Higher Education Commons^™

Evaluation Of Marzano’S Instructional-Strategies Program At A Southeastern Elementary School, Renee B. Evans

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this applied dissertation was to evaluate an instructional-strategies program implemented at a southeastern elementary school. The program was implemented with the intent to increase teacher effectiveness, thereby impacting student achievement. The evaluation sought to determine if the strategies were implemented as designed and the impact and effectiveness of the program. The research also sought to determine what strategies should be sustained and any unanticipated effects.

The Stufflebeam program-evaluation model was used to guide the research. Only the process and product evaluation types were used. The school’s principal and district’s instructional coach were interviewed, and 40 of 48 …

Undocumented Students In Higher Education: How Liminal Legality Influences The College Experience, Michelle Simon

Theses and Dissertations

Undocumented students’ pursuit of higher education mirrors in many ways the path of traditional American students. However, there are policies in place that create barriers unique to undocumented students. While the policies directly influence these students’ educational plans, their emotional states are influenced as well. This paper will explore the policies that have had historical impacts on undocumented students’ access to higher education. Through interviews with students at universities in the southeast region of the United States, this paper will identify the impact these policies have on students’ educational pursuits. The hope is that this paper will serve as a …

The Experiences Of Black Males In Honors Colleges, Sandra Greene

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to explore the experiences of Black Males in honors colleges. Specifically this study aims to highlight the successes, challenges, and common experiences of Black males in honors colleges. To this end, the researcher interviewed six Black men in an honors college located in a predominantly White institution in the southeast. This study sought to share a story of success to counteract the majoritarian narrative of Black male underachievement. Critical Race Theory provided a framework and lens to help understand the emergent themes and findings. Through interviews with the study participants the following seven themes …

Time To Career: Science And Engineering Education To Career Trajectories, Angie Nim Choi

Theses and Dissertations

Two waves of data from the 2006 and 2008 Survey of Earned Doctorates and Survey of Doctorate Recipients were used in this study to investigate time to doctorate (TTD) and time to career (TTC) for science and engineering PhDs. Three-way factorial ANOVAs were conducted, and TTD results indicated main effects for gender, US citizenship, and Biglan classification, and interaction effects for gender and US citizenship. US citizen PhDs progressed to their career approximately one mean year faster than foreign PhDs. For TTC, PhDs who held postdocs progressed to their careers in 14 and 15 years for females and males respectively …

Promoting Behavior Change In Rowan University Students Through Fitness And Wellness Programming, Megan E. Mchugh

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of participation in the Rowan University Recreation Center’s 2015 RU Heart Strong incentive program, and to explore behavior change in college students as a result of fitness and wellness programming at Rowan University. Data were collected from 59 subjects who participated in a survey that assessed subjects’ physical activity levels and various psychosocial constructs such as social support, self-efficacy, and expectations in relation to the 2015 RU Heart Strong incentive program. Data analysis suggested that students who participated in the RU Heart Strong incentive program practiced behaviors to maintain a …

Student Affairs Programs At Rowan University And Their Impact On Students' Sense Of Mattering, Sarah M. Olsen

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the attitudes of student participants of the Rowan After Hours’ program on mattering. The subjects of this study were 400 Rowan University student participants of the Rowan After Hours program. Data were collected using a variation of the College Mattering Inventory (Tovar et al., 2009) which contains a 37 Likert scale statements consisting of seven subscales that sought to determine students’ attitudes toward mattering in seven subscales. Results indicated that students participating in the Rowan After Hours program had a positive attitude towards mattering overall, and the highest subscale was the subscale …

Leading And Developing A First Year Learning Community For Opportunity Program Students, Penny E. Mcpherson

Theses and Dissertations

Opportunity programs have utilized the learning community model through summer bridge programs for many years. First year learning communities have proven to be successful tools in retaining students and improving the overall college experience for students (Buck, 1995; Garcia, 1991; Gold, 1992). As opportunity programs seek ways to increase retention for first generation, underrepresented students, this study combines the successful communal relationships developed from the summer bridge program with the added academic and social support from multiple campus partners to create a comprehensive living learning community for opportunity program students in their first year.

