<p> This study explored the interplay of a community college&rsquo;s vision, its leaders&rsquo; behaviors, strategic planning, and the use of data that contributed to an organizational culture that led to the improvement of student success. The researcher used a grounded theory approach to delve into the relationships and connections between these four institutional characteristics at three award-winning institutions: Bunker Hill Community College, El Paso Community College, and Guilford Technical Community College. The overall goal of the study was to develop a grounded theory regarding organizational success factors necessary to improve student success. The researcher visited each college for a two-day site visit, conducted twenty-three interviews of college leadership, faculty, and staff along with a document review of select publically available documents. The study yielded five findings leading to a grounded theory of five organizational characteristics that promote improving student success in the two-year institution. At all three award-winning colleges, there was a shared vision built upon a collective, unwavering commitment to student success along with frequent and consistent communication on student success. All three award-winning colleges believed their participation in Achieving the Dream which is focused on increasing student success was a key factor and pivotal point in propelling these colleges forward in their student success initiatives. The three award-winning colleges took action to effectuate the desired future. The college&rsquo;s cultures invited innovation and supported initiatives resulting in engaged employees. All three award-winning colleges understood the importance and transformational power of being accountable to themselves and to others. The colleges were growing in their use of data, were courageous in reviewing data, and cultivated a continuous improvement mindset. Finally, each college had a firm belief in understanding that people, passionate and purposeful, are the institution&rsquo;s greatest asset.</p>

<p> In 2010, the United States ranked fourth among the Organization for Economic Development member-nations in overall educational attainment. This has been attributed to the lower rates of sub-baccalaureate degree and certificate completion for students attending public community colleges, especially Black and Hispanic who attend these colleges in increasingly higher proportions than other racial and ethnic groups. The purpose of the current study was to determine if specific fixed, compositional, and financial characteristics of community colleges have a significant influence on the success rates gaps between White students and their Black and Hispanic peers. This seminal exploratory study used a quantitative correlational prediction design and a hierarchical multiple regression technique to show the relationships between these characteristics and the success rate gaps for Black and Hispanic students attending community colleges in Florida and Texas. The researcher found that these characteristics had minimal correlation with the success rate gaps between these students, with the exception of Black students attending community colleges in the state of Texas. Hispanic students showed a widening gap in both states during the decade of data analyzed for the current study. The findings would suggest that a different set of quantitative factors, and even qualitative information, should be explored to determine what institutional characteristics had a significant influence the success rate gaps between majority and minority students attending two-year colleges in Florida and Texas. Keywords: Blacks, community colleges, educational attainment, Florida, graduation rates, Hispanics, institutional characteristics, minorities, student success, success rates, Texas, transfer rates.</p>

<p>It was not known if and to what extent there was a relationship between the degree to which community college students believed that learning was enhanced when teachers tailored instruction to individual learning styles and student perceived academic locus of control (PAC). Learning styles theory and locus of control theory formed the theoretical framework for this quantitative correlational and descriptive study. Two research questions guided this work: (1) Is there a relationship between the extent to which community college students believe that learning is enhanced when teachers tailor instruction to individual learning styles and student PAC? (2) To what degree do community college students believe that learning is enhanced when instructors tailor their teaching to students&rsquo; individual learning styles? The population for this study included a convenience sample of 145 students enrolled in at least one class at a large community college. The Revised Trice Academic Locus of Control Scale was used to measure students&rsquo; PAC, and Dekker et al.&rsquo;s (2012) Neuromyth Survey was used to measure students&rsquo; belief in the learning styles myth. A point-biserial correlation analysis was conducted to answer the first research question, and descriptive statistics were used to answer the second research question. The results of the study showed that students strongly believed in the myth of learning styles (<i>N</i> = 138) but found no significant relationship between this belief and student PAC (<i>r_PB</i> = 0.010, <i>p</i> = .906). The findings of this study added to the literature on learning styles, PAC, and neuromyths and resulted in several implications for students and educators. </p><p> <i>Keywords</i>: neuromyths, learning styles, perceived academic locus of control (PAC) </p>

