Showing papers in "Research in Higher Education in 2019"
TL;DR: This article examined the role of family support after students enter higher education and found that family emotional support is beneficial for academic outcomes as it promotes psychological well-being and facilitates greater student engagement.
Abstract: While college education is a key to upward mobility, low-income students are substantially less likely to earn bachelor’s degrees than their more economically advantaged peers. Prior higher education literature illuminates various factors contributing to student success, but few studies consider the role of family support after students enter higher education. We examine how two different forms of family support—emotional and financial—are related to academic outcomes (grades, credit accumulation, and persistence) among low-income college students. Our analyses, based on a sample of 728 first-year low-income students attending eight four-year institutions, indicate that family emotional support plays an important role in fostering positive academic outcomes. Family emotional support is beneficial for academic outcomes as it promotes psychological well-being and facilitates greater student engagement. Financial support is not related to the outcomes examined in the sample as a whole. However, interaction models point to variation by first-generations status wherein continuing-generation students benefit more from family financial support than their first-generation peers. Presented findings offer valuable insights into the role of families in supporting low-income students in college and can inform institutional policies and practices aimed at facilitating their success.
105 citations
TL;DR: Christenson et al. as mentioned in this paper developed the Higher Education Student Engagement Scale (HESES) based on a five-factor model of student engagement, which was evolved from Finn and Zimmer's student engagement model taken into account the distinctive characteristics in higher education.
Abstract: This study describes the development and validation of the Higher Education Student Engagement Scale (HESES). The psychometric evaluations of the scale included: (i) factor structure, (ii) internal consistency, and (iii) criterion validity. The HESES was developed based on our proposed five-factor model of student engagement, which was evolved from Finn and Zimmer’s ( In: Christenson SL, Reschly AL, Wylie C (eds) Handbook of research on student engagement. Springer, New York, 2012) student engagement model taken into account the distinctive characteristics in higher education. The five main facets of student engagement include: (1) academic engagement, (2) cognitive engagement, (3) social engagement with peers, (4) social engagement with teachers, and (5) affective engagement. The HESES was developed from the 61-item First Year Engagement Scales (FYES). For brevity, it was trimmed into a 28-item scale having regard to the content validity, factor loadings and error variances of the items. The CFA results supported the correlated five-dimensional model with all the dimensions showing high internal consistency based on Cronbach’s alpha coefficients. A multi-group CFA also rendered the structure as gender invariant. Its criterion validity was evidenced by its correlations with different student learning outcomes and more importantly, its predictive power in explaining variances of GPA (15%) and satisfaction of the university experience (29%). Different from the dominant behavioral perspective of student engagement in higher education, the HESES is based on a psychological perspective, streamlining student engagement as students’ level of involvement in the learning process and a multi-faceted construct with academic, cognitive, social and affective dimensions. The implications and merits of the HESES are discussed.
62 citations
TL;DR: A large data set containing every course taken by every undergraduate student in a major university in Canada over 10 years is analysed and two classifiers are constructed using random forests, two accurate classifiers and a variable importance analysis that provides useful information to university administrations.
Abstract: In this article, a large data set containing every course taken by every undergraduate student in a major university in Canada over 10 years is analysed. Modern machine learning algorithms can use large data sets to build useful tools for the data provider, in this case, the university. In this article, two classifiers are constructed using random forests. To begin, the first two semesters of courses completed by a student are used to predict if they will obtain an undergraduate degree. Secondly, for the students that completed a program, their major is predicted using once again the first few courses they have registered to. A classification tree is an intuitive and powerful classifier and building a random forest of trees improves this classifier. Random forests also allow for reliable variable importance measurements. These measures explain what variables are useful to the classifiers and can be used to better understand what is statistically related to the students’ situation. The results are two accurate classifiers and a variable importance analysis that provides useful information to university administrations.
55 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors examined the interrelationships among several key noncognitive attributes as well as explored direct and indirect relationships between them and second-year retention in a multi-institutional sample of 10,622 students.
