Exploring Sense of Belonging, Socioacademic Integrative Moments, and Learning Communities Related to ELs’ Persistence Based on Reenrollment Decisions in Community Colleges

2020 ◽  
pp. 009155212096487
Author(s):  
Tiberio Garza ◽  
Margarita Huerta ◽  
Hugo A. García ◽  
Jared Lau
Keyword(s):  
Community College ◽  
Community Colleges ◽  
Learning Communities ◽  
English Learners ◽  
Sense Of Belonging ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Direct Effects ◽  
Measurement Models ◽  
Positive Direct

Objective: The objective of this study was to create a model of English learners’ (ELs) persistence based on theory and empirical research. Findings from this research informs community college educators in helping ELs persist and guide future research regarding this important student population. Method: We examined ELs’ persistence using structural equation modeling (SEM) based on data from the Community College Survey of Student Engagement (CCSSE) among a U.S. national sample of 6,872 ELs. SEM was informed through the means of measurement models for latent variables. Reliability and validity were assessed through Cronbach’s alpha, principal component analysis, and fit indices. Results: Our results show that (a) sense of belonging had significant and positive direct effects on ELs’ persistence based on reenrollment decisions, (b) socioacademic integrative moments had significant and positive direct effects on ELs’ sense of belonging, and (c) learning communities had significant and positive direct effects on ELs’ socioacademic integrative moments and sense of belonging. Contributions: Community colleges offer broad access to postsecondary education for ELs, or students in the process of learning English as a second or other language. As a whole, our study contributes to a better understanding of how ELs may persist in their academic studies. We further discuss the implications of our findings in light of policy, practice, and future research.

scholarly journals Do We Belong?

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 460-487
Author(s):  
Hugo A García ◽  
Tiberio Garza ◽  
Katie Yeaton-Hromada
Keyword(s):  
Community College ◽  
Community Colleges ◽  
International Students ◽  
Academic Integration ◽  
Sense Of Belonging ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
International Student ◽  
The United States ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Academic Year

International student enrollment in higher education has risen in the United States for the past several decades. Along with the increase within 4-year institutions, the number of international students at community colleges also continues to rise. Open Doors reports there were 91,648 total international students enrolled in community college for the 2014–2015 academic year. Since student retention is often reviewed as a measure of “the quality of educational experiences” (Lee, 2010, p. 68), these changing enrollment statistics raise questions about international students’ engagement and sense of belonging within U.S. community colleges. Guided by Deil-Amen’s (2011) construct of socio-academic integration moments and Strayhorn’s (2012) sense of belonging, and using the Community College Survey of Student Engagement dataset and structural equation modeling, this study found that socio-academic integration was instrumental for sense of belonging for international students while social integration is also, to a lesser extent, significant to sense of belonging. 

An Empirical Study of Building Social Relationships within Virtual Teams

2011 ◽  
pp. 271-291
Author(s):  
Ying Chieh Liu
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Teams ◽  
Social Relationships ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Relationship Building ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Relationship Model ◽  
Managerial Implications ◽  
Positive Direct

Although virtual teams have been widely utilized nowadays, social relationships are considered highly problematic within virtual teams. This study addresses social dimensions to provide suggestions for mangers to improve the performance and satisfaction of virtual teams. We build a model derived from a comprehensive literature review and conduct an experiment to validate it through Structural Equation Modeling. The results reveal: (1) communication has a direct positive impact on relationship building, but indirect positive effects on performance and satisfaction; (2) relationship building impacts directly with strong and positive impacts on cohesion and trust, but indirectly with strong impacts on performance and satisfaction ; (3) cohesion has a direct, strong and positive impact on performance but a strong indirect impact on satisfaction; (4) trust has a positive direct impact on performance but an indirect positive impact on satisfaction; (5) performance has a strong and positive impact on satisfaction. In addition, this study confirms that relationship building is a vital mediator in the social relationship model. Managerial implications and future research directions are identified.

Structures, Practices, and Policies to Support Community-Engaged Scholarship at the Community College

2020 ◽  
pp. 172-186
Author(s):  
Mary Ann Bodine Al-Sharif ◽  
Hugo García
Keyword(s):  
Community College ◽  
Community Colleges ◽  
Undergraduate Research ◽  
Local Communities ◽  
Postsecondary Institutions ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Research Projects ◽  
Engaged Scholarship ◽  
Community Engaged Scholarship ◽  
Large Corpus

This chapter illuminates the ways in which community colleges can develop and enhance their community-engaged scholarship (CES) to ensure they meet the needs of the local communities they are a part of. Indeed, community-engaged scholarship (CES) has been seen as a vehicle to support local communities by creating partnerships with postsecondary institutions to ensure research is conducted in a way that is mutually beneficial. The authors first explore the large corpus of literature regarding undergraduate research and then present a select number of community colleges that have been successful in incorporating undergraduate research projects. They then present how CES has been defined and how it has been implemented within a higher education context. They then proceed to introduce a CES conceptual model and explain how community colleges can utilize the model to support the institutionalization of CES programs. They conclude with recommendations for future research.

