dc.contributor.author	Mayhew, Samuel A.
dc.coverage.spatial	Central and North America -- United States -- Georgia	en_US
dc.coverage.temporal	c.2010-2016	en_US
dc.date.accessioned	2016-05-16T13:36:38Z
dc.date.available	2016-05-16T13:36:38Z
dc.date.issued	2016-05
dc.identifier.other	0D49F070-F616-4C29-85F8-FEC62FD3AC9B
dc.identifier.other	8744C7B1-A5AD-48E5-975F-FD0AB25F259E
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10428/2176
dc.description.abstract	Because funding models for higher education are changing to place more value on student retention and student degree completion than they have in the past, college and university administrators need to examine their policies and strategies for recruiting “stopout” students to return to college and complete their degrees. Stopout students are students who previously enrolled in college, stopped attending college for a period of time, and then returned to higher education. Using Spady’s conceptual model, Tinto’s theory of student departure, Astin’s theory of student involvement, and Bean and Metzner’s student attrition model for nontraditional students as a framework, this qualitative research study used basic interpretive methods, through an interpretive worldview, to conduct and analyze interviews to better understand the experiences of stopout college students and identify strategies that support efforts by colleges to increase student graduation rates. All participants for this study were recruited from one community college in southwest Georgia. Analysis of the data revealed four conceptual themes: factors influencing college selection, role conflict and time management, institutional strengths and challenges, and influence of family and peer relationships. These findings suggest that stopout students are likely to graduate from college when they feel supported by the institution through positive relationships beginning at recruitment through graduation. The data from the informants show the day-to-day challenges experienced by stopout students as they attempt to graduate from college. Study findings were based on data collected from stopout students, college administration, and institutional policy and documents.	en_US
dc.description.tableofcontents	TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter I: INTRODUCTION - 1 Researcher Background - 1 Personal Interest - 1 Professional Interest - 1 Overview - 2 Statement of the Problem - 3 Purpose - 4 Research Questions - 4 Significance of the Study - 5 Conceptual Framework - 5 Summary of the Methodology - 6 Limitations - 8 Definitions of Terms - 9 Summary - 10 Chapter II: LITERATURE REVIEW - 11 Leading Models Affecting Student Enrollment - 12 Spady’s Conceptual Model - 12 Tinto’s Theory of Student Departure - 13 Astin’s Theory of Student Involvement - 16 Bean and Metzner’s Student Attrition Model for Nontraditional - 18 Demographic of College Students - 20 Nontraditional Students - 21 Student Persistence 22 Student Retention - 24 Student Goals - 25 Barriers to Education - 26 Global and Financial Impact of Education - 27 History of Community Colleges - 29 Community Colleges - 30 Future of Community Colleges - 34 Chapter III: RESEARCH AND METHODOLOGY - 37 Research Questions - 37 Research Design - 38 Research Site - 40 Participant Selection - 41 Data Collection - 44 Methods of Data Analysis - 47 Validity Issues - 50 Ethical Issues - 52 Summary - 53 Chapter IV: FINDINGS - 54 Narrative of Participants - 57 Summer - 57 Sabrina - 58 Katie - 60 Autumn - 62 i*i Bruce 64 Duke - 66 Data Analysis - 67 Discussion of Themes - 70 Factors Influencing College Selection - 70 Role Conflict and Time Management - 75 Institutional Strengths and Challenges - 78 Influence of Family and Peer Relationships - 83 Summary - 85 Chapter V: DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION - 87 Discussion of Themes - 89 Theme 1: Factors Influencing College Selection - 89 Motivation to Return - 89 Accessibility - 90 Theme II: Role Conflict and Time Management - 93 Theme III: Institutional Strengths and Challenges - 94 Theme IV: Influence of Family and Peer Relationships - 95 Research Questions: Final Discussions Summary - 97 Limitations and Implications for Future Studies - 101 Recommendations for Future Research - 104 Final Conclusions - 105 REFERENCES - 106	en_US
dc.language.iso	en_US	en_US
dc.subject	Educational Leadership	en_US
dc.subject	Dissertations	en_US
dc.subject	Community college students	en_US
dc.subject	College student attrition	en_US
dc.title	Stopout Students: What are Their Experiences Returning to Community College?	en_US
dc.type	Dissertation	en_US
dc.contributor.department	Department of Curriculum, Leadership, and Technology of the Dewar College of Education and Human Services	en_US
dc.description.advisor	Tsemunhu, Rudo E.
dc.description.committee	Green, Robert B.
dc.description.committee	Truby, William F.
dc.description.committee	Nobles, Kathy
dc.description.degree	Ed.D.	en_US
dc.description.major	Leadership	en_US