Abstract: The attention to students’ noncognitive attributes has recently flourished within academic research and public discourse. This paper adds to the literature by examining the interrelationships among several key noncognitive attributes as well as exploring direct and indirect relationships between noncognitive attributes and second-year retention. Within a multi-institutional sample of 10,622 students, academic self-efficacy, academic grit, self-discipline, and time management all load onto a single noncognitive factor with strong inter-item correlations and internal reliability. Moreover, structural equation modeling analyses indicate a sizable and positive indirect effect of noncognitive attributes on college retention, which is mediated by social adjustment, institutional commitment, and college grade point average.
45 citations
TL;DR: In this article, a randomized control trial of students in a for-credit online course at a public 4-year university was conducted to test the efficacy of a scheduling intervention aimed at improving students' time management.
Abstract: Time management skills are an essential component of college student success, especially in online classes. Through a randomized control trial of students in a for-credit online course at a public 4-year university, we test the efficacy of a scheduling intervention aimed at improving students’ time management. Results indicate the intervention had positive effects on initial achievement scores; students who were given the opportunity to schedule their lecture watching in advance scored about a third of a standard deviation better on the first quiz than students who were not given that opportunity. These effects are concentrated in students with the lowest self-reported time management skills. However, these effects diminish over time such that we see a marginally significant negative effect of treatment on the last week’s quiz grade and no difference in overall course scores. We examine the effect of the intervention on plausible mechanisms to explain the observed achievement effects. We find no evidence that the intervention affected cramming, procrastination, or the time at which students did work.
43 citations
TL;DR: The authors investigated the college enrollment decisions of a nationally representative cohort of students who first attended in the mid-2000s and found that while cost, distance, and match continued to be important in the choice between colleges, characteristics of the most likely college choice appeared less important when controlling for student characteristics and local labor market conditions.
Abstract: In this paper I investigate the college enrollment decisions of a nationally representative cohort of students who first attended in the mid-2000s. I find that while cost, distance, and match continued to be important in the choice between colleges, characteristics of the most-likely college choice appear less important in the choice of whether to enroll at all when controlling for student characteristics and local labor market conditions. Subpopulation analyses on students with high SAT scores and students with low family income, two groups that remain the focus of many financial aid policies, indicate some differences in the way these particular students chose college. Extending prior work by modeling discrete steps in the enrollment decision process—application and enrollment conditional on application—I find choice characteristics were most significant in the application stage. These results support other research that shows students may self-select out of potentially better college matches due to lack of information about actual costs or limited geographic opportunity.
37 citations
Abstract: The degree to which students hold epistemically unwarranted beliefs, beliefs not founded on reliable reasoning or credible data, can be used as a measure of critical thinking skills. To this end, college students (n = 806) were surveyed at the beginning and end of a semester. Epistemically unwarranted beliefs were pervasive. Several sections of a critical thinking class that specifically and directly addressed pseudoscience, taught by three different instructors, produced a large and significant reduction of those beliefs, but research methods classes and unrelated general education classes did not. Most likely to be reduced were beliefs in health pseudoscience and extraordinary life forms. Conspiracy theories were least likely to change. Demographic variables (gender, race, SES) were associated with beliefs at pre-test, but not related to reduction of belief as a result of the class. Similarly, academic indicators that suggest intelligence were related to belief at pre-test, but not change. The one exception was that reduction of belief in health pseudoscience was widespread in all groups at pre-test, but showed the greatest reduction among students with indicators of academic aptitude and achievement. We conclude that the educational approach of directly addressing pseudoscience is effective for changing beliefs, not just increasing knowledge, and that it works for most college students, not just a select subset.
29 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors investigated course withdrawal patterns among 5900 students at a large, racially/ethnically diverse community college district in Texas and found that two-thirds of the students dropped at least one course, and 13.5% of the total course enrollments resulted in withdrawal.
