework Policy At Postsecondary Institutions, Evan Thomas Rhinesmith

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation is an evaluation of the impacts of assignment to and enrollment in postsecondary remedial coursework in the state of Arkansas. In this study, I evaluate the impacts of the policy on students’ academic achievement and attainment as measured by graduation rates and persistence. I include subgroup analyses of these outcomes to determine whether there are heterogeneous effects for students enrolling at two-year or four-year institutions, institutions with the highest remediation rates, and students of different races, genders, and baseline achievement. Like previous evaluations of remediation in other settings, the results here point to negative impacts of remediation on …