Professionals’ Identification Within and Across Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Fields

2020 ◽  
pp. 089484532091311 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amber Simpson ◽  
Jose Morales Collazo ◽  
John Zilvinskis ◽  
Adam Maltese
Keyword(s):  
Sense Of Belonging ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
The United States ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Direct Impact ◽  
Science Technology ◽  
And Mathematics ◽  
Positive Direct ◽  
Specific Identity

Professional identity, for many, is a substantial component of their career choices and development. In this study, we utilized data from an online survey completed by 1,867 participants living across the United States to consider the extent to which an individual working in science, technology, engineering, and/or mathematics (STEM) field identifies with each discipline, and how this may be associated with recognition, competence, and sense of belonging. Results from structural equation modeling indicated that participants’ STEM field had a positive, direct impact on their discipline-specific identity but a negative, direct impact on other discipline identities. Furthermore, recognition and competence had significant direct and indirect effects on participants’ STEM identity, which was not consistent by STEM field. Alternatively, sense of belonging and self-identifying as a woman had limited effects in our model. Our findings raise questions as to the possibility (or not) of STEM as an interdisciplinary identity for professionals with a career in STEM.

Intercultural communication competence and preferred public relations practices

2015 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 167-183 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lan Ni ◽  
Qi Wang ◽  
Maria De la Flor
Keyword(s):  
Public Relations ◽  
Intercultural Communication ◽  
Direct Effect ◽  
Communication Competence ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Intercultural Communication Competence ◽  
Positive Direct

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine how individual-level intercultural communication competence (ICC) represented by cultural empathy, open-mindedness, and flexibility predicts preferred use of symmetrical, two-way, conservation, and ethical public relations practices (PRPs) among public relations (PRs) students. Design/methodology/approach – Structural equation modeling was used to analyze self-report data from 268 PRs students surveyed at a southern university. Findings – Results indicated that empathy, open-mindedness, and flexibility together significantly predicted the preferred use of all four PRPs. The three ICC variables each had a positive direct effect on symmetrical and ethical PRPs. Empathy and flexibility each had a positive direct effect on two-way and conservation PRPs. Research limitations/implications – This study provides evidence that the PRPs resulted from Excellence Theory, despite controversies over their practicality, are closely and positively related with ICC qualities such as empathy, open-mindedness, and flexibility among future practitioners. Future research should overcome the limitations in this study by examining current practitioners instead of PR students who are the future practitioners, investigating the PRP instruments’ criterion-related and construct validity, as well as exploring different levels and types of ICC. Originality/value – This study is new in bridging the gap between preferred PRPs and the qualities needed for those PRPs, thereby addressing two limitations in the current intercultural PRs research.

Learning Disabilities Referrals, Eligibility Outcomes, and Services in Community Colleges: A Four-Year Summary

1993 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 199-218 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daryl F. Mellard ◽  
Mark Byrne
Keyword(s):  
Community College ◽  
Learning Disabilities ◽  
Community Colleges ◽  
Ethnic Groups ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Older Students ◽  
Referral Patterns ◽  
Filipino Students ◽  
And Gender ◽  
College Setting

This study examined access to LD services in California's 103 community colleges. The data describe the pattern of referrals for LD, eligibility decisions, and students served according to age, ethnic, and gender groupings. Referrals in these settings are self-initiated and decisions on who receives state-supported classes and services are based on a statewide eligibility model. While the nature of students judged eligible and served as LD was similar to the referral patterns, the initial referrals themselves did not reflect the proportional groupings of the colleges' age, gender, and ethnic groups; besides, year-to-year fluctuations were noted. Fewer referrals were observed from some age and ethnic groups; the most notable differences included lower percentages of older students and Asian and Filipino students. These differences may be associated with such factors as the students' goals, self-attributions, and social influences. Of particular interest in future research is examination of influences on students' decisions to seek assistance in the community college setting.

PP05 The First Choice Of Health Institutions Of Elderly In Zhejiang And Qinghai, China

2019 ◽  
Vol 35 (S1) ◽  
pp. 38-38
Author(s):  
Hao Zhang ◽  
Jingming Wei ◽  
Qilong Gao ◽  
Can Zhao ◽  
Hengjin Dong ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Status ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Direct Effects ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Medical Institutions ◽  
First Choice ◽  
Health Institutions ◽  
Positive Direct

IntroductionThe utilization of medical resources in China is unbalanced and insufficient. In order to find a way to maximize their utilization to face challenges in the upcoming decade, this study aims to investigate the elderly's first choice of health institutions when they were ill in the Zhejiang and Qinghai provinces, and to explore the potential pathways related to their choices, respectively.MethodsThe data used in this study was from cross-sectional surveys in Zhejiang and Qinghai. According to the Anderson Health Service Utilization Model, we applied structural equation modeling to explore the complex pathways from socioeconomic status (SES), accessibility, and health status to the elderly's first choice of health institutions.ResultsThe proportion of the elderly who selected community health institutions (CHI) as their first choice of medical institutions in Qinghai was higher than in Zhejiang. The Zhejiang model revealed a significantly negative direct effect of SES and significantly positive direct effects of accessibility to CHI and health status on the choice of institutions, and a significantly positive indirect effect of SES on choice of institutions, through the mediating factor of health status. SES played an important role in the Zhejiang model in direct and indirect ways. In the Qinghai model, only SES and accessibility to CHI had significantly direct effects on the choice of institutions, with accessibility to CHI having the biggest effects. SES had a significant and positive indirect impact on choice of institutions, through the factor of accessibility to CHI.ConclusionsA better understanding of the complex pathways from factors to elderly's choices of health institutions was essential, which may inform priorities for maximizing the utilization of CHI further and prepare to face challenges in the new decade. Through this research method, policymakers could explore the specific pathways based on their own economic and societal status.

