This descriptive case study explored the perceptions of former community college first year learning community participants on aspects of their learning community experience that affected their persistence in college using Astin's student involvement theory and Tinto's student persistence model as a conceptual framework. Learning communities have been shown to increase student persistence, but little is known about how they do so. A better understanding of how learning communities contribute to increased student persistence would improve learning community practice and gain administrative support for learning communities. This study used a mixed methods research design utilizing both qualitative and quantitative data. Qualitative data were collected from interviews with former participants and analyzed by identifying emergent themes within the responses. Quantitative data were collected by querying the studied institution's data warehouse and analyzed to determine if they matched the predicted pattern of increased persistence and confirmed the interview data themes. Three themes emerged from the qualitative data: connecting with others, acquiring and applying knowledge and skills, and making the transition to college. The quantitative data revealed higher rates of persistence for learning community students than for a comparison group. These findings confirmed the predicted pattern of student involvement leading to persistence. Further research is needed to explore other factors that may explain how learning communities impact persistence, especially in community colleges. The study contributes to positive social change by providing support for learning communities to help students persist in achieving a college education, attain their goals, and become more productive members of society.

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.

Institutional effectiveness models are examined in two community colleges, judged to have exemplary institutional effectiveness systems in place. One community college is organized within the context of a state level governance system and one is organized under the authority of a local Board of Trustees. / The institutional effectiveness models are examined through an integrated framework of open systems theory and the concepts of effective planning and evaluation processes required by the criteria contained in Section III of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools' accreditation criteria. / The research questions addressed in this study focus on: (a) the events and circumstances that impeded or encouraged the development of the institutional effectiveness model, (b) the elements and strategies of exemplary planning and evaluation practices in the selected institutions, (c) how planning and evaluation practices are integrated into the operational activities of the case institutions, (d) how the existing governance structure influences the institutional effectiveness process, and (e) the role the governing board plays in the utilization of evaluation data to improve institutional effectiveness in the case institutions. / Qualitative research data were collected through interviews, institutional documents, and observations. Triangulation of the data ensured the trustworthiness of the study. A narrative report was reviewed by the designated liaisons at the case institutions to verify interpretations of the data. / The results of the study suggested that presidential leadership was a major factor in the development of the institutional effectiveness systems. Other significant factors included regional accreditation criteria and state policies encouraging institutional effectiveness efforts. / Contextual factors such as the unique institutional culture, governance structure, administrative organizations, and institutional resource development played an integral role in the development of the institutional effectiveness systems. The findings revealed that planning and evaluation information was utilized to focus institutional energies and resources upon the achievement of quality educational experiences to support student success. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 53-03, Section: A, page: 0698. / Major Professor: Louis Bender. / Thesis (Ed.D.)--The Florida State University, 1992.

The Florida Community College System has had a commitment to providing state-funded staff and program development since its founding over twenty-two years ago. Because of the severe revenue shortfall experienced by the Florida state government in the 1990-91 fiscal year, the state rule providing this funding was suspended in November 1990. The effect of this action was to allow the college administrations more flexibility in allocating, within their budgets, an ever decreasing supply of state money. This study used the case study method to examine the extent of the commitment of the community colleges to staff development in the face of financial exigency. The research propositions dealt with the conditions affecting institutionalization of the staff development function within the substructures of the community college. / The study found that the conditions supporting institutionalization are not tied to a particular campus size or organizational structure, college culture, or format of staff development program. In Florida, staff development programs are housed in academic affairs, business affairs, and development offices, as well as several programs autonomous to the administrative structure. However, several key elements were uncovered that promote the ideal conditions for staff development to endure, even through financial hardship. The structural elements are the use of an employee committee, a well-regarded staff member as the coordinator, as well as visible and consistent means of communication. The funding elements are a consistent level of institutional support, minimal funds set aside for administrative discretion, and using the funds for enhancement projects, not operating expenses. The elements of programming are using staff development for personal, professional and institutional development, an evaluation component, a strong link to the institutional plan, and a pool of funds available to encourage employee risk and creativity. Finally, the elements related to institutional fit are a unique program that utilizes the strengths of the institution, not a carbon copy of another institution's program. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 53-07, Section: A, page: 2218. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1991.

The purpose of this study was to determine the articulation and transfer policies and practices of Catholic colleges with community colleges in the state of Pennsylvania and to conduct a case study of the institution of this population that reported the greatest number of the articulation and transfer policies and practices cited in the questionnaire in effect with community colleges. / Researcher drafted questionnaire which consisted of 23 statements related to types of articulation; administration; admissions, advising and student services; curriculum and open-ended questions which required the respondents to identify: (a) office or person responsible for articulation, (b) programs for which there are articulation agreements, (c) community colleges participating in articulation agreements and (d) date of agreements. / Population included the 24 four-year Catholic colleges in Pennsylvania. Descriptive statements, frequency distributions and a percentage breakdown of participants responses were used to present the data garnered from the questionnaires returned by the entire population. Administrators, faculty and students were interviewed at the case study institution and relevant documents were reviewed. / The following conclusions were drawn from the study: (1) a majority of Catholic colleges in Pennsylvania have developed articulation and transfer policies and practices with community colleges; (2) course by course evaluation is most widely practiced form of articulation; (3) control of curriculum continues to be the prerogative of the Catholic colleges in Pennsylvania that have established articulation and transfer policies and practices with community colleges; (4) there is no common descriptor that identifies the Catholic colleges having articulation and transfer policies and practices in effect with community colleges nor is there consensus regarding the individual or office responsible for articulation and transfer policies and practices; (5) administrators and faculty at the case study institution strongly support articulation with the community college and are committed to furthering the educational goals of all community college graduates. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 53-07, Section: A, page: 2266. / Major Professor: Louis W. Bender. / Thesis (Ed.D.)--The Florida State University, 1992.

