While traditional theories are useful in the study of persistence in some nontraditional students, many nontraditional female students are at high risk of not successfully persisting towards their educational goals. The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions and experiences of spirituality, as a validating factor and an intrinsic motivator to persist, in nontraditional female students in community and technical colleges. A hermeneutic phenomenology research design was used with the "lived experiences" of these women articulated through their own voices. Although the study did not have a rigid set of fixed procedures, van Manens (1990) suggested activities for human science research were followed. Individual interviews, as well as two focus group interviews, were conducted to gather the data. A purposeful research sampling approach was used to select the participants from a community college and a technical college in the southern United States. The conceptual framework that informs this study is that of Sharon Daloz Parks' (2000) theories of faith development in the college years. In regards to persistence, Rendon's (2000) model of Academics of the Heart framed the validating environment that nurtured the nontraditional women‟s motivation to persist towards their educational goals. This framework reconnects the intellect with the spirit. In this study, it was found that spirituality was an internal validating factor for these nontraditional female students and this intrinsic motivation supports them in their persistence to achieve their goals. From the study emerged five major themes: spiritual development/growth, challenges, validation, support and perseverance. Supportive environments in educational settings may nurture and affirm this spirituality that exists in the increasing numbers of nontraditional female students attending our colleges today. These findings make a contribution to the present literature in that the results of the study provide insight as to how programs may be modified for nontraditional female students to support them in their persistence in an educational setting. In understanding where the students are on their continuum of developing spirituality, administrators, faculty, and support staff, could better provide the environments that are needed to nurture the growth of this internal validating factor and intrinsic motivator of spirituality.

While approximately 62% of high school graduates enroll in college, almost half of these students do not return for their second year in school. This demonstratable gap in college interest and reaching actual goals speaks to a need for information on how to facilitate the precollege guidance process to achieve more successful high school graduate and postsecondary institution matches. Much information is available in regard to the college choice process of high school students considering four year colleges and universities; scant information is known about how students discover information about the complete range of postsecondary educational opportunities. In particular, the community and technical college postsecondary education options have received minimal attention. Providing precollege counseling and information to students is considered a function of the high school counselor. Therefore, their perceptions and knowledge of postsecondary educational institutions are important in understanding the information they relate to their students. The purpose of this study was to investigate and describe high school counselors' perceptions of community and technical colleges as viable and valued postsecondary education options. The study probed into the unique experiences of high school counselors from a major school system and examined how their perceptions were informed and shaped. A qualitative research design incorporating one-on-one interviews was conducted. The conceptual framework guiding this study was informed and developed by integrating three respected models: McDonough's (1997) model of building a comprehensive college culture in the high school, McClafferty and McDonough's (2002) model, and the American School Counselor Association National Model. The perceptions of the high school counselors resulted in five themes which included experiences with university bound students, experiences with community and technical college bound students, pathways of awareness of community and technical colleges, precollege counseling, and perceptions of community and technical colleges. The study concludes with implications for policy, practice, and recommendations for further study.

<p> The purpose of this qualitative research study was to explore the overall lived experiences of DACAmented Latina/o students enrolled within the California Community College system. Adding to the limited research on the undocumented student population, specifically those who are Deferred Action recipients, findings highlight the experiences of students who have persisted in higher education by drawing on their cultural wealth to pursue their dreams and aspirations regardless of their status. From the voices of 10 students three themes emerged, (a) coming of age as undocumented, (b) navigating higher education, and (c) the impact of DACA. These three themes will demonstrate how this population makes sense of their status and navigates higher education within a time of constant change and uncertainty in our country at both the federal and state level. This study adds to the research on DACAmented Latina/o community college students, offers recommendations for practice and state and federal policy are also discussed.</p>