<p> The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions of students of color at an urban commuter university as they relate to the constructs utilized within the engagement literature and to the noncognitive student characteristics literature. Data were collected using the following instruments: William Sedlacek's Noncognitive Questionnaire (NCQ), items from the Beginning College Student Survey of Engagement (BCSSE), items from the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE), and individual and small group interviews. The key findings of this study revealed that noncognitive characteristics assisted students in (a) internalizing messages, (b) understanding systemic processes, and (c) identifying motivating factors. These findings underscore the importance of moving away from a monolithic understanding of engagement to a more complex consideration of the ways in which students interact with the campus environment. Furthermore, this study showed the importance of providing incoming students with the opportunity to build on noncognitive personal skills, experiences, and characteristics&mdash;assets that are not measured by traditional college entrance requirements such as high school grades or standardized test scores and that often have not been seen as being directly related to academic success. This can be accomplished through the development of curricular and co-curricular experiences that include comprehensive programs and activities as they pertain to internalizing key messages, determining motivators, and understanding systemic processes.</p>

<p> The purpose of this qualitative study is to understand and describe how culturally and linguistically diverse students who also may have exceptionalities in a Middle Atlantic community college perceive first year experience programs. This study explores the experiences of first year culturally and linguistically diverse community college students who also may have exceptionalities through a social constructivist lens (Creswell, 2007, 2013) and the theory of culturally relevant pedagogy (Ladson-billings, 1995, 2006, 2014). The methodology for this study was qualitative and the method was qualitative interviews to give voice to CLD/E learners to share from their perspectives of their experience in a formal first year experience program. Sampling was purposive (Lincoln and Guba, 1985; Maxwell, 1996; Seidman, 2006) with a focus on 10-12 CLD/E adult learners, 18+ years of age, male and females, who have completed one &ndash;two semesters of the first year experience program in a community college, and one semester of a credit bearing course. The results of the study yielded eight emergent themes. These eight themes can be examined in two groups: the first group of themes referenced learning and developing an understanding of higher education and the second group of themes revealed issues of individual growth and change.</p>

<p> En la actualidad existen estudiantes que manifiestan tener actitudes negativas hacia la matem&aacute;tica e indican que el hecho de tener que tomar un curso de matem&aacute;tica les provoca ansiedad. El prop&oacute;sito de esta investigaci&oacute;n fue determinar cu&aacute;l es la actitud hacia la matem&aacute;tica de estudiantes universitarios que tomaron alg&uacute;n curso b&aacute;sico de matem&aacute;tica e identificar si muestran tener ansiedad hacia la clase de matem&aacute;tica. De la misma forma, se determin&oacute; como se relacionan esas actitudes y la ansiedad hacia la matem&aacute;tica con diferentes caracter&iacute;sticas demogr&aacute;ficas y acad&eacute;micas, incluso con el &eacute;xito acad&eacute;mico en estos cursos b&aacute;sicos. </p><p> En esta investigaci&oacute;n se determinaron las actitudes y la ansiedad hacia la matem&aacute;tica de 182 estudiantes de un recinto en particular de una instituci&oacute;n privada, localizada al sur de Puerto Rico los cuales tomaron un curso b&aacute;sico de matem&aacute;tica. Para ello se utilizaron dos cuestionarios, el de Actitud Hacia la Matem&aacute;tica de Elena Auzmendi y la traducci&oacute;n en espa&ntilde;ol de sMARS por Isabel N&uacute;&ntilde;ez y colaboradoras. Los estudiantes mostraron actitudes m&aacute;s positivas en los factores actitudinales ansiedad, agrado, utilidad y motivaci&oacute;n; en los niveles de ansiedad se reflejaron datos positivos en los factores examen y tarea. Al comparar las actitudes y la ansiedad con las caracter&iacute;sticas demogr&aacute;ficas y acad&eacute;micas se encontraron diferencias estad&iacute;sticamente significativas para el g&eacute;nero, la primera generaci&oacute;n, el promedio general, la nota final, el uso materiales y lecturas, el uso de la calculadora cient&iacute;fica y graficadora, el uso de manipulativos y el uso de libros electr&oacute;nicos. El mejor modelo de regresi&oacute;n log&iacute;stica para explicar el &eacute;xito acad&eacute;mico en el curso b&aacute;sico de matem&aacute;tica se determin&oacute; que el mismo estuvo compuesto por las variables demogr&aacute;ficas del g&eacute;nero; las variables acad&eacute;micas del promedio general, la modalidad del curso, uso de la calculadora cient&iacute;fica, adem&aacute;s de las variables de actitud y ansiedad. La variable con mayor cambio y m&aacute;s determinante para alcanzar el &eacute;xito acad&eacute;mico en el curso de matem&aacute;tica es el promedio general.</p>

