This project-based dissertation described, in detail, a seven-step research and development (R&D) process used to create, and bring to operational use, an educational tool that supported the academic use of the assessment loop: the Guidebook For Student Learning Outcomes & The Assessment Loop. The dissertation established the problem that this product solved, provided relevant research, including a literature review, and the process and methods that led to the development of this useful product. It described the purpose of this specific guidebook and for guidebooks in general. This project was informed by research of instructional design of text-based teaching materials, R&D-focused field-testing procedures, assessment theory and practice, programmatic and online course assessment needs and practices, and use of Moodle as an assessment tool and evidence repository. About the product: The guidebook is designed for use by Community College department chairs (DCs) and faculty members. It describes, from the viewpoint of a practitioner, each step in the process of assessment: from creating and measuring student learning outcomes (SLOs) to using assessment for improvement. It is hoped that use of the Guidebook by its intended audience will lead to more comprehensive assessment practices at the colleges where it is used.

Many community colleges struggle to find the best strategy to help incoming at-risk students prepare for the placement test. The purpose of this quantitative quasi-experimental study, was to answer the question as to which of 2 programs, a 2-week, face-to-face mathematics refresher program, Math Boost-Up, or an online-only program, might increase the ACCUPLACER posttest scores of incoming community college students. The study used archival data for 136 students who self-selected to either participate in the Math Boost-Up program (the experiment group), or in the online-only program (the comparison group). Knowles's theory of adult learning, andragogy, served as the theoretical framework. Spearman, Kruskal-Wallis, Mann-Whitney, and chi-square tests were used to measure the effect of 4 moderator variables (age, high school GPA, number of minutes spent in MyFoundationsLab, and number of days spent in face-to-face sessions) on the pre- and posttest scores of students in each group. The results indicated that students in the Math Boost-Up program experienced statistically significant gains in arithmetic and elementary algebra than did those students in the online-only program. The results also indicated that the 4 moderator variables affected gains in posttest scores. Additionally, the results disproved the andragogical premise that students would be self-directed and would self-select to participate in the intervention. A recommendation was that participation in the face-to-face refresher program should be mandatory. The study contributes to social change by providing evidence that short-term refresher programs could increase the scores of students on placement tests.

Many first-generation students (FGS) succumb to challenges and barriers and ultimately give up on their educational goals. Little is known about FGS who graduate and are successful in their discipline. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore factors that influenced the persistence of FGS who graduated and are employed in the healthcare field. The theoretical framework consisted of experiential learning, identity development and environmental influence, and social cognitive career theories. The research questions focused on how FGS made decisions to graduate, interpreted their academic learning experiences, and perceived academic support received in the college environment. Data was collected from questionnaires designed by the researcher and emailed to 12 participants, and from college retention, enrollment, licensure, and safety and security reports. Data analysis involved open and axial coding and application of the NVivo software package, whereby 8 themes emerged. Findings indicated that (a) family support, mastering a skill, and challenges and academic successes supported FGS' decisions to graduate; (b) inspiration, vocational interest, and self-awareness defined and described FGS' academic learning experiences; and, (c) faculty and student engagement and environmental support revealed the academic support FGS received in the college environment. The study suggested ways in which the persistence of FGS in community college healthcare programs can be improved. Implications for future research into variables that influence the persistence of FGS were discussed. Improving the retention of FGS and widening the pool of community healthcare workers can impact positive social change by contributing to social welfare and economic development.

Although growth in U.S. community colleges has been exponential, a major challenge accompanying that growth has been the source of funding, which has consisted of shifting proportions of tuition, local taxes, and state aid. The shift away from state aid toward fundraising, profit-oriented research, sophisticated financing, and higher tuition presents challenges and unintended consequences. This shift could threaten the community college access mission and contribute to a perception of higher education as a private good rather than a public good. With a framework of academic capitalism and resource dependency theories, the purpose of this basic qualitative interview study with 7 leaders from executive teams in community colleges was to explore strategies used in adapting to the changes in funding models. Participants were recruited using snowball sampling, and interview data were analyzed to identify recurring themes. Findings indicated a need for strategies to replace state funding; grants and fundraising were not considered sufficient. Strategies such as working cash bonds, prioritization studies, and differential tuition programs were reported to have long-term potential, but their efficacy remained to be confirmed. Restoring state funding would require that colleges align interests with legislators and donors, research and develop bold initiatives, craft successful communication and marketing strategies, and facilitate a culture shift within their institution that embraces the need for alternative revenue streams. This study raises awareness that rising tuition and education costs in general may threaten the community college mission, limiting access to higher education for students, especially for lower SES students who cannot afford the debt to fund the higher tuition.

