Underprepared, Ethnically Diverse Community College Students: Factors Contributing to Persistence By Peter Barbatis ABSTRACT: The purpose of this study was to attribute their having graduated (graduates) or gain an understanding of the perceptions of earning at least 30 credit-bearing college credits underprepared college students who had par- (the persisters) as compared to those who par- ticipated in a first-year learning community at ticipated in a learning community but did not an urban, culturally diverse, commuter campus complete their developmental classes and who in the southeastern United States. Perceptions dropped out of college (dropouts)? of graduates and those who earned at least 30 College students enrolling in developmental college-level credit hours were compared to classes and not participating in learning com- their learning community peers who did not munities have demonstrated a higher attrition persist and had dropped out of college. A to- rate and a lower completion rate (Boylan 1999; tal of 22 students participated: 6 graduates, 12 Burley et al., 2001; McCabe, 2003; Roueche & persisters, and 4 dropouts. The factors included Roueche, 1999) compared to college students personal attributes, support systems, and other who participated in learning communities; This research applied a third characteristics. Findings suggested the follow- the latter academically outperformed nonpar- lens to explain why some ing ways to enhance the academic experience ticipants (Brittenham et al., 2003; Knight, 2003; of underprepared college students: (a) include Raftery, 2005). Most studies have been conduct- students were successful critical pedagogy, (b) integrate cocurricular ed at 4-year institutions or among specifically in spite of previous activities with the academic disciplines, and (c) defined cohorts such as those enrolled in hon- increase student-faculty interaction. ors colleges or specific majors. Zhao and Kuh educational experiences (2004) analyzed 80,479 students from 365 four- that did not prepare them Postsecondary institutions such as community year institutions, finding that participation in a colleges emphasize student retention because learning community was positively linked with for college. high levels of attrition may harm the interests of engagement in active and collaborative learn- many constituents (Bragg, 2001). For example, ing, increased interaction with faculty mem- Bragg identifies interests such as the long-term bers, and augmented overall satisfaction with earning options of students; the economic vi- the college experience. At the time of this study, tality of communities needing skilled workers; 284 institutions had listed their programs with and the institution’s curriculum development, the Washington Center Learning Communities faculty planning, mission, and political impact. National Resource Directory (2007). Of that College administrators perceive student number, 101 represented community colleges, retention rates as indicators which measure and only 9 of those institutions, including the the quality of faculty instruction, support ser- study site, had implemented learning commu- vices, and student success. In community col- nities for students in developmental education leges this is particularly disconcerting because classes. Developmental education (also known of the number of college students whose entry as postsecondary remediation, basic skills edu- placement scores require them to enroll in de- cation, compensatory education, or preparatory velopmental education classes and their low education) is composed primarily of sequences persistence and graduation rates (Bers & Smith, of increasingly advanced courses designed to 1991; Burley, Butner, & Cejda, 2001). Nationally, bring underprepared students to the level of skill approximately one-third of all students enter- competency expected of college freshmen (Mc- ing colleges or universities need remediation Cabe, 2003).  Peter Barbatis (Byrd & McDonald, 2005); as many as 41% of Vice President for Student Development/ all community college freshmen nationwide are Theoretical Framework Enrollment Management enrolled in developmental courses (Hoyt, 1999; Several theorists have studied factors that con- Bronx Community College of the City McCabe, 2003). tribute to persistence and attrition rates of col- University of New York The following question framed the study: lege students. Tinto (1975) created the integra- 2155 University Avenue To what did underprepared community college tion model, reflecting that students who are Bronx, NY 10453 students who participated in a learning commu- more integrated and feel valued are more likely [email protected] nity and completed their developmental classes 16 JOURNAL of DEVELOPMENTAL EDUCATION to persist. Students who possess certain precol- Method enrolled participants were within 1 or 2 semes- lege characteristics such as middle to high so- ters of graduation. The persisters included nine The researcher examined the effect of learn- cioeconomic status, positive secondary school women and three men. Seven students were ing communities on college students’ attitudes achievement, and strong family support were Black and self-identified by their cultural identi- toward college in order to identify factors which more likely to persist and graduate (Tinto, 1997). ties; three students were Hispanic and two stu- promote or hinder student retention. Semis- Astin (1984) studied persistence and student dents were