The estimation of a conceptual model of nontraditional undergraduate student attrition

The purpose of this study was to estimate a conceptual model of nontraditional student attrition. Data were gathered from 624 nontraditional (commuter, part-time) freshmen at a midwestern urban university enrolling 22,000 students. For these nontraditional students, dropout was a function of GPA and credit hours enrolled, as well as the utility of education for future employment, satisfaction with the student role, opportunity to transfer, and age affecting dropout through intent to leave. In addition, absence from class, age, high school performance, and ethnicity had indirect effects on dropout through GPA. These results suggested that nontraditional students dropped out of college for academic reasons or because they were not committed to attending the institution, but their reasons for leaving were unrelated to social factors at school. The findings helped validate the conceptual model.An earlier version of this paper was presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, San Francisco, April 1986.     

The Impact of Item Dependency on the Efficiency of Testing and Reliability of Student Scores From a Computer Adaptive Assessment of Reading Comprehension

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the extent to which students who took a computer adaptive test of reading comprehension accounting for testlet effects were administered fewer passages and had a more precise estimate of their reading comprehension ability compared to students in the control condition. A randomized controlled trial was used whereby 529 students in Grades 4–8 and 10 were randomly assigned to one of two conditions, both of whom took a computerized adaptive assessment of reading comprehension. Participants in the experimental condition had ability scores estimated as a function of an item response model, which accounted for item-dependence effects in the reading assessment, whereas control students took a version where item-dependence effects were not controlled. Results indicated that examinees in the experimental condition took fewer passages (average Hedges' g = 0.97) and had more reliable estimates of their reading comprehension ability (average Hedges' g = 0.60). Findings are discussed in the context of potential time savings in assessment practices without sacrificing reliability.     

Associate Teachers’ Perceptions of Effective Mentorship Professional Development

Associate (mentor) teachers are essential partners in guiding teacher candidates into the profession; however, little training is offered for this critical role. This study explored, through the lens of self-determination theory, types of support and delivery most useful for successful mentorship during practicum. Online surveys and invited interviews targeted at associate teachers for one teacher preparation program (TPP) were used to gather data, with subsequent ordinal scale data display and theme derivation. Based on 281 survey respondents and 13 interviews, results highlighted specific TPP supports and the need for other partners (i.e., federations, boards) to engage more actively in supporting associate teachers.     

Modular instruction in higher education: A review

The principles and purposes of modular instruction (MI), its advantages for both students and instructors, and a comparison between the conventional and modular approach are presented. Separate sections deal with implementation and management of MI and include a discussion of evaluation and cost. Several examples of modular formats in use at North American universities are described.Present evidence suggests that MI meets the needs of today's students more adequately than traditional instruction both with respect to the quality of learning and the content. However, certain problems may arise in implementing MI. These are presented from the perspective of the student, instructor, and administrator. Given its emphasis on individualized learning and its adaptability to large numbers of students, MI has emerged as one of the most promising alternatives in higher education today.     

Stressed and Losing Sleep: Sleep Duration and Perceived Stress Among Affluent Adolescent Females

This study examined the relationship between stress and sleep duration for adolescent females from affluent backgrounds. Participants were 218 students attending two independent single-sex secondary schools. Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression models (cross-sectional and longitudinal) were run to examine the association between stress and sleep duration and to determine whether any associations lasted from the beginning to the end of the academic year. In the cross-sectional models, the relationship between perceived stress and sleep duration was reciprocal and negative. Findings from the longitudinal analyses suggested that perceived stress had lingering negative effects on sleep. Implications for future research and practice are discussed.     

An analysis of international partnership programs: The case of an historically disadvantaged institution in South Africa

International academic partnerships have the potential to enhance the participating institution’s efforts to become actors in the global educational arena. The ability of partnerships to realize their objectives is affected by the relationship that the partner members have with one another and the mutual benefit each receives from the agreement. This article examines the dynamics of an academic partnership between Transformed University an historically disadvantaged institution in the Eastern Cape Province in South Africa and three international partners from the US, Canada, and the European Economic Community. The paper illuminates a variety of factors including history, organizational culture, and globalization forces that affect the success of academic partnerships to reach their stated objectives.