dc.contributor.author	Dobbins, Pamela
dc.coverage.spatial	United States	en_US
dc.date.accessioned	2024-04-26T15:01:10Z
dc.date.available	2024-04-26T15:01:10Z
dc.date.issued	2024-01-22
dc.identifier.other	cd9fd222-bcd2-4644-8705-876a3aca37c5	en_US
dc.identifier.uri	https://hdl.handle.net/10428/7157
dc.description.abstract	As nontraditional student numbers are rising, it is critical to the students’ and to colleges' success to determine what works for the nontraditional student. By using a mixed methods research design to study Tinto’s Integration Theory, the researcher collected and analyzed data to determine whether there are relationships between classrooms’ social integration, academic integration, and the nontraditional student’s intent to persist. This study includes both face-to-face and online nontraditional students. This study used a concurrent triangulation design collecting quantitative survey data and conducting qualitative focus group interviews simultaneously. This design allowed the researcher to analyze the data separately, then compare, contrast, and synthesis the findings. Multiple regression analysis was utilized to determine if there was a relationship between Tinto’s model variables and the nontraditional students’ intent to persist. Qualitative data was gathered concurrently through focus groups. Findings from this study indicate the variables Subsequent Institutional Commitment (SIC) and Initial Commitment to Goal (ICG) as statistically significant predictors (p < .05) of Intent to Persist. Initial Commitment to Goal correlates with previous research conducted (Barnett, 2014). Additionally, Perceived Faculty Understanding (PFU) is shown as a statistically significant predictor (p < .05) of Intent to Persist among online nontraditional students. Qualitative themes of Engagement and Connection support these findings indicating nontraditional students value academic support through faculty understanding. This study provides insight into the nontraditional student’s perspective and provides timely and relevant suggestions. Faculty understanding and commitment to the institution are critical factors that could influence a nontraditional student’s decision to persist and are areas for potential professional development among faculty and institutions.	en_US
dc.description.tableofcontents	Chapter I: INTRODUCTION 1 -- The Value of Replication in Research 2 -- Statement of the Problem 9 -- Significance of the Problem 10 -- Purpose of the Study 11 -- Definitions 12 -- Research Questions 14 -- Chapter II: LITERATURE REVIEW 16 -- Identifying Nontraditional Students 18 -- Nontraditional Students as Adult Learners 20 -- Nontraditional Student Barriers to Persistence 21 -- Challenges to Nontraditional Online Students 23 -- Tinto's Theory and Nontraditional Students 26 -- Role of Classroom in Student Integration; Classrooms as Communities 31 -- Engaging Classroom Activities Linked to Social and Academic Integration 32 -- Summary 34 -- Chapter III: METHODS AND PROCEDURES 36 -- Population and Sample 38 -- Research Questions 40 -- Procedures 40 -- Quantitative Strand 42 -- Qualitative Strand 43 -- Data Integration 44 -- Reliability and Validity 45 -- Measures and Instrumentation 45 -- Chapter IV: RESULTS 49 -- Chapter V: CONCLUSIONS 102 -- Confirming Prior Research 104 -- Recommendations for Future Research 107 -- Limitations to the Study 108 -- Final Thoughts 108 -- REFERENCES 110	en_US
dc.format.extent	1 electronic record. PDF/A document, 161 pages, 3163265 bytes bytes. MD5: 6593FCE48DBA0061F550684894AEC129	en_US
dc.format.mimetype	application/pdf	en_US
dc.language.iso	en_US	en_US
dc.rights	This dissertation is protected by the Copyright Laws of the United States (Public Law 94-553, revised in 1976). Consistent with fair use as defined in the Copyright Laws, brief quotations from this material are allowed with proper acknowledgement. Use of the materials for financial gain with the author's expressed written permissions is not allowed.	en_US
dc.subject	Adult education	en_US
dc.subject	Dissertations, Academic--United States	en_US
dc.title	A Mixed Methods Study of the Roles of Active Learning Strategies and Sense of Belonging in the Integration and Persistence of Nontraditional Students	en_US
dc.type	Dissertation	en_US
dc.contributor.department	Department of Leadership, Technology, and Workforce Development of the Dewar College of Education and Human Services	en_US
dc.description.advisor	Backes, Charles
dc.description.committee	Waugh, Keith
dc.description.committee	Roberts, Diane
dc.description.degree	Ed.D.	en_US
dc.description.major	Adult & Career Education	en_US