Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Higher Secondary'

Dual credit courses are college-level courses offered to high school students which are accepted for both high school and college credit (Hughes, 2016). Dual credit positively impacts students by reducing the time to complete a degree, enhancing the high school curriculum, increasing college accessibility, and lessening educational financial burdens (Hughes, 2016). The intention of this study was to survey adjunct instructors who have taught in both high school and college environments to determine their opinions of differences that exist between secondary and postsecondary dual credit experiences. College administrators were also interviewed to obtain insight into any variability of dual credit courses between offerings at high school and college locations. This study was intended to close gaps in the research regarding differences in resources, instruction, and environments between dual credit experiences on high school or college campuses, according to instructors and administrators. Data were gathered from instructors and administrators employed by a Midwestern community college to examine variations of components related to dual credit. Teachers noted differences in social environments, laboratories or lab-based classrooms, financial support, and student services. Administrators focused on accessibility and the need for growth regarding professional development. Study results can be used to further develop dual credit programs and increase quality for students who enroll.

This case study explored dual enrollment program implementation and student participation at a public high school in Alabama. The study gathered current data to describe the salient actions and cultural beliefs that influence dual enrollment program participation. The findings help to better understand the institutional practices that attract students to participate in dual enrollment programs.

This study describes the process by which a high school generates student participation in dual enrollment programs and identifies its established institutional practices that lead to higher student participation. The findings described the noticeable actions and cultural beliefs that facilitated student participation. The following research questions provided the data needed to answer the overarching questions of this study: 1) What were the strategies the high school used to attract students to participate in dual enrollment programs; 2) How did the high school assist students in successfully completing dual enrollment programs; and 3) What challenges does the high school face in the implementation of dual enrollment programs?

The racial classification of Armenian American college students as White leads to the lack of ethnic-specific data on their educational outcomes and experiences. This qualitative study explored the perceptions of Armenian American college students of their campus climate. The study used an interview approach to examine the conditions that supported or inhibited their college experience. Campus Climate was used as a conceptual lens to guide this study. The study revealed four themes: family influence, mainstream campus culture, Armenian campus culture, and hidden minority status. Impersonal campus conditions inhibited Armenian American students’ experience; conversely, personable campus conditions, supported their college experience. The findings demonstrated that these students constantly negotiate between their Armenian ethnic identity and American student identity while finding ways to connect to their campus environment. Policy and practice recommendations include increasing awareness, presence, and inclusion of this population on college campuses.

College application behaviors among students who are similarly prepared vary by socioeconomic status. Recent research suggests that undermatching is a growing trend, especially among low-income students. Undermatching has detrimental consequences for students who possess the potential to succeed at a selective college, but fail to apply, leading to reduced student success and poor economic outcomes. While literature about factors that affect a student’s decision to attend college is abundant, a focus on the selection of college is still limited. A literature review examined how college choice changed over time, and how future trends in students’ college application behaviors might develop.

This quantitative study used a cross-sectional survey design. Demographic variables were collected along with the results from the Aspects of Identity Questionnaire (AIQ-IV). A paper-and-pencil survey was used to collect data about participants’ race, gender, academic achievement, socioeconomic status, identity orientation, and college choices. In this study, college choice was measured by college selectivity scores, which are annually assigned by the U.S. News & World Report. Surveys were administered to 341 twelfth grade students in a California public high school.

Results revealed that both race and academic achievement are significant predictors (R² = .422) of college selectivity. Inferential analysis reported that Asian participants (M = 2.75) had a higher mean college selectivity score than Filipino ( M = 1.91) and Latino/a (M = 1.99) participants. These findings suggest that Filipino students require support systems that may be different from those available to Asian students.

The findings also suggest that academic achievement is associated with participants’ college choices. Participants who reported high academic achievement levels had higher college selectivity scores, regardless of socioeconomic status, concluding that undermatching was not found for low-income participants at this research site. This is noteworthy because it is different from what literature reports is a negative outcome among low-income students. This suggests there may be external factors that can have a positive impact on college choices in order to overcome the typical effects of social class on college attainment. Future research can investigate policies and practices at high college-matching schools to explain how to improve college application behaviors.