Abstract: Excessive course dropping is costly to students and institutions. Using longitudinal transcript data, this study investigated course withdrawal patterns among 5900 students at a large, racially/ethnically diverse community college district in Texas. Two-thirds of the students dropped at least one course, and 13.5% of the total course enrollments resulted in withdrawal. Course withdrawal rates were significantly higher among students who were: male, African American, age 20–24, GED holders, academically underprepared, enrolled part-time, and had a cumulative college GPA of less than 2.0. Science, mathematics, and writing courses had high drop rates, as did Second Start and fully online courses. Dropping 20% or more of attempted courses was associated with 44% lower odds of a successful enrollment outcome. We hypothesize that community college students are rational, act in their own self-interest, and perform a cost–benefit analysis with the knowledge they possess when deciding whether to drop a particular course. However, students often overuse or misuse the course withdrawal function. Despite acting in self-interest at the moment, the decision to drop a course is often not in students’ long-term best interest, and excessive course dropping can resemble a ‘cooling out’ mechanism by which students’ reduce their aspirations toward degree completion. Recognizing community college structures and rules (e.g., withdrawal procedures, tuition refund policy) influence course dropping decisions, we describe academic policies and classroom practices that can help reduce course withdrawals. We believe that reducing course attrition is a foundational, yet often overlooked, mechanism for reducing community college attrition.
29 citations
TL;DR: This paper examined the validity of the short grit scale (Grit-S) using data collected on undergraduates attending 38 colleges and found that most of the predictive power of grit is contained in its perseverance of effort, not consistency of interest, dimension.
Abstract: College admissions leaders increasingly desire to incorporate non-cognitive factors like grit into admissions decisions. Consequently, we examined the validity of the short grit scale (Grit-S) using data collected on undergraduates attending 38 colleges. Using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), we found that Grit-S does not possess adequate model fit; however, a modified version of the scale does possess this property. Using multi-group CFA, we also found that Grit-S is relatively invariant across multiple demographic groups. Next, we examined the concurrent validity of grit with students’ engagement, perceived gains, time spent studying, and grades. These results confirmed previous research that most of the predictive power of grit is contained in its perseverance of effort, not consistency of interest, dimension.
28 citations
TL;DR: For example, this paper used cohort and longitudinal data from the 2002-2012 Education Longitudinal Study to test whether experiences in six different high impact practices (HIPs) as well as in the number of HIPs predicted levels of civic engagement later in adulthood.
Abstract: There is concern that civic engagement in the U.S. has declined recently especially among the younger generations. It is known that one of the strongest predictors of civic engagement is education level, where those with at least a college degree typically have the highest levels of civic engagement. There is also emerging evidence that college curriculum experiences have the potential to instill pro-civic dispositions. In this study, we improved on and advanced past research that examined the associations between undergraduate curriculum experiences and civic engagement. We used cohort and longitudinal data from the 2002–2012 Education Longitudinal Study to test whether experiences in six different high impact practices (HIP) as well as in the number of HIP predicted levels of civic engagement later in adulthood. Based on a series of binomial regression analyses, we found that experiences in HIP significantly predicted higher levels of civic engagement later in adulthood, especially for students who entered college with low levels of pro-civic orientations. Some of these longitudinal relationships were adjusted downward after controlling for precollege selection factors, other college experiences, and other adult outcomes. Still, the significant influence of these undergraduate HIP experiences persisted into adulthood suggesting that individuals carry their curriculum involvements into their post-college transitions including that of being engaged in their communities.
28 citations
TL;DR: This article examined the extent to which weekly changes in students' experiences and interpersonal relationships predicted corresponding changes in adjustment outcomes and found that social connection, relationship satisfaction with college friends, and feeling successful in class were most strongly related to changes in belonging and well-being.
