Adverse experiences in early childhood may directly and indirectly impact children's development, including their preparedness to learn in their preschool and kindergarten classes. However, like many other developmental processes, these skills can be supported through positive experiences and resources in a child's environment. This work uses the…

As increasing numbers of autistic students pursue postsecondary education, it is important to understand the supports and barriers inherent in various institution types. Liberal arts colleges, with small class sizes and personalized learning environments, might be appealing to autistic students and their families. This study aims to explore the…

Critical thinking, a complex set of cognitive skills, and the ability to communicate one's thoughts are vital in successful studying for new higher education students. The aim of this study was to explore the effect of socioeconomic background and prior academic performance on new students' critical thinking and writing. The participants were 1006…

The existing research on community college faculty attrition has focused on such internal institutional factors as faculty work life and morale. Few studies have examined factors outside of an institution's control that may influence faculty attrition and no studies to date have examined such factors in a sample of rural-serving community college…

The constructivist grounded theory (CGT) explored how queer Muslim college students integrate their religious and sexual identities. By using intensive interviews concurrent with an iterative analytical scheme, the study identified a cycle of identity integration. Findings suggest that queer Muslim college students navigated identity gatekeepers…

Family or kinship affects how we make decisions including those of an ethical nature. Research has shown that family is an important component and influencer for First Generation College Students. The influence of family spans the globe from the United States to various international locations. This study replicates a previous study on kinship and…

Objectives: Responding to Tinto's call for studies of retention that center on "the students' view of their experience" (p. 11), this research project reports findings from telephone interviews of 131 students who stopped out at our home institution, a large open admissions community college in the northeast. Our objective was to find…

The present study examined factors affecting shyness in EFL classrooms. To this end, a sample of 124 students majoring in TEFL at Universidad Nacional de Educación in Ecuador was selected to respond to a standardized Shyness Scale (SS) and a Shyness Factors Questionnaire (SFQ). Employing a descriptive research design, the researcher used…

The combination of auto-ethnography, "testimonio," and performance brings together an approach to research that aligns with the call for Chicanas to share the collective voice of empowerment (Latina Feminist Group, 2001) by telling our stories and claiming space to be heard. This charge calls attention to the political urgency to…

This qualitative study explores the intricate relationship between intergenerational postsecondary education and economic mobility by focusing on the nuanced themes of environment and exposure, encouragement and expectation, and experience and equal opportunity. Drawing from the Cultural-Historical Activity Theory (CHAT), this research seeks to…

The purpose of this study is to examine the barriers non-traditional students experience in their attempt to complete their degree program. Semi-structured interviews revealed four key themes: family; support; generational-gaps, and community. These themes highlight areas in which non-traditional students feel they have experienced obstacles in…

Undocumented college students, who often live off campus for financial reasons as well as family obligations, cannot take advantage of what is considered to be a primary factor in facilitating student success: the sense of community and of mattering that are provided by residence halls, residential staff, and thoughtful programming. In order to…

This qualitative study aimed to investigate the influences on 32 rural Iranian high school students' adoption of achievement goals. To this end, the high school students took part in individual semi-structured interviews. The outcomes indicated the high school students' goal orientation adoption was impacted by a host of significant individuals in…

COVID-19 is a deadly pandemic that caused many colleges and universities to send students home and move courses online or to a hybrid of online and in-person learning. This qualitative study provides research on the impact of COVID-19 on the motivators and barriers of first- generation college students (FGCS). The study used a sample of FGCS…

Background: A strong knowledge of mathematics, beginning at the elementary level, is critical for participation in today's complex world. The home may be one way to facilitate individualized mathematics instruction, given that children spend more time at home than in an academic institution. Therefore, researchers are interested to see whether the…