Higher Education Commons^™

Exploring The Relationship Between Receipt Of Counseling Services And College Students' Academic Success, Catherine Moss

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between receipt of counseling services and college student academic performance as measured by cumulative grade point average (GPA) and degree completion within six-years. Archival data was obtained from the university counseling center records of clients and institutional student records, representing those whose first session of counseling occurred between the academic years 2000-01 through 2007-08. This study was a nonexperimental ex post facto examination of the data and used regression analyses to test the hypotheses. Gender and the Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) rating at the intake session were used as …

Nato Educational Readiness For The Millennials, John Patrick Kelley

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), formed in 1949 and described as the most successful alliance in history, is facing change. By 2020, the majority of students in the NATO educational institutions will be Millennium Generation students. To best meet this student group's educational needs, changes to the delivery of educational content may be needed. This study determined how Millennial Generation characteristics may change as Millennials mature, how military service may change Millennials, confirmed the international nature of Millennial characteristics across the 28 nations of NATO and predicted the state of educational technology in 2020.

This qualitative study investigated these …

The Relationship Of Three Financial Aid Appeal Interventions With Academic Progress And Student Persistence, Jeannetta Lynn Hollins

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

Poor academic performance can result in financial aid suspension and can decrease the opportunity or likelihood of students continuing their college education. The objective of this preliminary quantitative study was to investigate an under-researched area of financial aid, and Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) appeal interventions, to determine whether any of the three approaches studied influenced student academic outcomes. This study was confined to one large, multi-campus community college institution. The study was conducted ex post facto, using binary logistic regression to analyze data collected over a period of four consecutive semesters.

The interventions were designed to provide an academically struggling …

Assessing A College Readiness Model For An Independent Residential School, Natalia Dorovskaya Collins

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

Interest in the topic of college readiness is growing as more and more high school graduates are not prepared for college-level work (Bok, 2006, 2013; González, 2012; Pascarella, Wolniak, Pierson, & Terenzini, 2003; Professor X, 2011). Most models offering assessment of the college readiness of students concentrate strictly upon the academic part of the issue – high school GPAs, high school course titles, standardized test scores – while disregarding non-academic elements, such as time management, the ability to demonstrate college-level academic behaviors and a general awareness of the environments present in different institutions of higher education. The purpose of this …

What's Grad School All About?, Michele C. Weigle

Computer Science Presentations

PDF of a powerpoint presentation from the Capital region Celebration of Women in Computing (CAPWIC) Conference in Harrisonburg, Virginia, February 27, 2015. Also available on Slideshare.

The Relationship Between Mobile Learning, Instructional Delivery, And Student Motivation In A Large Undergraduate Science Class, Kristen H. Gregory, Helen Crompton

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

Science learning at the early undergraduate level provides a challenging context with large classes and many complex topics to unpack with the students. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore: how students use mobile devices for learning in a large, undergraduate classroom; what types of instructional delivery could be used with the devices in this context; and if students were motivated to learn. Classroom observations and semi-structured interviews with the professor were reported and five patterns emerged from these data: connected, personal, multimodal, engaged, and class management. From the overall findings of these data, it would appear that …

Talking Less But Saying More: Teaching Us History Online, Carolyn J. Lawes

History Faculty Publications

After years of teaching in person at a large public university in Virginia, I decided to move my undergraduate U.S. history courses for that school online. I did so for one reason: the online format allows me to off er a better history class.

Students' Experiences With Different Course Delivery Modalities: On Campus, Online, And Satellite, Mark C. Rehfuss, Andrea Kirk-Jenkins, Tammi F. Dice

Counseling & Human Services Faculty Publications

In an effort to adapt to the technological advances of this century, the training of human services professionals has grown from traditional classrooms and satellite programs to online education. Many human services programs are under pressure from their universities and students to expand into online education. This study examined 252 students’ experiences and perceptions of their Bachelors of Science program as it transitioned to offering courses online in addition to on campus and satellite sites. Students’ narrative responses reflected 4 themes: convenience, interactions, learning preference, and technology. These themes and their implications for educators and students are discussed.

