This descriptive correlational study examined the predictive relationships between ACT composite scores, high school GPA, ACT testing attempts, and gender with teacher candidate's overall performance on the edTPA and each of the three edTPA instructional tasks (Task 1, Task 2, and Task 3). The edTPA is a portfolio-based subject-specific teaching…

While students have enrolled in college at increased rates since 1996, graduation rates have remained mostly stagnant (NCES, 2022). First-generation Appalachian students, specifically, had lower college completion rates but higher college enrollment rates than their peers (ARC, 2018). Since 2007, researchers have supported the use of non-cognitive…

Many graduate students have and are suffering from, a mindset that questions their abilities and belonging in graduate programs. Some researchers have argued that this mental state is hindering many students from persisting in graduate school and completing their degree programs (Clance and Imes, 1978). This questioning and self-doubt are called…

With the increase of students applying to pharmacy programs, it is imperative that admissions committees choose appropriate measures to analyze student readiness. The purpose of this research was to identify significant factors that predict the academic performance, defined as grade point average (GPA) at the end of the first professional year, of…

The purpose of this descriptive causal-comparative study was to examine persistence to graduation of student cohorts with 60+ credit hours earned who are native to the university and transfer students coming into Tennessee Technological University with 60+ credit hours previously earned at a community college. Data were obtained for each student…

This study presents a survey developed to measure the skills of entering college freshmen in the areas of responsibility, motivation, study habits, literacy, and stress management, and explores the predictive power of this survey as a measure of academic performance during the first semester of college. The survey was completed by 334 incoming…

In early 1995, the University of Tennessee at Martin (UTM) sought permission to terminate three existing engineering technology degree programs and replace them with a single Bachelor of Science in Engineering (BSE) degree. As part of the requirements to proceed with the implementation of an engineering program, the University of Tennessee system…

As schools and school districts continue to face budget reductions, school officials must thoroughly evaluate and determine from which programs to decrease funding. Athletic programs are one area that has received much scrutiny for receiving these cuts. If research reveals a significant relationship between athletic involvement and academic…

A study by Kenney, Kenney, and Dumont (2005) identified a supportive learning environment as one of the five indicators for collegiate student engagement, a concept that extends beyond the classroom to permeate the entire educational environment. A student's level of engagement can be impacted as early as orientation and registration, when he is…

This study examined if the Tennessee Education Lottery Scholarship (TELS), which began in 2004, was related to student retention at the six Tennessee Board of Regents four-year institutions. This study investigated the impact of the TELS on student retention at TBR universities and general knowledge regarding retention. Post-facto data were…

The purpose of this study was to examine further, the factors at a Predominantly White College or University (PWCU) that may affect the first-year retention and six-year graduation of African-American (AA) and non-AA students. Biographical and descriptive data was obtained for each student entering Tennessee Technological University (TTU) from the…

The purpose of this study was to contribute to the research body of literature regarding dual enrollment, the impact and effectiveness of the program, and its relationship to college persistence. The goal was to provide information useful to governing bodies, educational leaders, parents and students. The theoretical construct, defined through the…

This study examined undergraduate and graduate engineering students' epistemological beliefs as a function of their educational level. Schommer's (1998) Epistemological Questionnaire was used to assess the beliefs in quick learning, certain knowledge, fixed ability, and simple knowledge of 396 students attending two universities in Western…

The relationships among test scores from the American College Testing program test (ACT), the Pre-Professional Skills Test (PPST), the American College Testing College Outcomes Measures Project test (ACT COMP), the National Teacher Examinations (NTE), final grade point average (GPA) in the major field of study, and overall GPA were studied in 615…