The purpose of this study was to illuminate the barriers to persistence underprepared students at the community college experience after the initial successful completion of one semester. A qualitative interview study, grounded in phenomenology, was implemented. Participants were identified through a process of purposeful selection, which included the following criteria: (a) beginning the development reading sequence at the most basic level (DEV 65) and passing that course; (b) immediately enrolling in a subsequent semester at the institution; and (c) exiting the institution before acquiring any credit-bearing English coursework. The examination of institutional archival data resulted in 42 potential participants. Participants were recruited via telephone and mail, and of the 42 attempted telephone and 39 mailed contacts, five individuals volunteered to participate in the study. Each participant was interviewed individually, with sessions varying in length between 51 and 119 minutes. Immediately after each interview was complete, the audio recording was listened to in its entirety and transcribed verbatim. The resulting transcripts were analyzed through a modified version of Devinish's (2002) applied method for phenomenological explication of interview transcripts. This involved a multi-layered process of recursive analysis beginning with line-by-line open coding, extracting 333 natural meaning units (NMU). In a second stage of analysis, the NMU were further sorted, analyzed, and grouped to arrive at 46 central themes. The third stage of analysis involved collating and grouping central themes into related fields employing a concept map to form at 13 interpretive themes. The final stage of analysis included a further examination of the 13 interpretive themes, where each was rank ordered by importance (frequency x intensity = priority) and then synthesized with data from lesser themes, which resulted in the following six explicative themes: (a) significant environmental stressors; (b) a sense of self-sufficiency and independency; (c) reading problems; (d) a belief in the power of perseverance; (e) instructor characteristics; and (f) financial aid restrictions. These six explicative themes captured the essence of what it meant for the participants to be an underprepared student at the college and identified the perceived barriers to persistence.

Thesis (Ed.D)--Boston University / PLEASE NOTE: Boston University Libraries did not receive an Authorization To Manage form for this thesis or dissertation. It is therefore not openly accessible, though it may be available by request. If you are the author or principal advisor of this work and would like to request open access for it, please contact us at open-help@bu.edu. Thank you. / Is it possible for at-risk students attending a rural community college to succeed in attaining their stated academic goals if exposed to a retention program customized to suit the needs of students attending their type of institution? What role does a student's motivation to succeed play in his or her decision to pursue achievement behavior in college? Are academically at-risk learners aware of behaviors that limit their success in the classroom? If so, what affective and cognitive variables determine individual success and to what extent can these variables be screened for on entrance? To address the above questions, the LASSI and Trice Locus of Control inventory were administered to 45 students enrolled in the Opportunity For Success program, a retention effort for at-risk 17-21 years old students at Quinebaug Valley Community College in Connecticut. Using SPSS, a multiple regression analysis was performed by entering the 10 variables of the LASS I and the GP A for the subjects. Also, two 90- minute, in-depth interviews were conducted of 26 of the 45 students. Faculty and advisors of these students were asked to rate their performance. The findings support the literature on student success and college student attrition. At-risk learners are aware of behaviors that limit their success. Successful at-risk students possess a variety of strategies to cope with academic challenge while low achieving students often do not. Instead, the low achieving students develop theories to explain their failure to succeed. Similarly, this research illustrates that failure, like success, is a habit learned over time and context dependent; the high school experiences of underachieving subjects demonstrate that they are often unmotivated to succeed in the classroom because they lack the interest to invest in academic endeavors. Low achieving students in this study continued this pattern in college, while those who became high and moderately achieving adopted multiple strategies to ensure success. Participants were motivated to perform in classes they considered "fun" and relevant to their future goals. The findings also show that educators should assist at-risk students to overcome their fear of failure by increasing their ability to self-regulate learning, set goals, and evolve healthy self concept. This study concludes that the desire to persist, information processing, and attitude towards learning play a major role in the learner's decision to pursue achievement behavior. / 2031-01-01