Students from low-income families, first-generation college …

Rowan University Faculty Attitudes Towards Their Role As Advisors, Eunice Adigun

Theses and Dissertations

This purpose of this study was to determine how selected full time tenured and tenure-track faculty members at Rowan University described their satisfaction with their faculty advising role. It examined the impressions of students that selected Rowan University full time tenured and tenure-track faculty reported in the areas of educational goals, program planning, personal and academic problems. Also, the issues that selected Rowan University full time tenured and tenure-track faculty face with their role as faculty advisor was investigated. The survey on Rowan University faculty attitudes toward their role as advisors was distributed to 264 Rowan University tenured and tenure-track …

Participation In Emergency Notification Systems And Other Factors Influencing Residential Students' Protective Behaviors At A Four-Year Public University In The South, Stephanie Hailey Mcbrayer

Theses and Dissertations

In addition to creating a campus environment that could save lives, concepts including recruitment, retention, accountability, assessment, and federal funding are all connected to a university's emergency preparedness plan. Current literature has primarily focused on secondary educational settings or recommendations for action in response to major violent events like Virginia Tech and methods to try to identify a threat. The purpose of the current study was to investigate factors influencing whether students chose to "opt-in" and receive emergency notifications from the university. The study also utilized a modified version of Lenski's (1992) Campus Safety Survey that was constructed using the …

Accreditation As An Organizational Response: Exploring The Influence Of Leadership And Institutional And Task Environments On The Accreditation Process In Communication Sciences And Disorders Programs, Jeffrey Charles Adams

Theses and Dissertations

Influences on the accreditation process in communication sciences and disorder (CSD) programs were examined using a cross case comparative qualitative analysis among four successfully accredited academic departments in the southern United States. Program chairs, CSD administrators, clinic directors and faculty were interviewed. Four institutional sites were selected for the case studies based upon the outcome of the program’s most recent accreditation site visit, the date of the accreditation site visit, number of available faculty, and institutional type. The four institutions included one master’s granting private institution, one master’s granting (larger) program, one doctoral/research medical university, and one doctoral/research university (very …

Academic Achievement In Student Athletes Versus Non-Student Athletes, Leslie Miles

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate academic achievement amongst student athletes and non-student athletes. Participants were undergraduates enrolled in a psychology course and were recruited via university subject pool. Students of both populations exhibited similar levels of academic achievement and academic motivation as well as study habits through online questionnaire. Grade point average (GPA) was used to assess academic achievement, while the Academic Motivation Scale-College Version (Vallerand et al., 1992) was utilized to assess academic motivation. Participants were also asked to report on how many hours they spend weekly on coursework. An independent samples t-test found significance in …

Enhancing Engagement Of Students With Invisible Disabilities: Rowan University Faculty Knowledge And Awareness And Student Perspectives, Shariese Abdullah

Theses and Dissertations

Theories of student development, engagement, and involvement have been essential to various studies that relate to the college experience. Yet little information is known about how development, engagement, and involvement affect students with disabilities. According to Karabin (2009), students with hidden disabilities encounter many obstacles in higher education. These disabilities are hidden illnesses and diseases that are not visual or immediately apparent. While these disabilities are documented and legitimate conditions, the limited amount of research available makes it difficult to utilize the existing theories to assist students. This study focuses on how Kuh's (2003) theory of engagement could be utilized …

The Effects Of Unified Sports On Attitudes Of College Students Towards Students With Intellectual Disabilities, William Moylan

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a college Unified Sports program on the attitudes of college-aged students towards students with intellectual disabilities. A pre and posttest research design was used in the study. A total of 40 college students participated in the Unified Sports sport club at an institute located in the southern area of New Jersey. Data was collected after a six-week program that played games once a week for an hour. The independent variable in this study was the interactions and education of college students to people with intellectual disabilities. The dependent variable …

An Examination Of Alumni Engagement At Rowan University, Jessica Kanady

Theses and Dissertations

The purposes of this study were to (a) examine what selected alumni report about their engagement as alumni at Glassboro State College/Rowan University in the areas of giving, formal and informal involvement, politics, student recruitment, and satisfactory reflection (b) determine if there was a significant relationship between demographics factors such as age, sex, income, spouse/partner alma mater, distance from the university, and reported engagement (c) determine if there was a significant relationship between undergraduate satisfaction and alumni engagement (d) investigate what would encourage selected alumni to be more engaged as a graduate of the institution (e) see what recommendations subjects …

Rowan University's Converted Triples: Impacts On Roommate Relationships And Fostering Social Density, Laura Blazewicz

Theses and Dissertations

The primary purpose of this study was to explore selected freshmen students that were assigned to triple rooms for the 2014-2015 academic year and see how a student's assignment to a triple room impacted his or her roommate relationships and possibly led to the fostering of social density. The students were incoming freshmen in the class of 2018 living in Evergreen, Oak, or Laurel Halls and were either general freshmen or freshmen students participating in the Engineering Learning Community. At the end of the fall 2014 semester freshmen students assigned to quad, triple, double, and single rooms were surveyed to …