This work explores the occurrence of school sponsored rock music ensembles and pedagogy in secondary education within the state of New Jersey. The purpose of this research was three–fold: 1) to document the occurrence of rock music performance ensembles in New Jersey secondary schools, 2) to highlight the details of a select group representing a sample of these programs, and 3) to contribute to the body of knowledge relating to rock music in the school curriculum. A two part, mixed–methods research process involved the use of both a quantitative survey instrument and a qualitative interview process. The part one survey was distributed to 720 public secondary schools across the state of New Jersey. Questions were written to seek data regarding school population, budget, types of music programs available to students, regional classifications, and enrollment. Based on survey data, five programs, in which students learn and perform rock music using authentic rock music instrumentation, were selected for part two faculty interviews. These interviews uncovered reasons for the existence of these programs (i.e. teacher and student interest), information about student participation, instrumentation, relationships to the other music programs within the school, intended outcomes, measures of success, and the existence of authentic learning, informal learning practices, and the concept of bi–musicality.

The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to determine the relationship between dual enrollment (DE) participation and college persistence among 399 high-school students enrolled in the five campuses of a state college in southeastern Florida from Fall 2010 to Fall 2012 using archived student records. Multiple regression was used to examine the correlation between college persistence and DE credits earned, GPA earned in DE courses, and algebra grades and to determine which variable was the greatest predictor of college persistence. The results of the study indicated that there was a significant but small correlation between DE participation and college persistence. Using analysis of variance, the result showed that there was a significant difference between the college persistence of DE and non-DE students. DE students had a mean college persistence score higher than non-DE students. The results of the study using Pearson correlation also showed that there was no significant correlation between GPA earned in DE courses and college persistence. No significant correlation between algebra grades and college persistence was found. The most important result of this study indicated that there was a highly significant correlation between a student’s DE credits earned and his or her college persistence and the best predictor of college persistence was the DE credits earned. Based on these findings, more research is required to investigate how DE and non-DE students compare in terms of the relationship between the variables GPA, DE credits earned, algebra grades, and college persistence.

A Case Study Market Analysis of Acceleration Mechanisms in Florida: Dual Enrollment Positioning. Laura Melissa Perry, 2013: Applied Dissertation, Nova Southeastern University, Abraham S. Fischler School of Education. ERIC Descriptors: Acceleration (Education), Competition, Dual Enrollment, Marketing, Recruitment

This applied dissertation explored dual enrollment viability when compared to other acceleration mechanisms: (a) advanced placement, (b) advanced international certificate of education, (c) international baccalaureate, and (d) college-level examination program. This multicase, qualitative study explored the competitiveness of dual enrollment versus other acceleration mechanism using Porter's model and the strengths-weaknessesopportunities-threats analysis as the theoretical frameworks. The study used one-on-one interviews to gather primary comparative information. Five groups were interviewed: (a) the vendors of the acceleration mechanisms, (b) state education officials, (c) district personnel, (d) high school representatives, and (e) higher education representatives. The acceleration mechanisms' educational objectives, their positioning, and any acceleration mechanisms' benefits to the various stakeholders were examined. Dual enrollment was compared to the other acceleration mechanisms to develop recommendations for improving the competitive positioning and viability of dual enrollment in Florida.

The study found that acceleration-mechanism options were complex and dynamic programs that were highly influenced by government policies and funding. Educational entities viewed the value of acceleration mechanisms differently, especially dual enrollment. All groups agreed that acceleration mechanisms provided rigorous curriculum for high school students to prepare for college. However, educational entities first wanted to protect their own interests and funding. In terms of dual enrollment, financial considerations remained a substantial motivation for the program. The study showed that all acceleration mechanisms offered benefits to participating students. However, the multifaceted and ever-changing nature of acceleration mechanisms provided no clear advantages or benefits for dual enrollment versus other acceleration mechanisms. Several recommendations are made that addressed concerns about the long-term value of dual enrollment for Florida institutions and students.

This thesis critically evaluates the essence of First Year Composition (FYC) and establishes the benefits a composition course would offer high school students. The intended purpose is to assess the feasibility of teaching FYC in the high school classroom and to consider views from the perspectives of students, teachers, and scholars in order to formulate a comprehensive conclusion. One key dispute in composition studies is whether students who write compositions as critical thinking assignmenfts actually become better critical writers and thinkers. Proponents argue that this method establishes better writing and thinking skills among college and university students, while critics argue that since these skills do not necessarily transfer to other courses and/or disciplines, FYC should either be abolished or largely revised. This thesis suggests that the benefits of FYC clearly outweigh the problems many have cited and that key mitigation measures can be used to improve FYC courses.

