<p> This study investigated relationships between nine independent variables and three dependent variables measuring intrinsic motivation (for knowledge, to accomplish, to experience), extrinsic motivation (external, introjected, and identified regulation), and amotivation (neither intrinsic nor extrinsic motivation), in a comparison analysis of second-generation Iranians and American university students. The nine independent variables measured were, participant&rsquo;s age, participant&rsquo;s education, father&rsquo;s education, mother&rsquo;s education, parental income, gender, number of siblings, stress, and confidence. Based on the principles of self-determination theory a multidimensional approach was taken that included assessments of self-efficacy (stress and confidence) and need for social approval to determine if there were any possible interrelationships with the outcome variables. <i>T</i>-test results revealed a significant difference in each motivational type between the Iranian group and the American group. In a step-wise backward multiple regression technique, the nine independent factors were analyzed to determine possible relationships with the outcome variables. The independent variables had a notable influence on the outcome variables and the variable <i>confidence </i> was consistently observed for both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. Parental income, gender, stress, and participant&rsquo;s post-graduate/PhD degree level had a direct influence on amotivation. Results indicate that self-determination, autonomy, and regulation of behavior are internalized differently in diverse individuals and social background plays a significant role. Limitations and recommendations for future research are also discussed. </p>

<p> This study examined students with learning disabilities&rsquo; use of academic consultation, a specific academic support, during the first year of college and the relation it had to completing the undergraduate degree. Forty-one participants were recruited via e-mail, telephone, and social media in order to request their consent to have the researcher access their academic and support services records. Results indicate that the number of academic consultant meetings attended during the first year of college did not have a significant impact on overall GPA or GPA at the end of the third semester. Those who used test accommodations during their first year were more likely to graduate in four years than those students who did not use their test accommodations during the first year. The findings suggest incoming first year students with learning disabilities should be aware of the importance of seeking out and registering with the disability office on campus in order to arrange for their test accommodations.</p>

<p> The purpose of this quantitative study was to identify psychological and physical health factors that influence African American college students' academic achievement using secondary data from the American College Health Association's National College Health Assessment (ACHA-NCHA). Using Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory, this study explored the influence of health variables on African American college students' academic experiences. Independent sample t-tests were used to analyze gender differences between African American female and male college students. Factor analyses and a Logistic regression was used to ascertain the influence of psychological and physical health factors on African American college students' academic achievement. Findings of this study highlight personal health issues, future help-seeking behavior, and impeding emotional experiences as significant predictors of academic achievement for all African American students. Implications for practice and recommendations for future research are reviewed.</p>

<p> Question-asking has long been an integral part of human learning. In scholarly investigations over the past several decades, questions have been studied in terms of the answers they generate, their grammatical structure, their cognitive functions, their logical content, and their social dynamics. Studies of student classroom questioning have focused on science education and reading instruction particularly; they detail the reasons why students don&rsquo;t ask questions and add a plethora of recommendations about teaching students how to question. This qualitative study addressed question-asking from a hermeneutic moral realist perspective, studying question-asking as it unfolded in the everyday practice of learning in a graduate seminar on design thinking. Findings of the study included seven themes that fit within three broader metathemes about the complexities and virtues of classroom questioning, the sociality of question-asking, and the temporality of questions in practice. Specific themes that emerged from the study concerned the complexity of overlapping practices within the classroom, ways in which students evaluated the quality and virtue of their questioning interactions, the moral reference points that guided student participation in various kinds of questioning (i.e., convergent questions, divergent questions, challenges to others), and the temporality of student question-asking that reflected the way questions mattered to students and how different aspects of the subject matter were disclosed and concealed in the process of learning. Findings from this study suggest that a moral realist-oriented inquiry can provide a wide-ranging and nuanced set of insights regarding question-asking as a part of student learning.</p><p>

