Miami Dade College (MDC) is predominantly an associate degree granting institution also authorized to confer baccalaureates. As “democracy’s college”, MDC is the nation’s largest, most diverse community college. In 2011, a comprehensive redesign effort was launched to increase degree completion. This sequential mixed model design study queried teacher education student voices to explore their perceived impact of three high-impact practices (i.e., mandatory orientations, assigned advisors, and Individualized Educational Plans). A survey (n=218) was administered during an initial quantitative phase, confirming that a) students perceived the interventions as the institution intended and b) ethnicity influenced perception. Focus groups (n=27) were conducted during a subsequent qualitative phase, unveiling three overarching findings about how and why perceptions of operational, affective, and academic aspects of the interventions were useful, not useful, or could be enhanced to help them navigate/ “survive” college, make adequate progress, and anticipate graduating, transferring, or entering a career. / Includes bibliography. / Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2016. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

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