<p> The community college mission has always centered on providing higher education opportunities for all people (American Association of Community Colleges [AACC], 2015a; Bailey, Jaggars, &amp; Jenkins, 2015; Dassance, 2011; Dotzler, 2003; Greenburg, 2008; Schuh, Jones, Harper, &amp; Associates, 2011). However, many students who enrolled at the community college level were not college ready and often required developmental coursework to help bridge the knowledge gap prior to taking college level courses. Unfortunately, those students were unlikely to obtain higher education credentials (Bailey et al., 2015; Carnegie Foundation, 2014). On the other hand, the researcher observed a relatively small number of students who began their community college education at the developmental level, successfully completed the developmental course sequence, completed college level courses, and graduated with a degree while maintaining a high GPA. </p><p> The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the experiences of those students, identified as Emerging Scholars, at a large Midwestern community college. Through interviews the researcher analyzed the perceptions of Emerging Scholars, specifically, factors perceived as beneficial to success and factors perceived as barriers to success while the student completed a minimum of two required developmental courses, completed a minimum of 24 credit hours of college level coursework, and maintained a 3.5 or higher GPA (on a 4.0 scale). </p><p> As expected, the researcher found the concept of success to be complex and multifaceted. However, two key factors emerged as contributing to success: the establishment of a personal goal and positive faculty-student interactions; participants mentioned both as being a contributor to success. There were six additional factors identified as valuable to success: academic support services offered by the college, specific classes, support from others, motivation to persist, having an internal drive to be successful, and having the necessary skills to be successful. The only barrier to success identified was termed &ldquo;uncontrollable events&rdquo; in the lives of study participants. </p><p> The data analysis from this study could assist community college leaders as they search for ways to increase the success of students who begin their college at the developmental level and could shed light on the type of support to be offered to students who may be struggling and potentially helpful to all students.</p>

<p> This multimethod, multiphase study was designed to determine the impact of charter school reform on achievement in North Carolina. The study was designed to be an analysis of the relationship between classroom climate, interactions, and student achievement, through a complexity systems context. This methodology allowed for combined qualitative, quantitative, network analysis, and agent-based modeling to capture the simple, complicated, complex, and chaotic interactions in classrooms. The data for the study were drawn from eighth-grade mathematics teachers and students at four charter schools in a North Carolina urban area (<i>n</i> = 300). Through the analysis of data, a more detailed and nuanced picture of the relationship between classroom climate, interactions, and charter school achievement emerged. The findings suggest that teacher control and second-semester math grades are statistically significant; the higher the level of control teachers exercise, the higher students score on common core achievement. According to the findings of this study, North Carolina charter schools have served as a successful reform strategy to address the achievement gap problem in North Carolina, with school-specific strategies including high teacher support, students&rsquo; teaching students, IAP/tutoring/online supplemental program, and small classrooms. All schools, on average, scored 30.9% to 56.8% higher on grade-level proficiency (GLP) than the North Carolina 2014&ndash;2015 average. The network analysis showed how classrooms can be more or less complex in different ways with instructional, emotional support, and behavior management interactions that fit into network structures of teacher to one-student, teacher to whole class, whole class to teacher, and student to student or students. The predictive ABM, based on achievement scores over time, school achievement strategy, classroom climate, high teacher control, and second-semester math grades, demonstrated accuracy. The ABM captured macroclassroom and microstudent outcomes, along with climate changes based on interactions that either increased or reduced positive climate. This is important because a teacher has limited resources and must deal with uncontrollable influences from outside the classroom. Teachers have the power to create a positive or negative climate by their verbal and nonverbal interactions. Teachers&rsquo; interactions have consequences that impact students&rsquo; achievement and students&rsquo; lives. Consequently, every interaction matters.</p>

