Matching Items (7)
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- All Subjects: Higher Education
- Creators: Smith, Stephanie
Description
Abstract What began in 1971 as a "War on Drugs," led to the political position of being "tough on crime" and has ultimately given birth to the mass incarceration crisis that we see in 2017. The United States composes 5% of the world's population, yet holds 25% of the world's incarcerated. At least 95% of those incarcerated in the United States will be released at some time and each year, 690,000 people are released from our prisons. These "criminals" become our neighbors, our colleagues, and our friends. However, the unfortunate reality is that they will go back to prison sooner than we can embrace them. In order to end this cycle of recidivism, higher education in prison must be made more available and encouraged. Those who participate in education programs while incarcerated have a 43% less chance of recidivating than those inmates who do not participate. This thesis dissects that statistic, focusing on higher education and the impact it has on incarcerated students, how it affects society as a whole, and the many reasons why we should be actively advocating for it. Additionally, I wish to demonstrate that students, educators, and volunteers, as a collective, have the power to potentially change the punitive function of the prison system. That power has been within education all along. While statistics and existing research will play heavily in the coming pages, so will anecdotes, first-hand experiences, assessments of established programs, and problems that still need to be overcome. By no means are the following pages a means to an end, but rather a new beginning in the effort to change the interpretation of being "tough on crime." Keywords: higher education, prison, recidivism
ContributorsGood, Hannah Rose (Author) / Wells, Cornelia (Thesis director) / Herrera, Richard (Committee member) / School of Politics and Global Studies (Contributor) / School of Criminology and Criminal Justice (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-12
Description
This action research investigated the predictors of academic adjustment, as measured by grade point average in the first year and persistence to completion, as measured by graduating on time, among undergraduate students at the School of Entrepreneurship and Business Innovation, the University of Guyana, from 2018 - 2022. The experiences of students in a chosen program were also examined to provide a qualitative deep dive into the tertiary journey of undergraduate students, using the self-efficacy framework to map this journey. Multiple regression and logistic regression analyses were conducted to investigate the effect of age, gender, geographic location, and academic preparation on academic adjustment and persistence to completion. The models explained 15% and 13% of the variance, respectively, in academic adjustment and persistence to completion. Geographic location and academic preparation proved to be significant predictors of academic adjustment while age, gender and academic preparation increased the likelihood of persisting to completion. While qualitative findings substantiated the role of academic preparation, students also spoke of the role of peer and familial relationships, opportunities for social modeling and the design of the chosen program which largely met the parameters of social persuasion as being integral to their adjustment and subsequent completion. In keeping with the principles of action research, students participated in a seminar on self-efficacy for university and beyond. The seminar, which was well received by students, introduced them to the concept, in a format that allowed for discussion and reinforced the importance of managing physical and emotional states at university and beyond.
ContributorsConnelly, Aletha Maria (Author) / Smith, Stephanie (Thesis advisor) / Basile, Carol (Committee member) / Ross, Lydia (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2023
Description
Adequacy of classroom learning spaces at the University of Guyana has historically been a challenge the institution faces. However, the coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic lessened the problem when the University of Guyana responded to the crisis by making rapid adjustments to continue operations online and to remain competitive while offering high-quality education. I created and implemented a flexible learning space choice model (FLSCM) to address the issues of inadequate physical learning spaces and the needs and preferences of contemporary students in the post-pandemic reality. The study used a concurrent mixed methods action research (MMAR) design to examine students’ perceptions of the model and the extent of the differences in student engagement and satisfaction with the teaching model. I collected quantitative data using an online questionnaire and qualitative data using one-on-one semi-structured online interviews. I used thematic analysis to analyze the qualitative data. I also analyzed the quantitative data using descriptive and inferential statistical analysis, including bivariate correlation, independent samples t-tests, and factorial multivariate analysis of variance (factorial MANOVA). The results indicate that students perceived the FLSCM as suitable for facilitating learning, student engagement, and satisfaction.
