The intent of this study was to identify the issues that impact the retention of African-American, Black males in college. The study was of two small focus groups comprised of African-American students of various grade classifications from a regional comprehensive university in the southeast. These focus groups were comprised of up to but no more than six students. The decision on the group size was made to allow all of the students’ ample opportunity to respond to the eight questions used in the focus groups. The student groups attended the university main campus as well as the university South Campus where developmental courses are taught. The students were from both rural and urban backgrounds, as well as single parent and traditional family backgrounds. Various themes emerged as a result of this study which includes: importance of family support prior to college and during the student’s college career. Additionally, the role of mentors was identified as affecting the student’s retention in college. There was also discussion of how Black males are viewed on campus by other Black students, as well as other students and the faculty and staff. It can be concluded that several factors have affected the retention of this small group of African-American males in higher education. The information gathered shows that family support is a key cog in the retention of this group; in addition, the role of mentors in their education was very important to this group of students.

The purpose of this study was to advance understanding of self-directed learning characteristics of first-year, first-generation college students participating in a summer bridge program. Understanding the experience of these students in higher education can lead to the development of programmatic and pedagogical strategies to better meet the needs of this at-risk student population. This study was conducted at the University of South Florida (USF), a large, public research university in Tampa. Participants were recruited from the Freshman Summer Institute (FSI), a summer bridge program for first-generation students at USF. Theoretical frameworks from higher education and adult education literature merged to provide an understanding of self-direction for the context of this study. Student retention and social integration theories from Tinto and Astin were studied, as they have been widely used to assist higher education professionals in understanding the reasons students leave college and to assist administrators in the development of strategies and programs to aid in the retention of at-risk students. An example of a retention strategy is the summer bridge program, used by a variety of colleges and universities to increase persistence of at-risk student populations. The adult education theory of self-directed learning complemented Tinto and Astin's theories. The Personal Responsibility Orientation (PRO) Model (Brockett & Hiemstra, 1991) served as a theoretical framework for understanding self-direction among the participants in the study. The PRO Model posits that learners utilize personal responsibility through the characteristics of the teaching-learning transaction along with their own personal learning characteristics to achieve self-directed learning within a broader social context. The Personal Responsibility Orientation to Self-Direction in Learning Scale (PRO- SDLS), based on a conceptualization of the PRO Model, was used to quantitatively measure self-directed learning among participation in the FSI Program. A series of correlations, dependent means t-tests, and factorial ANOVA's were conducted to examine the relationship between scores on both pre-test and post-test administrations of the PRO-SDLS. In addition to an investigation of the change in self-direction, relationships between academic achievement, gender, and ethnicity was also examined in the study. Measured increases in overall self-directedness as measured by the pre-test and post-test administrations of the PRO-SDLS were not considered statistically significant, however, significant correlational relationships (p<.01) were found between academic achievement and total PRO-SDLS scores. Subcomponent measurements of learner control and self-efficacy were also highly correlated to both admissions GPA and university GPA. No significant relationships were found between ethnicity, gender and scores on the PRO-SDLS. An implication for practice indicates that a shift in teaching pedagogy may be an integral component to increasing the academic success of first-year college students. Higher education faculty should be challenged to design curriculum that relies less on rote memorization and "spoon feeding" information to students. Instead, a learner-centered curriculum which gives control of the learning process to students is vital to instilling the habits of highly self-directed learners. In addition to revamped pedagogical strategies, this study calls for the development of national benchmarks and guidelines to more effectively evaluate the quality and impact of summer bridge programs.