<p> This study explored the learning experiences of higher education students who suffered childhood trauma (CT). Eleven participants both undergraduate and graduate who attended a Midwestern university self-identified as CT survivors. There was research on the negative impact of CT on learning in children and adolescents, as well as posttraumatic stress and veterans. However, the PI was unable to find research on the impact of CT on adults in higher education. Higher education institutions and professors may benefit from understanding how to help these students who often have an invisible learning disability. Research questions asked, what is the learning experience of higher education CT survivors, what can be learned that could help other CT survivors in higher education, and what do they need to be successful. Multiple case studies was the qualitative method used to explore the participants&rsquo; learning experiences. Instrumentation included an Adverse Childhood Experience study (ACEs) questionnaire with self-scoring guide, 14 initial interview questions, structured ongoing journaling entries, and exit interviews. </p><p> Data analysis resulted in nine emerging themes: challenging, learning strategies, anxiety, fear, time management, support groups, determined, personal character traits, and adult learning principles. Four themes described the particpants&rsquo; negative learning experiences&mdash;challenging, anxiety, time management issues, and fear. Two described the positive&mdash;determined, and personal character traits (e.g., resilient, confident). One described techniques they use to help them be successful&mdash;learning strategies (e.g., [all said] face-to-face learning). And, two described what they need from professors and higher education&mdash;support groups (that include professors) and application of adult learning principles&mdash;attend to the characteristics of adult learners (e.g., self-directedness, immediate application to solve real-life problems), and use a learning process by which adults learn best (e.g., prepare the learner so as to avoid emotional trigger experiences, shift from subject- to performance-centeredness). The salient finding was that CT survivors in higher education are the same as any adult learner, but may benefit from an informed level of sensitivity to their learning needs. Allowing new students to self-identify as CT survivors and the general application of adult learning principles may allow all higher education learners to be successful. </p><p>

<p> College tuition costs have risen 33% in the past ten years (NCES, 2016a), forcing college administrators to refocus their efforts on student retention in order to stay competitive (Alarcon &amp; Edwards, 2012; Sanders, Daly, &amp; Fitzgerald, 2016; Tinto, 2006). Although universities have implemented support programs to help students in these areas, students are still failing. </p><p> Students with low self-efficacy lack motivation and lack self-regulation skills, putting them at a higher risk of discontinuing. Self-efficacy not only impacts academic performance (Bandura, 1982, 1997; Budescu &amp; Silverman, 2016, Gallagher, Marques, &amp; Lopez, 2016), but it also influences how students handle challenges (Al-Harthy &amp; Was, 2013; Han, Farruggia, &amp; Moss, 2017), impacts their level of self-discipline (Komarraju &amp; Nadler, 2013), and their self-regulation strategies (Chemers, Hu, &amp; Garcia, 2001). </p><p> This quantitative study investigated student perceptions of academic self-efficacy after having experienced academic challenges, defined by academic probation, suspension, or dismissal, during their first year. The relationship between academic probation types was studied in comparison with academic variables: cumulative GPA, academic cohort, and type of academic challenge. </p><p> The sample included undergraduate students from a mid-size, private institution in New England. Participants (<i>N</i> = 724) were emailed a link to a questionnaire consisting of self-rated statements created by the researcher and derived from the General Self-Efficacy Scale (Schwarzer &amp; Jerusalem, 1995). Respondent data (<i>N</i> = 59) was exported to Excel and then SPSS&reg; for analysis. Descriptive statistics, Cronbach&rsquo;s Alpha, a <i>t</i>-test, and one-way ANOVA were conducted. </p><p> Results showed that students who were once academically at-risk demonstrated higher self-efficacy in managing difficult problems, learning new material, feeling motivated to succeed in courses, and havingconfidence in their academic abilities. These students also demonstrated lower academic self-efficacy in their ability to understand difficult course material and choosing to complete optional assignments even if it did not guarantee them a good grade. There was no significant relationship between cohort and academic self-efficacy score. Although not statistically significant, results showed a trend indicating that the higher the cumulative GPA, the higher the academic self-efficacy score. </p><p> These findings may help administrators better understand student academic self-efficacy and tailor support services to help this population.</p><p>

<p> Within the framework of hope defined by Snyder et al. (1991) as being comprised of agency and pathways thinking in the context of goal achievement, this study investigated the potential of faculty hopeful teaching practices to positively influence college student hope and success. Hope functions in student success frameworks as a factor that contributes to improved academic outcomes including test scores, GPA, persistence, and graduation. It has state and trait-like qualities that may be influenced during a student&rsquo;s time on campus, particularly through interaction with faculty. Hope has been previously shown to correlate with improved outcomes across multiple life-domains relevant for post-graduation and lifelong success, achievement, and happiness. </p><p> Using a quantitative, self-report survey methodology, student perceptions of the frequency of hopeful faculty teaching behaviors were collected from a convenience sample of undergraduate students (<i>N</i>=236) via the Hopeful Teaching Practices Inventory (HTPI), an instrument developed specifically for this study. Factor analysis resulted in the HTPI structure consisting of three distinct scales representing faculty caring, hope, and feedback practices as suggested by Snyder (2005), all with &alpha; reliability scores > .84. </p><p> The frequency of the teaching practices measured by these scales were moderately correlated to student hope, and significantly related when controlling for background characteristics. The HTPI scale scores, and particularly the scale representing Snyder et al.&rsquo;s (1991) conceptualization of hope, predicted student success when controlling for background characteristics. Student hope was also found to be a significant predictor of student success, confirming prior research on the positive benefits of hope. Several interactions with student and professor background characteristics were also observed, yielding further insight into how student-faculty interactions based in hopeful teaching may individually influence student hope and success outcomes.</p><p>