Design And Comparison Of Immersive Interactive Learning And Instructional Techniques For 3d Virtual Laboratories, Shuo Ren, Frederic D. Mckenzie, Sushil K. Chaturvedi, Ramamurthy Prabhakaran, Jaewan Yoon, Petros J. Katsioloudis, Hector Garcia

Computational Modeling & Simulation Engineering Faculty Publications

This work presents the design, development, and testing of 3D virtual laboratories for practice, specifically in undergraduate mechanical engineering laboratories. The 3D virtual laboratories, implemented under two virtual environments3DTV and Computer Automated Virtual Environment (CAVE)serve as pre-lab sessions performed before the actual physical laboratory experiment. The current study compares the influence of two instructional methods (conventional lecture-based and inquiry-based) under two virtual environments, and the results are compared with the pre-lab sessions using a traditional paper-based lab manual. Subsequently, the evaluation is done by conducting performance and quantitative assessments from students pre-and post-laboratory performances. The research results demonstrate that students …

An Exploration Of Student Experiences With Learner-Centered Instructional Strategies, Jill E. Stefaniak, Monica W. Tracey

STEMPS Faculty Publications

In this exploratory study, we examined how undergraduate students experience learning in a learner-centered teaching environment and their perceptions of motivation towards learning material in an introductory public speaking communications course. Six faculty members participated in a semester-long study where their teaching strategies were observed. Three faculty members participated in a cognitive apprenticeship where they were taught how to implement learner-centered instructional strategies into their coursework. Participants were 109 students who were enrolled in an introductory public speaking course. Data was collected by means of classroom observations, interviews, and the administration of a survey. Our findings indicated that students who …

Research Trends In The Use Of Mobile Learning In Mathematics, Helen Crompton, Diane Burke

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

The use of mobile learning in education is growing at an exponential rate. To best understand how mobile learning is being used, it is crucial to gain a collective understanding of the research that has taken place. This research was a systematic review of 36 studies in mobile learning in mathematics from the year 2000 onward. Eight new findings emerged: (1) The primary purpose of most studies was to focus on evaluating mobile learning. (2) Case studies and experimental design were the main research methods. (3) Most studies report positive learning outcomes; (4) Mobile phones were the mobile device used …

Perceptions Of Pedagogical Affordance Of Smart Mobile Technology, Khitam Shraim, Helen Crompton

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

Smart mobile devices are becoming ubiquitous among educators and students in Palestine. Mobile devices can be used to provide learning that is contextualized, personalized and unrestricted by location and time. Although these device capabilities are available, many faculty in higher education are not effectively incorporating this technology into their teaching. This study therefore examined academics’ perceptions of the value of integrating mobile devices into their teaching activities. A questionnaire survey collected data from 56 academic staff of the Palestine Technical University - Kadoorie, eliciting perceptions of the pedagogical affordance of mobile devices and challenges to their use in teaching. The …

Graduate News, Office Of Graduate Studies, Old Dominion University

Graduate News

December 2014 issue of Graduate News from the Office of Graduate Studies (now, ODU Graduate School).

Impact Of The Post-9/11 G.I. Bill: An Examination Of Retention Of First Year Students In The Hampton Roads Area, Kim B. Sibson

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

The Post-9/11 G.I. Bill has had a tremendous impact on higher education institutions (HEI) across the country. As of 2011, the Veterans Administration (VA) had issued G.I. Bill payments to almost 500,000 veterans. This research examines the effect of the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill on student retention in different types of HEIs in the Hampton Roads region of Southeastern Virginia, an area that has a high number of military and military-affiliated residents. Ex post facto data from various institutions have been compared, with a public university, a for-profit college, and a two-year public community college to examine the retention rates of …

State Of The University Address, 2014, John R. Broderick

State of the University Addresses

President John R. Broderick's 2014 State of the University Address and Faculty Welcome.

Preparing Future Faculty Program (Pff) Annual Report, 2013-2014, Wie Yusuf

Career Pathways

It is the mission of the Preparing Future Faculty (PFF) Program at Old Dominion University (ODU) to introduce graduate students and post-doctoral fellows to the diverse roles, the responsibilities, and the rewards of an academic career. In doing so it focuses particularly on the teaching and service roles sometimes not included in doctoral training. Fundamental research skills, such as grant writing, publishing, and academic job searching, are also addressed.