Developmental mathematics courses are intended to help underprepared students but often are a barrier for hundreds of students who fail these courses. High failure rates prevent students from achieving their academic goals, therefore; educational institutions are looking for methods to increase success in these courses. Such was the case at Florida State College at Jacksonville (FSCJ), where high failure rates in developmental mathematics presented problems to the institution and its students. To increase pass rates in developmental education courses, a college-wide redesign initiative introduced in 2009 led to the implementation of a research-based model for developmental education. This model would be implemented in the form of Academic Success Centers (ASC) incorporating practices tailored to increase student success and persistence. To examine success rates of students taking developmental education courses in the ASCs, the College conducted a longitudinal predictive analytics study known as the Chi-squared Automatic Interaction Detection (CHAID). The CHAID analyzed student success and retention of 10,051 developmental mathematics students over two academic terms. Additionally, the CHAID identified highly successful developmental mathematics teachers. These teachers, and the environment in which they taught (ASCs), became the basis of this qualitative study. The purpose of the study was two-fold. First, it focused on identifying pedagogical practices of highly successful developmental mathematics faculty who taught in the Academic Success Centers at FSCJ. Second, it focused on the areas of impact of the ASC as an environmental factor in student success. Data collected through observations, interviews, and documented analysis, along with the use of text mining, revealed that patterns emerged among participants in which they shared common beliefs about the importance of communicating with students, forming relationships with students, lecture and lab practices, the availability of physical resources, and the availability of academic support services within the environment where they interacted with their students. The intent of using the evidence from the key findings is to provide community college leaders with insight into pedagogical practices shared by highly successful developmental mathematics teachers and the role the learning environment serves in meeting students’ educational needs. / text

One hundred and fifty senior students (comprising of second and third year undergraduate students) completed a biographical questionnaire and the BarOn Emotional Quotient-Inventory questionnaire. The results indicate that there are statistically significant differences in total EQ based on gender and age, although there were no statistically significant differences based on race. Conclusions are drawn about the importance of emotional intelligence in students and recommendations for future research are provided.

African American students are graduating from high school and enrolling in higher educational institutions at greater rates than in previous years (U.S. Department of Education, 2009). Yet, they have not achieved the same level of academic success as their racial counterparts (American Council on Education, 2010; Ross, 2012). Ultimately, this disparity has resulted in only 17.7% of the African American population 25 years of age and older having at least a Bachelor’s degree (U.S. Department of Commerce, 2012). Many researchers have employed comparative study designs to explore this disparity. Additionally, researchers commonly study academic success through the exploration of intrapsychic or environmental contributing factors. As a result, limited studies examining the confluence of these factors exist in the literature, and the impact of these contributing factors is not clearly understood. This study seeks to explore the predictive factors of academic success among African American students by attending to both intrapsychic and environmental factors without the comparison of African American students to students from other races/ethnicities. Employing Tinto’s longitudinal model of institutional departure (Tinto, 1993) and positive psychological approaches, this study will use multiple foci and strengths to answer the research question: Do racial identity, goal commitment, and institutional climate predict academic success among African American college students? Academic success was measured in this study by academic adjustment, social adjustment, and self-reported grade point average (GPA). Data consisted of 240 African American freshmen from colleges and universities across the nation. Participants completed an online survey that assessed their perceptions regarding racial identity, institutional climate, goal commitment, academic adjustment, social adjustment, and GPA. The results showed that racial identity and institutional climate predicted academic adjustment and social adjustment, but not GPA. Goal commitment predicted academic adjustment, social adjustment, and GPA. When all predictors were combined in the same regression analysis, academic adjustment, social adjustment, and GPA were each predicted and unique significant contributors to the explained variance in those analyses emerged. These findings may help address some of the gaps in the literature regarding academic success among African American students These results can aid in the understanding of the impact of racial identity, institutional climate, and goal commitment among African American college students. Additionally, these results may to the creation of environmental conditions that can facilitate a connection and commitment to higher educational institutions and thus, adaptive academic and psychological outcomes.