Abstract: College sense of belonging and well-being constitute critical components of college student adjustment and success. Previous studies have generally measured these outcomes at one (or sometimes two) points in time, which prevents researchers from understanding the ongoing adjustment process as well as the dynamic interplay between college experiences and outcomes. This study provides unique insights by examining week-by-week data that consisted of 12,529 total responses from 882 undergraduates during their first semester of college. Fixed-effects regression analyses were used to examine the extent to which weekly changes in students’ experiences and interpersonal relationships predicted corresponding changes in adjustment outcomes. Social connection, relationship satisfaction with college friends, and feeling successful in class were most strongly related to changes in belonging and well-being. Some experiences that are often overlooked in higher education research were also significant predictors; specifically, time spent exercising and relationship satisfaction with parents were associated with more favorable outcomes, whereas extensive social media use was associated with poorer outcomes. Implications for research and practice are discussed.
TL;DR: In this paper, a longitudinal study aimed to describe and understand student adjustment trajectories during the college transition was conducted, where participants came from a large random sample of Quebec high school students and completed a multidimensional measure of adjustment at two times before entering college and at two other times after college admission.
Abstract: This longitudinal study was aimed to describe and understand student adjustment trajectories during the college transition. Participants came from a large random sample of Quebec high school students. They completed a multidimensional measure of adjustment at two times before entering college and at two other times after college admission. Group-based trajectory analysis showed decreased adjustment for 6% (social adjustment) to 66.1% (academic adjustment) of students over this period, versus improved adjustment for 4.5% (social adjustment) to 11.6% (emotional and academic adjustment). All changes were linear, suggesting progressive changes from Secondary 4 to the second year of college. Multivariate and contingency analyses showed that personal anxiety, academic success, and attention problems in high school were significant determinants for adjustment trajectories, and that these trajectories were subsequently related to perseverance and college graduation.
TL;DR: This paper found that the generational wage gap is more a product of how students are distributed into industries, jobs, and work locations rather than how they were distributed into educational institutions, majors, and achievement levels.
Abstract: Researchers have paid increasing attention to issues of access and retention among first-generation college students but have focused less on their post-college outcomes. We extend this literature by investigating if there is a generational wage gap, that is, a gap between first- and continuing-generation students’ wages. We also ask how the generational wage gap varies across institutions, majors, and achievement levels, and what accounts for it. Using data from the Baccalaureate and Beyond Longitudinal Study, we show that 10 years after completing college there is a substantial generational wage gap. However, for women, the generational wage gap fades when controlling for individual characteristics such as race and motherhood status. For men, the generational wage gap does not disappear when controlling for individual characteristics, but does disappear when controlling for labor market characteristics. In addition, we find that the generational wage gap is more a product of how students are distributed into industries, jobs, and work locations than how they are distributed into educational institutions, majors, and achievement levels.
TL;DR: Although a number of demographic and pre-transfer academic factors were found to relate to credit loss, the predictors of credit loss varied appreciably across states, pointing to the need for additional state-level research exploring the determinants ofcredit loss for transfer students.
Abstract: Despite the long-standing centrality and growing prevalence of transfer in the American postsecondary system, students, college professionals, and policymakers decry the lack of credit transferability between colleges. However, limited research has examined the factors most related to the magnitude of credit loss students experience. This study investigated how students' pre-transfer academic characteristics, demographic characteristics, and the institutions they transferred to and from influenced the magnitude of credit loss they experienced. Data is drawn from statewide cohorts of vertical transfer students in two states: Hawaii and North Carolina. Although a number of demographic and pre-transfer academic factors were found to relate to credit loss, the predictors of credit loss varied appreciably across states. Given the significant variability in how states and postsecondary systems manage transfer and articulation, the findings point to the need for additional state-level research exploring the determinants of credit loss for transfer students.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors examined the effects of tuition increases at public 4-year and community colleges on institutions' racial/ethnic composition over a 14-year period by using multivariate analyses with fixed effects models to estimate the relationship between observed changes in tuition and ethnic diversity across U.S. public 4 and 2-year colleges and universities.