<p> This phenomenological study examined the experiences of students with learning disabilities (LD) in acquiring the metacognitive skills necessary for success in California community college. Within 8 years of high school graduation, over 67% of young adults with LD will enroll in post-secondary education, many choosing a community college. The rate of community college completion for adults with LD, however, is nearly 10% lower than the general population (National Center for Learning Disabilities, 2014). Metacognitive skills have been shown to contribute to the success of LD students in college. </p><p> To identify college-level students who have acquired metacognitive ability, the researcher employed the Metacognition Awareness Inventory (MAI). Five students who scored at least 70% on this instrument were interviewed using a semi-structured interview protocol. Analysis of the interview data was conducted using the a priori codes that emerged from the review of literature. </p><p> The study revealed that the research participant&rsquo;s used a variety of metacognitive skills and strategies to accomplish their individual and academic goals. The three major strategies that LD students used to learn metacognition were a) formal learning, b) informal learning, and c) adaptation over time. Given California&rsquo;s community college system being the largest system of postsecondary education in the world and the number of students with LD who are enrolled in the system, the results of this study could affect the way community colleges educate thousands of students with disabilities. </p><p>

<p> Since their inception in the 1960s, federally funded workforce development programs have promised a solution to unemployment, labor market skills gaps, and income inequality. However, until recently, lack of data and methodological challenges have made evaluation of these programs difficult. Funded by the U.S. Department of Labor in response to the Great Recession of 2008, the Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training (TAACCCT) program, represented a nearly $2 billion investment in community colleges and the U.S. labor force. Using third-party evaluations to provide evidence of strong outcomes for TAACCCT participants was one of its key objectives. Through a systematic review of TAACCCT third-party evaluation studies and case study analyses of two institutions, this study examined the impact of TAACCCT on participant completion, employment, and earnings and institutional capacity building during its first two funding rounds. TAACCCT enabled community colleges to invest in capacity-building activities, experiment with innovative program strategies, and strengthen and scale partnerships. It also had a positive and significant impact on participant completion and employment. Future workforce development programs should be informed by these successes. The experiences of grantees during these two rounds also offer insights into improvements for future programs. </p><p>

<p> <b>Purpose:</b> Community colleges across the United States are implementing systemic reforms in response to calls for increased student success. Guided pathways is a framework for holistic redesign that coordinates institutional improvements in multiple areas to increase impact. Since California community colleges are in the early stages of adopting guided pathways, research on the decision-making processes of college leadership in applying this framework is limited. The purpose of this multiple case study was to describe the role of strategic governance in the implementation of guided pathways at scale at California community colleges.</p><p> <b>Methodology:</b> This phenomenological qualitative study used a multiple-case embedded case study methodology to collect data aligned with the four imperatives of strategic governance theory. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 15 campus leaders involved in guided pathways implementation at three community colleges in Southern California. Archival records and documentation were used to triangulate the data.</p><p> <b>Findings:</b> Colleges balance the imperatives of involvement, efficiency, environment, and leadership across the domains of strategic planning and governance when implementing guided pathways. Inclusiveness, intentional alignment, interdependent leadership, and internal/external synergy emerged as essential elements of strategic governance during pathways efforts.</p><p> <b>Conclusions:</b> Community colleges leverage inclusive and credible strategic planning and governance systems to create a stable foundation for institutional redesign. A networked system that interfaces informal elements with formal structures promotes and accelerates efficiency, while a proactive, reflective, student-centered approach to managing environmental demands helps maintain focus. Interdependent leadership mechanisms that are culturally compatible and responsive to institutional needs facilitate efficiency and involvement in implementation. The guided pathways framework provides colleges with a systemic model for developing overall institutional effectiveness. </p><p> <b>Recommendations:</b> Community college leaders should deliberately increase engagement in decision-making processes and strengthen the integrity of strategic planning and governance systems. Leaders should define the parameters of pathways teams, establish logical connections between informal and formal structures, and encourage mutual reliance in pathways leadership. Leaders should cultivate a systems mindset and use embedded reflective practices to guide implementation.</p><p>

