Although critical thinking skills are important for all citizens participating in a democratic society, many community college students appear to lack these skills. This study addressed the apparent lack of research relating critical thinking instruction to campus climate. Critical thinking theory and Moos's organizational climate theory served as the theoretical foundation. The relationship between faculty's perceptions of three campus climate factors and their use of five critical thinking instructional techniques in the classroom was analyzed in this quantitative study. An online instrument based on the School-Level Environment Questionnaire (SLEQ) to measure campus climate and a researcher-designed measure of critical thinking instructional techniques was used in a nonexperimental correlational design. Responses from a purposive sample of 276 community college faculty in the western United States were evaluated using multiple regression analysis. Results indicated participatory decision-making was directly related, staff freedom was inversely related, and work pressure was not related to faculty's use of critical thinking instruction in their classrooms. This study contributes to positive social change by providing information that community college leaders can use to improve their students' critical thinking skills. As a result, students and graduates will be better prepared to contribute to the community and society at large by making better social and moral decisions.

I’m a first generation, previously low income, Christian, African American administrator at a California community college who struggled and felt alone throughout my journey. This autoethnography helped me make peace within my broken pieces. Within this dissertation, I highlight the impacts and hindrances within my education, family and career experiences. The purpose of this study is to offer the reader an insider view of how I ultimately became an administrator and with this information provide scholarship on how to more successfully integrate African American female leaders into higher education. The bonus chapter provides young women lessons learned along the way to shorten their learning curve on the way up the ladder.

College faculty members are often inadequately prepared to use technology in their classrooms. They often learn technology without institutional support, and without understanding technology's impact on student learning. As a result of these shortcomings, the use of technology in the college classroom is often not systematic or focused on improving learning. This study used a conceptual framework based on Wenger's learning community or community of practice idea. This study examined a Midwestern university where faculty made only limited use of classroom technology and did not demonstrate contemporary approaches to student learning. The study set out to determine the impact of technology-based faculty learning communities on student engagement. Five university faculty members served as research participants; all agreed to form a learning community and participate in a series of interviews that examined the impact of technology integration and the role of learning communities on adopting technology. Interview data were analyzed using an emergent and exploratory approach where themes and trends were identified through direct observation and examination of interview transcripts. One of the emergent themes was that increased faculty technology use depends primarily on positive prior experiences with technology. Another theme was that students' self-reported technology competency does not accurately reflect classroom uses, which may have a significant impact on educational technology integration strategies. The study's findings provide guidelines for a best practice model of faculty professional development to improve and enhance classroom learning with educational technology.

Since the 1970s’, dual credit programs have helped high school students earn college credit and gain college readiness skills. However, the standalone branch of dual credit programs lacks structured advising, educational planning, and student support. As a result, participants of the standalone dual credit option experience frustration and significant difficulties in their dual credit experience. This study adds to the literature by evaluating the effectiveness of a standalone dual credit program designed with Guided Pathways-style support services. Through quantitative analysis, this study compared two groups of standalone dual credit students. Both groups participated in standalone dual credit programs at the same host college. However, only one of the groups participated in a support-based standalone dual credit program. In addition to evaluating the effectiveness of support programs, the study also evaluated student perceptions as to the effectiveness of the following support service: Academic roadmaps with preset pattern of courses and preset degree options, coordinated dual high school and college advising, and cohort-style peer support. The demographics are consistent with the literature in the form of high achieving student participation. Students supported Guided Pathways program support style services. These results may help practitioners, designers, and administrators of standalone dual credit programs consider implementing student support programs within their program design.

