This article presents the analysis of evaluation methods used in a well-designed and comprehensive evaluation effort of a significant Extension program. The evaluation data collection methods were analyzed by questionnaire mode and timing of follow-up surveys. Response rates from the short- and long-term follow-ups and different questionnaire…

This study presents and assesses a developmental math focused peer mentoring program at a public urban university. Over three semesters 45 mentees participated in the program. Results include substantive increases in developmental pass rates as well as increases in self-efficacy and social integration. Other noteworthy findings include the…

Engaging in ongoing assessment is key to libraries demonstrating their value to their institutions. This study is an initial step in a STEM library's long-term goal of measuring the library's connection to, and impact on, student academic success markers such as retention and persistence. Initial results showed that any library usage was always…

The purpose of this study is to determine whether there is a relationship between Turkish online learners' sense of classroom community, perceptions of success in team development process and their preferences of studying in teams. A survey instrument included the Sense of Classroom Community Scale, Tuckman's Teamwork Questionnaire and some other…

The field of choral conducting has been traditionally male-dominated. As more women enter the field, are they finding more challenges or encouragements? This qualitative case study explored the career paths women choral conductors in the United States have taken to find success. This study focused on in-depth, open-ended interviews with four women…

Navigation and completion of a doctoral degree presents numerous challenges, including managing and understanding the faculty advisor/advisee relationship. Research shows faculty advisors are a critical aspect of the doctoral student experience; however faculty advisors and doctoral students do not always have the same perceptions of the…

Defining and measuring college quality is a contentious issue, and the debate about how to do so is far from settled. What is quality when institutions produce outputs ranging from student learning and labor-market success to research? How is student learning measured when students specialize in a major field? How are quality metrics tied to…

Student engagement in institutions of higher education has become a central priority for educators and administrators. What "student engagement" means for a diverse student body is an important question for public institutions with justice-related missions. As social welfare policy shifts to allow more recipients of public assistance…

This study examined African American students' persistence rates in an adult basic education and literacy (AEL) program by juxtaposing teacher disposition that predicts student retention in an AEL program with an AEL Integrated Education and Training program (IET) as a predictor of student success. The Teacher Attribute Survey was administered to…

The United States has almost 2,000 public postsecondary institutions, which provide more than 13 million undergraduates (nearly 2.8 million of them Latinos) with what is perhaps the key to economic security in the modern economy -- a college education. As the primary and most affordable access points to postsecondary education, these institutions…

The Voluntary Framework of Accountability (VFA) is the principal institutional accountability and improvement framework for community colleges with measures defined to encompass the full breadth of the community college mission and the diversity of students' goals and educational experiences. The American Association of Community Colleges (AACC)…

The problem of a prepared workforce is perennial. Part of the challenge is one of supply and demand, as education systems attempt to produce graduates with the technical competencies required for the current jobs available. In the new service- and knowledge-based economy, however, soft skills are cited as a greater need by today's employers.…

This report presents an innovative approach for higher education institutions to better support students from diverse backgrounds. It explores how colleges and universities can fulfill a student success agenda through the creation of a diverse infrastructure that enables the overall institution to effectively mobilize to serve diverse student…

Today's global educational environment includes the emergence of adult learners participating in formal and informal educational encounters for the purposes of professional development or personal enrichment. These learners must possess the conceptual and attitudinal idea of self-directed learning in order to be skilled workers and fulfilled human…

"Middle-skills" jobs require more education and training than that provided by a high school diploma but less education and training than a four-year college degree. Employers struggle to find workers with the needed combination of knowledge and skills to fill middle-skills jobs; this search for workers is particularly pertinent to the…