Introduction: Student retention is a critical issue in higher education. Universities have responded by implementing supports like early alert systems. Objective: We investigated students' knowledge of and experiences with an early alert system designed to enhance academic persistence. Method: We surveyed (N = 356) undergraduates at a large public…

Computer-assisted learning platforms (CALPS) increasingly include gamified elements to improve student outcomes by enhancing their engagement with content. Although evidence exists that gamified programs increase engagement and learning outcomes, there is little causal research on what programmatic mechanisms drive the effect between engagement…

As the first impressions, introductory courses in college play an influential role in students' decision to persist in science majors. We use students' open-ended explanations to understand how students make persistence decisions at the end of their introductory courses, based on Eccles' Expectancy-Value (E-V) Theory. Participants (N = 2737; 45.6%…

Heightened concerns about the health of the teaching profession highlight the importance of studying the early teacher pipeline. This exploratory, descriptive article examines preservice teachers' expressed motivation for pursuing a teaching career. Using data from a large teacher education program in Texas, we use a natural language processing…

The United States is experiencing a shortage of STEM workers, with many students leaving the pipeline before attaining a career in STEM. STEM education researchers have identified factors at the high school and college level that contribute to attrition, but earlier life events remain underexplored. In this work-in-progress paper, we examine…

College Introductory STEM courses impact students' persistence. Guided by Eccles' Expectancy-Value (EV) theory, we examined undergraduates' open-ended explanations for major persistence plans. Students (N=2,737; 45.6% women; 16.4% White, 22.6% Latino/a, 46.5% Asian, 14.5% other; 43% 1st-generation college-going students) reported certainty in…

Teacher residencies are surfacing as a promising model for teacher preparation. One such residency program--Collaboration and Reflection to Enhance Atlanta Teacher Effectiveness (CREATE)--seeks to raise student achievement in local high-needs schools by increasing the effectiveness and retention of both new and veteran educators. CREATE aims to…

Teacher residencies are surfacing as a promising model for teacher preparation. One such residency program--Collaboration and Reflection to Enhance Atlanta Teacher Effectiveness (CREATE)--seeks to raise student achievement in local high-needs schools by increasing the effectiveness and retention of both new and veteran educators. CREATE aims to…

The present investigation examined the benefits of pre-K through the end of kindergarten for children from low-income homes who lived in a large and diverse county (n = 2,581) as well as factors associated with a reduction in benefits during the kindergarten year. Results revealed that pre-K graduates outperformed non-attenders in the areas of…

Increasing 4-year graduation rates among US students, particularly those historically disadvantaged in higher education, is a national imperative. The purpose of this study is to test the efficacy of the multifaceted Research Aligned Mentorship Program in advancing the academic success of low income, first generation college, and minority students…

The foster youth education program strives to increase graduation rates by improving academic performance and encouraging student retention through an innovative collaboration between tutors, social workers, and schools to provide individualized support. The pilot program was funded by U.S. Department of Education Innovation Funds, which evolving…

Despite facing daunting odds of academic success compared with their more socioeconomically advantaged peers, many students from low socioeconomic status (SES) backgrounds maintain high levels of academic motivation and persist in the face of difficulty. We propose that for these students, academic persistence may hinge on their perceptions of…

Students' academic achievement is the result of the interplay between person-level and contextual factors (R. R: Greene, 2014; D. E. Hunt, 1975). Students perform better when classroom characteristics support their characteristics. The authors examine whether student perceptions of two classroom characteristics (care and control) fit with two…

This Innovative Practice Category Work In Progress paper presents an application of machine learning and data mining to student performance data in an undergraduate electrical engineering program. We are developing an analytical approach to enhance retention in the program especially among underrepresented groups. Our approach will provide…

Background/Context: Schools have attempted to address stratification in black and Latino students' access to higher education through extensive reform initiatives, including those focused on social supports. A crucial focus has been missing from these efforts, essential to improving the effectiveness of support mechanisms and understanding why…