Using Schlossberg\u27s transition theory to identify coping strategies of welfare recipients attending postsecondary institutions.

Using Schlossberg\u27s transition theory as the conceptual framework, this case study explored and identified the coping strategies used by seven welfare recipients attending postsecondary institutions. Three participants were enrolled in the local community college, three in a local 4-year research intuition and one attended four-year private institution. The case study used semi-structured interviews and each participant were interviewed three times over a three-month period. The findings identified multiple personal and psychological barriers to persistence. The participants had histories of childhood sexual abuse, rape, and domestic violence. Friends and community agencies, rather than family, provided the primary sources of emotional and financial support. To extend TANF benefits participants used school loans circumventing Temporary Assistant for Needy Families (TANF) work requirement. Sources of stress included time management, problems with caseworkers and the recertification process and male relationships. The study found that prayer/ spirituality was the primary coping strategy used by all the participants. Other coping strategies included brainstorming/writing, avoidance, and wishful thinking

The Transition Experience Of U.S. Veterans From Military Life To Higher Education

Transitioning from military service always has been an inevitable part of serving in the United States military. With the recent end of military operations in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, transitioning from military service and entering higher education has become commonplace. However, the lived experiences of United States military veterans transitioning from military service to higher education within the past five years are not clearly understood. Consequently, higher education institutions may not possess information necessary to assist U.S. Iraq and Afghanistan military veterans who transitioned from military service within the specified timeframe. The purpose of this qualitative research study was to investigate the lived experiences of a select sample of U.S. Iraq and Afghanistan military veterans transitioning from military service to higher education. The application of social constructivism to Schlossberg’s Adult Transition Theory and Schlossberg’s 4 S Model (Amineh & Davatgari, 2015; Goodman, Schlossberg, & Anderson, 2006), for the theoretical framework, with an online survey and interviews (Creswell, 2015) as the methods of data collection, four themes expressed participants’ experiences transitioning from military service to higher education: planning for transition, awareness of the transition, support during the transition, and transitional situation awareness. The findings of this study may be utilized to inform higher education faculty, staff, and administrators about what U.S. Iraq and Afghanistan military veterans experience while transitioning from military service to higher education. Educational professionals can use this information to examine, revise, expand, and/or prepare support mechanisms for these students upon their entry into higher education

International Students’ Transition to a Rural State Comprehensive University

International students face challenges as they transition to higher education in the United States. In this article, we explore that transition process when it intersects with an institution in a rural setting. We used Schlossberg’s transition theory—with a particular emphasis on the 4Ss of situation, self, support, and strategies—as the theoretical framework for this case study, and we found that the situation for international students in this transition was fraught with concurrent stressors of isolation, food, and safety. While their sense of self included a strong desire to experience United States culture and language, they struggled apart from familiar support networks, leaving them reliant upon the institution of higher education for support. When struggling through the transition process, students often used the strategies of social withdrawal and inhibition of engagement behaviors. We conclude with recommended interventions to situational stresses for rural institutions and further research opportunities

Activating Strengths during the Transition from Community College to University: A Phenomenological Study of Vulnerable Transfer Students

abstract: The transition experience for students who are transferring from community college to university can be an overwhelming experience for any typical student, but can be even greater for students with vulnerable backgrounds. This phenomenological action research study followed the five-month community college to the university transition experience of five students in a scholarship program. The students participated in a three-part intervention in support of their transition experience. Three theoretical perspectives framed the study: community cultural wealth, transition theory, and transfer student capital. This framework enabled me to first identify the strengths the students possessed, despite their vulnerable backgrounds, through participation in individual interviews. The students then participated in pre- and post-focus groups and completed pre- and post-questionnaires. Through these, they identified which transition coping skills were their strongest and which transfer capital they possessed from their community college experience. They also shared how they applied those prior learned skills and capital at the university. This study revealed how these students utilized their strengths at moments when they lacked certain coping skills and transfer capital during their transition experience. One particular strength was how the students accessed the resources of the scholarship program at the center of this study to help them with their sense of the ability to succeed at the university.Dissertation/ThesisDoctoral Dissertation Leadership and Innovation 201

The Relationship of the Type of Academic Advising and Parental Types on the Transition of Freshmen Students to College

