The purpose of this study is to measure the appropriateness of the existing admissions requirements as related to the likelihood of graduation. We employ a five-year sample of students admitted into the graduate program and selected a cutoff date to allow sufficient time for most of each cohort to complete their studies. Following the general…

Physics education research to date has predominantly focused on the undergraduate level. This has left critical avenues of research in graduate education relatively understudied and has motivated much of my research. Numerous studies across the education research landscape have analyzed undergraduate admissions practices, but few have critically…

The study contributes new evidence on the factors associated with graduate education outcomes within the first few years of completing college, with particular attention on the moderating influence of racial/ethnic identity. Drawing on Education Longitudinal Study, 2002-2012 data, analyses examined how students' ascribed, entering college…

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…

This dissertation is composed of three studies linking general education astronomy to student performance, course-taking, graduation, and identity. The first study examined demographic and academic predictors of astronomy performance among a cohort of N=1,909 community college students enrolled in astronomy courses in a large suburban community…

This study examined the relationship between individual and institutional characteristics for student veterans who borrow money while enrolled in degree-seeking programs. Using data from the National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS 16), we established predictors of borrowing, implications of borrowing, and examined patterns in total aid…

"Education is the key to success," one of the most heard motivational statements by all of us. People engage in education at different phases of our lives in various forms. Among them, university education plays a vital role in our academic and professional lives. During university education many undergraduates will face several…

The purpose of this study was to examine relationships between high school jazz band directors' efficacious sources, self-efficacy for teaching strategies, and pedagogical behaviors. Participants (N = 264) completed the Jazz Band Director Self-Efficacy for Teaching Strategies Scale and responded to items about their formal and informal learning…

Our goal as educators should be to help our students become well positioned to achieve future success. To develop effective strategies for accomplishing this objective, we must first understand the root causes of success. Thus, to best serve undergraduate students who are taking organic chemistry courses, we must understand the attributes that…

Undergraduate medical education aims to train the students to develop the required clinical skills and preparation for the residency. The validity of the assessment on clinical competence is primarily ignored or uncompleted, especially in the clinical clerkship. The current study was multifaceted and accomplished multiple evaluation and research…

The problem studied was an inefficient hiring process at Special School District (SSD). This study examined the impact of utilizing three new screening criteria to improve the hiring process. The research was valuable for SSD and other school districts because teacher attrition negatively impacts student's achievement and increases district…

A growing body of research suggests that student-centered teaching methods are associated with positive learning outcomes for undergraduate students. Yet, the extent of their use and factors leading to their adoption in fields, such as chemistry, continue to be under-explored. Utilizing survey data collected during 2015, we begin to fill this gap,…

Background: Increasing human resources in engineering is a key concern for the United States. While some research has considered pathways to doctoral study, there is no clear empirical evidence on the role of undergraduate experiences in motivating engineers to continue to graduate school, both in engineering programs and more broadly.…

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to determine the relationship between athletic training education program prerequisite standards and BOC national exam first-time pass rates. Variables: The independent variables in this study include athletic training education program prerequisite requirements. The researcher evaluated these variables to…

International evidence shows that students from more disadvantaged backgrounds are less likely to attend university. We examine the potential link between university aspiration and secondary schools' attainment grouping practices (tracking/setting). Modelling of longitudinal student questionnaires (N = 6680) completed in England suggests that…