Abstract: As tuition becomes a more prominent tool to address financial challenges of colleges and universities, it is critically important to examine the implications of tuition increases on institutions and their students. The goal of this study is to examine the effects of tuition increases at public 4 year and community colleges on institutions’ racial/ethnic composition. The study addresses two primary research questions: What are the effects of tuition increases on racial/ethnic diversity at public institutions over time, and do the relationships between tuition increases and racial/ethnic diversity at 4 year institutions vary by institution selectivity? The study uses multivariate analyses with fixed effects models to estimate the relationship between observed changes in tuition and racial/ethnic diversity across U.S. public 4 and 2 year colleges and universities across a 14 year period. The standardized measure of institutional diversity we utilize allows us to consistently evaluate changes in overall racial/ethnic composition of enrolled students that enables comparisons across different institution types. Our findings suggest that tuition increases at open-access, non-selective public 4 year institutions are negatively and significantly associated with the racial/ethnic diversity of enrolled students. This same negative relationship can be seen among 2 year public institutions, and the effects are more pronounced in full-time, first-time freshmen as compared to the overall full-time campus population.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors measured the impact of peers and the structure of the peer network and found that the breadth and cohesion of students' networks positively affect student outcomes. But, they focused on the characteristics of peers' study groups rather than examining the structural structure of peer networks.
Abstract: Peer effects are an important contributing factor in the learning process. Most of the prior literature on peer effects focuses on the characteristics of peers rather than examining the structure of peer networks. We attempt to measure not only the impact of peers but also the structure of the peer network. In particular we are interested in the characteristics of students’ study groups along several dimensions: quality, heterogeneity, size and cohesion. Using pre-college characteristics of students and a random assignment into sections in their first year, we construct instruments of the study group measures to control for endogeneity of the network formation. Our OLS and IV estimates suggest that peer quality improves student performance, and that the breadth and cohesion of students’ network positively affects student outcomes. We also find significant heterogeneity of the results depending on network characteristics. Our findings can be used to assist university administrators or professors to choose criteria for sorting students into study groups.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors investigated the impact of higher education expansion on educational access and attainment with a particular focus on students' family and demographic backgrounds, and found that the expansion of university spots increased both access and graduation rates at 4-year universities, but this improvement was driven by those of higher social status.
Abstract: China’s higher education system has expanded rapidly since 1999. Exploiting variation in the density of university expansion across provinces and high school cohorts and applying a difference-in-differences model, we estimate the impact of higher education expansion on educational access and attainment with a particular focus on students’ family and demographic backgrounds. Results indicate that the expansion of university spots increased both access and graduation rates at 4-year universities, but this improvement was driven by those of higher social status, including males, those with highly educated fathers, han-ethnic and urban students. Females, rural students and those with low-educated fathers also benefited once they were able to graduate from high school. Also, the policy had only a limited effect on the likelihood of graduating from high school. As in other countries, education expansion in China has not led to equal distribution of educational opportunities, and the least socioeconomically advantaged students are missing out.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors examined how involvement in four undergraduate faculty communities of practice is associated with faculty perceiving they improved in individual practices related to STEM reform and found that engagement experiences and aspects of community design associated with three outcomes.
Abstract: This study examines how involvement in four undergraduate faculty communities of practice is associated with faculty perceiving they improved in individual practices related to STEM reform. It is informed by the communities of practice and faculty change literature and utilizes data gathered through a survey of community members (n = 2503). The findings reveal engagement experiences and aspects of community design associated with three outcomes—learning and improving practice, developing skills for leadership and change, and networking. These findings contribute to recommendations for designing future STEM reform initiatives.
TL;DR: In this article, a systematic review of literature on the state of the evidence regarding access/attraction, retention and completions for Indigenous Higher Degree Research (HDR) students is presented.