White-Non-Hispanic. tructured interviews with each participant and success, finding that the greater the amount of Table 3 (p. 17) briefly introduces the partici- a focus group with the participants provided time a student participates in cocurricular and pants who had dropped out: Aleida, Anna, J.R., narrative data which were transcribed, coded, other activities in and out of the classroom, the and Sacha. With the exception of Anna, who and analyzed to gain insights into the experi- more likely he or she will continue in school. worked part time, the remaining dropouts who ences and perspectives of the participants. The Frequent interaction with faculty was more were interviewed worked full-time or were re- researcher had access to directory information strongly related to satisfaction than any other sponsible for young children. on all FYE (First Year Experience) students that involvement (Astin, 1996); yet developmental, All participants in the study had participated included each individual’s address, phone num- culturally and ethnically diverse students have in a FYE Learning Community based on reten- ber, and email address. Initially, participants rarely been shown to develop close relationships tion models (Astin, 1985; Tinto, 1997). Under- were mailed a letter detailing the study and were with their professors (Nora & Cabrera, 1996). prepared students whose scores on standard- contacted by telephone to set up mutually con- However, because learning communities are be- ized tests required them to enroll into all three venient interview locations and appointments. lieved to facilitate a student’s integration to the developmental courses (reading, English, and For students whose phone numbers had been campus community and directly involve stu- mathematics) had a plan which required them disconnected, the researcher used a snowball- dents in their learning, this study was designed to take their developmental classes in sequence. ing sampling technique whereby he asked in- to investigate how social systems (such as peers, In addition to their noncredit classes in reading, terviewed students for contact information of family, community groups) might influence stu- English, and mathematics, students could earn an FYE peer. Also, the researcher found other dents’ experiences. 13 college-level credits toward their general edu- students on Facebook.com. Because Tinto (1975, 1997) and Astin (1984) cation requirements. did not address how the college system functions Participants for underprepared, culturally diverse students, Setting A total of 22 subjects participated in the study, this research applied a third lens to explain why The study was based at a large, urban communi- including 17 women and 5 men who ranged some students were successful in spite of previ- ty college (with approximately 65,000 credit and from 19 to 46 years of age. Although the major- ous educational experiences that did not pre- noncredit enrolled students) in the southeastern ity of the participants were in their early 20s, one pare them for college. This study was informed United States that offered technical certificates student was 46. Table 1 briefly introduces the by critical theory, a broad approach to challeng- and associate degrees and had recently been au- participants who had graduated: Absum, Frieda, ing and destabilizing established knowledge or thorized to offer baccalaureate degrees in certain Janice, LeLe, Nekee, and Sara. power structure (Kincheloe & McLaren, 2000). majors. Broward College was one of the largest Table 2 (p. 16) briefly summarizes the demo- Because race, class, gender, and socioeconomic community colleges in the country and served graphics of the persisters. Many of the currently- status are variables that have been associated with lower completion rates or greater attrition of those who enroll in developmental classes in Table 1 college (Boylan, Bonham, & Bliss, 1994; Burley, Demographic Profile of the Graduates Butner, & Cejda, 2001; McCabe, 2003; Roueche & Roueche, 1999), the researcher hoped that a Name Year in # of Credits Age Gender Race/ Major Overall critical theory process could examine ways that FYE Earned Self-Identity GPA race, class, gender, socioeconomic status, edu- cation, religion, and sexual orientation interact Absum 2004 60 23 M Asian Engineering 2.76 to impact on underprepared, ethnically diverse Indian students’ success in college. There was an inter- est in exposing power dynamics and oppres- Frieda 2005a 60 20 F Black Psychology 2.55 sions within the social and cultural experiences Haitian of the individual participants and appreciat- Janice 2003b 41 23 F Black PTA 2.65 ing life histories and stories so as to emphasize Jamaican unique contributions and perspectives of indi- vidual students. A critical pedagogy approach LeLe 2004 64 22 F Black Special Ed 2.89 has been shown to result in an individual per- American son’s emancipation from potentially oppressive Nekee 2003 68 23 F Black Business 2.48 views of one’s self (Freire, 1970). Student success Jamaican as used in this study was defined as completing developmental coursework, maintaining at least Sara 2005 60 20 F Black Business 2.52 a 2.0 grade point average, and either graduating Haitian from Broward College or completing at least 30 aTransferred to the upper division before earning AA degree semester credits. bTransferred after 41 credits to earn PTA degree at a private proprietary college 17 JOURNAL of DEVELOPMENTAL EDUCATION broader prompts so as to elicit free