DEMOGRAPHIC AND ACADEMIC FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH FIRST‐TO‐SECOND‐TERM RETENTION IN A TWO‐YEAR COLLEGE

ABSTRACT

Two‐year public colleges are known to experience the lowest retention rates of all colleges and universities. In addition, the lowest rate of consecutive‐term retention within the two‐year college occurs from students’ first to second term. The literature on factors related to retention in two‐year colleges, however, is strikingly inconclusive. The purpose of this study was to determine demographic and academic factors associated with first‐to‐second‐term retention at a regional campus of a two‐year public technical institution. The interaction between these factors was also studied. Those demographic variables found to be significantly related to retention included educational objective, full‐time/part‐time enrollment status, employment status, and age. The only academic factor found to be related significantly to retention was first‐term GPA. No significant interaction effects between these variables were found. A list of target groups for retention strategies was developed from the results of the study.     

Gender,policy and initial teacher education

An examination of gender discourses within New Labour education policy on the preparation of students for a career in teaching in the UK reveals a contradictory yet, at the same time, complementary position. In the guidelines outlining the Standards that a prospective teacher has to achieve, the ways in which gender informs pupils’ educational opportunities is ‘played down’ in that it is not addressed directly. Rather ‘gender’, along with ethnicity, social class, disability and sexuality is embedded within the broader concept of ‘diversity’. At the same time, gender is foregrounded in education policy on the recruitment of teachers with the drive by the Training and Development Agency to encourage men into primary schools. This article explores these tensions and relates these to the published research on the experiences of male primary teachers. It concludes by arguing for a recognition of student/practicing teachers’ real concerns regarding the gender issues which influence and inform their professional choices and careers rather than those set by the Government agenda.     

A Causal Modeling Analysis of Sociodemographics and Moderate to Vigorous Physical Activity Behavior of American Adults

Abstract

Confusion still exists about the relationships between sociodemographics and adult physical activity behavior. In this paper, data from a national sample of 19,110 adults is examined to determine which of the sociodemographic variables are associated with physical activity behavior, their relative importance, and why these associations may exist. Once one controls for multicollinearity among the sociodemographic variables only age, education, and income maintain any substantive correlation. However, the amount of variance explained is small (R ² _adj = 8%). Two causal models are presented to account for the education: physical activity variance. The relationship is believed to be a spurious one in that there is some other third variable(s) which is speculated to affect both schooling and physical activity behavior. Exposure to sports and physical activity in the schools, though, may enhance the skills necessary for many activities providing an argument for a direct effect of education. Understanding this spurious/direct association is important for policy decision making and further research is warranted.