In higher education, students who withdraw from college before graduating face and trigger a number of undesirable consequences, such as difficulty finding professional employment, risking default on student loans, causing loss of potential revenue to academic institutions, and yielding a negative return on society's expenditures for college…

This study tested Berzsonky's theory of identity styles and identity commitment in predicting religiosity. Participants were university students (N = 320) from Chile who were surveyed with the ISI-3 and BRS-6 instruments to measure identity styles and religiosity. Path analysis was used to test the model, which suggested that the three identity…

Using a sample of 931 undergraduate students, the current study examined the influential factors on undergraduate students' academic performance, satisfaction, and intentions to persist in their enrolled major. Specifically, the current study investigated the salience of interest-major match in predicting academic success. Interest-major match has…

This executive summary highlights findings from the full report (published separately), describing how many teachers transferred or changed jobs in AISD, remained at their schools, or left the school district after the 2013-2014 school year, along with characteristics of teachers in each group. A separate research brief also was published. [For…

Students' perceptions of competence and relatedness are known to influence learning processes and achievement, and may have particular import for underrepresented science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) learners. Sources of social support that contribute to undergraduate life science learners' perceived competence and relatedness…

The current analysis foregrounded postsecondary agriculture, food, and natural resources (AFNR) education programs through an analysis of learning community, social community, general self-efficacy, and major commitment. Analysis identified statistically significant differences in major commitment perceived by year in school, with students earlier…

Previous investigations mostly relied on the two-factor model of grit (with "perseverance of effort" and "consistency of interests" as major dimensions) which received a number criticisms in the extant literature. Recent studies have provided promising lines of evidence regarding the "triarchic model of grit" (TMG)…

We use data on the teacher preparation experiences and workforce outcomes of more than 1,300 graduates of special education teacher education programs in Washington to provide a descriptive portrait of special education teacher preparation, workforce entry, and early career retention. We find high rates of workforce entry for special education…

Our study explores the challenges of first-generation students while also examining the factors that predict success in this population. We surveyed undergraduate students to compare the academic and social support needs of first-generation and continuing-generation students. First-generation students showed lower grades and critical-thinking…

The purpose of this study was to explore factors that predict the persistence of international, non-immigrant students in higher education. A sample of international students from a four-year private university in Georgia served as the focused population for this study. Persistence research asserts that six factors predict persistence: academic…

Mentoring can change the course of our lives and, in graduate education, is defined as "a personal relationship in which a more experienced faculty member or professional acts as a guide, role model, teacher, and sponsor of a less experienced graduate student or junior professional" (Johnson, 2002, p. 88). It has been posited that this…

Using self-determination theory (Deci & Ryan, 1985) as the theoretical framework, this study explored how high-school GPA and motivation contributed to academic performance and persistence among students enrolled in developmental-education courses during the fall of 2016 at a two-year technical college in the Midwest. A non-random purposive…

Because of increasing mobility among various college student populations, both the baccalaureate degree attainment of community college beginners and the role played by their receiving 4-year institution are growing in importance. In this study, we examined how the academic and social involvement of community college transfer students differs by…

This mixed methods study involved a two phase analysis of how Early College High Schools influence students who graduate with <19 college credit hours, 20-39 college credit hours, or >40 college credit hours in obtaining a Bachelor's Degree. The research incorporated an explanatory sequential mixed methods design that involved collecting…

In most U.S. school districts, a number of teachers are leaving the profession, and more specifically, math and science teachers. Moreover, school work conditions are important predictors of teacher attrition and it is important to understand both when and how these conditions affect teachers. The purpose of this mixed methods study design was to…