association Table 2 from the participants. Demographic Profile of the Persisters Data Analysis Name Year in # of Credits Age Gender Race/ Major Overall Archived data was accessed (with permission FYE Earned Self-Identity GPA from the participants) on year-to-year reten- tion, grade point average, age, ethnicity, gender, Addison 2006 37 20 M Black Business 3.04 first-generation-in-college status, and learning American Management community participation of all subjects. The Andye 2006 35 46 F Black Radiation 3.15 archived data were compared to the interview Jamaican Therapy transcripts from the 22 participants and the researcher’s logs and memos. Using a constant- Caridad 2005 42 20 F Hispanic Journalism 2.83 comparative method (Bogdan & Biklen, 2003), Guatemalan the researcher did not focus primarily on simi- Dora 2004 63 21 F Hispanic Nursing 3.46 larities but instead sought to identify relation- Costa Rican/ ships that connected statements and events Italian within a context. Core categories were identified until no new themes surfaced outside the cat- Joseph 2005 33 21 M White Atmospheric 3.14 egories. Finally, interpretation brought mean- American Science ing and coherence to the themes. Data analysis Juanita 2006 32 19 F Hispanic Nursing 3.20 began immediately after finishing the first inter- Puerto Rican/ view and continued throughout the process; all Dominican participants were interviewed. Several procedures recommended by Cre- Kyla-Renee 2004 36 22 F Black Nursing 1.52 swell (1998) were used to verify the trustworthi- Jamaican ness of the study at three important points. First, Melissa 2005 53 21 F White Education 3.03 the data collection process was verified through American triangulation of data sources, a process that re- quired that the researcher (a) look at themes as Nettie 2005 46 23 F Black Pre-Med 2.03 they emerged from the analysis of the interview Haitian transcripts and (b) then look for confirmation of Robert 2004 61 22 M Black Accounting 2.57 the themes from other sources (e.g., researcher Haitian log, archival data, or other participants’ inter- views). Second, the steps to analyze the data Star 2005 49 22 F Black Travel/Tourism 2.83 and develop the themes were verified through Bahamian an external audit conducted by a peer reviewer. Tridi 2005 51 21 F Black Accounting 2.59 Third, the transcripts and themes that emerged Haitian were checked for accuracy by the participants themselves. a diverse student population, particularly at the interviews were transcribed by the researcher. Results study site. As reported in Achieving the Dream Each participant signed two copies of an in- (2006), ethnicity demographics indicated that formed consent release form approved by the Reviewing the data the researcher identi- 36% of the students were Black, 39% White, 22% respective institutional review boards of Florida fied four themes, organized as follows: (a) Hispanic, and 3% Asian; in addition, approxi- International University and Broward College. precollege characteristics, (b) external col- mately one-third of all freshmen enrolled in all One focus group was held after the individual lege support/community influences, (c) social three developmental courses of reading, English, interviews had been conducted and transcribed involvement, and (d) academic integration. and mathematics. so as to provide the participants with an oppor- Each theme also contained several subthemes, tunity to review core categories and themes de- providing further detail to interpret the expe- Procedure rived from individual interview data. All inter- rience. The experiences have been explained Individual interviews were conducted face-to- viewed students were telephoned and invited to through the perceptions of three spokesper- face, with the exception of one telephone in- participate. Out of 22 students, 6 persisters and sons who represent a range of ethnicities, terview for a student who had transferred to a 1 dropout attended the focus group. It was held majors, and patterns of persistence: Nekee (a university out of the area. Each interview lasted at the Broward College campus at a convenient- 23-year-old business major who self-identified 1 to 1 ½ hours and was recorded with a digital ly identified time for the majority of students. as a Black Jamaican) from the graduate group, voice-recorder. The majority were held on the All interview and focus-group narratives were Robert (a 22-year-old accounting major who Broward College campus in one of the student transcribed by the researcher. A pilot study was self-identified as a Black Haitian) from the services conference rooms, although three inter- conducted to validate the protocol before imple- persister group, and Aleida (a 27-year-old radi- views were held off campus at a coffee shop or menting the full study, which resulted in minor ography major who self-identified as Hispanic near the participant’s place of employment. All changes in the interview protocols to include Cuban) from the dropout group. 