The field of academic advising has evolved to incorporate more developmental approaches to academic advising, which includes analyzing a college student\u27s personal or academic experience, as well as future career aspirations. An avenue of understanding a student’s background would be to understand the parental type to which students have been exposed. This study attempts to determine if there are relationships between academic advising type, parental type and transition of the freshmen college student. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships of the academic advising types, including developmental and prescriptive advising, and parental types, whether permissive, authoritative, and authoritarian, on the transition that college freshmen students encounter during the freshmen year of college. The study further determined if college transition differed based on the type of academic advising and the type of parenting a student receives. An additional aim of this research was to determine if there are relationships on academic advisement and parental types on college transition was related to race or gender. The researcher received permission to use the Academic Advising Inventory, Part I and the Parental Authority Questionnaire. The researcher also purchased the Student Adaptation to College Questionnaire. These instruments were used to collect data from sophomore students attending four-year public colleges/universities in the southeastern region of the United States. A total of 193 sophomore students participated in this study. The majority of the student participants in the study reported they were white (Caucasian), female, traditional age sophomore students (between the ages of 18-20). The majority of students also indicated receiving developmental academic advising and authoritative parental type. Survey findings failed to provide evidence for a relationship between academic advising types, race, or gender on freshmen college student transition. The relationship was, however, significantly related to parental type. Research findings showed that academic adjustment increased with parents who were authoritative and social adjustment increased with parents who were permissive

Female Veteran Students’ Transition Experiences from the Military to Higher Education: A Mixed Methods Study

Female veterans are a growing population on campuses across the United States (DiRamio et al., 2015; National Conference of State Legislatures, 2014). Researchers have turned their attention toward the veteran student population, but research specifically on female veteran students is lacking (Borsari et al., 2017; Demers, 2013). This sequential explanatory mixed method study was conducted to examine and compare the transitional experiences of male and female veteran students from the military to college. In this research method, the quantitative and then qualitative data were collected and analyzed, each in distinct stages (Teddlie & Tashakkori, 2009). Participants from this study were from Patriot University, a large, public 4-year institution. Results from the quantitative phase indicated that gender is not a significant predictor of veteran students’ use of transition coping mechanisms for four of the five scales developed. A difference existed between male and female veterans on the stress scale with male participants scoring higher. The qualitative findings converged with existing literature that indicates veteran students experienced transitional challenges but also developed skills and characteristics that were useful in their transition to higher education (Borsari et al., 2017; Stalides, 2008; Steele, Salcedo, & Coley, 2010). This research contributed to the literature by presenting the narratives of eight female veteran students’ transition from the military to higher education. Recommendations include providing female veteran students with opportunities to develop reintegration and coping skills as part of a first-year studies course

Supporting the academic success of first-year student veterans

The Post-9/11 GI Bill of 2009 dramatically increased the investment of federal funds that support service members leaving the military and using postsecondary educational institutions as the means of transitioning into the civilian workforce. The transitioning service members are often referred to as student veterans. The increased investment spurred additional accreditation requirements affecting every college and university that receives federal funds for their student veterans. Accrediting bodies enforce policies meant to improve students’ degree or certificate attainment. This study assists institutions in maintaining accreditation requirements in two ways. First, the study explains why student veterans are a unique subgroup within the postsecondary student population. Second, the study uses a generalizable, quantitative methodology to determine the best services to support the subgroup’s attainment goals. Previous studies found the first year of collegiate study crucial in determining whether student veterans will attain a degree or certificate. Therefore, this study distributed a cross-sectional survey in a Midwestern state that asked student veterans to rate the importance of twenty-two campus services during their first year of collegiate studies. The calculation used to determine the importance of the rated services was a weighted mean score followed by a Chi-square test to determine statistical significance. The study then relied on Schlossberg’s widely accepted Transition Model to discuss the services campuses should prioritize for their student veterans. Likely, due to the impact of the GI Bill, the most important service a campus should provide to the unique subgroup is assistance with their VA educational benefits. For campuses prioritizing services for their student veterans, this study suggests an office designated for military-affiliated students that assists with VA educational and non-educational benefits, admissions and enrollment requirements, and academic advising

Emancipated Foster Youth\u27s Transition from Care to Virginia Community Colleges

The focus of this study was the experience of students who had successfully achieved the transition from foster care to enrollment in Virginia Community Colleges. The following questions guided the inquiry: How do students who are emancipating from foster care describe their transition to enrollment at one of the Virginia Community Colleges? What challenges do students who are emancipating from foster care face in the transition to college? What types of support do these students require to successfully transition to college?;This study used a qualitative approach to examine the transition from care of emancipated foster youth to post-secondary education. Narrative responses from semi-structured interviews with emancipating youth now enrolled in a Virginia community college provided insight into their transition from care to enrollment in college. Twelve students aged 19 to 21, participated in this study. Ethnicity of participants included one biracial student, five Caucasian students, and six Black students. Findings from the study showed the importance of the influence of a single secondary educator in each participant\u27s experience, the importance of financial assistance, and the importance of campus/institutional support on college choice and transition from high school to college. Participants were challenged by their lack of academic preparation, lack of family privilege, and lack of understanding of the norms of college.;Keywords: college transition, foster care, college students, community college