The preparation students need to complete college successfully is important to many stakeholders, including students, educators, and the community. Colleges struggle with enrollment and retention while high school teachers and community college instructors focus on the preparation of students to succeed in college. High school teachers and community college instructors are uniquely qualified to inform the determinants of college readiness across the continuum of education. This research study explored the perceptions of high school teachers and college instructors on the skills and behaviors required of students to be successful in college. This qualitative descriptive study was based on the conceptual framework of Conley's 4 keys to college readiness and used interviews from 4 high school teachers and 5 community college instructors to explore the research question. The data were open coded multiple times to construct categories that revealed 3 major themes of college readiness: preparation, engagement, and personal characteristics. High school teachers and college instructors identified similar skills and behaviors displayed by college ready students. The information gleaned from the interviews about college readiness informed the creation of a professional development project to provide college faculty with strategies to facilitate the skills and abilities needed for college success within the context of college courses. This research and project development are a move towards positive social change in improving student success in college. Given the need for college completion and the rising cost of education, the social impact of ongoing work to improve college readiness and college success is imperative for students, colleges, and teachers at all levels.

People of the Jewish faith base their belief on the written word of the Torah. Presented in this paper are fine artists that produce work within these laws. The Torah sets guidelines for life and morality. The belief system within this domain is that visual images have an impact on the viewers, and artists are accountable for what they produce. This is in opposition with art education, where freedom of expression takes precedence over morality. The results of this study will form the basis for a curriculum for the community college. The researcher's area of inquiry is directed to painting and sculpture made by artists of the Jewish faith who follow the Torah, meaning those who are observant of their faith and practices. Their skills and perceptions will be presented to educate the viewer about their visions. The research questions were posed to rabbinical authorities and artists in order to establish a clear and defined statement of what the Jewish law is regarding the fine arts. The evidence presented was obtained by questionnaires, personal interviews, articles, and opinions from Jewish scholars. Four rabbis were selected based on their erudition on Torah law, and their strong leadership positions in Jewish educational institutions. The ten artists were selected based on recommendations from art historians, and art and gallery directors. The artists and the rabbis were mailed questionnaires, which was followed by an interview. The conclusion from this study is that fine artists are encouraged to use their talents, this is supported by the Torah text, and rabbinic explanation. The restriction for the Jewish artist is in making a replication of a realistic full-scale figure, making a visual rendition of G-d, a nude, or violent image. Art is made by the observant Jew with the intention of enhancing the world with visions inspired by their belief in the Torah. A crucial belief in Judaism is that there is but one G-d, and all man-made images should reflect the majesty of G-d's creations.