18 JOURNAL of DEVELOPMENTAL EDUCATION As the first theme, precollege characteristics they did not have that opportunity, I should take The fourth theme, academic integration, and traits described those attributes students advantage of it.” Robert emphasized family sup- refers to the students’ inclusion in the campus bring to college. These internal factors included port and encouragement: “My dad encouraged academic culture and their interface with aca- six subthemes: (a) sense of responsibility, (b) goal me to stay in school because they don’t really demia. Underprepared students who may have orientation, (c) resourcefulness, (d) determina- have a good job and they do everything they had limited academic success in the past gained tion, (e) cultural and racial self-identification, can to support me and give me a place to sleep.” an understanding and developed skills essential and (f) faith. The graduates and persisters shared Aleida explained, “My parents came from Cuba for success. This often included the development internal characteristics that they believed may during the Mariel. They were in high school, but of positive interactions with faculty, recognition have contributed to educational achievement. didn’t finish. My grandmother, especially, got of college expectations, and effective study hab- Nekee revealed, “I knew that stopping with just upset when I stopped. I don’t think my mom its. Robert emphasized the importance of learn- high school wouldn’t really help me in the long cared. I didn’t want to end up like them. I wanted ing how to manage his studying. He explained, run cause I do wanna have a family and be able to a good job, to be independent and stuff.” “Broward has taught me a lot…the FYE pro- provide for my kids. The higher in education I go, The third theme identified was social involve- gram taught me how to stop procrastination, the better I’ll be.” Robert emphasized his goals as ment, which is related to students who are in- how to be a better student. Before I came to Bro- follows: “I hope to open my own store. I want to volved on campus in different clubs and organi- ward, I used to procrastinate more. Honestly, I fill out income tax for people. My goal is to be the zations and their interaction with other students. see a big change in my life.” In contrast, Aleida first college graduate in my family, then transfer Much of the literature indicated that involvement did not seem to take responsibility for her study to FAU in the fall.” And Aleida explained, “I don’t outside the classroom contributes positively to time when she said, “I’m always on the go. It’s know [what I want to do]. I’m not sure. I want to student success (Astin, 1993). Nekee described constant. I guess, I’m not always patient. I want go back to school, but I have to work.” her first experiences before FYE: “Before when I things to happen right away.” In terms of cultural and racial identifica- first started here, I wasn’t comfortable at all. I was The common influences mentioned by all tion, Nekee explained, “I think [Jamaicans] are participants included parents, faculty, faith, and more strict on education. Like, you have to go personal characteristics such as independence. Friends developed in K-12, to school, even if no one else went to college.” However, the perceptions of the graduates and Robert believed that “in [my] Haitian culture… as well as high school persisters seemed to be qualitatively different school is number one. I feel like in the Haitian from the dropouts. Persisters more frequently teachers had an influence culture, education is a very important factor. If mentioned a sense of responsibility, goal ori- you don’t have an education, what do you have?” on their decision and efforts entation, resourcefulness, and determination. In contrast, Aleida said, “I don’t think race or They were more likely to explain how their cul- to attend and persist in gender affects school. In high school, everybody ture, race, or ethnicity influenced their success. was Latino, Black, or something. Nobody cares college. Furthermore, they reported they were more in- about that.” volved in campus life. In addition, they shared As an emerging second theme, participants a belief that an education was liberating and a attributed their success to supportive families means to achieve their goals. Instead, the drop- who include parents, (mothers were named like, nervous…it’s scary. But then everything was outs appeared to have been more likely to be de- more often than fathers), siblings, grandparents, okay from that because it was like a family.” Rob- terred by life circumstances. cousins, and fiancées. In addition, friends devel- ert appreciated “the computer club was a good ex- Based on the findings from the present study, oped in K-12, as well as high school teachers had perience for me ‘cause we did a lot of stuff in there I developed an emerging model (see Figure 1, an influence on their decision and efforts to at- (pause) competitions. I got a lot more knowledge p. 18) to explain the persistence of participating tend and persist in college. Nekee noted, “I had about computers and met people.” Aleida said, underprepared college students. The varying to strive to do better in my life, you know, to get “I went to work when classes were over. I guess I sizes of the circles represent the relative strength an education so they’d be proud of me. Cause didn’t have time.” of the themes. Larger circles indicate themes that seemed to have a stronger impact on the participants (i.e., Table 3 external college support/community influence). Demographic Profile of the Dropouts This finding is consistent with Braxton and Lien (2000) who have argued that Tinto did not em- Name Year in # of Credits Age Gender Race/ Major Overall phasize the importance of congruence with pre- FYE Earned Self-Identity GPA vailing attitudes, values, and beliefs intrinsic to academia and of inclusion. Aleida 2004 27 21 F Hispanic Radiography 2.92 Levine and Nidiffer (1996), who studied the Cuban