Credit score: Assessing a library course’s association with graduation rates and GPAs for at-risk students at a regional public university

Despite increased emphasis on educating students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines, nearly half of U.S. college students who enroll in these programs fail to graduate with STEM degrees. Using archival data from the Motivation and Academic Achievement Database, we tested whether a motivation intervention to reframe causal attributions for academic setbacks improved graduation rates for college students in STEM disciplines ( N = 496). Results showed that the intervention increased the odds of 8-year graduation for students who were at risk of college dropout. Findings highlight the potential of theory-informed psychological interventions to increase persistence to graduation for at-risk students in STEM fields.

Download Full-text

Modeling Retention at a Large Public University: Can At-Risk Students Be Identified Early Enough to Treat?

Research in Higher Education ◽

10.1007/s11162-010-9170-7 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 51 (6) ◽

pp. 546-572 ◽

Cited By ~ 21

Author(s):

Larry D. Singell ◽

Glen R. Waddell

Keyword(s):

At Risk ◽

At Risk Students ◽

Public University

Download Full-text

Phonological Awareness Screening to Identify At-Risk Readers

Language Speech and Hearing Services in Schools ◽

10.1044/0161-1461.2902.109 ◽

1998 ◽

Vol 29 (2) ◽

pp. 109-116 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

Margie Gilbertson ◽

Ronald K. Bramlett

Keyword(s):

At Risk ◽

Phonological Awareness ◽

Reading Ability ◽

At Risk Students ◽

First Grade ◽

Receptive Vocabulary ◽

Standardized Assessments ◽

Cutoff Score ◽

Invented Spelling ◽

Reading Measures

The purpose of this study was to investigate informal phonological awareness measures as predictors of first-grade broad reading ability. Subjects were 91 former Head Start students who were administered standardized assessments of cognitive ability and receptive vocabulary, and informal phonological awareness measures during kindergarten and early first grade. Regression analyses indicated that three phonological awareness tasks, Invented Spelling, Categorization, and Blending, were the most predictive of standardized reading measures obtained at the end of first grade. Discriminant analyses indicated that these three phonological awareness tasks correctly identified at-risk students with 92% accuracy. Clinical use of a cutoff score for these measures is suggested, along with general intervention guidelines for practicing clinicians.

Download Full-text