With AB 705 being enforced in all California community colleges since Fall 2019, colleges have devised corequisite courses in almost all English and mathematics gateway courses. Some quantitative and qualitative studies have shown positive results of corequisite courses in English, and some math courses such as statistics, but there is limited quantitative research on the effects of the corequisite model on student academic performance in STEM math courses, like college algebra and precalculus. Many mathematics department faculty members believe that the corequisite model, especially in STEM math courses, may not work in community colleges due to the population consisting of a large number of non-traditional and under-prepared students at these institutions. This causal comparative study attempted to compare the academic performance of students from corequisite and prerequisite (traditional) types of precalculus courses after controlling for their gender, generational status, prior academic achievement (high school grade point average, HSGPA), and ethnicity. The study also investigated whether the effect of course type on precalculus course grades is moderated by students’ generational status, prior academic achievement, and ethnicity. The moderating effects of variables were studied after controlling for the other background variables. Samples for this study were taken from two California community colleges that taught precalculus courses with both models (corequisite and prerequisite) prior to Fall 2019. The data for each of the colleges were analyzed separately because of their different academic systems (semester versus quarter). Sequential multiple regression was used and variations were found in the results from the two colleges. In addition to tests of statistical significance, effect sizes (based on Cohen’s d) were calculated to measure the magnitude of the difference between groups. Statistically significant findings from College A (a pseudonym) suggest that the corequisite model of courses in precalculus impacts overall student grades in a positive way. In contrast, there was insufficient evidence based upon data from College B to conclude that corequisite precalculus courses impact course grades. Furthermore, moderating effects were found. In College A, some subgroups (such as Filipinx, Latinx, and White students, those with higher prior academic achievement, or who were first-generation college students) were found to perform better in corequisite courses than prerequisite courses, while students with lower prior achievement (based on HSGPA) performed better with the prerequisite type of courses. The results from both Colleges A and B were consistent in finding that students with lower HSGPA performed worse on average in corequisite precalculus courses. Ethnicity was found to moderate the effect of course type on precalculus course grades when the data from College B was analyzed. The results showed a medium-large effect (d= -0.65) for Latinx students who, on average, performed worse in the corequisite precalculus course as compared to the prerequisite version. However, students at College A, regardless of ethnicity, performed better on average in the corequisite classes, and the effect sizes ranged from small to medium-large across the ethnic groups. Limitations of the study, suggestions for further research, and implications for practice and policy are discussed in the following chapters.

The primary purpose of this study was to determine the differences in the academic outcomes of first-year academically underprepared TN Promise-eligible college freshmen who participated in a college bridge program. A comparative research design was applied to existing data, including first-semester GPA, first-semester credit completion rate, first college-level mathematics course GPA, first college-level English course GPA, and fall-to-fall persistence rates. A random sample of 412 first-time freshman college students from five cohorts was analyzed using descriptive statistics for eight research questions. These findings indicated that there were no significant differences among college bridge participants and non-bridge participants. Non-bridge program participants performed slightly better than bridge program participants for all research questions, including first-semester GPA, first-semester credit completion rate, first English course GPA, and first mathematics course GPA. Similar results were also found for research questions that analyzed underrepresented participants. However, despite finding that non-bridge participants achieved minor but consistently higher performance outcomes, the fall-to-fall persistence rates for bridge participants and non-bridge participants were nearly identical. Additional analyses indicated that low-income bridge participants slightly outperformed their low-income non-bridge peers in first-semester GPA and credit completion rate, and first-generation bridge program participants and first-generation non-bridge participants performed almost identically, though no statistical significance was found. This study documented the short-term academic effects that college bridge programs can have on academically underprepared college freshmen. These findings resemble similar findings from existing bridge program research that likewise did not find improvements in student performance or outcomes. Additionally, this study along with ambiguous findings from previous research, might indicate that bridge program efficacy is highly reliant on program design, purpose, and target populations, and the concept is not a universal approach to prepare students academically and socially for the curricular expectations of postsecondary education. Implications for future research and recommendations for policymakers are discussed.

The purpose of this quantitative, non-experimental study was to explore the relationship between the implementation of the Tennessee Promise scholarship program and the two-year Tennessee community college retention rates and graduation rates of first-time, full-time Tennessee students from rural Appalachian counties. Results from this study may help higher education stake-holders better understand the features of Tennessee Promise that are influencing an increase in community college retention and graduation rates for Tennessee students from rural Appalachian counties. The theoretical framework that guided this research was the social capital framework. Data including use of Tennessee Promise, county of origin, retention, and graduation was collected via secure email from seven Tennessee community colleges. The null hypotheses of twelve research questions were tested through SPSS via two-way contingency table analyses using crosstabs. The results revealed that retention and graduation rates of first-time, full-time Tennessee students from rural Appalachian counties attending the participating Tennessee community colleges were significantly higher with the use of Tennessee Promise.

This study is an attempt to assemble the engineering curricula of all the junior colleges and many of the four year colleges and universities of California, and to determine to what extent the junior college engineering curricula are similar to the lower division curricular of these dour year institutions.