Abstract: Expanding the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australian (hereafter respectfully Indigenous) talent pool to undertake valuable roles in business, health, education, academia, government, policy development and community development is critical for addressing current disparities between Indigenous and other Australians. Parity of access and engagement with education plays a key role in facilitating participation in these roles but has not yet been attained. This article provides an initial systematic review of literature on the state of the evidence regarding access/attraction, retention and completions for Indigenous Higher Degree Research (HDR) students. This article identifies the quantity (number examined), nature (e.g. focus of study), quality (peer reviewed and evidence of methodological rigour) and characteristics (e.g. publication type, authorship) of the limited publications. Using specific search strings (words or phrases of relevance to the topic), a systematic review methodology was employed to search nine databases and grey (non-peer reviewed) literature from 1995 to 2015. The resultant 12 publications were mined with quality assessed and a predetermined framework used to extract and synthesise the characteristics from individual publications. This research contributes to existing literature about Indigenous Peoples in HDR programs internationally in identifying significant cultural and institutional barriers and highlighting institutional enablers which can contribute to attraction, retention and completion. Building on the prior limited research reported in the review, the article highlights the need for further research and provides an initial agenda of directions for universities and government to redress the disparity in entry and completion of Indigenous Peoples in HDR programs.
TL;DR: There may be a minimum threshold of necessary broadband access, beyond which increases in speed become a less important factor in the take up of online coursework, and open admissions colleges seeking to improve access for local students through increased online course offerings should consider broadband access in the area.
Abstract: Postsecondary students increasingly enroll in online courses, which have the potential to further democratize higher education by expanding access for historically underserved populations. While a number of studies have investigated student outcomes in online courses, past data limitations have hindered robust examination of a potential mechanism underlying the decision to enroll in an online course: access to high speed broadband. With data from the National Broadband Map and IPEDS, I fit a number of Bayesian regression models to investigate the relationship between various measures of broadband access—download speed, upload speed, and the number of providers—and the number of students who take online courses at public colleges and universities with open admissions policies. Results show that increases in broadband speed at the lower end of the speed spectrum are positively associated with the number of students who take some of their courses online, but that the marginal gain diminishes as speeds increase. This finding suggests that there may be a minimum threshold of necessary broadband access, beyond which increases in speed become a less important factor in the take up of online coursework. Open admissions colleges seeking to improve access for local students through increased online course offerings should consider broadband access in the area, particularly if the targeted populations live in communities with low average broadband speeds.
TL;DR: The authors used the Wabash National Study on Liberal Arts Education to understand student study abroad participation while holding a student's prior intent to study abroad constant across models and focusing on student participation and the socioeconomic construct of parental education.
Abstract: This study uses the Wabash National Study on Liberal Arts Education to understand student study abroad participation while holding a student’s prior intent to study abroad constant. The study augments previous use of the data set by (1) holding intent to study abroad constant across models and (2) focusing on study abroad participation and the socioeconomic construct of parental education. Consistent with theories of high-brow embodied cultural capital and effectively maintained inequality, students of advanced degree parents are more likely to study abroad after holding intent to study abroad and the various forms of capital constant. Intent to study abroad, gender, prior and current academic characteristics, university type, diverse coursework, orientation towards diversity, non-classroom faculty interactions, and co-curricular involvement have associations with study abroad participation. After controlling for intent to study abroad, individual analyses of student socioeconomic status indicate that intent to participate, academic achievement, and liberal arts institution attendance remain salient for increasing study abroad participation, and some other factors had heterogeneous associations among subgroups.
TL;DR: This article found that labeling a contract a "loan" reduces the likelihood of selecting that option by 8-11 percentage points among those samples, and that the labeling effect is driven by more risk averse respondents.
Abstract: Evidence from behavioral economics suggests that the framing and labeling of choices affect financial decisions. Through a randomized control trial of over six thousand high school seniors, community college students, and adults without a college degree, we identify the existence of both framing and labeling effects in respondents’ preferences for borrowing for postsecondary education. How financially equivalent contracts are framed alters the preferences of high school and community college students. Furthermore, simply labeling a contract a “loan” reduces the likelihood of selecting that option by 8–11 percentage points among those samples. These effects are more pronounced among Black high school respondents and Hispanic high school and community college respondents who are both twice as likely as White respondents to avoid the loan option when it is labeled a “loan.” Finally, we provide suggestive evidence that this labeling effect is driven by more risk averse respondents. Our findings imply that the federal government, states, and institutions should be attentive to the language used when offering and explaining financial aid packages for higher education.