<p> Despite meeting admittance standards, there are many college students who struggle to be academically successful, which sometimes results in them being placed on academic probation. Colleges implement various programs and interventions to help probationary students achieve success at their institutions. Student success courses (SSC) are one type of intervention used; however, much of the literature on the efficacy of SSCs focuses on first semester freshmen. Currently, there are only a few empirical studies on the effectiveness of SSCs with probationary students, but the results of these existing studies are promising. At Copper University (CU), there were limited college-wide supports available to students on probation, leaving them at great risk for academic failure. In an attempt to better support probationary students, a semester-long SSC called Dynamics of Student Success (DOSS), for first- and second-year students on academic probation was piloted in the fall of 2016. DOSS was designed to assist probationary students gain the college success skills necessary to increase their grade point averages. This study assessed the effectiveness of DOSS by comparing the archival data of probationary students who participated in DOSS in the fall of 2016 to those who did not participate. Participants in the treatment and control groups saw gains in their semester GPAs after the fall 2016 and spring 2017 semesters; however, the results of two simultaneous multiple regressions revealed that course participation was not a significant predictor of semester GPA at either point in time. As a result, the researcher concluded that it was other factors, not DOSS, that positively influenced the changes in semester GPA demonstrated by the sample.</p><p>

<p> Little is known about the experiences of students on college outdoor orientation trips who experience lower levels of belonging within their group. During this study students who experienced lower belonging on one program were interviewed to identify common characteristics of these experiences. Due to a small number of research participants, the study was expanded through a national survey to include outdoor orientation participants at 23 schools. Although the expansion of the study increased the likelihood of reaching more participants, it did not result in additional interviews. The difficulty in reaching students who experience lower levels of belonging on outdoor orientation trips became a significant element of the research. Aspects of the responses from these individuals may align with experiences of shame. Elements of shame are discussed as a potential explanation for the low response rate, as well as recommendations for future researchers.</p><p>

<p> Reduced government support has caused higher education institutions to become more dependent on philanthropic contributions. Since the majority of funds come from a small number of donors (Longfield, 2014), it&rsquo;s important to focus on the highest level of donors. However, there was a lack of research that specifically studied alumni major gift donors who name physical structures with their philanthropic gifts to their alma maters. My intent in developing this study was to fill this gap and help higher education institutions secure more funds. </p><p> By building on the research designs of King (2005) and Barascout (2012), I conducted an in-depth case study at one university. I collected data through semi-structured, in-depth interviews with the specified donors and staff members from the institution. I analyzed this data using an open coding scheme. Consistent with my grounded theory approach, I allowed conclusions to emerge from this data.</p><p> My first research question identified the giving motivations of alumni donors who named physical structures with their major gifts to their alma mater. I found twelve overarching factors that motivated these donors: a) Appreciation, b) Affinity, c) Financial Considerations, d) Making an Impact, e) Engagement, f) Recognition, g) Prestige/Signaling Wealth/Social Status, h) Opportunity Cost, i) Warm Glow, j) Legacy, k) Obligation, and l) Tax Implications. </p><p> My second research question sought to understand the impact of solicitation processes on the giving decisions of the donor population being studied. I found that four phases of the solicitation processes influenced these donors&rsquo; giving decisions: a) qualification, b) cultivation, c) solicitation, and d) stewardship. My study also identified four institutional partners who were involved in the solicitation processes: Development Officers, School Deans, Athletic Coaches, and Current Students. </p><p> I also identified two main solicitation process events that influenced these donors: a) fundraising campaigns, and b) campus visits. I found that the donors in my study acted as the &ldquo;deciders&rdquo; about their philanthropic gifts, and did not involve their spouses, nor professional advisors in their solicitation processes. </p><p> Lastly, my study also revealed that Development Officers seemed unaware of the factors that their respective donors considered when making their giving decisions.</p><p>