<p> This study examined the impact of dialogue-based group instruction on student learning and engagement in community college meteorology education. A quasi-experimental design was used to compare lecture-based instruction with dialogue-based group instruction during two class sessions at one community college in southern California. Pre- and post-tests were used to measure learning and interest, while surveys were conducted two days after the learning events to assess engagement, perceived learning, and application of content. The results indicated that the dialogue-based group instruction was more successful in helping students learn than the lecture-based instruction. Each question that assessed learning had a higher score for the dialogue group that was statistically significant (alpha &lt; 0.05) compared to the lecture group. The survey questions about perceived learning and application of content also exhibited higher scores that were statistically significant for the dialogue group. The qualitative portion of these survey questions supported the quantitative results and showed that the dialogue students were able to remember more concepts and apply these concepts to their lives. </p><p> Dialogue students were also more engaged, as three out of the five engagement-related survey questions revealed statistically significantly higher scores for them. The qualitative data also supported increased engagement for the dialogue students. Interest in specific meteorological topics did not change significantly for either group of students; however, interest in learning about severe weather was higher for the dialogue group. Neither group found the learning events markedly meaningful, although more students from the dialogue group found pronounced meaning centered on applying severe weather knowledge to their lives. Active engagement in the dialogue approach kept these students from becoming distracted and allowed them to become absorbed in the learning event. This higher engagement most likely contributed to the resulting higher learning. Together, these results indicate that dialogue education, especially compared to lecture methods, has a great potential for helping students learn meteorology. Dialogue education can also help students engage in weather-related concepts and potentially develop better-informed citizens in a world with a changing climate.</p><p>

<p> This study took place at a Wake Technical Community College, a multi-campus institution in Raleigh, North Carolina. An evaluation of the return on investment in high fidelity simulation used by an associate degree of nursing program was conducted with valid and reliable instruments. The study demonstrated that comparable student outcomes are attainable when traditional clinical study is replaced with high fidelity simulation curriculum. Limited clinical practice space justifies the spread of simulation in college health science programs. North Carolina Administrative Code permits community colleges to replace 25% of traditional clinical with simulation. The lack of research on the cost effectiveness of high fidelity simulation has been cited as a barrier to its diffusion. Sound research demonstrating performance-based and patient-centric outcomes can provide governing bodies with evidence supporting the diffusion of high fidelity education.</p>

<p> While dual enrollment participation has substantially increased among Caucasian, Hispanic, and Asian high school students, the rates of participation among African American students, especially male students, has decreased since 2006. As a result of low participation rate in dual enrollment and research studies, little is known about the dual enrollment experience among high-achieving African American males. The purpose of this qualitative study, using a transcendental phenomenology design, was to explore the dual enrollment experiences of 10 high-achieving African American males, between 18 to 22 years, who currently attend a community college that is part of the Texas State Community College Consortium (a pseudonym). Descriptive interviews with study participants and qualitative data analyses were conducted in accordance with transcendental phenomenology methodological Four themes emerged from the data. The first theme was academic rigor of college, noted by all 10 participants. The second theme, also noted by all 10 participants, was social support and encouragement, which had six sub-themes pertaining to support from family, fellow students, and high school and college faculty/administration. Data from the 10 participants revealed the third theme of college and academic readiness, which was delineated into three sub-themes related to college and academic readiness, responsibility, and planning skills. The fourth and last theme was college tuition/financial benefits of dual enrollment, remarked upon by three students. Results from this study, can be utilized to promote social change as it concerns African American male&rsquo;s academic achievement and college persistence.</p>

<p> The purpose of this study was to identify the ways in which veterans with disabilities navigate the process of transition from their lives as members of the military community to participants in the community college. This study analyzed the subset of veterans with disabilities in a community college to identify the support structures and services that can help this population to navigate their academic experiences effectively. A qualitative, community-based participatory research design was used to provide a holistic account of the military to community college transition experience for student veterans with disabilities who participated in the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars. Three major themes emerged from the data. The themes include: (a) the personal journey into new roles and identities; (b) building communities and overcoming adversities; and (c) the reflective veteran. This study provides community colleges with insights that may enable them to improve their services for this camouflaged population.</p>