ContributorsGobin, Diana Devika (Author) / Smith, Stephanie (Thesis advisor) / Thompson, Nicole L (Committee member) / Ross, Lydia L (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2023
Description
The operations within universities have become increasingly complex and challenging for various reasons. Notably, some of those challenges have been combated by developing talent within the organization. Although many professional development opportunities abound at Arizona State University and within the ASU Foundation, the options for developing competencies such as collaboration and resilience were lacking. Thus, the purpose of this action research project was to develop several specific competencies for my team to be successful in their current roles and to develop skills affording success in future roles. The setting for this study was Arizona State University, a four-year, public institution. The specific unit under examination was the Arizona State University Foundation, the unit dedicated to raising resources for the university through philanthropy. The intervention consisted of four professional development workshops including the topics of collaboration, resilience, leadership, and a concluding workshop to debrief the three topics and how participants’ new understandings had been incorporated into their professional roles. Prior to each workshop, participants observed a professional development video specifically associated with the topic of the workshop. During the workshops, participants were actively engaged through facilitated discussion on the topics, proposed scenario narratives, and guided participant activities. Following the workshops, participants reflected on their understandings and use of the skills as they engaged in nine weeks of reflective journaling based on standardized prompts. The prompts alternated among the topics of collaboration, resilience, and leadership. I used a concurrent mixed-method action research approach for this study, where I gathered quantitative and qualitative data over the course of the intervention and at its conclusion. Results centered around the themes of collaboration, resilience, leadership, and meta-topics, which included theme-related components such as asking for help, having a shared goal, locus of control, resilience in the workplace, leadership styles, leadership qualities, comfort zone, learning and growing, relationships, and so on. In the discussion, I explained the outcomes relative to theoretical perspectives and previous research that guided the study, presented limitations, proposed implications for practice and for future research, and reviewed personal lessons learned.
ContributorsEgbert, Travis (Author) / Buss, Ray (Thesis advisor) / Antonucci, Mark (Committee member) / Smith, Stephanie (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2023
Description
College athletes experience college in a way that is different than their non-athlete peers. Practices, travel time, study hall, and other athletic obligations place strenuous demands on the lives and time of college athletes. As a result, college athletes have less flexible time and are often unable to engage in educationally purposeful activities including high impact practices, that promote their personal growth and development. Using Astin’s Student Involvement Theory and Rendon’s Validation Theory as frameworks, this mixed methods study examined the impact that participating in a high-impact practice activity had on the personal growth and development of college athletes. To examine how personal growth and development was impacted by participation in a high impact practice activity, National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I college athletes at the University of California, Riverside (UC Riverside) participated in the Leadership for Social Change seminar. To measure personal growth and development, the participants completed the Personal Growth Initiative Scale - II (PGIS-II) as a pre- and post-seminar survey. A sample of participants was also interviewed after completing the seminar to further explain the survey results. The results of the study suggest that seminar participation led to personal growth and development for college athletes. Institutions and athletic departments should promote college athletes’ personal growth and development by incorporating high impact practices into the college athlete experience.
ContributorsRoberts, Rena M. (Author) / Nelson, Brian (Thesis advisor) / Comeaux, Eddie (Committee member) / Smith, Stephanie (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2023
Description
As colleges and universities across the United States continue to grapple with enrollment challenges, many are embracing the concept of customer service as way to improve the student experience and positively impact retention. However, as many institutions of higher education begin to evaluate their own organizational structure, the notion of combining cross-functional departments is one strategy that more intuitions are exploring in an effort to improve communication, collaboration, and efficiencies. This qualitative dissertation study sought to understand the ways in which communication challenges for disconnected, yet cross-functional, departments can impact the ability of individual employees to properly execute the core functions of their individual positions. Utilizing semi-structured interviews, I explored how two previously disconnected departments interacted with each other on a daily basis, including the understanding of communication distribution. Employees were then physically relocated into one physical unified student services department, called Student Financial Services, and provided a structured schedule of professional development and cross-training activities. Participants were then interviewed about their experiences after the transition was completed. The four major themes that emerged through the data analysis were: improved communications equal improved customer service, enhanced professional development identifies and minimizes gaps, cross training leads to innovation, and policies and procedures are best developed by those within the organization.
ContributorsDiBartolomeo, Michael Robert (Author) / Nelson, Brian (Thesis advisor) / Smith, Stephanie (Committee member) / Romano, Christopher (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2023
Description
The trend of increasing mental health issues for undergraduate students is a worrisome and important topic for research in higher education. College students become the backbone of society as they graduate, start families, and enter the workforce. To increase the mental health of students on campus, many institutions have implemented university-wide interventions that ask students to engage with written or visual models. I propose that this large-scale intervention that uses a one-size-fits all narrative is leaving behind important students on campus who do not relate to the written or video narratives that are often used in these settings. My current research employed a classroom-based intervention in which students were asked to discover intergenerational narratives themselves. This mixed methods design used pre-intervention and post-intervention surveys to investigate changes in levels of resilience, belonging, and mattering among a group of college students at a university in the southwest United States. My sample was predominantly young (m = 19.4, SD = 1.2) female students (85.7%) who identified as white (54%) and in their freshman year of college (48.6%). Additional qualitative thematic analyses were performed to investigate the adherence of student narratives to restorative elements and representative quotes were pulled to elaborate on the convergence and divergence of data. Although no statistically significant differences were found, individual students reported positive change and future research is warranted.
ContributorsWhetten, Jason LaMont (Author) / Weinberg, Andrea (Thesis advisor) / Smith, Stephanie (Committee member) / Dunbar, Nora (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2022