Since 2006 Further Education and Training (FET) Colleges have been recapitalised through massive government investment in order to improve infrastructure, implement a more relevant curriculum and assist college learners financially to gain access to the different learning programmes. A new curriculum with 11 programmes was introduced and implemented under the National Certificate Vocational (NCV). The results of the 2007 examinations, were disappointing and in general, the national performance of the learners was dismal. Policy requirements for certification and promotion to the next level stipulated that learners need to pass all 7 subjects in a programme. The main aim of the study was to identify variables that are the best predictors of academic success of first year FET students. Thus, if these predictors are considered during the admission process of first year FET students, it could lead to overall improved first year pass rate at FET Colleges and contribute towards the enhancement of human resources and economical development of our country. In order to achieve the research aim and objectives, a literature study and an empirical investigation were conducted. The literature study focussed on cognitive and non-cognitive factors that contribute to academic success of students at colleges. The empirical investigation departed from a positivist paradigm to determine which variables contributed the best towards the prediction of academic success of first year NCV Level 2 students at FET Colleges and a quantitative non-experimental, ex post facto approach was followed .The results of the General Scholastic Aptitude Test (GSAT), the Learning and Study Strategies Inventory – High School version (LASSI-HS), grade mark average and biographical details of the registered first year NCV Level 2 students of the Vuselela FET College (Potchefstroom and Klerksdorp campuses) in 2008 (n=309), were used to determine whether any of these variables significantly predicted the academic success of these students. The investigation revealed that: • None of the LASSI-HS scales were predictors of academic success of the first year NCV Level 2 students; • The GSAT (Total) was a predictor of academic success of these students; • None of the biographical variables, i.e. age or gender, were predictors of academic success; and • Grade mark average on students’ last school reports, was a predictor of academic success. These findings revealed that Grade mark average, and GSAT-(Total) (which is also an indication of intelligence quotient (IQ)) were the best predictors of academic success of first year NCV Level 2 students at the Potchefstroom and Klerksdorp campuses of the Vuselela FET College. / Thesis (MEd (Educational Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013.

The research focused on the importance of and the problem of English proficiency/literacy regarding Grade 12 learners exiting the school system and seeking entry at Institutions of Higher Learning (IHLs). Grade 12 learners’ final results have been used as a benchmark for admission into tertiary education for many years. These results have come under scrutiny over the past few years. IHLs are faced with the problem to generate ways to address the access of ill-prepared learners exiting Grade 12 and then to solve the problem of low levels of throughput and high drop-out rates among first year students, therefore the multi-faceted nature of access into South African IHLs was discussed, as well as alternative routes to enter IHLs. The researcher has experienced that the dropout rates of first year BEd English major students have been rather high. The purpose of this research was to determine what the predictive power of two measures, the English matric results of the National Senior Certificate (NSC) and the English Literacy Skills Assessment (ELSA) were on the academic success of first year BEd English major students of the North-West University on the Vaal Triangle Campus. This was primarily done to improve first year BEd English major students’ English proficiency/literacy, as well as to increase their throughput rate. The major findings of this study pointed to the lack of English language proficiency/literacy of first year BEd English major students and the low throughput rate of these students. Although the ELSA proved to be the best predictor of academic success for first year BEd English major students, the Grade 12 English results also showed a statistical significant prediction capability. The results showed that there was no significant difference between ELSA 1 (which was used as pre-test) and ELSA 2 (which was used as post-test). An improvement in the ELSA 2 results was expected, as it was written as a post-test at the end of the first year BEd English major modules, indicating that the curriculum of the first year BEd English major students had little or no positive influence on the results of the ELSA 2. This resulted in the recommendation that it would be to the advantage of first year BEd English major students to change the current first year BEd English major curriculum in order to improve students’ English proficiency/literacy, as well as their throughput rate, which will result in improved academic success. / PhD, Teaching and Learning, North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2012

Since 2006 Further Education and Training (FET) Colleges have been recapitalised through massive government investment in order to improve infrastructure, implement a more relevant curriculum and assist college learners financially to gain access to the different learning programmes. A new curriculum with 11 programmes was introduced and implemented under the National Certificate Vocational (NCV). The results of the 2007 examinations, were disappointing and in general, the national performance of the learners was dismal. Policy requirements for certification and promotion to the next level stipulated that learners need to pass all 7 subjects in a programme. The main aim of the study was to identify variables that are the best predictors of academic success of first year FET students. Thus, if these predictors are considered during the admission process of first year FET students, it could lead to overall improved first year pass rate at FET Colleges and contribute towards the enhancement of human resources and economical development of our country. In order to achieve the research aim and objectives, a literature study and an empirical investigation were conducted. The literature study focussed on cognitive and non-cognitive factors that contribute to academic success of students at colleges. The empirical investigation departed from a positivist paradigm to determine which variables contributed the best towards the prediction of academic success of first year NCV Level 2 students at FET Colleges and a quantitative non-experimental, ex post facto approach was followed .The results of the General Scholastic Aptitude Test (GSAT), the Learning and Study Strategies Inventory – High School version (LASSI-HS), grade mark average and biographical details of the registered first year NCV Level 2 students of the Vuselela FET College (Potchefstroom and Klerksdorp campuses) in 2008 (n=309), were used to determine whether any of these variables significantly predicted the academic success of these students. The investigation revealed that: • None of the LASSI-HS scales were predictors of academic success of the first year NCV Level 2 students; • The GSAT (Total) was a predictor of academic success of these students; • None of the biographical variables, i.e. age or gender, were predictors of academic success; and • Grade mark average on students’ last school reports, was a predictor of academic success. These findings revealed that Grade mark average, and GSAT-(Total) (which is also an indication of intelligence quotient (IQ)) were the best predictors of academic success of first year NCV Level 2 students at the Potchefstroom and Klerksdorp campuses of the Vuselela FET College. / Thesis (MEd (Educational Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013.