impact of poverty on individuals from disadvan- Anna 2003 44 23 F Black Criminal Justice 2.47 taged backgrounds who attend college, found Jamaican that “the most valuable mechanism for steering students from poverty to college is people. Hu- J.R. 2003 16 22 M Black Business 1.62 man contact is what makes the difference” (p. Haitian 77). The underprepared college students in this Sacha 2006 4 19 F Black Nursing 0.91 study were (a) first-generation college students, Haitian (b) first generation in the United States, (c) non- native English speakers, (d) women, and (e) 19 JOURNAL of DEVELOPMENTAL EDUCATION and the persisters whose peers attended college, the dropouts’ friends did not share in the same academic experiences. Consistent with Tinto (1975), the persisters External College Support  and graduates appeared to have had good experi- and Community Influence  ences and positive interactions with college fac- Precollege Characteristics  � Parents  ulty and accessed campus resources. In addition, �� SGeonasl‐eO orfie Rnetsepdo nsibility  �� FFarimenildiasl  Relationships  they learned good time management skills. To a � Resourcefulness  � High School Teachers  lesser extent, they were self-reliant/independent. � Persistence/Determination  Some participants described breaking from their � Cultural/Racial Self‐Identification  family financial dependence. Thirty years after � Faith    Tinto offered his model, these factors remain true Academic Achievement/  and seemed to emerge for this group of ethnically Education as Liberation  diverse, underprepared college students. Academic Integration  In contrast to Tinto (1975), Astin’s (1984) theo- Social Involvement  � Faculty  ry emphasizes that, rather than change and assim- � Student Life Activities  � Peer Interaction   � Campus Resources  ilate to the institution’s culture, college students � Time Management  should maintain their individuality yet become � Self‐Reliance/Independence  socially engaged in programs and initiatives (i.e., college activities, classroom involvement, faculty interaction, etc.). This study, has found that many of the graduates and the persisters frequently Figure 1. An emerging model of the factors that influence underprepared, expressed many of the benefits of social involve- culturally diverse college students’ persistence to academic achievement ment when sharing their own experiences. and education as liberation. As pointed out by Astin (1984) and Tinto (1975), social involvement and academic inte- gration do not entirely address the needs of eth- from under-represented minority populations. cans, Black Bahamian, Hispanic Guatemalan, nically diverse, underprepared college students. Many participants provided examples of vari- Hispanic Costa Rican/Italian, Hispanic Puerto For example, Swail (2003) studied retention ous internal and external influences that helped Rican/Dominican, Hispanic Cuban, and Asian of minority students in higher education and them negotiate college and use or learn skills/ Indian). They all expressed high levels of fam- suggested that other factors such as complet- behaviors to persist. ily support. The majority did not talk about so- ing a rigorous high school curricular program; cioeconomic class, and interestingly, few of the experiencing diversity among the faculty, staff, Discussion study participants qualified for financial aid. The and students; and having access to financial graduates and persisters more frequently than The emerging model provides an insight to the aid appeared to be important predictors of col- dropouts spoke about other personal character- retention of underprepared, ethnically diverse lege persistence. In addition, it was found that istics not mentioned by Tinto, such as sense of college students. This study supports findings teacher expectations and the impact of match- responsibility, goal orientation, resourcefulness, from Tinto (1975) and Astin (1985) who have dis- ing learning with teaching styles were impor- determination, and faith. Perhaps the most im- cussed certain precollege characteristics, social tant factors in minority student achievement portant finding of the current study that differs involvement, and academic integration which (Sanchez, 2000). This study further supported from Tinto’s theory is the influence of the study contribute to persistence. Tinto’s academic in- the need for a new theoretical perspective. All participants’ cultural self-identification, partic- tegration theory emphasizes prematriculation of the participants possessed one or more of the ularly the emphasis their families placed on the characteristics; in other words, those precol- following characteristics: first generation in col- importance of an education. lege traits that students possess which influence lege, immigrants or children of immigrants, ra- Although Tinto (1975) mentioned the level their initial level of commitment to the institu- cial or ethnic minority status, or women. All of of family support as an initial influence, he em- tion (Tinto, 1975). Tinto has identified ethnicity, the graduates and persisters considered a college phasized the need for disengagement from past level of family support, socioeconomic status, education as a means to achieve emancipation relationships and familial cultures so that stu- and secondary school achievement as primary from their current life and as an opportunity dents could assimilate into the college culture: characteristics. After a student has enrolled, for greater success. The