<p> Community colleges are tasked with helping all students regardless of their academic background to receive a degree, certificate, or other form of education. Many of these students need support in learning the mathematical content necessary to take college-level courses. Since a large proportion of students in these developmental classes are students of color, and unlikely to be successful, developmental courses are not leveling the playing field of higher education. In-class computer-centered (ICCC) classes are a possible solution to this social justice issue because they provide students with flexible learning opportunities. Students can work independently on a schedule that matches their needs and can access the multiple learning tools embedded in the software in ways that make the most sense for their own learning. </p><p> Research on ICCC mathematics courses has primarily compared success rates with those of traditional lecture classes. These quantitative studies provided a limited view of student activity in an ICCC class and did not demonstrate how students were navigating these courses or the nature of their experiences. This study uses a qualitative research design to explore student actions and their experiences relative to their success. </p><p> In my analysis, I utilized Bandura&rsquo;s construct of agency, defined as the capacity to understand, predict and alter the course of one&rsquo;s life&rsquo;s events (Bandura, 2008). My framework also considers agency as a temporal phenomenon residing in the past, present, and future (Emirbayer &amp; Mische, 1998). Agency is operationalized temporally and by using four characteristics, intention, forethought, reflection, and reaction. </p><p> This study uses case study research design where students are interviewed and observed in an ICCC class. In it I illustrate the various forms of agency students bring and leverage in the ICCC mathematics classroom in their attempts to be successful. Findings indicate that the students who were successful were most adept at leveraging a variety of resources to help them work towards their goals. There is the assumption that students need flexibility and individualized learning in developmental courses; these needs are addressed by ICCC and are a way in which the ICCC format perfects the traditional lecture. However, this research demonstrates that the question of how to best help developmental students remains open.</p>

<p> The purpose of this study was to investigate which of the 7 motivational factors measured in the Student Motivations for Attending University-Revised (SMAU) survey developed by Phinney, Dennis, and Osorio (2006)&mdash;career/personal, humanitarian, prove worth, default, expectation, encouragement, and help family&mdash;if any, contribute to African-American male and Latino male community college completion/graduation at a 2-year community college in Southern California and transfer to 4-year universities. This study employed a survey design and the target population included MOC that were enrolled in a community college in Southern California. This study used a quantitative, correlational method to measure men of color (MOC) students&rsquo; perceptions of persistence, academic success, and motivational factors related to enrollment and persistence at a community college in Southern California. The participants were selected through non-probability sampling in a non-controlled setting utilizing the target population from a community college in the South Bay area of Southern California. The population of African-American and Latino males is steadily rising, thus increasing the prevalence of these 2 ethnic groups at 2-year community colleges. An extensive literature review demonstrated that both male African- American and Latino community college students are the most prominent groups by ethnicity and gender, yet both groups are the least likely to graduate and transfer to 4-year universities. After reviewing the literature regarding MOC in postsecondary education and considering the findings from this study, the foremost leading motivational factor for male African-American and Latino community college students to enroll and persist in college is their desire and priority to help improve the condition of their family&rsquo;s financial status. The second highest rated motivational factor for MOC to enroll and persist in community college is based on their career/personal goals and pursuits. The least motivational factor promoting academic success for these 2 male racial/ethnic groups included feeling pressured by friends and feelings that they had no other alternatives.</p>

<p>Instructors of English as Second Language (ESL) at a private community college had raised concerns regarding Hispanic ESL students not developing sufficient English proficiency. The purpose of this single exploratory case study was to explore the phenomenon brought forward by ESL instructors and share the results with the ESL program and the college. The conceptual framework for this qualitative study was based on the classroom learning motivation theory suggesting that the environment in which a student is learning a new language also plays a major role in second language learning. Data collection was conducted through 3 ESL classroom observations and interviews with 15 community college students. A focus group with 7 different students was used to understand Hispanic ESL students? perspectives about their experience in the college-wide ESL program and issues students face in the ESL program. Data analysis consisted of thematic content analysis, constant comparison, and concurrent data collection and analysis until concept saturation occurred. The findings were that Hispanic ESL students were satisfied with the ESL program. Data triangulation formed 4 themes: students would like to use technology in the classroom, more instances for in-class conversation, to be corrected when they mispronounce a word, and have instructors who spoke Spanish. The recommendations include the creation of a policy to institutionalize professional development to help ESL teachers become aware of the issues that Hispanic ESL students face in the classroom in order to help students achieve English proficiency. This case study served as an example for other institutions to take the initiative learn how Hispanic ESL students perceive ESL instruction and filled the gap in research regarding Hispanic ESL students? perception of ESL programs.

