The purpose of this study was to determine the importance of selected factors in students' decisions to persist in retention activities and to examine the relationships between demographic and background variables and students' perceptions of persistence factors. The conceptual framework was based on Tinto's (1975) academic and social integration model of student persistence in higher education. / Using a cross sectional research design, a sample of white, black, and Hispanic students participating in retention activities in three Florida community colleges were surveyed on their perceptions of factors that influence persistence. Dependent variables measuring persistence were Comfortability, Convenience, Benefits, and External Influences. Demographic and background characteristics were independent variables. / Results indicated that while all four dependent variables were important to persistence decisions, Benefits were the most influential, followed by External Influences, Convenience, and Comfortability. Statistically significant differences were found between traditional college-aged students and those 22 years of age and over for Comfortability and External Influences as well as between genders on the dimension of Comfortability. Responses were also significantly different among white, black, and Hispanic students on the Convenience, Benefits, and External Influences constructs. Student interviews revealed Comfort-related preferences among black and Hispanic students. For the remaining independent variables, there was no statistically significant difference in the levels for any of the four persistence dimensions. Tinto's model was very useful in explaining students' persistence/withdrawal behavior with retention activities. Overall, academic integration had a stronger influence on persistence decisions than did social integration. / Conclusions cited the need to promote benefits from participation in retention activities, the important role of faculty and staff, the necessity of recognizing differences in perceptions of various racial/ethnic groups, and the influence of retention activities on student satisfaction and institutional retention. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 51-01, Section: A, page: 0086. / Major Professor: Louis W. Bender. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1989.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fsu.edu/oai:fsu.digital.flvc.org:fsu_78143 |
| Contributors | Blanco, Cheryl D., Florida State University |
| Source Sets | Florida State University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text |
| Format | 279 p. |
| Rights | On campus use only. |
| Relation | Dissertation Abstracts International |
Page generated in 0.0015 seconds