The purpose of this mixed methods study was to explore salient nonacademic factors related to social, economic, and cultural aspects together with traditional academic factors that influenced college retention. The study design employed a mixed-methods sequential explanatory method design, collecting quantitative data for correlation and…

The purpose of this study was to advance understanding of self-directed learning characteristics of first-year, first-generation college students participating in a summer bridge program. Understanding the experience of these students in higher education can lead to the development of programmatic and pedagogical strategies to better meet the…

Increasing student retention and improving graduation rates continues to remain a critical issue for undergraduate institutions. Previous research suggests that student attrition is predominantly voluntary, and is influenced by institutional characteristics. The importance of academic and social integration as a strategy to reduce attrition is…

First generation college students are a diverse group of students who enter college with unique challenges and varying abilities. Understanding the college experience for first generation students involves an examination of their background characteristics as well as the barriers and supports that impact their college success. This study explores…

This article describes the educational effects of the Time To Know Digital Teaching Platform used with low socio-economic status (SES) students' in learning mathematics, Hebrew, and English as a Foreign Language (EFL) in Israel. The study described in the article is based on the assumption that one of the possible solutions for bridging the social…

In postwar Bosnia-Herzegovina, segregation along ethno-nationalistic lines and divergent pedagogies within the education system have presented challenges to social cohesion and the long-term stability of a society that is still struggling to rebuild, reconcile, and regain trust (Jancic, 2008). This article examines the current state of the…

This study sought to determine if very early college experiences impact academic outcomes. Specifically, this study used regression models to investigate whether academic integration, social integration, and institutional commitment measured during the third week of the first semester could predict retention to the following year as well as…

How education systems operate in divided societies is an increasingly important question for academics and educational practitioners as well as for governments. The question is particularly pertinent in post-conflict societies, where education is a key mechanism for resolving conflict between divided communities. Using Northern Ireland as a case…

It is the aim of this article to contribute towards an understanding of why Scandinavia and England have achieved very different levels of social integration in their state school systems.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate experiences of students when working during the term. The particular aim of the study is to determine central aspects relevant for students when assessing their term-time job. Design/methodology/approach: The data are based on a qualitative study conducted at Chemnitz University of Technology,…

This qualitative study sought to discern the applicability of Tinto's theory of the importance of academic and social integration to students' persistence by interviewing community college transfer students who had persisted for several semesters in a large, public, research extensive university. Twelve students who participated in a 2004 study…

Background: Supported employment is intended to facilitate and promote participation and integration of intellectually disabled citizens in society. This study investigated their view of the programme. Methods: Q-methodology was used. Eighteen respondents with a mild intellectual disability rank-ordered 22 statements representing five main aspects…

Past research in the area of college retention shows that social and academic integration are important elements in ensuring high retention rates. Many past studies show that learning communities are beneficial in helping raise retention rates as learning communities effectively increase the rates of social and academic integration. The purpose of…

This study explores cross-cultural adaptation experience of Chinese engineering students in the U.S. I interact with 10 Chinese doctoral students in engineering from a public research university through in-depth interviews to describe (1) their perceptions of and responses to key challenges they encountered in graduate school, (2) their…

This paper offers ideas towards a solution of some of the problems that arise due to the extension of higher education to an ever wider range of students: especially student drop-out. It suggests that, as far as is practical, the design and delivery of higher education should be based upon the major changes or transitions which the students…