TL;DR: This paper found that parental involvement also operates at the school context along with a high school’s academic press, and at both individual and school-level contexts, parental involvement creates a “college-going” cultural capital in the form of attainment of milestones towards college.
Abstract: Parental involvement is widely acknowledged as a critical factor influencing the college choice process among families. What is not clear, though, is whether this parental driven factor also takes place at the school level along with school related factors. Using a national sample of 9th grade students drawn from about 900 schools, we found that parental involvement also operates at the school context along with a high school’s academic press. Moreover, at both individual- and school-level contexts, parental involvement creates a “college-going” cultural capital in the form of attainment of milestones towards college.
TL;DR: This article examined nonresponse bias in college student surveys within the context of the Groves (Public Opin Q 70:646-675, 2006) Alternative Cause Model and found compelling evidence of the presence of nonresponse error observed as student characteristics related to the survey topic that also explain their response propensity.
Abstract: This study uses college student survey data and corresponding administrative data on campus recreation facility usage, academic performance, physical education class attendance, and co-curricular participation to examine nonresponse bias in college student surveys Within the context of the Groves (Public Opin Q 70:646–675, 2006) Alternative Cause Model, we found compelling evidence of the presence of nonresponse error observed as student characteristics related to the survey topic that also explain their response propensity An individual’s survey response propensity has a statistically significant relationship with their actual behavior for 2 of 3 survey topics In 11 of the 13 survey questions used to measure the survey topic behaviors, we found statistically significant differences between the respondent and nonrespondent behavioral measures These findings hold important implications for survey researchers and those using student surveys for high-stakes accountability measures because survey summary statistics may not be generalizable to the target population
TL;DR: This article explored an eight-step, iterative, mixed methods approach for creating a longitudinal, multi-institutional survey to assess how participation in a comprehensive college transition program is related to students' psychosocial and academic outcomes.
Abstract: There are few accounts in the higher education literature of mixing methods at the survey design stage and very little guidance targeting higher education researchers and practitioners who want to implement a mixed methods approach to design survey tools. This article explores an eight-step, iterative, mixed methods approach for creating a longitudinal, multi-institutional survey to assess how participation in a comprehensive college transition program is related to students’ psychosocial and academic outcomes. In the context of a college transition program study, our mixed methods strategy to develop a survey instrument included initial qualitative data collection and review of psychosocial constructs, psychometric pilot, baseline survey, focus groups, case study research, cognitive interviews, follow-up pilot, and follow-up survey. This article makes a unique contribution to higher education research, providing a potential model for others seeking guidance in mixing methods at the study design and instrument development stage. Major lessons learned from the mixed methods survey design process are discussed.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors examined the leadership pipeline for mid-career faculty in a consortium of 13 liberal arts colleges and found that most faculty members are in the pipeline, with the department chair position serving as an entry point.
Abstract: The research presented here contributes to research and practice focused on faculty leadership development by examining the leadership pipeline for mid-career faculty in a consortium of 13 liberal arts colleges. Research findings revealed that mid-career faculty members are in the leadership pipeline, with the department chair position serving as an entry point. However, leadership aspirations beyond the department chair position decline serving as a source of the leaking leadership pipeline. Differences were found by gender. Further, issues of lack of preparation for current and future leadership roles was connected to few mid-career faculty members aspiring to executive leadership positions. Implications for research and practice are discussed.
TL;DR: This paper found that both men and women were significantly more likely to select Cathy for both the leadership and research positions over Charlie, while men were more likely than women to select Charlie to do research.
