Higher Education Commons^™

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 …

An Exploratory Investigation Of The Relationship Between Ptsd Symptoms And Substance Abuse In Undergraduate College Students, Melissa Buscemi

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this exploratory study was to determine a significant correlation between post-traumatic stress (PTSD) symptoms and substance use in undergraduate college students. A review of the existing literature was examined and showed a significant correlation between PTSD and substance use, including alcohol, marijuana and other drugs. Literature also showed correlations between PTSD and cigarette use in undergraduate college students. A PTSD questionnaire was conducted based on DSM-5 criteria scale. A personal Experience Screening questionnaire for adults (PESQ-A) was also used to examine the frequency and degree of substances used by participants. Correlational analyses for this study revealed no …

An Exploratory Investigation On The Effects Of Online Social Networking Sites On College Students, Alexis Sims

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects online social networking sites have on college students, mainly the effects on their communication. A study at Rowan University was conducted using a random selection of undergraduate students. The Rowan Subject pool was used to recruit students. Although each student was in different majors, all of the students were in an introduction to psychology course. To examine the effects online social networking sites have on college students, there were two separate groups of students designed to interact with one another in two different ways. A group was instructed to communicate …

High School Students' Perceptions Of The Non-Medical Use Of Adhd Prescription Stimulant Medications, Kyla Lucey

Theses and Dissertations

A review of existing literature has documented a rise in the misuse of stimulant medications by those with a prescription for ADHD, as well as, the nonmedical or illicit use of stimulant medications by those without a prescription or a diagnosis of ADHD. This phenomenon has been particularly present on college campuses. The purpose of this study was to examine prevalence of misuse and nonmedical use of ADHD prescription stimulant medications in high school students, as well as, the attitudes and perceptions of high school students about the misuse and nonmedical use of ADHD prescription stimulant medication. Specifically, this study …

Problematic Eating Behaviors Among College Women: Suggesting A Subgroup, Danielle Genovese

Theses and Dissertations

Problematic eating behaviors and attitudes are a major problem for men and especially women across the country. A particularly vulnerable group of women to eating disorders and skewed perception of their bodies are college women with 86% of women reporting onset of their eating disorder by the age of twenty (ANAD, 2000). Previous research suggests that women in sororities report higher insistences and experiences with eating behaviors and attitudes associated with eating disorders. The current study hypothesized that sorority women will have higher reported levels of problematic eating behaviors and attitudes associated with eating disorders than non-sorority women. The participants …

Undergraduate Major And Locus Of Control, Nicole Napowanetz

Theses and Dissertations

The purposes of this investigation were to further examine whether there was a relationship between gender and a locus of control orientation, as well does a specified major, in this case being STEM-related majors, constitute a higher internal locus of control? A review of the present literature demonstrates a lack of research in regards to undergraduate major and locus of control orientation. The need for further understanding in regards to the gender gap within STEM-related majors is established. To investigate further, data was collected via undergraduate students' completion of Rotter's Locus of Control I-E scale and a brief demographics questionnaire, …

Change Blindness And The Relationship Of College Students With Different Majors, Samuel Friedman

Theses and Dissertations

Change blindness is defined as a psychological phenomenon that occurs when a change in a visual stimulus goes unnoticed by the observer (Boundless, 2013). Change blindness can be any change in one's visual field and occurs due to the lack of attention or obstruction in one's visual field. A variety of factors influence change blindness, and gender became a major part to research. The purpose of this study was to study the influence of gender on change blindness and the relationship to college students' majors. Past research has shown us that females tend to be more visually detailed than males. …

Stopping Short In Higher Education: Do More Remedial Courses Add Up To Debt With No Degree?, Elaine Baldwin Wootten

Theses and Dissertations

Federal need based financial aid receipt and remedial course load were the central foci of an integrated model designed to predict six-year bachelor's degree attainment. Data represented 2004/09 Beginning Postsecondary Students Longitudinal Study (BPS:04/09) respondents who graduated from high school in 2003 and enrolled the same year as full time bachelor's degree seekers in four-year public and private institutions. Only those who designated "student" as primary role, specified English as first language, and were classified as dependents were included in the sample. Student background and precollege academic attributes, college experiences, including remediation, financial factors, incorporating federal need based aid, and …

