Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Roland Rayner

Date

2020

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education

Department

Leadership & Policy Studies

Committee Chair

Ronald Platt

Committee Member

Karen Westerman-Kitchens

Committee Member

Edith Gnanadass

Committee Member

William Akey

Abstract

The purpose of this qualitative case study is to explore factors that may contribute to student persistence in the completion of their program of study in an urban technical college setting. The study aims to identify the cognitive, social, and institutional factors that contribute to student persistence in the completion of their program of study. The following questions guided this study: (1) what are the cognitive, social, and institutional factors that may help technical college students persist in the completion of their training program, (2) what social factors would enhance technical students educational experience to improve persistence to program completion, (3) what cognitive factors would help better prepare students to persist in program completion, (4) what institutional factors would equip educational leaders and their faculty with tools needed to make informed adjustments to their programs of study? The qualitative case study explored the admissions and retention policy of three urban Tennessee College of Applied Technology (TCAT). Extant data extracted from the 2014 to 2018 student exit interview questionnaires were used to provide descriptive statistics about the students level of satisfaction with the cognitive, institutional, and social factors found in the learning environment. The content analysis provided insight regarding the cognitive, social, and institutional factors that contribute to student persistence. Themes emerged from the analysis of admissions and retention policy documents and descriptive statistics. The major themes were: connected learning, support systems, engagement, academic rigor, and competence. The study demonstrated that these factors were prominent in the admission and retention policies utilized by the TCATs. The results provide the educational leaders and faculty at the TCATs relevant evidence that informs the adjustments to their practices and programs essential to student persistence and completion.

Comments

Data is provided by the student.

Library Comment

Dissertation or thesis originally submitted to ProQuest

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