This book describes outcomes of a special teacher-preparation program at "Central College," which recruited high-ability students. Data were derived from individual and group interviews, analysis of student journals, observation, administration of standardized instruments, and videotapes of teaching performances. Following the foreword and…

A study was undertaken to examine the influence of in- and out-of-class experiences on the learning and retention of diverse first-year community college students, examining three critical dynamics of the first-year college experience: the transition to college, student involvement and connections on campus, and the view students form of…

This report is the second of three annual reports to the Montana Certification Standards and Practices Advisory Council (CSPAC) on the effectiveness of mentoring new teachers. Specific research topics for the study were: (1) whether mentoring conducted under an exclusive one-on-one relationship has an effect on the new teacher's development as…

This report is the third of four reports on the Beginning Teacher Support Program (BTSP) on the effectiveness of mentoring new teachers. The paper focuses on technical aspects of the study. Study data are summarized in tables, including a comparison of teacher retention rates over the three years of BTSP, a summary of administrators' evaluations…

Job burnout is a condition observed in recent years among a wide variety of helping professions. In this study, burnout was described as emotional exhaustion, job dissatisfaction, and the desire to leave the job and/or profession. To examine burnout in the profession of school psychology, a random sample of members (N=139) of the Illinois School…

This study investigates pre-enrollment factors, particularly those related to computer confidence, in relation to persistence in the community college. Data on sex, ethnicity, reading level, high school grade point average (GPA), goal for attending college, and self-reported ability to use five computer application programs were gathered from 543…

Compared with other fields of study, engineering at the higher education level has the lowest proportion of women students. A review of the literature concerning models of retention and female identity formation indicates that increased mentorship, curriculum revision, enrichment programs, and career workshops have been tried in efforts to…

This report uses data from the National Postsecondary Student Aid Study and the Beginning Postsecondary Students Longitudinal Study to examine how low income undergraduates (with family incomes below 125 percent of the federally established poverty threshold) finance their postsecondary education, focusing on the importance of financial aid. The…

In fall 1994, New York's Bronx Community College (BCC) conducted a study of the usefulness of 50 variables in predicting the academic performance of students readmitted to the college following academic suspension. The sample consisted of 86 academically suspended students readmitted to the BCC for fall 1994. The 50 variables examined included…

A Virginia study documented the attitudes and experiences of women in technology education (TE) concerning obstacles to TE as a career choice. Reasons for entering the profession revealed a general enthusiasm for technology teaching. The support network included college professors and advisors, parents, technology teachers, spouse, and…

This paper describes the development of a predictive model to determine potential high school dropouts and identify areas for intensified assistance at the individual or group level. V. Tinto's (1975, 1987) model of college attrition was validated for use with high school students in rural, low socioeconomic areas of the Southeast. Ex post facto…

This paper reports on a study evaluating a graduate-level distance education program that provides special education teacher preparation at rural sites throughout Utah. The program was developed by the University of Utah to address problems associated with teacher recruitment and retention in rural areas. The program uses an "integrated"…

Although attrition is repeatedly described as the number one problem in adult basic education (ABE), the raw numbers of attrition rates do not tell the whole story. Studies show noncompleters in both ABE and higher education sometimes leave when they feel their goals have been realized. Counting adults who "stop out" as dropouts is also…

This paper identified factors within the higher education environment that significantly influence student retention rates and the timely graduation of traditional full-time, first-time, degree seeking students in the state of Colorado. The paper uses the research findings of national studies and other studies conducted by Wisconsin and…

A study was undertaken at Miami-Dade Community College (MDCC) to examine 4- and 5-year success rates for students who needed and completed college preparatory instruction (CPI) and compare them to rates for students not requiring such instruction. Students were deemed successful if they graduated or achieved a grade point average (GPA) of 2.00 or…