Keywords

Community college, first generation, student success, qualitative, higher education

Abstract

This study explored how first-generation, minority community college women who participated in a Student Success course understood their higher education experiences. The researcher used a basic interpretive qualitative methodology to uncover how the value of higher education was constructed within those discussions. Five purposively selected students participated in one-on-one semi structured interviews. The participant's understandings were highlighted independently, reflecting a wide range of sentiments that were largely self-directed in essence, at times ambiguous and yet, complex in nature as the women made sense of their experiences. Through the use of thematic analysis, three dominant discourses about the value of higher education were identified as opportunity and defined as: 1) Personal Fulfillment and Intrinsic Motivation, 2) Financial Stability and College as Insurance against Poverty, and 3) Social Obligations: Breaking Stereotypes and Setting Examples. The data coupled with researcher reflections serve as the basis for implications for Student Success faculty and administrators in the areas of pedagogical strategy, marketing, resource creation, and program restructuring. Lastly, recommendations were made for future research studies.

Notes

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Graduation Date

2014

Semester

Spring

Advisor

Cintron Delgado, Rosa

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

College

College of Education and Human Performance

Department

Dean's Office, Education

Degree Program

Education; Higher Education

Format

application/pdf

Identifier

CFE0005255

URL

http://purl.fcla.edu/fcla/etd/CFE0005255

Language

English

Release Date

5-15-2019

Length of Campus-only Access

5 years

Access Status

Doctoral Dissertation (Open Access)

Subjects

Dissertations, Academic -- Education and Human Performance; Education and Human Performance -- Dissertations, Academic

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