<p> There is limited literature regarding how higher education leaders influence and shape curriculum do for graduate students. The question is how the curriculum is influenced by higher education leaders. The purpose of this exploratory qualitative study was to discover how those in leadership positions in higher education influence and shape curriculum for business school graduate students. Examining the influence higher education leaders have on curriculum design will provide information to universities to evaluate their current processes and may help universities continue to improve program quality. An exploratory qualitative descriptive approach was taken for this study. Qualitative data was collected via eight interviews with those involved in curriculum design. Specifically, participants for this study were those in leadership positions (administrators, deans, associate deans, and senior faculty) in the masters of business administration (MBA) program at a selected university in the Northeast region of the United States. The data from the interview transcripts were analyzed to discover how those in leadership positions in higher education influence and shape curriculum for business school graduate students. The four major themes identified in this study were flexibility, streamlining, continuous improvement, and innovation. The study revealed that factors such as flexibility, communication (internal and external), adaptability, and technology all contribute to robustness of the graduate business curriculum and are a reflection of how those in leadership positions influence the curriculum. The findings from the study revealed similar views regarding participants&rsquo; experiences about their role in influencing and shaping the curriculum, challenges faced, and common experiences among several participants. The study revealed that the participants reported positive feedback on their level of participation with the curriculum design process. The practical implications that may result from the proposed research may explain the current leadership structures, both formal and informal, within department of business. Results of the study may also have the potential to inform the development of future curriculum design efforts to enable current and future department faculty and chairs to influence curriculum design as effectively as possible.</p>

<p> Community colleges nationwide struggle with retention and completion of students. The role of two-year institutions is further complicated by the multigenerational diversity of learners. Community college instructors should be prepared to educate students ranging from the traditional-age digital native to a life-long learner 80 or more years in age. Creating a learning environment inclusive of generational learners is central to the mission of the community college. This quantitative study was grounded in two theoretical frameworks. First, Bandura&rsquo;s (1986) social cognitive learning theory provided an understanding for student learning in the social environment. Second, Sch&ouml;n&rsquo;s (1973) organizational learning theory provided an understanding of how educators and administrators use prior experiences to change and improve the learning environment. Five research questions guided this study. The data for these questions were collected from an immediate content recognition task and student engagement survey following a weeklong teaching demonstration. During the demonstration, two groups were taught identical material, one group in a tradition lecture format and the other received in an active learning format. Weeks later, both groups completed a delayed content recognition task to determine retention of information. The results indicated no statistically significance difference when comparing scores of the passive lecture group. However, the results indicated a statistically significance difference for active learners when analyzing overall retention. Scores for active learners decreased on the delayed content task when compared to the immediate task. The findings of this study may be used to assist two-year colleges in determining effective uses of active learning for the multigenerational classroom.</p>

<p> This integrative research review aims to examine the application of Kolb&rsquo;s theory of experiential learning through the use of simulations within virtual learning environments. It will first cover the framework of experiential learning as stated by Kolb, a learning theory that is finding new life within the context of simulations, role-playing games (RPGs), massive multiplayer role playing games (MMORPGs) and virtual environments. This analysis was conducted by making use of combined research strategies that focused specifically on both qualitative and quantitative reviews that utilized Kolb&rsquo;s experiential theory of learning (ELT) within the context of the application of computer based simulations in virtual environments used to facilitate learning. The review was guided by three principle questions: From the year 2000 to 2016, which research studies that examine the use of simulations to facilitate learning, use experiential learning theory as its foundational theoretical approach? Of the works that were selected, which studies were computer based simulations in virtual environments and demonstrated firm connections between Kolb&rsquo;s ELT and the results of the study? And lastly, within the final group of studies identified what patterns emerge through the application of Kolb&rsquo;s ELT within the context of computer based simulations in virtual environments? </p>

<p> The 21st century perception of students and stakeholders (parents, teachers, administrators, and support staff, etc.) within the realm of world language study in a Midwestern, suburban school district varied sometime subtly and sometimes greatly. No particular study had been done to indicate what inspired students to enroll in world language, other than conjecture from students and stakeholders. To discover the true perception of students and stakeholders within this particular school district, a case study was conducted. A survey was crafted utilizing a tool that focused on language perception with relation to motivation, learning process, relevance, progress, and relationships. Each population researched, both student stakeholder and other stakeholders, took this survey to discover their perception of world language study. From those who took the survey, individuals volunteered to participate in interviews from which the questions were constructed from the same categories that organized the survey: motivation, learning process, relevance, progress, and relationships. The surveys and interviews both narrowed the understanding of how the student stakeholder and other stakeholders perceive world language study, by comparing student responses to those of the stakeholders and seeing their positive and negative correlations. The two different populations agreed that learning a language was difficult and understood the effort it took to achieve proficiency, but valued the then-current system&rsquo;s grading or credit versus actual skill achieved. Ultimately, one&rsquo;s self-perceived ability to achieve within language determined the value attached to the process and the role language would play in their lives.</p>