abstract: Driven by a variety of factors, online learning has continued to grow at an unprecedented rate. A Sloan Foundation report issued in January of 2010 indicated that in 2009, 4.6 million students took at least one online class, an increase in 17% over 2008. Graduate business education, and more specifically, Master of Business Administration (MBA) programs have responded to this growth and other drivers such as globalization, institutional competition and student demand by leveraging the online platform more extensively. Because of the continued growth of online programs, there is an ongoing need to better understand the motivational beliefs and self-regulatory strategies students utilize to achieve academic success. Self-regulation is a social-cognitive construct supported by several decades of research, which posits that students engage in a self-directive process to transform their mental abilities into academic skills. Online MBA students balance work, family, business travel and other life events while pursuing their degree. Their ability to balance life events while succeeding academically suggests they possess the capacity for academic self-regulation. Can admissions requirements that are already in place provide insight into how students' manage their academic self-regulation? This study examined the relationship between the MBA admissions requirements of Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT) total score, GMAT verbal score and years of work experience to determine if they were predictive of the student's motivational beliefs and self-regulatory learning strategies. GMAT scores and years of work experience are often thought to be predictors of student success in MBA programs. Self-selected online MBA students (n = 130) completed the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire during the final week of Organization Theory and Behavior, a core course in the MBA program. Analysis indicated that the MBA admissions requirements of GMAT total score, GMAT verbal score, and years of work experience were not reliable predictors of motivational beliefs and self-regulatory strategies. The findings indicate that while admissions criteria may be predictive of student success in the overall program, they provide little insight about how students manage their motivational beliefs and self-regulatory strategies while participating in their courses. / Dissertation/Thesis / Ph.D. Curriculum and Instruction 2010

Facing the challenges brought by Higher Education growth, the Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) created the Psychological Support Services. They seek to help the adaptation to the university setting, enhancing the overall students´ development and their integration in the labor market. This qualitative research studies the structure of the Psychological Support Services in HEIs of Portugal and the main activities developed by educational psychologists. Interviews were conducted with eight services and showed that all services are designed for students. Although the most frequent activity is the students' psychological consultation, educational psychologists also develop a variety of interventions: skill development programs, support to students with special needs, and mentoring programs to welcome new students. Traditionally the services were oriented by an individual intervention and in response to the students' problem. Nowadays they are working with other agents and in a preventive way. Actions directed to educational projects and the institutional evaluation could promote a qualitative change in services. / Con el fin de afrontar los desafíos del aumento demográfico de la educación superior, las Instituciones de Educación Superior (IES) crearon los Servicios de Apoyo Psicológico buscando:(a) ayudar a la adaptación a la universidad, (b) mejorar el desarrollo de los estudiantes y (c) favorecer su integración en el mercado laboral. El presente estudio investigó la estructura de los Servicios de Apoyo Psicológico en las IES de Portugal, así como las principales actividades desarrolladas por los psicólogos escolares. A partir de las entrevistas realizadasen ocho servicios de apoyo psicológico, se observó que todos ellos están diseñados para los estudiantes. Si bien la actividad principal es la consulta psicológica para los estudiantes, los psicólogos educacionales desarrollan también una variedad de actividades de intervención, tales como: programas de desarrollo de competencias, apoyo a los estudiantes con necesidades especiales y programas de tutoría para dar la bienvenida a nuevos estudiantes. Asimismo, en la actualidad los servicios están trabajando con otros agentes y de manera preventiva. Se propone que las acciones dirigidas a los proyectos educativos y la evaluación institucional podrían promover un cambio cualitativo en los servicios.