Who Improves Most? The Differences in First-Year Students’ Learning Attitudes and Behaviors Measured by College Success Factor Index

Utilizing a pretest-posttest quasi-experimental research design, this study investigated the impacts of participation in a First-Year Seminar (FYS) course on student learning attitudes and behaviors. Using the sample of 1,231 freshmen students in a large, public, research university in the Southeast, the study examined if FYS participation promoted students learning attitudes and behaviors in the following ten areas: responsibility, competition, task-planning, expectation, wellness, time-management, college involvement, family involvement, precision, and persistence. Additionally, the study tested for the differences in changes of students learning attitudes and behaviors among five student populations enrolled in the seminar: first-time in college, summer bridge, international, out-of-state, and teacher pre-professionals. Hotelling's T2 test revealed statistically significant differences in learning attitudes and behaviors between pre and posttests for each of the 10 measured factors, while a two-way mixed design MANOVA indicated that changes in students’ learning attitudes and behaviors were not significantly different for any of the factors depending on the subgroup. The lack of between-group differences demonstrated that the FYS course participation was equally beneficial for students from all populations examined in the study.

The Effects of Students’ Self-Perceptions of Behaviors, Attitudes, and Aptitudes on their First-to-Second-Year Persistence

The study used the data from the Cooperative Institutional Research Program (CIRP) Freshman Survey to examine the effects of first-year students’ perceptions of their behaviors, attitudes, and aptitudes on their first-to-second-year persistence at a small, private, faith-based institution. Logistic regression analysis revealed that attending a private high school, high school GPA, academic self-concept, and likelihood of college involvement positively influenced students’ persistence, while being a first-generation college student was negatively related to persistence to the second year. Implications of these results for practice and policy are provided.

Public Participation in Governance of Community College

The purpose of this study was to explored public participation in governance of the community college. The local people established college in their community of their active participation. Community colleges help for the access of higher education in rural area but not being able to fulfill desire of the local people. The study focuses on public participation in governance of community college. The study was carried out in a qualitative paradigm in which a case study facilitated access to in-depth feelings, views, and opinions of community members and educators regarding their participation in providing education. Data were generated through in-depth interview with parents of children in the college, College Management Committee (CMC) members, and the college chief. Data were transcribed and analyzed manually through the cut and paste technique. The study found out that public participation in governance of community colleges is of various types it may be involvement through sending their children to the college and providing fees and stationery, involvement through contributions of physical things & donations from the very beginning of the establishment of the college, involvement through attendance in programs and meetings conducted by the college, participation in real decision making etc. Further, parents financed college budgets, and were involved in college governance.Academic Voices Vol.6 2016: 37-42