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ERIC Number: ED656976
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2024
Pages: 153
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: 979-8-3828-1555-8
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Academic Resources and Precalculus Students: Knowledge and Use of Tutoring Services, Skill Sessions, and Academic Coaching
Katie Lynn McKeown
ProQuest LLC, Ph.D. Dissertation, The University of Alabama
Learning centers offer academic resources to postsecondary students to aid in their success. Despite deep work examining the efficiency of these learning centers, the field still does not know enough about students' experiences with these learning centers' resources. By understanding the mechanisms and experiences of students as they learn about, decide to use, experience the use of, and continue using learning center resources, existing learning centers can pivot to become more inclusive and accessible to all students. I address these unknowns focusing on students' use of four learning center resources across two learning centers. Using a convergent parallel mixed methods design, I analyzed data from Precalculus students (n = 465), instructors, and learning center staff at a single large, public university over two semesters. Student data included surveys, interviews, and learning center resource usage data. Course data included course artifacts and instructor interviews. Learning center data included artifacts, observations, and center leader interviews. Results suggest that multiple opportunities exist for students to learn about academic resources, especially mathematics tutoring, and students were generally aware of the resources. However, differences existed in how instructors and center leaders anticipated that students learned about resources from what interviewed students identified as their main source of information. Students most frequently mentioned people (e.g., instructor or peers) and emails as their information source, while the stakeholders most often mentioned course and center materials. Despite demonstrated awareness of the resources, center usage data suggest that most students did not use any academic resources. Tutoring was the most frequently used. No statistically significant differences in resource use existed for sex, GPA, or class year. Data from all sources suggest a relationship between students' decision to use academic resources and students' perceived need for the resource, class events (e.g., exams), students' mathematical confidence, and students' self and social stigmas. Once students use a resource, their experiences at the resource impact whether they continue to return. Learning centers can make changes that ensure students know about, recognize their need to use, and have positive experiences using their offered resources. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]
ProQuest LLC. 789 East Eisenhower Parkway, P.O. Box 1346, Ann Arbor, MI 48106. Tel: 800-521-0600; Web site: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml
Publication Type: Dissertations/Theses - Doctoral Dissertations
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A