The PFF program offers a ‘Preparing Future Faculty Certificate’ to graduate students who document completion of specific activities related to preparing for an academic career. Any ODU and NSU degree-seeking graduate …

College Health And Mental Health Outcomes On Student Success, Daniel Joseph St. John

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

This study explores the relationship between college students' utilization of university counseling services and university health services, and student academic performance. Data was collected using an archival data set including university counseling center records, health center records, and academic reports from institutional research at a large, public southeastern university. The primary variables of this study included: number of sessions in the university counseling center and/or university health center, instances of new initiated contacts, treatment variables, GPA, and degree completion. The overarching hypothesis of this study is that students who receive mental health services are significantly more likely to experience student …

The Effects Of Student Engagement On Retention: Comparing Male Undergraduate Stem Majors To Non-Stem Majors, Tourgee D. Simpson Jr.

STEMPS Theses & Dissertations

Researchers suggest certain benchmarks of student engagement (i.e., student-faculty interaction, level of academic challenge, enriching educational experiences, active and collaborative learning, and supportive campus environment) positively influence student success. This study investigated the relationship between student engagement and the retention of male, full-time undergraduate students in STEM majors by comparing male, full-time undergraduate students in select science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) majors to male, full-time undergraduate students in non-STEM majors to identify best practices to improve retention and increase degree completion among men in STEM fields.

Students were invited to participate in the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE). …

Resident Assistants' Self- Efficacy For Participation In Counseling Activities, Miranda Johnson Parries

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

Based on the changes in mental health needs on college campuses, this study examines Resident Assistants' self-efficacy to participate in counseling activities with the residents whom they are assigned to assist. The literature review discusses recent efforts introduced by residence life departments to respond to the increase in mental health and behavioral issues that college students are now facing, the barriers that prevent Resident Assistants, who function as paraprofessionals within their on-campus communities, from taking action, and recommended training components and parameters. The increase of serious mental health issues calls for the reimagining of the training provided to Resident Assistants …

Microblogging As A Facilitator Of Online Community In Graduate Education, Vincent Anthony Rhodes

English Theses & Dissertations

Part-time and distance-learning students can experience a sense of isolation from their peers and the university. Concern about this isolation and resulting student attrition has increased in the midst of explosive growth in online course enrollments. One possible solution: building a stronger sense of community within the online graduate classroom using microblogging technology such as Twitter. Unfortunately, scholars across disciplines define community in different ways with some rejecting the concept altogether in favor of other theoretical constructs. And, few scholars have examined the notion of online classroom community from an English Studies perspective exploring the rhetorical exigencies that underpin this …

Art-Based Cultural Competency And Empathy Building In Medical Education, Gabrielle Mormile

EVMS School of Health Professions Theses & Dissertations

Research in the medical field has emphasized the importance of positive patient-doctor relationships for improving treatment outcomes and quality of care. This has included a call for integrated cultural competency and empathy-building components in medical education. This study used art-based methods developed from the field of art therapy in one large class experience with 144 first-year medical students, as well as six 90-minute group sessions with four volunteers from the same group. Data analysis for the large class included an online survey and a pretest and posttest Health Beliefs Attitudes Survey (HBAS). In addition, the small group participants completed a …

An Exploratory Study Of The Graduate School Experience Recorded Through Photography, Mary Keenehan

EVMS School of Health Professions Theses & Dissertations

This exploratory self-study utilized the medium of photography to record my art therapy and counseling graduate school experience. Photographs and written reflections of the images were recorded weekly during an eight-week period. Qualitative data including 38 photographs and corresponding responses were analyzed in order to extract patterns and themes from my overall experience. Photography combined with the reflection process was found to facilitate integration of my art therapist identity and fostered personal growth and insight.