This study was designed to examine a computerized voice recognition system and its effects on writing skills for community college students with learning disabilities. A repeated measures single case design across subjects was employed. Four community college students, previously identified as having learning disabilities, served as subjects. Three of the four students completed intervention. Students trained in computerized voice recognition system use and produced subsequent expository writings using the system. Two rating techniques, a global holistic rating and an analysis of text features were employed to assess changes in written language skill. Holistic rating employed a 6-point grading scale originally designed for use in grading General Education Development (GED) exams nationwide. The objective analysis of text features involved four indices, frequency, diversity of vocabulary, syntactic complexity, and spelling accuracy, used by researchers to evaluate written expression. Results indicate that dictation using computerized voice recognition for two of the three students produced written essays of better quality than essays written with a word processor when rated holistically by two independent raters. Essays rated greater holistically indicated positive change on one of the four text feature indices, spelling accuracy. These findings imply that computerized voice recognition can assist some students with learning disabilities to improve generally in written communication. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 56-08, Section: A, page: 3077. / Major Professor: Mark A. Koorland. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1995.

The central purpose of this research was to investigate the relationship of locus of control and academic success in selected medical office assisting students. The instrument for locus of control assessment was the Adult Nowicki-Strickland Internal-External Scale (ANSIES). Structured interviews were used to elicit personal responses for the purpose of confirming the locus of control direction that was indicated by the instrument. The research questions addressed the relationship of locus of control to the degree of internality or externality associated with the grade point average (GPA) for the Fall term. The findings concluded that there was a relationship of locus of control to academic success as measured by GPA in two of the four subsets of the study population. The students in the study population that received the highest GPA had the most internal locus of control. The students in the study population that received the least academic success with a GPA below 2.00 had an external locus of control. The subset with a GPA range of 2.00-2.99 demonstrated a more internal locus of control. However, the subset with a GPA range of 3.00-3.99 scored the most external direction of all groups. The findings from the structured interviews illustrated the phenomenon of shifting locus of control in response to a single question. The analysis from the structured interviews indicated more internality than was indicated on the ANSIES. The findings indicated that there was a relationship to internal locus of control and highest academic success (4.00 GPA) as measured by grade achievement. A more external locus of control was demonstrated in those individuals with the lowest academic success. The findings for the two middle subsets did not illustrate a relationship between internality and academic success or externally associated with a lower level of academic achievement. The principal implication of this research for education with regard to this study population is that locus of control is not a reliable predictor of academic success. The principal research recommendation entails further inquiry into selfefficacy, the phenomena of shifting internality, the measurement of this study population, characteristics of medical office assisting students, and locus of control as a predictors of academic success. / Graduation date: 1995

Thesis (Ph. D.) -- University of Tennessee, Knoxville, 2006. / Title from title page screen (viewed on Feb. 2, 2007). Thesis advisor: Vena M. Long. Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2006. / Printout. Vita. Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 67-07, Section: A, page: 2439. Adviser: Debra Bragg. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 215-226) Available on microfilm from ProQuest Information and Learning.

The purpose of this descriptive and correlational study was to examine factors to determine if a faculty-centered student advisement program, which was implemented at a rural community college, affects student retention in a positive manner. The Community College Survey of Student Engagement (CCSSE) was incorporated, and data collected by this group provided the basis for the study. The study was a comparative study of quantitative parameters looking at five benchmarks. The five benchmarks included active/collaborative learning, student effort, academic challenge, student faculty interaction, and support for learners based on teaching, learning and retention in community colleges with regards to personal characteristics of age, gender, ethnicity, and enrollment status. Analysis of variance provided information between the benchmarks and personal characteristics and the quality of advising, and correlations were run using the various benchmarks and personal characteristics in order to determine any connections between the benchmarks themselves and quality of advising. In addition, the Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP), created by this rural community college, was analyzed from 2004 to 2006 to determine any inferred connection with the benchmarks and the quality of advising because of the implementation of the QEP. Findings show that, even though the survey CCSSE instrument used to determine student engagement and its function in student retention may not provide the most accurate results in general for Navarro College, the implementation of the faculty-centered student advisement program has coincided with an increase in graduation rates, an increase in fall to first fall persistence, and an increase in GPAs as evident at Navarro College.