Master of Music / Department of Music, Theatre and Dance / Kurt R. Gartner / The current study is an in depth look of the impact of steel pan ensemble within the college curriculum of the Midwest. The goal of the study is to further understand what perceived impacts steel pan ensemble might have on student learning through the perceptions of both instructors and students. The ensemble's impact on the students’ senses of rhythm, ability to listen and balance in an ensemble, their understanding of voicing and harmony, and appreciation of world music were all investigated through both the perceptions of the students as well as the instructors. Other areas investigated were the role of the instructor to determine how their teaching methods and topics covered impacted the students' opinion of the ensemble. This includes, but is not limited to, time spent teaching improvisation, rote teaching versus Western notation, and adding historical context by teaching the students the history of the ensemble. The Midwest region was chosen both for its high density of collegiate steel pan ensembles as well as its encompassing of some of the oldest pan ensembles in the U.S. The study used an explanatory mixed methodology employing two surveys, a student version and an instructor version, distributed to the collegiate steel pan ensembles of the Midwest via the internet. The researcher intends for the current data to serve the music community in several ways: first, by determining exactly what the students and instructors value about the ensemble, we will better understand how an instrument created less than a century ago was able to infiltrate music programs all over the world. Second, giving instructors insight on the students' perspectives will also enable them to create a more effective and enjoyable curriculum. And lastly, with this information, instructors and program supervisors will be better suited to determine just how large of a role the ensemble should play in their students' education.

[pt] Este trabalho aborda a temática da assistência estudantil na UFRJ. Tem enfoque particular na percepção dos estudantes moradores da residência estudantil acerca dos programas existentes na universidade destinados a apoiar a permanência dos discentes nos cursos de graduação. Para respaldar o estudo procedeu-se a uma análise da conjuntura atual da educação superior no Brasil no contexto de reestruturação produtiva e da incorporação dos princípios neoliberais no desenvolvimento das políticas sociais. A presente dissertação reflete sobre os conceitos de políticas sociais, cidadania e de desigualdade, condição esta que historicamente caracteriza o acesso a educação superior no Brasil. Aborda também as transformações da educação superior no Brasil a partir do processo de ampliação do campo da educação com as políticas de democratização do acesso, decorrentes do REUNI e da Lei 12.711 que dispõe sobre o ingresso nas universidades federais e nas instituições federais de ensino técnico de nível médio. O trabalho apresenta um breve histórico da assistência estudantil no Brasil e, em especial na UFRJ, onde o seu desenvolvimento culminou com a criação da Superintendência Geral de Políticas Estudantis, no contexto da aprovação do Decreto PNAES. Parte-se do pressuposto de que as políticas de democratização do acesso à universidade pública só se efetivarão se forem acompanhadas de ações que viabilizem a permanência, em especial dos estudantes das classes populares ou dos grupos desiguais que estão ingressando nas universidades. A pesquisa, de natureza qualitativa, foi desenvolvida com estudantes inseridos no programa de moradia que ingressaram na universidade no ano de 2009. Foram realizadas entrevistas semi-estruturadas com 8 estudantes. Os resultados obtidos indicam que os programas de assistência estudantil existentes na UFRJ têm grande importância para a permanência dos estudantes em condição de desigualdade social e econômica. Apontam também para a necessidade de ampliação tanto quantitativa quanto qualitativa dos diversos serviços que compõem os programas de assistência estudantil. / [en] This study addresses the issue of student assistance at UFRJ. It has a particular focus on the perceptions of students who live in the student residence about existing programs at the university to support the stay of students in undergraduate courses. To support the study, an analysis of the current situation of higher education in Brazil in the context of productive restructuring and incorporation of neoliberal principles in the development of social policies was performed. This essay reflects on the concepts of social policy, citizenship and inequality, conditions that historically characterizes the access to higher education in Brazil. It also discusses the transformations of higher education in Brazil since the process of expansion of the education field with the policies of democratization of access arising from REUNI and Law 12.711 which describes the admission into federal universities and the federal institutions of technical high school education. The paper presents a brief history of student assistance in Brazil and especially in UFRJ, where its development resulted in the creation of the General Superintendent of Student Policies in the context of the approval of Decree PNAES. It is assumed that the policies of democratizing the access to public universities will only be successful if accompanied by actions that facilitate the stay, especially for students of social classes with economic difficulties or the unequal groups that in entering universities. The research is qualitative and it was developed with students, placed in housing program, who joined the university in 2009. Semi-structured interviews with eight students were performed. The results show that the exisiting student assistance programs at UFRJ have a great importance for the permanence at the university of students that are inserted in a condition of social and economic inequality. The data also indicate the need for both quantitative and qualitative expansion of the various services that compose the student assistance programs.