The Changing Focus Of Education: How Rowan University Professors View The Shift Toward Online Education, Genevieve Cross

Theses and Dissertations

This study explores Rowan University professors' attitudes toward online education and its increasing prevalence. The researcher used an online survey program by which participants' feedback was gathered. The survey was sent to 201 Rowan University professors, and the data was analyzed with the computer program, Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) to obtain calculations and percentages. The survey results are presented in both narrative and chart form. The researcher concluded that from the results of the study that Rowan University professors' have diverse opinions about online education, but also recognize the value in this asset to higher education. Specific …

Inspirational Leadership: The Written Theory Versus The Theory-In-Action, David Dinn

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to observe the leadership practices of Dr. Austin at Warren County Community College (WCCC), Washington, NJ versus the espoused leadership practices of inspirational leadership (Austin, 2009). The study also examined Dr. Austin's leadership qualities to determine ways they fit current effective practices as outlined by Kouzes and Posner (2001) and ways they deviate. A single case-study design was constructed and data were collected from interviews, observations, public announcements, and the Leadership Practices Inventory (LPI). Data analysis suggests that Dr. Austin performed a variety of leadership practices that had a positive impact on WCCC. Findings …

Emotional Intelligence And Nursing Student Retention, Victoria Jane Wilson

Theses and Dissertations

The study examined the constructs of a Multi-Intelligence Model of Retention with four constructs: cognitive and emotional-social intelligence, student characteristics, and environmental factors. Data were obtained from sophomore students entering two diploma, nine associate, and five baccalaureate nursing programs. One year later, retention and GPA were gathered based on: retained (n = 526, 452 females, 59 males, 15 unspecified) and withdrawn (n = 149, 212 females, 22 males, 6 unspecified). Discriminant analysis was used with 25 predictors and retention as the classification variable. Significant differences between the groups revealed on campus activities, nursing program type, impulse control, and reality testing, …

Assessing Design Thinking Through The Activation Of A Social Challenge In Higher Education: An Academic Inquiry, Amin Matni

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis is an inquiry that documents, identifies and assesses the effectiveness, circumstances, and potential resources related to addressing the gap between social needs and higher education as stated in the National Development Strategy 2011-2016. The aim of the thesis is to evaluate the response of the students on the collaborative, human-centered, result-oriented aspects of design thinking while addressing the eating experience topic, an articulated theme from the wicked problem of obesity. The eating experience theme provided students from design, business and engineering majors a contextualized topic to test design thinking in a series of workshops conducted in three different …

Collaboration For The Common Good: Examining Americorps Programs Sponsored By Institutions Of Higher Education, Erin B. Brown

Theses and Dissertations

The report, A Crucible Moment, published in 2012 by the National Task Force on Civic Learning and Democratic Engagement described a crisis in higher education surrounding the lack of civic learning and engagement opportunities for students. This crisis has led to decreased political participation and a general lack of knowledge in civics education (National Task Force on Civic Learning and Democratic Engagement, 2012). Educating students for citizenship in America’s colleges and universities will assist with sustaining the country’s democracy by engendering a sense of civic responsibility in young adults that will last throughout their lifetime. This qualitative case study …

Enhancing Critical Thinking In Clinical Laboratory Students: A Multimodal Model, Denise Marie Juroske Short

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to improve critical thinking skills in clinical laboratory technologists through the development, implementation, and assessment of a multimodal model targeting critical thinking skills. Clinical laboratory technologists influence patient care through the testing of laboratory samples. Employers of these entry level professionals identified a need for improved critical thinking skills. This quasi-experimental study aimed to design a multimodal critical thinking model, implement the model into the clinical laboratory educational curriculum, and assesses this skill set for students in a pre-test / post-test format. The model was delivered and assessed for 47 clinical laboratory students at …

An Investigation Of The Differences Between Continuing And Non-Continuing Undergraduate Special Admission Students Related To Academic Advising Factors, Kevin P. Reeves

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined some differences between continuing and non-continuing special admission students in areas of academic advising in ways that are more systematic and thorough than past research. The premise of the study is that having a clearer understanding of how academic advising affects retention might provide colleges and universities with information to optimize the collegiate experience for special admission students. Therefore, research on the effect academic advising has on special admission student retention might offer insight into how the interactions between student and advisor affect retention issues.

