Living Learning Communities (LLCs) have been shown to increase student retention rates and academic performance (Hotchkiss, Moore, & Pitts, 2006), as well as increase overall satisfaction with college (Baker & Pomerantz, 2000) and increase cognitive skills (Walker, 2003). These benefits have been demonstrated in a variety of institutions…

This study uses Astin's (1999) Inputs-Environment-Outcomes (I-E-O) framework to investigate if a developmental math summer bridge program had a significant effect on six (6) student success measures; three pertaining to mindset/behaviors leading to student success: (1) college self-efficacy (CSE); (2) sense of belonging; and (3) engagement and…

Worldwide globalisation has led to the anglicisation of higher education. This is also the case in South Africa since the advent of a new dispensation. Whereas theorising and research on language issues in higher education focuses predominantly on instrumental functions of language, this study investigates the symbolic functions of language as an…

Basic education strives to provide an equal education for all students, whether the students attend regular or special education. In this study, we explore seventh grade comprehensive school students' (N = 119) experiences of engaging and disengaging events at school and the points at which these events occur in their school career. The students…

As the field of positive youth development (PYD) emerges internationally, models of PYD designed for use in the US must be extended to diverse contexts. For instance, a robust body of evidence supports Lerner and colleagues' Five Cs Model of PYD in the US, but it remains unclear whether the Five Cs Model can validly capture positive development in…

The purpose of this study is to examine how the quality of teaching contributes to a sense of belonging and satisfaction, while considering students' personal and socioeconomic variables, in explaining the risk of dropping out of school. Two thousand, eight hundred and seventy 4th- to 9th-grade students from 105 classes in 18 schools participated…

A positive and successful transition into University is crucial if students are to stay the course in higher education and experience successful outcomes. However, challenges exist in ensuring a connected transition from secondary and further education to higher education that is inclusive and supports the diversity in our current undergraduate…

The OECD Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) examines not just what students know in science, reading and mathematics, but what they can do with what they know. This report is the product of a collaborative effort between the countries participating in PISA, the national and international experts and institutions working within…

This compelling new book provides a deep examination of the experience of African American males in schools. Moving beyond basic notions of culturally relevant instruction, "Walk in Their Kicks" offers new understandings that will assist educators in developing instruction that respects these young men and fosters their participation and…

Financial aid and student success are interrelated and essential components of strategic enrollment management. From an economic perspective, by reducing the price students pay, financial aid affects student demand for education. However, financial aid also has nonmonetary effects. For example, students receiving institutional scholarships may…

Many of today's youth feel disconnected from their local communities. At the same time, most of them are regularly connected to the Internet and other digital media to gather information and communicate with their peers. This study conducts a qualitative textual analysis of 14 scholastic and nonscholastic youth media websites to derive five…

This article is an adaptation of the keynote presentation from the NACADA Annual Conference (Minneapolis, MN, October 9, 2014), that was given by Terrell Strayhorn, a professor of Higher Education at The Ohio State University and the director of the Center for Higher Education Enterprise (CHEE). CHEE is a new research and policy center that aims…

In this study, the purpose was to develop a student engagement scale for higher education. The participants were 805 students. In the process of developing the item pool regarding the scale, related literature was examined in detail and interviews were held. Six factors--valuing, sense of belonging, cognitive engagement, peer relationships…

The purpose of this study was to examine factors contributing to Black male students' sense of belonging with faculty members. Data from this study were derived from the Fall 2013 administration of the Community College Survey of Men (CCSM) and was analyzed using hierarchical linear regression. Findings from this study indicate that, after…

Researchers at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill teamed up with UnidosUS to explore whether and how our debt-driven higher education system makes it difficult for students to finish a college program or degree. The quantitative research, gathered from more than 1,500 respondents from across the country, offers insight into the primary…