critical theory approach disengagement of past relationships to create Tinto claims the rites of passage three-phase appreared to add a promising dimension to un- new ones. In contrast, the participants in the process of separation, transition, and incorpora- derstanding the needs of a more diverse student current study (particularly the graduates and tion contributes to retention. Tinto argues that population. persisters) kept their relationships with fam- the more students assimilate to the institution’s ily members and high school friends. They also culture and the more they feel themselves to be Recommendations for Community reported that their high school teachers made valued members of the campus, the more likely a difference in their decision to stay in college. College Practice and Policy they are to persist to graduation. Although both the graduates and persisters re- In contrast, the participants in the current Based on the findings of this study, factors iden- ported they had made new friends, the more im- study seemed to rely on their respective cul- tified, and the emerging model of the factors portant influences were external to the college/ tural affiliations (e.g., Black Haitians, Black campus community. In contrast to the graduates Jamaicans, Black Americans, White Ameri- continued on page 20 20 JOURNAL of DEVELOPMENTAL EDUCATION continued from page 18 In other words, when a son or daughter at- When I found out I had to take the prep tends college, often the entire family is involved, classes, I was a little bit–I don’t know–dis- that influence underprepared college students’ not just the enrollee. The home culture should couraged, maybe intimidated because you persistence illustrated in Figure 1, the researcher not be considered a distraction. go through high school and then a lot of like, poses implications for practice at the 2-year in- Second, faculty and administrators might that first English class, 0021 is straight from stitution. Although those intended for practice develop new programs based on the types of high school. So, you feel like you’re back in are offered as a result of this specific study, some student learning experiences known to support high school. So I think it kinda pushes you recommendations may be appropriate to high- student success and persistence to graduation. away because you are like, I already did this. er education administrators, faculty, and staff Failure to connect with others on campus, in- It doesn’t make sense. So, I think that’s what a working with underprepared students at other cluding peers, student organizations, faculty, lot of it is–I guess having to pay for the class. institutions. and/or staff, contributes more to voluntary They don’t like that. Then you don’t really get First, parents and extended family can be withdrawal than almost any other factor (Brit- the credit for it. I think it pushes people away. instrumental in the lives of underprepared, eth- tenham et al., 2003). This finding is consistent Although additional research is needed, a nically diverse students in this study (especially with the current study. Students spoke highly of new model in which acquiring the competen- the graduates and persisters). Although only a the cocurricular activities (leadership retreats, cies of reading, English, and mathematics in an few dropouts contributed to the study, their field experiences) where the classroom lesson integrated curriculum may increase year-to-year experiences reflected an absence of familial was supported by Student Life. As Juanita has retention and higher grades in subsequent class- supports. Therefore, college personnel should indicated, es. If competency-based curriculum is applied, consider developing programs and strategies The whole FYE thing was good because we students could achieve incremental success and to involve parents and family members. Rather had trips and activities. It was actually doing experience making timely progress. Janice noted, than expecting all college students to detach or it and going. I’ve heard about professors that after transferring to another private college where separate from their families to create new social she was successful due to a more creative instruc- support systems, college personnel can engage tional format, “it’s one class a month. So, you’re the parents and family members. Several par- It is a serious mistake to just concentrating on that one class, which I like.” ticipants in this study reported that their par- limit learning outcomes to Fourth, underprepared college students ents participated in pre-enrollment activities, should be allowed to earn transferable cred- such as new student orientation. Many moth- only cognitive values its while enrolled in developmental courses ers encouraged, if not mandated, their son or (Killacky, Thomas, & Accomando; 2002). Many daughter to join the FYE program. Although of the participants in this study felt developmen- some institutions have offered a “Parents Going don’t care, but the professors I’ve taken have tal courses were a discouraging barrier that ex- to College” session during the freshman orienta- been great. They don’t make me feel like I tended the time to completion of their programs tion program to include information on degree don’t want to come, they make me feel like I of study. Frieda explained: requirements, campus resources, financial aid, want to be in class. and contact information, postsecondary insti- After I graduated I talked to one of my