Objective: We proposed cognitive styles described in the Hopelessness Theory would be associated with depressive symptoms and Systolic Blood Pressure (SBP) and that depressive symptoms mediate these associations. Participants: This cross-sectional study had 324 community college student participants (ages: 18 to 62 years, M = 24.08, SD = 9.10;…

The proliferation of educational technology currently marketed by textbook publishers reflects the neoliberal influence in higher education that emphasizes automated, standardized delivery and skills-based curriculum. Inclusive access programs are publisher developed digital packages that include access to digital course materials at a lower cost…

The purpose of this study is to examine the perceptions of adult learners in a first-year seminar course at Columbia State Community College, located in middle Tennessee, to determine if the content of the course has an impact on the learners' adjustment to college. With the statewide initiative to reach a goal of 55% of the state's population…

This study examines the student experience in the online classroom at a small, Northern California college during the COVID-19 pandemic, using a survey administered online and in person to students enrolled in targeted sections of general education courses at the college. By exploring student responses to specific instructional and support…

Community college students with disabilities (SWD) find disability-related challenges in online learning. Online learning is plagued with high withdrawal rates that impede educational goal completion. Prior to this study, the reasons for asynchronous online course withdrawal of community college SWD were not known. The purpose of this qualitative…

Community college students with disabilities (SWD) find disability-related challenges in online learning. Online learning is plagued with high withdrawal rates that impede educational goal completion. Prior to this study, the reasons for asynchronous online course withdrawal of community college SWD were not known. The purpose of this qualitative…

The purpose of this quantitative study was to measure the change in mathematics self-efficacy of students enrolled in a college mathematics course at a community college in Missouri. The change was measured over a single semester as a pre-test and post-test. The timing of this study is significant, given that it follows statewide changes in…

Working while in college is frequently treated as an impediment to academic success. However, many students need to work to meet their financial obligations, especially community college students, who are more likely to be from low-income families than four-year college students. This study reconceptualizes student employment--specifically campus…

Black students with disabilities are multiply marginalized; they experience both racism and ableism. Many students are further marginalized by poverty, age, and gender identity. The toll of their intersectional identities impacts their academic experience, and the evidence is that Black disabled students have the highest attrition rates and the…

The purpose of this phenomenological study is to explore the lived experiences of seven Mexican American community college philosophy students in their journeys to becoming philosophers in the U.S.-Mexico border, between El Paso, Texas, and Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico. Philosophy is one of the least diverse academic fields in the United…

The number of students with disabilities enrolling in higher education has steadily increased. Most students with disabilities begin their collegiate journey at a community college, but the persistence and graduation rates remain low. Students with disabilities do not seek needed resources and support because of fear of stigmatization, lack of…

This is a study of African students in community colleges. A qualitative study was conducted during the summer and fall semesters of 2020 to collect data from a sample of African students in two community colleges in the mid-west region of the United States. The study provided an in-depth look at the study participants, their journey to the…

The purpose of this quantitative correlational-predictive study was to examine Resiliency and Grit as potential predictors of Academic Success among nontraditional students at a community college in Arizona. The foundation for this study was provided by resilience, grit, and self-determination theories and related concepts. The study was conducted…

Using a qualitative approach based on grounded theory, this study explored the best practices of educational technology implementation in 2-year community college writing centers through a series of interviews with 13 separate 2-year community college writing center administrators. This study utilized Vygotsky's (1978) sociocultural development…

Developmental English (DE) has been under fire from critics who think it acts as a barrier rather than as a support to the success of students placing into DE. In Texas, such pressures led to a wave of reforms and changes affecting delivery and structure of DE instruction. This dissertation draws on years of internal data at one community college…