A non-experimental descriptive research design was employed to investigate the differences between …

The Voices Of African American Women's Transition Experiences From A Community College To A Four-Year College Sharing A Campus, Lola Ames

Theses and Dissertations

African American women make up a substantial percentage of the higher education student population. Research on their participation is disproportionately underrepresented and in many cases embedded within the experiences of Euro-American women and African American men. This method of grouping has potentially led to their invisibility in research on higher education experiences. To overcome this mishap, African American women's experience should be disaggregated from those of Euro-American women and African American males. In order to separate African American women's experiences, a phenomenological research design and theoretical framework, such as Black feminist thought are prudent. The purpose of this descriptive phenomenological …

The Influence Of Familial Responsibility, Extra-Curricular Activity Participation, And Employment Status On The Undergraduate Academic Performance Of Traditional And Non-Traditional Aged Students, Constance Wilson

Theses and Dissertations

The present research investigated the influence of family responsibility, financial responsibility, and co-curricular activities on academic performance among traditional aged and non-traditional aged undergraduate students. It explored the association between non-academic variables and age on academic performance to determine whether there is a significant impact on academic success with students. A review of the existing literature presents factors previously implicated in affecting student performance and overall satisfaction. Data was collected from current and/or previous undergraduate students' (n=86) completion of a 16-item questionnaire, a survey developed by the principal researcher, assessing experiences and perceptions regarding collegiate satisfaction and role demands during …

Priorities For Quality Honors Education: A Delphi Study On Honors Program And College Certification, Patricia Joanne Smith

Theses and Dissertations

Honors education has grown exponentially across the country, and a great deal of variation currently exists among programs. The National Collegiate Honors Council (NCHC) has adopted lists of the Basic Characteristics of Fully Developed Honors Programs (Madden, 1994) and Honors Colleges (Sederberg, 2005) to guide new and developing programs, but no real standard for honors education exists. A historical examination of honors education suggests that the field is developing as a profession, and Caplow's (1954) theory on professionalization, used as the theoretical framework for this study, suggests that the next step for honors education will be political agitation resulting in …

Mattering And Marginality: Students With Disabilities At Rowan University, Andrew Blazie

Theses and Dissertations

The goal of this study was to determine if students with documented disabilities at Rowan University felt as if they mattered to the university. The subjects in this study consisted of 161 students with a documented disability during the Spring 2013 semester. Data were collected using a modified version of the Mattering Scales for Adult Students in Higher Education, which consisted of 45 Likert scale statements meant to gain insight into students with disabilities perceptions toward mattering in five subscales. Data analysis reported that participants generally felt they mattered in each of the five subscales. However, the lowest mean scores …

Women Veterans In Higher Education: Transitions And Transformative Learning Experiences, Jeffrey Kurz

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to evaluate women veteran transitions and transformative learning experiences at the Richard Stockton College of New Jersey and to replicate Dahan's (2008) study on student veterans conducted at Rowan University. The theoretical framework that guided this study was Mezirow's Transformative Theory, and Schlossberg's Transition Theory and Mattering Study to uncover various themes related to military experiences. A mixed-methods research design was used to understand transition and transformative learning experiences. A random sample of nine women veteran students was obtained from an internal college database provided by the Office of Veteran Affairs. Participants were asked …

The Influence Of Active Procrastination And Passive Procrastination On University Students' Education And Success In College, Frank Martini Jr

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research study was to explore the relationship between active procrastination, passive procrastination, and non-procrastination in regards to university students' education and success in college, in an attempt to identify possible benefits of procrastination. University students were distributed a survey that classified them either as an active procrastinator (one who makes deliberate decisions to procrastinate because they feel they work well under pressure), a passive procrastinator (one who finds themselves paralyzed by their indecision to act on a task within an appropriate timeframe), or a non-procrastinator (one who does not procrastinate on most assignments) and analyzed their …

