Latent Postsecondary Persistence Pathways: Educational Pathways in American Two-Year Colleges

Latent trajectories of credit hour accumulation were modeled using three independent samples of community college students. Five qualitatively distinct patterns of persistence emerged from these samples: Full-time, long-term; 2 years and out; long-term decliners; part-time, long-term; and one term and out. Follow-up analyses using measures on the Community College Student Report indicated that long-term decliner group; the part-time, long-term group; and the one term and out-group were less engaged than full-time students. In particular, the long-term decliner group was the least engaged group. The models illustrate the utility of latent trajectory modeling in higher education research and provide the basis for an empirically based typology of postsecondary persistence pathways. This study was supported by a grant (2890) from the Lumina Foundation.     

Student Employment and Persistence: Evidence of Effect Heterogeneity of Student Employment on College Dropout

This study explores how student employment affects college persistence and how these effects differ by individual likelihood of participating in student employment. I analyze data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997 using propensity score matching and stratification-multilevel analysis. This study finds that engaging in intense work has deleterious effects on college persistence. However, these negative effects vary significantly according to likelihood of participation in intense work. The results indicate that employment has less negative impacts on completion for those most likely to participate in intense work, who are typically those from the most disadvantaged social backgrounds. This finding suggests that efforts to reduce the deleterious effects of intense work on persistence should be practiced with careful consideration for sub-populations that may have different reasons for and effects of student employment.     

Factors Influencing American Indian and Alaska Native Postsecondary Persistence: AI/AN Millennium Falcon Persistence Model

The purpose of this review of literature is to identify variables (Hart 1998), relevant to AI/AN postsecondary persistence, and to examine the relationship between findings and postsecondary persistence theories at 2 and 4-year institutions. An exhaustive review with selective citation was used to locate relevant documents. Due to the limited amount of articles found for this review, I included both qualitative and quantitative articles. The factors were organized into four emerging themes including; family support, institutional support, tribal community support and academic performance. Due to the lack of research conducted using measures important to AI/AN persistence, the understanding of factors influencing AI/AN student postsecondary persistence is still somewhat limited.     

Student Attendance Patterns and Performance in an Urban Postsecondary Environment

Interest in student transfer/attendance patterns remains high. There is considerable evidence that the traditional perception of transfer from a single community college directly to university is becoming less the norm than in the past. In a continuation of a research consortium project begun in 1992, an urban university and three community colleges investigated the complex nature of student attendance/transfer patterns and their effects on student achievement in terms of credits transferred, GPA performance after transfer, degree completion, and time to degree. While previous research has documented the varied patterns of student attendance/transfer, the goal of this phase of the study was to identify what effects, if any, these varied patterns have on student performance.     

Evaluating the Impact of Crime and Discipline on Student Success in Postsecondary Education

The goal of this study is to evaluate the effect of crime and discipline on graduation rates in higher education. Using national data on more than 1250 public and private non-profit institutions that were drawn from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System, the results reveal that more violence on and around campus is associated with lower 4-year graduation rates, whereas higher rates of disciplinary actions regarding alcohol, drugs, and weapons are associated with higher graduation rates. Furthermore, the findings suggest that utilizing the student conduct system rather than the criminal justice system to address minor offenses is more likely to lead to student success. This study contributes to the growing literature on college effectiveness and the influence of institutional structures and organizational policies on student achievement. The results of this study suggest that violent crime, institutional conduct systems, and campus police departments warrant further investigation.     

Comparing Academic Readiness Requirements for Different Postsecondary Pathways: What Admissions Tests Tell Us

Ensuring postsecondary readiness is a goal of K‐12 education, but it is unclear whether high school students should get different messages about the required levels of academic preparation depending on their postsecondary trajectories. This study estimated readiness benchmark scores on a college admissions test predictive of earning good grades in majors associated with middle‐skills occupations at 2‐year postsecondary institutions. Results generally indicated similarity between those scores, the corresponding scores for students preparing for high‐skills jobs requiring a bachelor's degree, and established readiness benchmarks for the general college‐going population. Subsequent analyses revealed small variation between readiness benchmarks for different college majors. Overall, results suggest that high school graduates need a strong academic foundation regardless of the postsecondary path they choose.     

Examining the Relationship between Student Learning and Persistence

Using data from the 2006 cohort of the Wabash National Study of Liberal Arts Education, we examined the relationships between three approaches to measuring student learning outcomes (direct-assessment learning gains, self-reported gains, and college grades) and student persistence from the first to second year. Results from a series of logistic regressions indicated that students’ grade-point averages had the largest explanatory power in student persistence, followed by self-reported gains. Direct-assessment learning gains had the least power in explaining persistence. The findings have implications for the national conversation on student success in college.     

STEM Pathways: Examining Persistence in Rigorous Math and Science Course Taking

Journal of Science Education and Technology - From 2006 to 2012, Florida Statute §1003.4156 required middle school students to complete electronic personal education planners (ePEPs) before...     

