Analysis of diverse first-year and first-generation learning communities students' reflective narratives shows this population of students at an urban commuter college of technology face significant challenges in the transition into college. Designed to assist in this transition, the "Our Stories" digital writing project incorporates…

With growing concerns over higher education accountability and diminishing resources, student persistence rates and the reasons why students remain at a post-secondary institution continue to persist. Using the Backward Design Model, the purpose of this observational study was to determine the difference between the pre-college characteristics of…

This dissertation is a mixed methods study to evaluate the benefits of the availability of supplemental screencasts in a traditional lecture course on a commuter satellite campus of a major Midwestern university. A face-to-face introductory chemistry course designed for nursing majors was complemented by the availability of pre-recorded lecture…

Embedding active learning is a common mechanism for meeting science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education reform goals. Researchers have identified student benefits from such strategies, yet these benefits may not be universal for all students. We sought to identify how students at a nontraditional university perceive…

College student adjustment, success, and retention have been a focus of college administrators and student development professionals for decades. However, national college retention and graduation statistics are typically focused on traditional, residential, full-time, college populations. The purpose of the current study was to examine more…

This article focuses on the cross-national relevance of theories of college student departure formulated by U.S. scholars. Some aspects of U.S. developed theories of college student departure hold some semblance of cross-national relevance. Economic and sociological perspectives provide such aspects. The weighing of costs and benefits inherent in…

This longitudinal case study investigated how one School of Education (SOE), situated in an urban, commuter, public university, responded to the New York State mandate to require the edTPA for initial teacher certification. In order to engage faculty in the work of program redesign, SOE administrators employed a covert leadership approach. Based…

Patterns of technology ownership and usage, as well as skills with and preferences for various technologies, affect the college experience (Educause 2012). Students at a commuter campus of a large Midwestern public university were surveyed about technology and the learning process: 94% of the respondents believed that technology had the potential…

"STEM21: Equity in Teaching and Learning to Meet Global Challenges of Standards, Engagement and Transformation" is designed to contribute to discourses about how STEM teaching and learning can become more equitable, serving the needs of readers across the STEM educational spectrum. "STEM21" is meant to problematize the status…

Tuition is rising, more students are in debt and at higher levels than ever before, and pressure is mounting from every direction and in both political parties--from the White House to state legislatures to overwhelmed parents and students--to do something about it. On the other hand, many colleges and college systems across the country have…

The concept of leadership has been explored in many contexts, yet it is not a role that is expected as part of a college education. "Peer Leaders" are in a unique position because they are responsible for leading a group of students to learn. This phenomenological case study explored the experience of "leading" by Peer Leaders,…

First-year experience courses, although common on university campuses, are conducted in a variety of formats. This article outlines strategies and activities used at a large urban commuter campus in a first-year experience sequence run by the Department of Mathematics and Statistics for the College of Science. The course, designed for freshmen…

This paper describes the Integrated Core (IC), the University of Utah's version of integrated curricula. We begin with a rationale for the IC, providing a background on the unique student demographics, and University-wide requirements that propelled our design. Our IC focuses specifically on active living, sustainability, and social justice as…

This study sought to explore the lived experiences of five female, first-generation, low-income students who attend a metropolitan commuter university, and investigate how a structured undergraduate research experience exerts influence on the women's academic and social involvement. A qualitative case study with a narrative and grounded…

As student persistence efforts remain stagnant and the level of accountability grows for higher education, the classroom environment could offer some assistance toward improving academic integration and subsequent institutional commitment. The process of student persistence at four-year commuter colleges and universities differs from the process…