Undecided Students: A Study Of Decision-Making Styles And Choosing A College Major At Rowan University, Kathleen Pasquarella

Theses and Dissertations

The purposes of this study were (a) to investigate the decision-making styles of undecided students who are in the process of choosing a major at Rowan University, (b) to investigate students' reactions to making a real-life decision such as choosing a major, and (c) to determine if there is a significant relationship between students' decision-making styles and the characteristics of gender, ethnicity, and class level. The subjects in this study were undecided, full-time, freshman and sophomore students in the Exploratory Studies Program (ESP) at Rowan University in Glassboro, NJ, during the 2012-2013 academic year. A survey consisting of 59 Likert …

Place Of Residence And Its Impact On College Students With Disabilities, Jonathan Tarbous

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to test whether the academic performance and quality of life of students with disabilities at the post-secondary level would be higher for students who reside on campus full time or commute to class. Participants were given a survey and responded to questions regarding their disability, quality of life, academic performance, and place of residence. Data analysis revealed that there is no significant relationship between students with disabilities at the post-secondary level who reside on campus and a higher level of academic performance or quality of life when compared to those who commute to class. …

Academic Advising: A Study Of The Impact Of Academic Advising On Student Satisfaction, Stephanie Easterday

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if Rowan University undergraduate students are satisfied with the academic advising services being provided to them by the Center for Academic Advising and Exploration (CAAdE). The study investigated topics discussed between student and advisor, student's satisfaction with advising assistance, and student's impressions with their advisor. The Survey of Academic Advising, developed by American College Testing (ACT), was distributed to Rowan undergraduate students advised by the CAAdE center during spring of 2013. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the completed data using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) computer software. The study …

Communication: The Lost Art, Mary Zenyuk

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if technology, specifically text messaging, has an affect on young adult's face-to-face communication. Technology is improving on a daily basis. This continuous evolution and advancement in technology has paved the way for numerous methods of communication such as texting and social media. Not only has the methods of communication increased, so has the access to these methods become unlimited. This study is important to analyze how individuals are adapting their communication habits to conform with changing technology. A survey was developed and consisted of questions such as the student's age, major, preferred …

The Educational Opportunity Fund/Maximizing Academic Potential (Eof/Map) Program As Viewed By Underrepresented Freshmen Students, Lara Sader

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the Educational Opportunity Fund/Maximizing Academic Potential (EOF/MAP) program through the attitudes of freshmen students toward the services provided and their perceptions of the benefits in regards to social skills, academic performance, and attainment in college. The study also investigated students' suggestions to improve the program. This quantitative research study explored institutional factors, socio economic characteristics, as well as pre-college preparation (independent variables) and their relationships to EOF/MAP student success at a medium sized four-year university. This study utilized a survey instrument to collect data from EOF/MAP freshman during the spring of 2013. …

The Main Factors Behind First Generation College Students' Retention And Dropout, Ahmed Hussein

Theses and Dissertations

Research has shown that first-generation college students face many hurdles until they graduate if they did not drop out. Limited financial resources, lack of personal skills, and social supports cause many first-generation college students to struggle as they strive to achieve their academic aspirations and receive a degree. This study was developed to locate the main factors behind first-generation college students' retention and dropout. For the purpose of forming this study 84 college students were surveyed to collect data from college students themselves. The short-term study found that first-generation college students have more challenges finishing their studies and getting a …

Passive Vs. Active Technologies In The Classroom, John Borchert

Theses and Dissertations

Modern technology is being implemented in the classroom more and more. Little has been done to identify which types of technologies are the best to use for educational purposes. Research has shown that students perform better when they are interested in the subject. This study seeks to determine if passive technologies (TV, power points, etc.) or active technologies (video games, electronic quizzes, etc.) were more effective in inspiring interest and better performance. This will help educators chose better options for technology use in their classrooms. This study required subjects answer a survey questions regarding different types of technologies they had …