Mentoring and Student Persistence in College: A Study of the Washington State Achievers Program

Using survey data on the third cohort of scholarship recipients in the Washington State Achievers (WSA) program, this study first examined how the assignment of college mentor and student engagement in mentoring vary based on student and institutional characteristics and then examined the relationship between mentor assignment and different mentoring aspects of the WSA program and student persistence in college. The results from this project indicated that Asian American students were more likely to have an assigned college mentor and that Hispanic students were more likely than White students to turn to their college mentors for support and encouragement and had a higher level of perceived importance of their overall experiences with mentors. Among all WSA recipients, having an assigned college mentor was positively related to the probability of persisting in college; among those who had an assigned college mentor, the probability of persisting was positively associated with the extent to which the recipients turn to mentors for support and encouragement and with their perceived importance of experiences with mentors.     

College Student Persistence in Scientific Disciplines: Cultural and Social Capital as Contributing Factors

Underrepresentation of women of color in science majors and careers continues to be a concern for many science educators. Despite being the fastest growing population of college students, women of color have made insufficient gains in college science degree attainment. Sixteen women of color who were undergraduates majoring in a science field participated in three-part, in-depth interviews. Prominent factors associated with persistence as a science major included academic preparation for college science, faculty support, important school science experiences, family support, science support programs, altruistic beliefs, and the importance of religion. This study examined the data using current persistence theories as well as exploring the role of cultural and social capital as sources for support and motivation.     

Underserved and Unprepared: Postsecondary Learning Disabilities

The adolescent and adult population with learning disabilities (LD) continues to be underserved and underprepared to meet the demands of postsecondary education. Evidence pertaining to postsecondary education outcomes for the population with LD is extremely bleak. One purpose of this article is to situate thinking about adolescents and adults with LD across the spectrum of ability and socioeconomic status within the current world context. The second objective is to heighten awareness of the changing needs of this population based on social, educational, economic, and political directives. Several academic options are presented as alternative pathways available to individuals in the transition from secondary to postsecondary environments.     

从冲突到构建:学生管理的人文取向

科层取向和人文取向是学生管理中的两种基本的管理倾向。学生管理的科层取向的产生与存在具有一定的必然性与合理性,但也有一定的不合理性。学生管理的人文取向是人文主义思潮在学生管理中的反映。它是在科层取向一统天下的环境中萌生的,与科层取向有着一定的联系,但它们之间也存在一定的区别,乃至存在着激烈的冲突。人文取向取代科层取向的学生管理,已是学生管理发展的必然趋势。因此,要确立学生管理的人文取向,创建民主、平等、人文的校园文化,创新学生管理模式,建立共同愿望的景象。     

Student Characteristics That Predict Persistence in Community College Online Courses

Abstract

This study examined the student characteristics of learning style, locus of control, computer experience and access, and online course experience on persistence of community college students in online courses. An online survey instrument based on the Barsch Learning Style Inventory (1996 Barsch, J. 1996. Barsch learning style inventory, Novato, CA: Academic Therapy Publications.  [Google Scholar]), the Abbreviated Measure of Internal–External Locus of Control (1974), and a computer experience scale that was developed by the researchers was completed by 225 students enrolled in online courses at five Florida community colleges. Logistic regression analysis identified a three-variable model (auditory learning style, grade point average, and basic computer skills) that was significant in predicting online student success. Academic and student support interventions are suggested for community college students who may be affected by these predictors.     

从冲突到协作:试论加美特殊关系的形成

加美关系的发展并不是一帆风顺的。在二战前的漫长岁月中,两国之间的摩擦与矛盾不断。二战的爆发成为两国关系的一个转折点:由战前的彼此对抗发展为战时的相互合作。加美特殊关系由此建立。战后,加拿大从政治、经济、军事等方面全面向美国靠拢,不断深化与美国的合作。并且,加拿大逐渐融入以美国为主的西方国际体系,从而获得了国家发展的良好环境。     

以人为本视野中独立学院学生工作的问题与对策探讨

为了更好地实现办学和育人的双重目标,独立学院学生工作应遵循以人为本的基本原则;但因为对以人为本的理解有所偏差,学生工作往往不尽人意。解决学生工作中存在的问题,关键就在于真正认识、理解、掌握以人为本的科学内涵,从促进学生全面发展的角度出发开展学生工作。     

Using the Joint Standards to Design Postsecondary Assessments With Evidence of Validity and Reliability: An Approach to CAEP Accreditation

Validity and reliability are a major focus in teacher education accreditation by the Council for Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP). CAEP requires the use of “accepted research standards,” but many faculty and administrators are unsure how to meet this requirement. The Standards of Educational and Psychological Testing abbreviated Joint Standards, are the implied accepted research standards. The purpose of this study was to test empirically the extent to which the Joint Standards could serve this purpose. The primary outcome of this study is a pragmatic set of implementation strategies organized into assessment specifications connecting CAEP requirements to the Joint Standards. An example set of assessment specifications is provided. Use of this process can improve assessments in any academic discipline for any accreditation agency, become a faculty professional development tool, raise assessment literacy, and potentially impact instruction of future educators.