Higher Education Commons^™

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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. …

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 …

Inquiry-Based Teaching In The College Classroom: The Nontraditional Student, Daniel A. Kiernan

Theses and Dissertations

Decline in the economic realm often bolsters an increase of nontraditional student enrollments in colleges and universities (Windolf, 1992). Many of these students, who do not desire to major in some scientific area, find themselves struggling in required science courses. Over the last decade, science departments of higher education have been adjusting their curriculum to include inquiry in the college science classroom. Although inquiry-based teaching has been shown to be very academically positive in science classrooms from K-12, “at the college level the data are mixed as to whether increasing inquiry instruction can significantly change students’ learning or attitudes toward …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

Applying The Transtheoretical Model Of Change To Ergonomic Intervention, Charmaine A. Beckford

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation identified a more effective method of preventing workplace injuries for the employees in a large, private not-for-profit university, in southern Florida. The study lasted over the course of two months, allowing employees’ ample time for effective participation in a structured study design and interviewing the employee participants.

The study evaluated the effects of the transtheoretical model of change (TTM) on ergonomic intervention. The model established the relationship of individual decision making self-efficacy and characterized (a) the relationship between tailoring interventions to match a person’s readiness (stage of change) and ergonomic intervention; (b) the TTM in symptoms occurrence; …

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 …

Reflective Assessment: Using Reflection And Portfolios To Assess Student Learning In A Writing Center, Kelsie Hope Walker

Theses and Dissertations

As writing centers continue to petition for status, funding, and authority on university and college campuses, writing center research and assessment practices continue to evolve. Within the last 10 years, writing center administrators have turned to assessing the writing center based on student learning outcomes (SLOs). This research summarizes the assessment history of writing centers and then proposes a pilot study that uses portfolios and reflection as a way to assess student learning in a writing center on a metropolitan, four-year university campus. This research also discusses the pilot study in terms of future research and implications.

All But Thesis: On Dealing With Academic Anxiety At The Graduate Level, Angela Schnabel

Theses and Dissertations

"All But Thesis: On Dealing with Academic Anxiety at the Graduate Level" is a marriage of autoethnography and memoir framed in principles of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) that recounts my struggle with academic anxiety at the graduate level. I found no other first-person narratives on this topic, so my thesis sets out to bridge that gap. Psychology and the library, educational, and informational sciences fields discuss perfectionism and procrastination as causes of academic anxiety, so here I explore the roles those concepts play in my own anxiety issues. A reflexive journal quantified my progress throughout the semester, it rates my anxiety …

Sleep Deprivation And The Negative Effect It Will Have On The Individual's Cognitive Function, Stephen Fisher

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if there was a correlation between sleep deprivation and an individual's cognitive function. Cognitive function was evaluated by looking at participants working memory and processing speed. To investigate this extrapolation, data was collected from undergraduate students at Rowan University. Participants were evaluated using an application called sleep time alarm clock to measure their sleep quality, and then measured by the Stroop test to determine their level of processing speed and working memory. Univariate analyses were done to determine if there was any correlational relationship between sleep deprivation and processing speed and working …

In The Eye Of The Student: A Qualitative Study Of The Perceptions Of Campus Racial Climate At A Private Pwi, Ashley Rivard

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study was to (a) assess the current campus climate at a private Predominately White Institution, (b) assess is there is a difference between the perceptions of campus racial climate between White students and Black students, (c) assess what the students believe the institution is doing well to promote a welcoming atmosphere, and (d) assess what the students believe the institution should be doing better to promote a welcoming atmosphere. A total of 19 participants took part in individual interviews to examine the above areas. Interviews were transcribed and data were analyzed through content analysis. The …