[pt] O presente estudo busca tratar do tema assistência estudantil em uma instituição federal de ensino superior – a UFRJ. É fundamentado pelo entendimento de que a assistência estudantil é um importante instrumento para a efetivação do direito à educação superior pública, gratuita e de qualidade que a democratização do acesso, por si só, não propicia, especialmente quando se refere a determinado segmento de estudantes que sofrem as consequências das desigualdades sociais, presentes em nossa sociedade. A atual política que visa a reestruturação das instituições federais de ensino superior conduziu a assistência estudantil para um nova dimensão, ampliando suas ações e definindo, de forma mais efetiva, a sua prioridade para os estudantes cuja condição socioeconômica muitas vezes impede a sua permanência na universidade. As ações de assistência estudantil vem sendo implementadas pela UFRJ há décadas e não sofreram alterações em seu formato ao longo desse tempo, apesar das mudanças ocorridas no contexto da educação superior, em especial nas universidades federais.A pesquisa desenvolvida teve como objetivo identificar de que forma a bolsa de assistência estudantil contribui para permanência do aluno bolsista da UFRJ. Para isso foram realizadas entrevistas semi-estruturadas com estudantes selecionados para uma das modalidades de bolsas de assistência estudantil. O estudo tem ainda a intenção de oferecer subsídios para que o auxílio oportunizado pelo programa de bolsas de assistência estudantil implementado pela UFRJ esteja alinhado às necessidades dos alunos e ao alcance dos objetivos preconizados pela assistência estudantil - a permanência e conclusão de curso com adequado aproveitamento acadêmico. / [en] The aim of this study is to address the student assistance in a federal institution of higher education - UFRJ. It is based on the understanding that the student assistance is an important tool for ensuring the right to free and quality public higher education, once the democratization of access, by itself, does not provide, especially when referring to a particular segment of students who suffer the consequences of social inequalities present in our society. The current policy to restructure the universities led the student assistance to a new dimension, extending its actions and targeting, more effectively, the priority to students whose socioeconomic status often prevents their permanence at university. The acts of student assistance have been implemented for decades by the UFRJ and have not changed its format over that time, despite changes in the context of higher education, especially in federal universities. This research aimed at identifying how the student scholarship assistance contributes to the permanence of the scholarship student from UFRJ. To assess this, semi-structured interviews were performed with students selected for one of the types of scholarships for student assistance. The study also intends to provide support so that the aid offered by the scholarship program of student assistance implemented by the UFRJ may be aligned to the needs of students and may achieve the objectives pursued by the student assistance - the permanence and conclusion of the course with a great academic achievement.