Evaluating Campus Climate According To Resident Status, Francine Sandone

Theses and Dissertations

Linked to positive student outcomes such as effective risk prevention and health promotion, decreased problem behavior, and increased likelihood for academic success, climate has become a buzzword in not only elementary and secondary education, but in higher education as well. Colleges and universities have followed the precedent of school climate research and have begun to explore and unveil characteristics that impact campus climate. However, previous research has been limited in not only the identity characteristics they assess, but also in the degree of comprehensive assessment for this complex concept. The purpose of this study was to investigate multiple dimensions of …

The No Child Left Behind Generation Goes To College: A Longitudinal Comparative Analysis Of The Impact Of Nclb On The Culture Of College Readiness, Rachel Pool

Theses and Dissertations

Warnings have been declared regarding the preparedness of a new generation of students arriving on college campuses across the United States. For the past twelve years, students have attended public schools under the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) of 2001, and the purpose of this study was to investigate the influence these policies have had on students' academic preparedness and college readiness. The study analyzed data from the High School Longitudinal Study of 2009 (HSLS:09) and the National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988 (NELS:88) to determine the extent to which the learning culture created by NCLB policies have impacted …

Influences On Students Choosing Majors In Agriculture, Willa Williams

Theses and Dissertations

With a shortage of agricultural graduates predicted for the United States workforce (Goecker, Smith, Smith, & Goetz, 2010) the purpose of the study was to identify influences on students choosing undergraduate majors in agriculture. Structural equation modeling analysis was used to examine independent variable constructs of student characteristics, environment, learning experiences, and task approach skills from Krumboltz's (1996) social learning theory of career decision making on the decision of students to choose an undergraduate major in agriculture. Variables were identified through previous research in field of study choice in agriculture and data was evaluated from the Education Longitudinal Study of …

A Study Of The 2014 Freshman Connection: Adventure Participants And Their Involvement At Rowan University, Sabrina Lobue

Theses and Dissertations

The primary purpose of this study was to explore student involvement patterns and satisfaction of 40 participants of the Freshman Connection: Adventure program held by Rowan University in August of 2014. Data were collected from 33 subjects who participated in the survey, answering items on demographics, involvement, academic achievement, and the Freshman Connection: Adventure programs impact on their college experience. Data analysis suggested that students who participated in Freshman Connection: Adventure are widely involved on campus in different aspects. Data also suggested that the program gave students a positive outlook transitioning into college and gave them the necessary confidence to …

In Transition: Examining Students With Learning Disabilities' Transition From High School To College Through Schlossberg's Transition Theory, Margaret Bonanni

Theses and Dissertations

The goal of this study was to find out what selected freshmen students with learning disabilities reported about their experiences while transitioning from high school to college and the circumstances or situations that impact such experiences in relation to Schlossberg's Transition Theory. The participants in this study were six freshmen students between 18 and 22 years old registered with Rowan University's Office of Disability Resources who self-identified as having one or more learning disability during the spring 2015 semester. Data were collected using an adapted interview protocol with permission from Samantha DeVilbiss' (2014) dissertation, The Transition Experience: Understanding the Transition …

The Sophomore Slope: Understanding The Impact Of The Pre-College Institute On Academic Self-Efficacy In Sophomore Students, Patricia Zio

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to understand what impact the six-week summer Pre-College Institute (PCI) had on the development of academic self-efficacy in the lives of sophomore students enrolled at Rowan University in Glassboro, NJ during the 2013-2014 academic year who had participated in the PCI summer program prior to beginning their freshman year. This research asked students questions regarding their personal and academic growth, challenges, and successes. They were also asked to consider to what extent their participation in the summer PCI program impacted them as college students. In order to understand the qualitative data, results from the …

The Impact Of The Pre-College High School Program Avid (Advancement Via Individual Determination) On Millville Senior High School Students' Success In College, Chelsea Ranck

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the pre-college program AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) and its impact on Millville Senior High School's recent graduates now attending higher education institutions. The study investigated the attitudes of students who had participated in AVID while attending Millville Senior High School in Millville, NJ and are now on course to complete a Bachelor's Degree. This study utilized a mixed method design to collect data. The perception survey contained 30 items from four different factor groupings focused on family and parental support, academic persistence, college preparation, and AVID reflections. The second part of …

First-Generation College Students: A Qualitative Exploration Of The Relationship Between Parental Education Level And Perceptions Of Faculty-Student Interaction, Micol Hutchison

