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- Creators: Arizona State University
- Creators: Costello, Joseph R.
ContributorsCostello, Joseph R. (Performer) / Johnson, Carol (Performer) / Hulihan, Charles (Performer) / ASU Library. Music Library (Publisher)
Created1998-04-05
ContributorsBard, Michael (Performer) / Costello, Joseph R. (Performer) / ASU Library. Music Library (Publisher)
Created1993-11-06
Description
Institutional researchers (IRs) at higher education institutions fulfill a crucial role in identifying, processing, and disseminating data to administrators. Identifying effective ways for leaders to make sense of data is essential to advancing the most critical institutional issues, including achieving equitable student outcomes. However, leaders face barriers to effectively interpreting and using institutional data, such as time, tools, and resources. Historically, institutional researchers are primarily quantitative data analysts. Hence, IRs must rethink their roles and fundamentally change their analytical and dissemination processes to effectively support leaders at their institutions. IRs are particularly positioned to engage leaders and facilitate discussions about existing student inequities. This action research study illustrates how the institutional research function can be leveraged to advance the understanding of inequitable student outcomes among leaders at a community college (Hispanic Serving Institution, small, rural, public 2-year college in Northern New Mexico). The inquiry used Weick’s Theory of Sensemaking and the construct of data equity to inform the development of Critical Sensemaking Data Briefs (CSDBs). Specifically, this phenomenological single embedded-unit case study was focused on understanding how senior administrators engage in data sensemaking while participating in the CSDBs. The study findings support the assertion that IR can be positively leveraged to advance data sensemaking and student equity understanding. Administrators describe their experience engaging in collective data sensemaking and conceptualizing their professional responsibility toward equitable student outcomes. Findings from this study show that engaging in collective data sensemaking expands understanding through diverse perspectives, added context, and negotiated meaning. Additionally, this action research illustrates how IRs can lead the scaffolding of data sensemaking by providing guidance, context, a structure for dialogue, and the integration of reflection.
ContributorsVillalobos Melendez, Alejandra (Author) / Gee, Elizabeth (Thesis advisor) / Correa, Kevin (Committee member) / Jasinski, Lisa (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2023
Description
There has been an ever-increasing demand in the United States to produce educated science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) professionals. Because more women and minority students have begun their higher educational preparation at community colleges, these institutions have been uniquely positioned to support these students and increase the number of STEM graduates. Nevertheless, to attain this commendable goal, community college staff and faculty members will need to redouble their efforts to provide active and sustained programs and interventions to support and assure student persistence in STEM fields.
To address the problem of practice, the researcher engaged in a variety of validating practices to influence women and minority students’ intent to persist in a STEM degree. Thirteen, first-year women and minority students participated in the study. Validation theory (Rendón, 1994) provided a framework to inform the intervention and forms of validation. The validating practices included two advising visits and intentional email communications to students in their first semester at community college.
A mixed methods approach was employed to examine two objectives: (a) the types of validation students experienced in their first semester and (b) the influence of validating advising practices on intention to persist in STEM. The Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB; Ajzen, n.d.) guided study efforts in relation to the second objective. Data gathered included survey data, interviews, email communications, and researcher journal entries. Results suggested students experienced academic and interpersonal validation by in-class and out-of-class validating agents. Although not all experiences were validating, students were validated to a greater extent by their academic advisor. Because of validating advising practices, students in this study developed confidence in their ability to be capable college students. Students also felt motivated and expressed intentions to persist toward a STEM degree.
The discussion focuses on explaining outcomes of the four research questions by connecting to the extant literature. In addition, limitations of the study are presented. Finally, implications for practice, implications for future research, and lessons learned are also shared.
To address the problem of practice, the researcher engaged in a variety of validating practices to influence women and minority students’ intent to persist in a STEM degree. Thirteen, first-year women and minority students participated in the study. Validation theory (Rendón, 1994) provided a framework to inform the intervention and forms of validation. The validating practices included two advising visits and intentional email communications to students in their first semester at community college.
A mixed methods approach was employed to examine two objectives: (a) the types of validation students experienced in their first semester and (b) the influence of validating advising practices on intention to persist in STEM. The Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB; Ajzen, n.d.) guided study efforts in relation to the second objective. Data gathered included survey data, interviews, email communications, and researcher journal entries. Results suggested students experienced academic and interpersonal validation by in-class and out-of-class validating agents. Although not all experiences were validating, students were validated to a greater extent by their academic advisor. Because of validating advising practices, students in this study developed confidence in their ability to be capable college students. Students also felt motivated and expressed intentions to persist toward a STEM degree.
The discussion focuses on explaining outcomes of the four research questions by connecting to the extant literature. In addition, limitations of the study are presented. Finally, implications for practice, implications for future research, and lessons learned are also shared.
ContributorsSanchez, Nuria Maria (Author) / Buss, Ray (Thesis advisor) / Sampson, Carrie (Committee member) / Lara, Ernest (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2020