Theses and Dissertations from UMD
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New submissions to the thesis/dissertation collections are added automatically as they are received from the Graduate School. Currently, the Graduate School deposits all theses and dissertations from a given semester after the official graduation date. This means that there may be up to a 4 month delay in the appearance of a give thesis/dissertation in DRUM
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Item Korean American Mothers' Perception: Investigating the Role of Cultural Capital Theory and Parent Involvement(2014) Kim, Yong-Mi; Parham, Carole S.; Education Policy, and Leadership; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)The strongest and most consistent predictors of parent involvement at school and at home are the specific school programs and teacher practices that encourage parent involvement at school and guide parents in how to help their children at home (Dauber & Epstein, 1995). Joyce Epstein (2004) developed a framework for defining six different types of parent involvement. This framework assists educators in developing school and family partnership programs. "Schools have a vested interest in becoming true learning communities. They are now accountable for all students' learning," she writes. "To learn at high levels, all students need the guidance and support of their teachers, families, and others in the community." School improvement no longer rests solely on the shoulders of the principal, but rather takes the collaborative effort of the entire school community to increase achievement levels of all students. A major stakeholder of that community is the parents who want what is in the best interest of their children. This mixed-methods study examined the perceptions of Korean American mothers regarding their own parent involvement practices and investigated the role of Bourdieu's Cultural Capital Theory using the conceptual framework of Epstein's Parent Involvement Framework. Data for this study were collected by way of survey responses and interview probes with focus groups of six Korean American mothers. In the quantitative phase of the study, 81 mothers from a single school district in the mid-Atlantic United States were identified. The results from the quantitative phase of the study found that English proficiency had a significant impact on whether Korean American mothers engaged in parent involvement activities. Examination of the focus group responses revealed that the Korean American mothers identified English and time as major factors in determining in what types of parent involvement activities they engaged. Parent involvement is essential for promoting successful school improvement. It plays a pivotal part in school reform. Further research is recommended with larger samples of participants in rural and urban settings. In addition, future research should examine the role of fathers in parent involvement.Item Powerful Pathways Across Race: Sense of Belonging in Discriminatory Collegiate Environments(2014) Fincher, Justin; Park, Julie J; Education Policy, and Leadership; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)The purpose of this study was to explore potential direct or indirect relationships among discriminatory climate, structural diversity (i.e., compositional diversity), mentorship experiences, socio-cultural discussions, level of involvement on- and off-campus, and individual characteristics (e.g., gender, class standing, and socioeconomic status) and how these relationships potentially affect students' sense of belonging. To understand the individual and shared relationships among these multiple variables, structural equation modeling (SEM) was used. Informed by existing research and literature, the proposed model suggests directionality and a specific set of pathways towards the outcome of sense of belonging. The model tested a series of relationships simultaneously to explore significance of specific variable relationships relative to all other variables. The model was applied separately to White, Black, Latino, and Asian racial groups to explore unique findings associated with one's race. This study builds on previous climate and belonging research and illuminates three key pathways to bolster students' sense of belonging within discriminatory collegiate experiences. On-campus involvement is the most powerful pathway to a deeper sense of belonging across Asian, Black, Latino, and White students. Additionally, socio-cultural discussions and mentorship prove to be positive supports for belonging and counteract the significant negative effects of discrimination. The pathway for off-campus involvement is not a powerful mediator between a discriminatory climate and belonging, but off-campus experiences that are not connected to discrimination appear to support a greater sense of belonging for some students. Researchers and educators within higher education can use the results of this study to build more complex studies, construct more effective interventions, and raise the level of discourse about students' sense of belonging in college.Item Fathers of children in public preschool programs [electronic resource]: a study of school involvement and satisfaction(2012) Noggle, Amy Kappel; Lieber, Joan; Special Education; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)In this quantitative study, I examined the involvement levels of fathers of children attending public preschool programs using the Family Involvement Questionnaire; I also examined fathers' satisfaction with school contact and involvement experiences using the Parent Satisfaction with Educational Experiences scale. Additionally, I investigated public preschool programs' efforts to involve fathers in school using modified versions of the family involvement and parent satisfaction measures. The final purpose of this study was to determine which demographic and child characteristics, if any, influence father involvement levels in school. Fifty-two biological fathers rated their own involvement in activities at their children's schools, and they rated their own satisfaction with school contact and involvement experiences. Two public preschool administrators answered questions about what types of involvement opportunities are offered to fathers. Participating fathers' children were enrolled in one of the three following public preschool programs: Head Start, Prekindergarten (PreK), or Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE). Fathers of children with disabilities, as well as fathers of children without disabilities, were