<p> Colleges and universities in the United States are enrolling a growing number of veterans returning home from military service. Many of these veterans struggle in their transition from military to collegiate and civilian life. To augment college resources provided to assist veterans in their transition, this study offered and assessed the effects of a curriculum intervention associated with expressive writing activities over the course of a semester and within a classroom setting consisting of veterans. Designed as practitioner action research within a constructivist epistemology, the study took place at a community college in California within a for-credit, college-level English composition course designed for veterans. The study&rsquo;s research question was: <i>What are the perceived effects on the well-being of student veterans who write expressively about their military experiences? </i> The study&rsquo;s findings suggest that student veterans who engage in expressive writing activities within a classroom setting are likely to experience improvement in their self-reported well-being relative to their self-efficacy in terms of college, life in general, social support, their future, and gaining perspective to make meaning of their military experiences as they transition from military to civilian life. Key insights are offered for educators interested in offering expressive writing for veterans on college campuses.</p>

Latino students often embark on their post-secondary educational journey at a community college due to cost, proximity to family, and open access policies. The current literature on Latina/o community college students has primarily focused on a deficit view of the educational aspirations and educational completion of this population. The current rapid and expected growth of the Latina/o population requires a call to action to identify the capital and supports employed by these students to navigate their journey to eventual transfer to the University in the Southwest region of the United States. Guided by Yosso's (2005) Community Cultural Wealth framework, my dissertation examined the educational experiences of five Latino male students at a Southwest Community College. Latina/o students highlighted the challenges that they encountered, resources available to overcome these challenges, and their resiliency. The findings are indicative of the presence and utilization of aspirational, navigational and resilience capital driven by self-determination.

An analysis of the 1991 Florida CLAST essay and reading subtest data reveals that only three Florida community colleges: Lake-Sumter Community College, St. Johns River Community College, and Indian River Community College reported the highest passing rates on both the essay and reading subtests. The other twenty-five community colleges in the state reported large differences in student passing rates between the essay subtest and the reading subtest. / The researcher also examined four other community colleges within the state: Chipola Junior College, Gulf Coast Community College, North Florida Junior College, and Lake City Community College. These four institutions reported large differences in the student passing rates between the CLAST essay subtest and the reading subtest. / The purpose of this study is to ascertain possible factors which contribute to the higher passing rates reported by L-SCC, SJRCC, and IRCC. The six factors are curricula required for A.A. degree-seeking students, reading materials, exiting CLAST policies, student entrance scores, and teaching strategies and teaching styles of the English departments. / An analysis of this data reveals that two factors are related to the superior CLAST performance of the students at L-SCC, IRCC, and SJRCC--Category 2 (curricula) and Category 3 (exiting CLAST policies). / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 55-09, Section: A, page: 2695. / Major Professor: John Simmons. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1994.

The purpose of this study was to address the underrepresentation of Black students among baccalaureate degree recipients. Because the majority of Black students begin their postsecondary careers at the community college, successful transfer to the upper-division is imperative if they are to achieve the goal of baccalaureate degree attainment. This study sought to identify and compare the concerns that Black students, who began their postsecondary careers at the community college, perceived would affect their persistence to bachelor degree completion. / Students participating in the study attended rural, suburban, and urban community colleges and a regional university in northern Florida. Focus groups were conducted to determine students' perceived concerns. Content analysis procedures were used to analyze focus group transcripts. Concerns were categorized as either pre-entry, academic, social, institutional, or miscellaneous. Quotes enhanced the findings of the study by providing insight regarding perceptions of concerns about completing the bachelor's degree. / Of the fifty-one concerns identified about completing the bachelor's degree, only three were common to all participating groups. Those concerns dealt with student/faculty relationships, meeting the costs of college, and life after graduation. The College Level Academic Skills Test (CLAST) was perceived as a concern for three out of the four groups. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 54-07, Section: A, page: 2487. / Major Professor: Barbara Mann. / Thesis (Ed.D.)--The Florida State University, 1993.