Abstract: Across disciplines, male faculty spend more time on research than female faculty. Yet, women tend to teach and mentor students more hours than men (Misra et al. in Glob J Eng Educ 14(1):119–131, 2011). These disparities play pivotal roles in tenure and promotion decisions wherein research and leadership roles are most valued (Green in J Soc Work Educ 44(2):117–128, 2008). There is considerable evidence suggesting that implicit biases underpin some of these faculty roles differences, particularly in male-dominated disciplines, such as engineering. At the same time, there is limited evidence that, once aware of gender inequity, individuals will engage in bias correction in order to rectify prejudice. This study was designed to evaluate if implicit bias or bias correction could be detected when faculty considered the most appropriate roles for other faculty. Faculty from 50 colleges of engineering completed an activity wherein they assigned five fictitious engineering faculty characters to five assignments (one research, one leadership, and three teaching/advising roles). One version of the activity contained only male names; the other version was identical except for the change of the middle character’s name from male (Charlie) to female (Cathy). Results indicated that both men and women were significantly more likely to select Cathy for both the leadership and research positions over Charlie. Regression analysis of the Cathy Group data indicated respondents’ gender did not predict selection of Cathy to the leadership role; however, women were significantly more likely than men to select Cathy to do research.
TL;DR: The authors investigated the link between basic math skills, remediation, and the educational opportunity and outcomes of community college students, and found that missing just one fractions question on the placement diagnostic, and therefore starting college in a lower-level math course, had negative effects on college persistence and attainment.
Abstract: This study investigates the link between basic math skills, remediation, and the educational opportunity and outcomes of community college students. Capitalizing on a unique placement policy in one community college that assigns students to remedial coursework based on multiple math skill cutoffs, I first identify the skills that most commonly inhibit student access to higher-level math courses; these are procedural fluency with fractions and the ability to solve word problems. I then estimate the impact of “just missing” these skill cutoffs using multiple rating-score regression discontinuity design. Missing just one fractions question on the placement diagnostic, and therefore starting college in a lower-level math course, had negative effects on college persistence and attainment. Missing other skill cutoffs did not have the same impacts. The findings suggest the need to reconsider the specific math expectations that regulate access to college math coursework.
TL;DR: For example, this article proposed U.S. News & World Report college rankings as a highly meaningful performance metric and employed a fixed effects regression model to determine the relationship between college rankings and presidential salary.
Abstract: Widespread attention to college tuition and student loan debt has resulted in increasing scrutiny of high levels of compensation for college and university administrators. Prior research has sought to identify a “pay for performance” relationship in executive compensation, but discovered no clear link between presidential salaries and performance measures. This study proposes U.S. News & World Report college rankings as a highly meaningful performance metric and employs a fixed effects regression model to determine the relationship between college rankings and presidential salary. We find a significant relationship between rank and presidential salary at public universities, but not at private universities and liberal arts colleges, consistent with an academic capitalism model.
TL;DR: This paper used Difference-in-differences and propensity score analysis procedures to estimate the causal relationship between PBF implementation and tuition levels at public institutions in Louisiana, and found that treated community colleges responded to PBF by increasing tuition levels statistically significantly above that of their counterfactual institutions.
Abstract: Louisiana’s performance-based funding (PBF) policy is one of the most recent implementations of performance funding established by a state for accountability purposes. Instead of examining direct academic outcomes, this study focuses on tuition increase as an (un)intended outcome of PBF implementation. We use data from multiple sources to create a panel dataset of public postsecondary institutions across the United States from 2005 to 2013. Applying Difference-in-Differences and propensity score analyses procedures to estimate the causal relationship between PBF implementation and tuition levels at public institutions in Louisiana, our results indicate that treated community colleges responded to PBF by increasing tuition levels statistically significantly above that of their counterfactual institutions. While in-state tuition and fees rose statistically significantly faster at public universities in Louisiana after PBF implementation, out-of-state tuition and fees charged by the treated 4-year institutions did not significantly differ from the increases experienced at counterfactual institutions in non-PBF states. We explore possible explanations for the findings and provide implications for practices and future research.