Theses and Dissertations

Date of Award

2003

Document Type

Dissertation - NSU Access Only

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice

Advisor

Anne E. Mulder

Committee Member

Frederick C. Kintzer

Committee Member

Linda Lopez

Committee Member

Barbara Packer

Committee Member

Claudia Santin

Keywords

Teacher Education/Teacher Certification/ Adult Students/Nontraditional Students/ Accountability/Higher Education

Abstract

The study explored the performance of two groups of students, distinguished by specific demographic and descriptive characteristics, on multiple performance measures. The groups represented matriculated elementary education students enrolled through two divisions of the Farquhar Center for Undergraduate Studies of Nova Southeastern University during three successive fall terms. Both causal comparative and descriptive research designs were used. Measures of achievement ( cumulative grade point average and scores on a statewide examination), and measures of persistence (graduation rates and overall persistence) were applied. A statistically significant directional relationship was hypothesized between enrollment status and performance, reflecting higher performance on the academic achievement measures for the CD group and higher performance on the persistence measures for the PALS group. Descriptive statistics, the chi-square technique with Yates Correction, and Fisher's Exact statistical techniques were applied.

Results revealed substantive differences in group characteristics, as reflected in demographic and descriptive data. Distinctions mirrored those typically associated with students of traditional college age and adult, nontraditional students, but did not translate into statistically significant performance and persistence patterns. In the absence of compelling differences, results direct attention to potential "value added" initiatives on behalf of adult students. Among possible initiatives are: expanded involvement by administration and staff in advising/mentoring adult students on a dedicated, on-going basis; employing focus groups comprised of students with similar needs and interests; implementing an intensive credit or non-credit, required, orientation course to facilitate adult student commitment to persistence and eventual program completion; facilitating the establishment of student-faculty learning communities and/or student cohort study groups designed to promote the bonding of students through their shared experiences.

Recommendations for further research include: tracking additional cohorts to expand sample sizes; assessing added items on the pre-matriculation survey; examining transfer credits to assess the relationship between total credits at matriculation and persistence; compiling specific term-by-term data on the number of credits earned per term in order to track "stop-out" patterns; refining the examination of marital status and status relative to dependents so that finer distinctions regarding student characteristics and performance may be made; and analyzing average GPAs for each group from individual course performance data to refine the examination of comparative academic performance.

Download
To access this thesis/dissertation you must have a valid nova.edu OR mynsu.nova.edu email address and create an account for NSUWorks.

Free My Thesis

If you are the author of this work and would like to grant permission to make it openly accessible to all, please click the Free My Thesis button.

  Contact Author

Share

COinS
 
Dissertation of Distinction