scholarly journals The relationship between paternal education, self-esteem, resilience, future orientation, and career aspirations

PLoS ONE ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (12) ◽  
pp. e0243283
Author(s):  
Buratin Khampirat
Keyword(s):  
Career Development ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Future Orientation ◽  
Career Aspirations ◽  
Decomposition Analysis ◽  
Self Esteem ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Paternal Education ◽  
Measurement Models

Career aspirations are considered to be one of the most important motivation variables in the study of psychology and career development, as well as being connected to an individual’s career-related goals, intentions or options. The aims of this study were: (a) to develop and validate a model for predicting career aspirations, and (b) to investigate direct and indirect links between paternal education, self-esteem, resilience, future orientation, and career aspirations of university students. The participants were 445 students from two universities in Thailand. Confirmatory factor analysis confirmed that the factor structure of four measurement models presented in the study was suitable and compatible. To achieve the intended research objectives, the empirical data were analyzed using structural equation modeling with decomposition analysis of total effects in direct and indirect effects. Results showed that paternal education, resilience, and future orientation have significant direct effects on students’ career aspirations, while self-esteem has an indirect effect. This suggests that self-esteem can help students develop their resilience, as well as promoting their development of a positive future orientation, which also helps foster a higher level of career aspiration. These results can be fundamental to supporting the continued use of the structural equation model in future research on career development.

scholarly journals Operationalizing “Internationalization” in the Community College Sector: Textual Analysis of Institutional Internationalization Plans

10.28945/4435 ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
pp. 177-196 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa M Unangst ◽  
Nicole I Barone
Keyword(s):  
Community College ◽  
Community Colleges ◽  
Open Access ◽  
Textual Analysis ◽  
National Sample ◽  
Local Context ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Analysis Tool ◽  
College Level ◽  
Digital Scholarship

Aim/Purpose: This paper evaluates three community college internationalization plans using quantitative textual analysis to explore the different foci of institutions across three U.S. states. Background: One of the purposes of community college internationalization is to equip future generations with the skills and dispositions necessary to be successful in an increasingly globalized workforce. The extent to which international efforts have become institutionalized on a given campus may be assessed through the analysis of internationalization plans. Methodology: We use the textual analysis tool Voyant, which has rarely been employed in educational research, being more frequently applied in the humanities and under the broad heading of “digital scholarship”. Contribution: Extant literature examining internationalization plans focuses on the four-year sector, but studies centered on the two-year sector are scarce. This study addresses that gap and seeks to answer the research questions: How do community colleges operationalize internationalization in their strategic plans? What terms and/or concepts are used to indicate international efforts? Findings: Key findings of this study include an emphasis on optimization of existing resources (human, cultural, community, and financial); the need for a typology of open access institution internationalization plans; and the fragmentation of international efforts at the community college level. Impact on Society: It is clear that internationalization at community colleges may take shape based on optimization of resources, which begs the question, how can education sector actors best support open access institutions in developing plans tailored to the local context and resources at hand? Future Research: We recommend additional use of quantitative textual analysis to parse internationalization plans, and imagine that both a larger sample size and cross-national sample might yield interesting results. How do these institutional groupings operationalize internationalization in the corpus of their plans?

Electronic Word of Mouth engagement in social commerce platforms: An empirical study

2019 ◽  
Vol 36 (3) ◽  
pp. 438-456
Author(s):  
Yusuf Sahabi Ali ◽  
Ab Razak Che Hussin ◽  
Halina Mohamed Dahlan
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Sense Of Belonging ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Word Of Mouth ◽  
Customer Engagement ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Electronic Word Of Mouth ◽  
Social Commerce ◽  
Information Credibility

The aim of this study is to investigate the factors that encourage customer engagement with Electronic Word of Mouth (eWOM) from the perspective of information characteristics, consumer behaviour, consumer motives, technological and social factors. Drawing from the Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM), Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) and Social Support Theory (SST) we propose a new model of eWOM engagement in s-commerce. This model was assessed using structural equation modeling (SEM) technique based on a survey of 218 s-commerce users in Nigeria. The findings confirmed that eWOM engagement is strongly determined by information credibility, information quality, social support, innovativeness, altruism, self-enhancement and sense of belonging. Additionally, using the Importance-Performance Map Analysis (IPMA), this study identifies information credibility, sense of belonging, attitude towards eWOM and social support as the most important factors that should be giving priority by managers in order to encourage consumer eWOM engagement in s-commerce platforms. Implications of the study and suggestions for future research are presented.

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