This study aimed to understand how 35 focal students in a No Excuses high school, a charter school model designed to promote social mobility, made decisions about if and where to go to college. This study draws on college choice, cultural capital, and performance management literature to understand how the high school context at the focal school influenced students' college choice processes. Drawing on data from interviews, observations, and documents, this exploratory study found that Performance High provided extensive college resources and support to its students, which was consistent with how researchers conceptualize a "college-going culture" in high schools. Further, the high school used a performance management approach, in which administrators held teachers and students accountable for meeting particular college related metrics, such as the number and types of applications students were required to submit. The study found that focal students submitted applications and enrolled in college at high rates. Thirty-four of the 35 focal students planned to attend college the following fall. However, rather than exhibit the sense of entitlement and expectation that research describes for students who benefit from dominant forms of cultural capital, most of the focal students' college choice processes were characterized by hesitation, ambivalence, and doubt. Further, the findings suggest the performance management approach assimilated students to one model of college choice that did not easily accommodate students' preferences. These findings highlight the difficulties for schools in providing cultural capital for students independent of their families, and suggests the need to reconceptualize "college-going cultures" to not only consider the college outcomes and the density of resources in the high school context, but how well students absorb cultural capital, which may be important for social mobility.

The number of college students choosing to major in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) in the United States affects the size and quality of the American workforce (Winters, 2009). The number of graduates in these academic fields has been on the decline in the United States since the 1960s, which, according to Lips and McNeil (2009), has resulted in a diminished ability of the United States to compete in science and engineering on the world stage. The purpose of this research was to learn why students chose a STEM major and determine what decision criteria influenced this decision. According to Ajzen's (1991) theory of planned behavior (TPB), the key components of decision-making can be quantified and used as predictors of behavior. In this study the STEM majors' decision criteria were compared between different institution types (two-year, public four-year, and private four-year), and between demographic groups (age and sex). Career, grade, intrinsic, self-efficacy, and self-determination were reported as motivational factors by a majority of science majors participating in this study. Few students reported being influenced by friends and family when deciding to major in science. Science students overwhelmingly attributed the desire to solve meaningful problems as central to their decision to major in science. A majority of students surveyed credited a teacher for influencing their desire to pursue science as a college major. This new information about the motivational construct of the studied group of science majors can be applied to the previously stated problem of not enough STEM majors in the American higher education system to provide workers required to fill the demand of a globally STEM-competitive United States (National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Engineering, & Institute of Medicine, 2010)

Political initiatives in response to government reports have focused on students? preparation for higher education and their future careers, and students fall short. School districts and school programs give attention to the application of instructional practices to ensure students? college and career preparation, providing professional development in various instructional methods that address Language Arts and Math skills development, and students fall short. Teachers work tirelessly to use instructional strategies that develop students? critical and computational thinking, communication, collaboration, and creative skills, and students fall short as research indicates that students entering higher education continue to require remedial classes before beginning their college degree programs. This qualitative study design?s purpose was to analyze the effective practices that early college high school principals employ that influence the academic achievement of students traditionally underrepresented in higher education. Thirteen (13) research participants? responses to leadership style, challenges, and solutions in program planning, development, and implementation with their recommendations yielded sixty themes of practices and strategies employed by early college high school principals. This study?s results corroborate the literature on effective educational leadership practices that affect student achievement and inform educational leadership practice for underrepresented student populations in higher education. Implications for further research address the academic needs of other underrepresented student populations in higher education, including students with moderate to severe educational needs, foster youth and homeless youth.

