This study aimed to understand why and how community college practitioners act for institutional change in support of undocumented students--drawing on concepts from the tempered radicals framework. I used qualitative inquiry and exploratory interviews to understand how community college practitioners make meaning of the changes they have been…

Role of Faculty and Student Engagement on Academic Success in Online Learning. Online learning increases at universities. However, there seems to be a lack of information about proper engagement between faculty and students. The information justifies the need to build on current evidence-based literature to establish what dynamics may influence…

The aim of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore college faculty experiences on early alert interventions. The research question that guided the study was, how do faculty perceive their role within a college's early alerts intervention system? Student engagement theory was the steering framework of the study; Seeking to align…

It is essential that all students who are interested in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) have the motivational supports to persist in their STEM career trajectories. "STEM role models," or successful individuals in STEM, can be powerful tools to motivate college students towards STEM careers, particularly if students…

In 2008, a career-focused university implemented a set of faculty-led retention strategies to address a steady decline in retention. Yet, despite the implementation of this program, retention continued to decline. The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions of full-time faculty and part-time faculty regarding what aspects of the…

The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to determine if and to what extent a relationship existed between student agentic engagement and perceived instructor social engagement with students and student self-reported percentage grades. This research examines three theoretical foundations: self-determination theory, social…

This study focused on the experiences of academic representatives who serve on behavioral intervention teams within institutions of higher education. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine participants who all serve as an academic representative to the behavioral intervention teams at their higher education institution. Utilizing a…

The issue that this study addresses is the lack of understanding of student and faculty relationships before and after short-term study abroad trips. To address this problem, the purpose of this study was to explore how students participating in a faculty-led short-term study abroad program experience the role of a professor while on a short-term…

The number of autistic students pursuing postsecondary education continues to increase, but they do not persist, graduate, or maintain post-graduate employment at the same rate as their allistic (non-autistic) peers. Using a critical theoretical lens and exploring persistence from Schlossberg's transition theory (1981,) this narrative inquiry…

Significant disparities in degree attainment rates between Black and White undergraduates at a public university in the Midwest regions of the United States have prompted concern. While these disparities are well-documented, there is limited understanding of how faculty perceive their role in fostering Black student success. This study addressed…

Collegiate music students are at a unique intersection which may put them at an increased risk for mental health challenges and illnesses: the intersection of creatives and emerging adults. Research suggests that mental health in the United States is continuing to decline. However, there is little research and discussion about how collegiate music…

Critical thinking (CT) has become a main focus in the higher education and is viewed as one of the essential skills for students to succeed in the 21st century. Many studies focus on Chinese students and their CT skills. There is a scarcity of research targeting teachers' CT. However, teachers are the key to successful education and they play a…

The purpose of this basic descriptive study was to understand how Chinese seminarians described online education as a means of spiritual formation based on their learning experiences at seminaries in the United States and Canada. Employing a qualitative research design, this study utilized a constructivist philosophical orientation to construct…

This narrative inquiry study explored the transformational learning experiences of students who attended Christian colleges and universities in the United States. The problem addressed in this study is the need for Christian colleges and universities to identify what constitutes and contributes to the transformative experiences conveyed by…

This mixed-methods research study explored the experiences of Native American college students in fully online degree programs. Eight research questions guided the investigation into the experiences of Native American college students in fully online degree programs. The findings suggested that the learner-instructor interaction was the most…