Date of Award

2017

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Psychology

Abstract

As the growth of the largest ethnic minority group, Latina/os, continues to grow there is an increasing concern that the current educational system is not effectively meeting the academic needs of this group of students. The community college sector has gained greater recognition for its potential to meet the needs of a much broader scope of students, particularly low-income and students of color. This study aims to contribute to the understanding of the Latina/o experience and the factors that contribute to college success among community college students. Specifically, this study used hierarchical multiple regression and logistic regression analysis to investigate the role of student engagement factors on various college success outcomes: semester grade point average, semester-to-semester retention, and degree or certificate completion. This researcher set out to test the theoretical framework that student engagement factors contribute to college success above and beyond pre-college factors. Findings emerging from the study demonstrated that student engagement factors (as a group) are not excellent predictors for college success. However, depending on the outcome used to describe success (semester GPA, retention, or degree completion) several factors such as active learning, collaborative learning, and support for students made unique and significant contributions to the variance of college success.

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