Exploring Transfer Students’ Perceptions of Their Transition Experience in Calculus 2 at a Research Intensive Institution: A Schlossberg’s and Tinto’s Theory Approach

This study explored the lived experiences of eleven transfer students as they described their experiences in Calculus 2 at very high research land grant institutions (R1). This qualitative investigation focused on the psychological phenomenon of transition as the transfer students perceived, reflected, made sense, and understood their transition experience. Furthermore, this study explored transfer students’ understanding of how they perceive the attributes of their success or lack of success in Calculus 2. Employing the use of Schlossberg’s Transition Framework along with Tinto’s Persistence/Departure Framework, the perceptions of the transition experience was analyzed through the lens of this conceptual framework. The experiences of eleven transfer students, Amanda, Andrew, Brandon, Brian, Claire, Jake, James, Joshua, Kay, Lauren, and Mary, who lived and are living the transition experience in Calculus 2 are described in this dissertation work. Their rich descriptions provide an understanding into the experiences transfer students encounter in Calculus 2 at a R1 institution. They emphasized their successes and challenges with their transition and described their feelings while enrolled in Calculus 2 and their reflections after completing Calculus 2 at the R1. This work highlights four emergent themes viewed through the lens of a conceptual framework that describes the perceptions and reflections of the transition process. This study finds transfer students describe challenges and optimism facing Calculus 2. The emergent themes reveal feelings of being unprepared for Calculus 2 at the R1, understanding the crucial need for support during Calculus 2, recognizing perseverance matters during Calculus 2 and taking individual responsibility as they describe determination and motivation for understanding content in Calculus 2 as transfer students at the R1 institution. Through the interpretations, the reader of this work will gain further insight into descriptions of the emergent themes and lives of the transfer students from this study. Their experiences truly illustrate the need for improving how mathematics instructors and departments at R1 institutions approach incoming transfer students from non-R1 institutions enrolled in Calculus 2. By presenting the transfer students perceptions and my interpretations, the findings reveal transfer students internalized their own responsibility and transfer status for their success in Calculus 2, recognize a shift in support systems at the R1 institution, and describe a high motivation for understanding the content in Calculus 2

Motivational and Persistence Factors for Military Spouses Earning a College Degree

Projections estimated that nontraditional student enrollment in post-secondary education would increase by 19% as compared to traditional student enrollments of 10% from 2006 through 2017. Adult students were less likely to complete a college degree compared to traditional students, and drop-outs cost taxpayers billions of dollars in lost taxes. Military spouses were a sub-group of nontraditional students with unique challenges and stressors due to their military lifestyle. Limited research-based literature existed on military spouses enrolled in post-secondary education. Financial incentives such as My Career Advancement Account (MyCAA) and the transferability of the Post-9/11 GI Bill enabled military spouses to participate in post-secondary education at unprecedented numbers. This research study sought to determine factors that motivated and enabled military spouses to earn a college degree. The research questions guiding this study included: (1) What factors motivated military spouses to earn a college degree? (2) What factors enabled military spouses to persist in earning a college degree? and (3) What factors needed to be known by colleges and universities to assist military spouses in earning a college degree? Data for this study were collected using a survey that included closed-form Likert-scale questions, open-form questions, and demographic questions. Seven hundred fifty-two military spouse students completed the survey. Descriptive statistics and multiple regression analyses were used to address the research questions. The findings of this study indicated that personal fulfillment/satisfaction, college degree is a necessary career requirement, enjoy learning for the sake of learning, and the college/university accommodates \u27my\u27 developmental needs were significant factors for military spouses\u27 motivation to earn a college degree. The factor support and encouragement from other people (family, friends, or co-workers) was identified as the significant persistence factor for military spouses earning a college degree. These five factors were further explained as the factors that colleges and universities needed to know to assist military spouses in earning a college degree. Colleges and universities with military spouse populations should consider evaluating their programs and services to examine if they support adult developmental needs and use the findings from this study to enhance recruiting and retention strategies for military spouses