Art And The Brain: Implications For Art Therapy, Katherine Lawrance

EVMS School of Health Professions Theses & Dissertations

The requirements for a Master’s Degree in Art Therapy and Counseling do not include education on neurology. This thesis explores how neurology that could be beneficial for art therapy education. To begin, basic understanding of brain regions, cell structure, memory storage, neurological equipment, and pathologies is explored. This information was used to further explore creativity in the brain, the neurology of viewing art, and psychological and neurological pathologies. This information is compared in relation to current research on art creation, and/or art therapy within healthy individuals or corresponding pathologies and compiled into organized tables. From the literature review, information was …

The Effect Of Delayed Enrollment, Regional Wealth, And First-Generation Status On Community College Student Success, Sunita Etwaroo Hines

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

For many students, the path to earning a postsecondary educational degree is often met with personal and social obstacles, but first-generation students are less likely to even enroll in postsecondary education and they have a higher probability for attrition when compared to their counterparts. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between delayed enrollment, regional wealth, and first-generation status on community college student success. This study analyzed differences in student success for students who enrolled at the community college immediately after high school graduation, for those who delayed enrollment up to two years, or delayed enrollment more …

Student Conduct Administrator Knowledge Of The Statistical Reporting Obligations Of The Jeanne Clery Disclosure Of Campus Security Policy And Campus Crime Statistics Act, Michael Matthew Debowes

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

The Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act (the "Clery Act") is a consumer right-to-know law originally passed by Congress in 1900. The law requires colleges and universities receiving federal student aid to publish annually their security-related policies and crime statistics. The law provides for a civil fine up to $35,000 for each act of noncompliance, which can include failure to disclose a single crime statistic.

Student conduct administrators play an important role in classifying crimes, yet the literature is lacking on this population's understanding of the Clery Act. Therefore the purpose of this study …

A Study Of The Factors That Predict Academic Success And Retention Of Student-Athletes, April A. Brecht

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

Institutions across the country and the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) are continuously looking for ways to improve the academic success and retention of students. Most research focuses on the use of cognitive factors as predictors; however, there has been an increase in the use of non-cognitive factors in this research. This study used logistical regression in the examination of non-cognitive, cognitive, and demographic factors as predictors of academic success and retention of Division I first year student-athletes at a large, public, moderately selective, research extensive institution. The population consisted of 275 students who participated in 16 intercollegiate teams. The …

A Grounded Theory Of The College Experiences Of African American Males In Black Greek-Letter Organizations, David Julius Ford Jr.

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

Studies have shown that involvement in a student organization can improve the academic and psychosocial outcomes of African American male students (Harper, 2006b; Robertson & Mason, 2008; Williams & Justice, 2010). Further, Harper, Byars, and Jelke (2005) stated that African American fraternities and sororities (i.e., Black Greek-letter organizations [BGLOs]) are the primary venues by which African American students become involved on campus. This grounded theory study examined the relationship between membership in a BOLO and the overall college experiences of African American male college students at a Predominantly White Institution (PWI). Eleven themes were identified in the study indicating that …

Entry-Level Cognitive Mathematics Skill And First-Semester Mathematics Performance As Correlates Of Fall-To-Fall Retention Of Community College Students, Stephen Tyler Corbin

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between first-semester mathematics performance and fall-to-fall retention for first-time-in-college, degree-seeking community college students. The study further refined the investigation by seeking to determine if the significance of this relationship was affected by student readiness for college-level mathematics as of the first semester of enrollment at the institution under study.

The sample chosen for this study consisted of 1518 first-time-in-college, degree-seeking students enrolled in fall semester 2011 at a large, multi-campus community college in Virginia. The dependent variable was fall-to-fall retention, a commonly applied student success metric in the Virginia Community …

Graduate News, Office Of Graduate Studies, Old Dominion University

Graduate News

February 2014 issue of Graduate News from the Office of Graduate Studies (now, ODU Graduate School).

Mobile Cloud Learning For Higher Education: A Case Study Of Moodle In The Cloud, Minjuan Wang, Yong Chen, Muhammad Jahanzaib Khan

Information Technology & Decision Sciences Faculty Publications

Mobile cloud learning, a combination of mobile learning and cloud computing, is a relatively new concept that holds considerable promise for future development and delivery in the education sectors. Cloud computing helps mobile learning overcome obstacles related to mobile computing. The main focus of this paper is to explore how cloud computing changes traditional mobile learning. A case study of the usage of Moodle in the cloud via mobile learning in Khalifa University was conducted.