Theses and Dissertations

While quantitative research has determined that first-generation college students (FGS) are less likely to interact with faculty than are their non-FGS peers, this qualitative study examines how incoming first-year college students, both FGS and non-FGS, perceive faculty-student interaction and whether they consider it important. Addressing different types of interaction with college instructors, both in-class and out-of-class, participants across a range of FGS status shared their views through surveys, individual interviews, and focus groups. Focusing specifically on incoming first year students, this study also explores the motives for, impediments to, and encouragements to faculty-student interaction that students identify. Finally, the study …

A Case Study Examining Formative Assessment In A Postsecondary English Language Program, Divya Varier

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the formative assessment practices of three teachers in English as a Second Language (ESL) classrooms using a sociocultural theoretical framework. The study was conducted in a postsecondary ESL setting at a large public university in the southeastern United States. Using an embedded mixed methods design, this study employed teacher interviews and classroom observations to address the overarching question: What individual and contextual factors are present in the formative assessment practices of participant ESL teachers? The study also explored the relationship between student metacognitive judgments of learning (JOL) and performance with the purpose of informing formative assessment practice. …

Determinants Of Turnover Intent In Higher Education: The Case Of International And U.S. Faculty, Jaehee Park

Theses and Dissertations

In spite of the increase in the number of the international academic workforce and their potential benefits, international status has been relatively under-studied in Public Management and Higher Education literature in comparison with studies of age, gender, and race. Given these realities, the present study identifies characteristics of internal and external variables that influence international and U.S. faculty turnover intentions in a large public South Eastern research university.

To understand the variations in short-term and long-term turnover levels while controlling for various demographic, structural, and external variables, eight Ordinary Least Square (OLS) regression analysis were performed using turnover intentions as …

Resiliency Of Multiple-Placed Foster Youth Experiencing Emotional Competence: A Mixed-Methods Study, Audrey Murph-Brown

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation was designed to address the resilient processes of multiple placed foster youth to develop age-appropriate emotional competence. Adding texture to the study was the role played by race and culture. Inherent to the study were the voices of successful multiple-placed foster youth. The research attempted to respond to gaps in the literature regarding African American and Hispanic youth placed in foster placements that, if better understood, can positively impact the livelihoods of other multiple-placed foster youth. The minor participants, 10 to 17 years old, selected for this study were no longer wards of the state, having been …

The Tap: An Examination Of The Controversy Of Secret Societies On College Campuses, Mackenzie Crane

Theses and Dissertations

Secret societies on college campuses have enjoyed prestige and influence since the founding of Phi Beta Kappa in 1776. Some, like Skull and Bones at Yale University, appear to do their members a great service by connecting them to a network of successful alumni. Others, like the Machine at the University of Alabama, have been accused of crime and discrimination. This study serves to examine what impact these groups have on their members and the surrounding community. It also explores the concept of formalized secrecy within the democratic realm of higher education. This is achieved through historical study of three …

Student Conduct Codes At Religious Affiliated Institutions: Fostering Growth, Emily Longshore

Theses and Dissertations

The following study focuses on student conduct codes at two religiously affiliated universities in the southeastern portion of the United States (El Shaddai University and Cornerstone University) and the extent to which these codes foster whole student development. In order to develop a well-formed understanding of this topic, the background information contains a brief summary of the historical beginnings of the colonial college in America and an explanation of the role codes of conduct have played in higher education over the years, including relevant disciplinary theories and findings from previous studies. Finally, my own findings gleaned from school histories, mission …

An Investigation Of A Culturally Responsive Approach To Science Education In A Summer Program For Marginalized Youth, Brittany A. Garvin

Theses and Dissertations

The demographics of today’s schools are becoming more and more ethnically and linguistically diverse, as culturally diverse students comprise approximately one third of school populations (Ladson-Billings, 2005). However, the educational experiences of students of Color demonstrate a history of marginalization and inequity (Williamson et al., 2007) as far too many students of Color have maintained poor educational achievement outcomes. The effects of such disproportionally high levels of low academic achievement are extensive and can be witnessed across subject content areas, particularly in math, science, and literacy. To improve the academic performance of students who are culturally, racially, ethnically, and linguistically …

The Impact Of Acculturation On Perceptions Of Elder Abuse And Help-Seeking Behaviors Among Elderly Polynesians, Myra Halaevalu Te’O Aukusitino

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation was conducted to determine whether or not acculturation affects the process of help-seeking patterns and behaviors for Polynesian victims of elder abuse. The researcher utilized a quantitative correlation design to employ structured survey measures to collect statistical data to determine the impact of acculturation on perception of elder abuse and help-seeking behaviors among elderly Polynesians. Acculturation was measured using the Polynesian Self-Identify Acculturation Scale and the 13 case scenarios developed by Moon and Williams. The study looked at the extent to which elderly Polynesians perceived that the scenarios depicted abusive situations, and to what extent they indicated …