The purpose of this qualitative multiple-case study was to explore academic leaders’ experiences with the organizational elements of their own high school–college writing center collaborations. Conjoining theories framed this study: collaborative leadership theory, Kenneth Bruffee’s notion of social constructionism and collaborative learning theory at the heart of writing center work—the craft of human interdependence, Lave and Wenger’s concept of communities of practice, and writing curriculum theory. Based on purposeful sampling criteria, the researcher selected 6 cases involving 22 academic leaders from 11 institutions for the study and applied a manual data analysis process to primary data involving in-depth interview transcripts, followed by secondary data involving collaboration documents and the reflective journal. Themes and patterns emerged in participants’ descriptions of their experiences with the organizational elements of the Burke-Litwin model: (a) external environment, (b) mission and strategy, (c) leadership, (d) organization culture, (e) structure, (f) management practices, (g) systems (policies and procedures), (h) climate, (i) task requirements and individual skills and abilities, (j) individual needs and values, (k) motivation, and (l) individual and organizational performance. The results of the study provided an in-depth understanding of the organizational elements in each case and a convergence of organizational elements across cases as experienced by academic leaders. This study contributes to institutional administrators, writing center directors, teachers, and professional and peer tutors in developing and leading high school–college writing center collaborations, sharing secondary–postsecondary responsibility for bringing attention to the practice and value of writing, and fostering writing skills that might ease students’ transition to college writing.

A significant issue facing high schools is preparing students for their transition to college. High school students who are the first in their family to attend college have more difficulties preparing for this transition. Studies have explored the transition experiences of first-generation college-going students participating in partnership programs, showing that not all program components strengthen the transition experience for this population (Domina & Ruzek, 2012; Jordan, 2006; Watt et al., 2008). Since participation in these programs may contribute to a successful transition experience, it is crucial to expand our understanding of how participation helps these students overcome the numerous challenges in the transition process (Barnett et al., 2012; Choy, 2001).

This qualitative study involving interviews of 20 first-generation students examined how a district-level high school to community college readiness partnership program facilitated a successful transition from high school to community college for first-generation college-going students. The study drew on a conceptual framework involving cultural capital (Bourdieu & Passeron, 1977) beyond the “deficit” model (Ovink & Veazey, 2011), social capital (Coleman, 1988), and ecological systems theory (Bronfenbrenner, 1977).

Participants described both partnership program components and individualized attention through human resource relationships as being pivotal contributors to their positive transition experience. Although participants stated that the partnership program addressed many barriers to support their successful transition to community college, their transition experience remained challenging at times. Participants shared that their parents’ inexperience with the college process gave them a feeling of “being on their own” during the transition from high school to community college. As a whole, however, participants stated that they had a successful high school to community college transition because the partnership program gave them the background knowledge they needed. In addition, participants shared that with guidance from the partnership program, they felt more prepared than they would have had they not participated in the partnership program.

Based on participants’ transition experiences, this study offers a deeper understanding of the aspects of the partnership program that support a successful transition experience, with implications for existing and future programs, as well as policy.

This qualitative, phenomenological study will cross-sectionally examine the perceptions of general education teachers through in-person interviews to analyze their personal beliefs for special education students’ attendance at post-secondary education institutions. Data was collected from general education teachers working at different urban high schools in a Southern California charter management organization. Each of the interviewed teachers are currently responsible, or have been responsible, for the instruction of special education students in their classroom. A total of 6 general education teachers participated in semi-structured interviews that consisted of 10 open-ended questions. Three conclusions were extracted from the findings related to the data collected through the interview process. Firstly, the general education teacher must believe in the potential of the special education student and their ability to attend a post-secondary education institution. Secondly, the school and the charter management organization must provide adequate training and collaboration opportunities to general education teachers in order to provide them with the pedagogical skills necessary to appropriately support special educations students. Thirdly, the special education student must have the self-belief and the self-confidence required to attend a post-secondary education institution after high school graduation. The 3 implications supported by the key findings and conclusions from the study are to explore methods by which general education teachers might better communicate their belief in the potential of all special education students, devise systems in which more meaningful collaboration, communication, and training of general education teachers to instruct special education students can occur, and investigate strategies that general education teachers might implement to improve the self-belief and self-confidence of special education students.

Student athletes and first-generation college students have a unique collegiate experience. A case study approach was used to identify the social and academic experiences of first-generation college student-athletes at a Division III postsecondary institution in Pennsylvania. Interviews, participant observations, and documents were employed in this study to provide a rich description of the experiences of Division III first-generation student-athletes and lead to a deeper understanding of their social and academic experiences. Interview responses from six current Division III first-generation student-athletes were analyzed to identify seven themes in this study. This study’s exploration of the challenges and supports of Division III first-generation student-athletes’ academic and social experience provided valuable insight to understanding their unique collegiate experiences.