<p> The effects of Tennessee&rsquo;s Response to Instruction and Intervention (RTI²) framework were evaluated to determine the impact on one middle Tennessee public school district. General education teacher&rsquo;s beliefs, student achievement, and special education referral and eligibility data was assessed before, during, and after implementation. Results indicate that teacher&rsquo;s beliefs were mixed and varied according to the time participants were surveyed. Significant achievement differences were found on TVAAS math fifth grade, TVAAS reading fourth grade, and STAR reading and math scores. Practical significance was noted for students referred and made eligible for special education. A recommendation that RTI&sup2; supports student achievement and decrease special education services was derived, while teacher&rsquo;s indicated a greater need for implementation support.</p>

<p> This research study examined the academic impact of extracurricular activities on middle school students. This study investigated a possible relationship between the amount of hours that students spent participating in extracurricular activities and their academic achievement, as well as the amount of hours that students spent participating in in-school extracurricular activities and their academic achievement. This study used a combination of quantitative and qualitative data to reach its results. The quantitative data ultimately did not show a statistically significant correlation between the hours that students spent in extracurricular activities in general or in in-school activities and academic achievement. However, there was an upward trend in the data for hours that students spent in extracurricular activities in general and their academic achievement. The qualitative component drew upon the prior research on traits that contribute to the success of middle school students academically, and found a pattern consistent with the evidence of these traits through the results of a survey and interviews. Therefore, the qualitative component showed that through connecting these answers to and relying on the prior research, middle school students most likely benefitted academically from being involved in extracurricular activities, especially in-school activities that met these needs. The researcher also reflected on the study and made several recommendations for future research on the topic, ranging from survey and sampling augmentations to suggestions of sub-topics worthy of further exploration.</p>

<p> This thesis examines the relationship between self-efficacy, parental self-efficacy, and valence toward school. Given the link between student&rsquo;s higher achievement and parental involvement, a desire for deeper understanding of how to engage parents in their children&rsquo;s learning was the driving force behind this study. Research was conducted to seek understanding of a potential relationship between parents&rsquo; school valence and how social constructionist theory may play a role in their self-efficacy. Further inquiry focused on how parents&rsquo; self-efficacy in learning may have an impact on engagement with their children&rsquo;s learning. Follow-up questioning probed at what support parents want in order to feel more successful when engaging with their children in learning. This descriptive research is a mixed methods approach, utilizing survey and personal interview data to come to some conclusions on the interplay of these factors. Ultimately it is determined that more research is necessary to come to more concrete conclusions, though an underlying connection between self-efficacy and parental self-efficacy is made. It is recommended that further research be conducted on a larger scale. This research would investigate if there is a significant correlation between parents who had involved parents when they were in school and parents who are involved with their own children&rsquo;s education.</p><p>

<p> This ethnographic study addressed two effective programs designed to assist first-time underrepresented college students navigate and successfully graduate from a private four-year university. This study also addressed how small universities can often reach out to first-generation college students even when these students apply too late for special programs. It focuses on incoming-freshmen on their first semester of their freshmen year and on Alumnae. I explore how students&rsquo; transitions from high school to a four-year university are bounded by a variety of factors within the school's structural organization. By taking an anthropological framework, my qualitative research explores behavior and perspectives about the transition of First Generation College students (FGCs) and how support systems can enable these students to stay enrolled in college.</p><p> Findings indicate four major themes that enabled students to successfully graduate or enroll into the subsequent semester: 1) social support; 2) social capital; 3) importance of mentor, 4) importance of FGCs programs. The research process utilizes participant observation and interviews in uncovering the role that these support programs play in the transition of these students. Questions were posed for further research and recommendations were made for implementation by the university programs evaluated in this thesis.</p>