included in this study. As predicted, fathers of children in Head Start volunteered at school more frequently than fathers of children in PreK or ECSE programs. However, contrary to the original hypothesis, fathers of children with disabilities were more involved in school activities compared to fathers of children without disabilities. Fathers of children with disabilities were equally satisfied with school contact and involvement compared to fathers of children without disabilities with the exception of one item on the satisfaction measure; fathers of children with disabilities were more satisfied with their contact with other parents outside of school. Examination of the predictive value of fathers' income levels, child's gender, child's disability status, schools' efforts to involve fathers, and satisfaction on fathers' involvement levels resulted in only one significant finding. Lower income predicted higher levels of volunteerism in school. Correlational analyses revealed a number of significant positive relationships between items on the involvement and satisfaction measures. However, more research is necessary to establish causal relationships between satisfaction and involvement. Additionally, researchers, teachers and policy makers need to carefully examine the ways in which fathers are currently involved in public preschool programs and make programmatic changes, as necessary. Finally, low-income fathers of children with disabilities face more adversity than either low-income fathers or fathers of children with disabilities; thus, it is very possible that they need to be supported differently. More research is needed to find out what these fathers need to support their children and to remain involved in their children's lives.Item Removing the college involvement "research asterisk": Identifying and rethinking predictors of American Indian college student involvement(2010) Garland, John L.; Komives, Susan R; Counseling and Personnel Services; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)The purpose of this study was to identify campus environmental predictors of American Indian college student involvement. The American Indian research asterisk, or not including American Indian data, has prevailed over student development research for decades. As a result, student affairs professionals have been limited in their ability to develop evidence-based student development interventions for American Indian student involvement. This study addressed the research asterisk related to American Indian college student involvement through a quantitative multi-institutional study of 99 campuses with a total of 1,931 American Indian respondents. This study confirms many prior research study findings with American Indian college students that were limited in scope and context and where findings lacked transferability. Several key findings emerged from this research study including the importance of pre-college involvement in high school academic clubs and holding leadership positions as significant predictors of college student involvement. Mentor relationships with faculty and student affairs staff were also significant predictors of American Indian student involvement indicating the importance of these types of interactions for this population. Most importantly, a sense of belonging for American Indian students was quantitatively confirmed as a significant predictor of American Indian student involvement. The concept of involvement, however, should not be limited by its historical on-campus context and should be viewed as a dynamic process whereby American Indian students are provided an opportunity to shape an involvement experience that helps to maintain their sense of self and identity while promoting a sense of belonging and collegiate success.Item Reframing Responsibility for Academic Success: A Causal Model Measuring the Impact of Student Attributes in the First Year of College(2006-09-07) Murray, Michele C; Milem, Jeffrey F.; Education Policy, and Leadership; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)The purpose of this single-institution study was to investigate the predictive power of student attributes in a path analytic model for academic success in the first year of college. Student attributes were defined as academic self-concept, social self-concept and self-determination; academic success was measured by cumulative college grade point average. The conceptual model tested in this study blends psychological theories of student attributes with Astin's (1991) input-environment-outcome (I-E-O) model, a sociological model of college impact. Using descriptive and path analytic techniques, this study contributes to assessment philosophy by demonstrating that student attributes predict academic success beyond what can be explained by prior achievement and involvement. By examining the contributions of student attributes to academic and social involvement and to subsequent achievement, this study describes higher education as a partnership between student and institution for which both have responsibility. The findings of the study suggested at least through conclusions. First, accounting for student attributes contributes to an understanding of academic success. Rather than focus on the institution's responsibility to engage students, this study demonstrates that academic and social involvement and achievement are products, at least in part, of students' academic self-concept and self-determination. Second, results from this study indicate that measurable change in student attributes occurs during one year, a portion of which is attributable to students' academic and social involvement. These findings substantiate previous research on the impact of involvement on students' personal development (Astin, 1994; Berger & Milem, 1999) and affirm the benefits of college attendance. Third, this study demonstrates that the effects of the environment within the classic I-E-O model (Astin, 1991) are mediated through academic self-concept. These findings reframe responsibility for student success by highlighting students' dispositions toward the academic enterprise as the strongest predictor of involvement and success. Consequently this study offers a different perspective of students' academic and social involvement. Rather than referring to involvement as an indication of the environment (Astin, 1994; Kuh, 1991), this study suggests that involvement behaviors are a measure of students' responsibility toward their collegiate experiences. The findings of this study have implications for future research, practice, and policy.