<p> The present study aimed to describe 21st century literacy skills learning during a master&rsquo;s program focused on Linked Learning that sought to provide career readiness to students. Two research questions guided this study: (1) How do university professors in a Linked Learning graduate program describe their use of 21st century learning Skills in technology? and (2) How do secondary teachers in a Linked Learning graduate program describe their use of 21st century learning skills in technology in their classrooms? This mixed-methods study analyzed data from faculty members and graduate students, all of whom were part of a master&rsquo;s program focused on Linked Learning for in-service teachers.</p><p> The findings showed how faculty members implemented and modeled strategies that promoted the acquisition and improvement of technological 21st century literacy skills in the areas of information literacy, media literacy, and information, communication, and technology literacy. There is evidence that the program helps graduate students acquire and develop the technology skills their future high school students will need to become fluent global citizens. </p><p>

abstract: ABSTRACT Community colleges serve an important and pivotal role in society. Neighborhood community colleges attract local students and students who attend community colleges do so for reasons including convenience and cost savings of living near or at home, lower tuition, developmental education courses, vocational training, ESL courses for English Language Learners, and a myriad of student and college resources. Community college faculty and administration work hard to meet the needs of by providing vocational and university transfer programs. This research study is about the proliferation of online learning and the community college’s struggle to offer online course and keep students enrolled. In an effort to keep up with new educational innovations such as learning online, community colleges offer and fill online courses. However, attrition in online courses is high. Educators continue to innovate and change in areas of course design and online teaching pedagogy, but online learning lacks the physical presence of teacher-student and student-to-student contact and connectedness to the class itself. This study investigates whether it is possible, and effective, for educators to include non-content related curriculum that tries to boost student connectedness to the class, reduce stress, and increase focus so students are more likely to stay enrolled or at least gain more self-efficacy. I chose mindfulness and its myriad of benefits to incorporate into assignments to enhance the online learning experience and keep students enrolled and passing. This study used one class section of online ENG102 students in a small, urban community college. Within the online course students were introduced mindfulness through periodic opportunities to read about and participate in mindfulness activities. Results indicate that students still withdrew or stopped participating in the course, even after just a couple weeks and with minimal opportunity to engage in the mindfulness exercises. Students who did stay enrolled and participated in the mindfulness exercises reported that mindfulness did relieve stress and increase focus in general and when approaching course work. Attrition remained high. The implications for online educators indicate that more than just mindfulness is needed to address the attrition problem in online courses. Keywords: mindfulness, attrition, online learning / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Leadership and Innovation 2018

<p> Approximately 80% of students attending community colleges intend to earn a bachelor&rsquo;s degree; however, only 17% attain the goal (Horn &amp; Skomsvold, 2011). The Complete College America (2011) initiative signaled a paradigm shift from access to higher education to public policy defining success as completion, graduation, and transfer. Despite efforts made, community colleges are falling short of reaching their two-year to four-year college completion goals (Monaghan &amp; Atwell, 2015). Attention to transfer students and their role in the college completion agenda has become a focus of recent research. There is, however, minimal understanding of transfer admission pathways such as Joint Admission programs and their relationship to degree completion. </p><p> This non-experimental causal-comparative ex-post facto study investigated the relationship between a Joint Admission Agreement (JAA) program and two-year to four-year degree completion and time to degree completion, and was guided by these research questions: 1. Is there a relationship between JAA student participation and bachelor degree completion? </p><p> 2. Is there a difference in bachelor degree time-to-completion between JAA and non-JAA transfer students? </p><p> 3. To what extent and in what manner is variation in bachelor degree completion rates explained by four-year GPA, total number of transfer credits, degree type, Pell and demographics on JAA and non-JAA? Ex-post facto data of JAA and non-JAA transfers (n = 846) who earned an associate&rsquo;s degree and transferred to a state flagship institution from 2011 to 2015 were collected and analyzed using SPSS software. A t-test analysis indicated participation in JAA (n = 121) showed a positive, significant relationship to four-year degree completion, t = 5.038, p = .001, M = .70 compared with non-JAA M = .47. A t-test analyses showed JAA t = 4.28, p = .001, M = 2.12 had .33 of a year faster rate of time-to-completion over non-JAA, M = 2.45. Results of ANOVA analysis showed demographics has no effect on time-to-degree completion. </p><p> This study filled a gap in the literature in finding a positive relationship between JAA participation and both four-year degree completion and time to completion. The results may suggest consideration of both system and institutional policy initiatives to promote and encourage JAA participation.</p><p>