The purpose of this study was to analyze the status of collaborative dropout prevention programs at two-year public community colleges in Georgia and Florida to determine the forces that either support or hinder the implementation or maintenance of such programs. The study utilized descriptive survey and case study research methodology focusing on the states of Georgia and Florida. Study conclusions included: (1) According to the questionnaire results, approximately half of the respondents, 47% in Georgia and 53% in Florida, reported that they had collaborative dropout prevention programs in place. Programs included early intervention, dual enrollment, tech/prep, and adopt-a-school programs as well as other on-campus activities or programs. According to questionnaire results, 5,174 Georgia and 16,720 Florida public school students had been served by the collaborative programs. (2) Collaborative programs did not appear to be designed based on the need to address certain dropout risk factors as found in the literature. (3) The attitudes and perceptions of two-year college personnel were found to be very favorable toward the need for collaborative dropout prevention programs. (4) The following restraining forces may exist and need to be addressed at those institutions that wish to implement a collaborative dropout prevention program--lack of funding, lack of personnel time, negative attitudinal or campus climate conditions, transportation problems, and scheduling conflicts. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 53-10, Section: A, page: 3453. / Major Professor: Barbara A. Mann. / Thesis (Ed.D.)--The Florida State University, 1992.

The purpose of this study was to determine the importance of selected factors in students' decisions to persist in retention activities and to examine the relationships between demographic and background variables and students' perceptions of persistence factors. The conceptual framework was based on Tinto's (1975) academic and social integration model of student persistence in higher education. / Using a cross sectional research design, a sample of white, black, and Hispanic students participating in retention activities in three Florida community colleges were surveyed on their perceptions of factors that influence persistence. Dependent variables measuring persistence were Comfortability, Convenience, Benefits, and External Influences. Demographic and background characteristics were independent variables. / Results indicated that while all four dependent variables were important to persistence decisions, Benefits were the most influential, followed by External Influences, Convenience, and Comfortability. Statistically significant differences were found between traditional college-aged students and those 22 years of age and over for Comfortability and External Influences as well as between genders on the dimension of Comfortability. Responses were also significantly different among white, black, and Hispanic students on the Convenience, Benefits, and External Influences constructs. Student interviews revealed Comfort-related preferences among black and Hispanic students. For the remaining independent variables, there was no statistically significant difference in the levels for any of the four persistence dimensions. Tinto's model was very useful in explaining students' persistence/withdrawal behavior with retention activities. Overall, academic integration had a stronger influence on persistence decisions than did social integration. / Conclusions cited the need to promote benefits from participation in retention activities, the important role of faculty and staff, the necessity of recognizing differences in perceptions of various racial/ethnic groups, and the influence of retention activities on student satisfaction and institutional retention. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 51-01, Section: A, page: 0086. / Major Professor: Louis W. Bender. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1989.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether there is a significant relationship between selected cognitive learning styles and degrees of reading efficiency at the community college level. / In order to investigate this relationship, research was conducted at Florida Community College at Jacksonville with 208 freshmen on four campuses. Reading skills were measured by the Nelson-Denny Reading Test (NDRT), Form E. Cognitive learning styles identified were field-dependency/independency as measured by Witkin's Group Embedded Figures Test (GEFT). The concept of cognitive articulation identified by the GEFT as it may relate to the cognitive restructuring processes involved in reading was used as the framework of this study. / The results demonstrated that 60.5% of field-dependent students were deficient readers (fell below the 43rd percentile). Thirty-two percent of field-independent students were deficient readers. The factors which determined significant differences in mean reading scores were: (1) the degree of field-dependency, and (2) the level of cognitive abstraction involved in the reading test questions. / Quartile one students (strongly field-dependent readers) scored significantly lower than did readers among the other three quartiles when comparing NDRT and GEFT scores. Data analyses also indicated that greater differences were found in higher-order interpretive reading skills involving abstract reasoning than were found in lower-order literal skills of detail and fact among quartile one readers. When comparing mean scores involving questions of lower-order cognition, significant differences were found only at the extreme ends of the field-dependent/independent continuum between quartiles one and four. / Demographic data characterized community college students as predominantly field-dependent. Females were more predominantly field-dependent than were males. Black Americans were significantly more represented in the field-dependent sample than were Caucasian Americans. No conclusions could be drawn concerning other cultural groups due to insufficient representation. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 49-08, Section: A, page: 2080. / Major Professor: Louis Walter Bender. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1988.