<p> <b>Purpose.</b> The first purpose of this study was to identify and describe what actions faculty experts recommend for California Community Colleges to ensure maximum effectiveness of instructional strategies and related academic support programs in developmental mathematics by the year 2020. The second purpose of the study was to identify and describe which of those actions instructional practice and related academic programs faculty experts believe are most important and most feasible for implementation by the year 2020. </p><p> <b>Methodology.</b> This Delphi study was conducted in a three rounds with a panel of twenty-four expert faculty members of California Community Colleges who met the following criteria: eight to ten years of teaching experience in California community college, experienced in the teaching/developing of new methods of community college mathematics remediation, recognized by the individual community college, the state, or national groups for experimentation in new methods of mathematics remediation, and recognized by peers as evidenced by peers&rsquo; knowledge of names aligned with successful/innovative programs in mathematics remediation. </p><p> <i>Findings.</i> Seventy-eight instructional strategies in seven categories were actions recommended in round one; those categories were instructional strategies in the following areas: Pedagogy/Andragogy-Adult Learning Theory, Active Learning, Classroom Environment, Engaging and Connecting with Students, Non-Cognitive Support, Assessment, Reviewing Material and Technology. Rounds two and three produced consensus of the importance of providing clear expectations, building classroom communities, building confidence with competence, addressing math anxiety, and teaching connected/spiraling concepts with frequent reviews and individual feedback. In round one, thirty-three Related Academic Support Programs were recommended in four categories. They were: Faculty Discussion and Support, Tutoring and Supplemental Support, Counseling, and Including Exceptional Processes and Programs. Rounds two and three produced consensus on the following actions: having excellent instructors in developmental mathematics, conducting faculty training and dialogue, providing consistent and hands-on tutoring coordinated with instruction, and encouraging counseling and individual educational planning. </p><p> <b>Implications for Action.</b> Though the state faces challenges in hiring expert mathematics faculty for growing college enrollments, a group of experts exist who deliver excellent instruction and create positive learning environments. There are many of these instructors who could become a consortium to help others improve faculty development programs, embed adult learning theory, and achieve the end-goal of increasing student success and graduation rates.</p><p>

<p> Issues of instruction and assessment at community colleges are influenced by the high percentage of classes taught by adjunct faculty. In 2014 for the Virginia Community College System, part-time instructors comprised 70.3% of instructional faculty. This dissertation describes the instruction and assessment technique choices of adjunct instructors in humanities and social sciences at five Virginia community colleges, identified through survey, interview, and observation data, and what influences instructors in this study make choices about what techniques to use. Profiles of observed instructors provide examples of specific instructor experiences. Four themes are identified: 1) personal dedication of instructors; 2) instructors&rsquo; practice of teaching how they learned; 3) constant revision of courses taught; and, 4) limited availability of collegial interaction or professional development opportunities. With the increasing importance that adjuncts play in providing undergraduate education, understanding how these instructors teach and assess student learning informs college practices in decisions about using adjuncts, appropriate professional development, and processes for hiring and evaluation.</p><p>