tutions, particularly community colleges, could Many underprepared community college friends that I went to high school with and I do more. Rather than provide only one initial students could benefit from such clubs and or- told her that I graduated and everything and experience, programs should be continuous and ganizations that are tied to their major if they are she asked me if I took any prep classes and I sustained throughout their family member’s en- embedded in the classroom experience. Postsec- said, “yeah, I took a couple of prep classes,” rollment. For example, a family guidebook of ondary institutions need to expand the concept and she said that she kinda felt like she want- campus resources and important contact infor- of learning to include affective outcomes such as ed to go to school but she feels that people mation should be provided to each household. leadership, self-understanding, and citizenship that take prep classes, it’s like they’re never In addition, a family advisory council could be as well as cognitive outcomes. It is a serious mis- going to graduate. I said, “no, I mean, I prob- created where at least once a semester, members take to limit learning outcomes to only cognitive ably would have graduated earlier if I would review and provide feedback regarding campus values (Astin, 1993). have taken classes the first summer when I initiatives and programs. Finally, colleges could Third, the instructional delivery system, started here.” But I think maybe prep classes coenroll parents and their son or daughter in particularly in developmental classes, should make the students feel like they’re not gonna a student life skills course or seminar to rein- be presented in a format that allows students get out. to focus on acquiring specific competencies force habits and behaviors that promote success If skills learned in the developmental courses and using adult education methods rather than at home. The majority of students reside with (i.e., reading) can be applied in related college- methods that students were exposed to in high their families, and it appears parents and fam- level courses (i.e., computer concepts, sociol- schools. Some of the participants in this study ily members want and need to be involved. As ogy) and students earn college-level credits regarded the preparatory classes as punitive be- indicated by Dora who has noted, simultaneously, they are more apt to discover cause the courses did not generate college credit. My parents don’t speak English extremely Also, they emphasized that the courses, espe- interdisciplinary application and make prog- well. When I was in high school, my mom cially the developmental courses, were taught in ress in earning credits toward their degree. De- used to help me study for advanced vocab- ways that were too similar to what they experi- velopmental courses should not be taught in ulary and my science classes. She would sit enced in high schools. Furthermore, they were isolation but rather in ways that allow students with me at the dining room table and quiz required to pay for the developmental instruc- to see the connected relationships among dis- me at night. She had no idea about what I was tion which should have been learned in high ciplines (Grubb & Cox, 2005; McCabe, 2003). studying and couldn’t pronounce the words, school. Melissa said, but she helped me. continued on page 22 22 JOURNAL of DEVELOPMENTAL EDUCATION continued from page 20 students’ voices and perceptions of their own administrators and faculty about how to better college experiences. By focusing on issues of engage nonparticipants so as to increase their access and preparation, researchers can pro- retention through graduation. Clearly, more Students need to learn how to transfer and prac- vide additional information about possible research is needed to further validate the value tice newly acquired strategies to the demands of barriers, motivational issues, diversity influ- and success of the FYE program. each course with tasks perceived to be authentic ences, cultural factors, and students’ learning Although Tinto (1975) refers to family sup- (Stahl, Simpson, & Hayes, 1992). Learning com- orientations. Further, qualitative research in- port as an initial influence for college students, munities may facilitate that process. forms and identifies areas of interest for quan- the findings from the current study differ from Fifth, the results of the study indicated that titative researchers to pursue. Tinto’s theory with respect to the influence of college administrators and staff should support To develop the knowledge base related the study participants’ cultural self-identifi- the transition of students as they mainstream to underprepared, ethnically diverse college cation and the emphasis their families placed with the general student population. Some stu- students and their success, a study of the ex- on the importance of education. Based on the dents missed the peer support they had while periences and perceptions of male students as findings, the researcher has posed an emerging in FYE and recommended that the program compared to female students would be helpful. model to explain the success of underprepared be extended. The voices of persisters such as Approximately one-third of the students who college students. A study designed to deter- Dora, Nettie, and Juanita and dropouts such as entered the FYE program at Broward College mine the impact of family as a variable that in- Anna emphasized the importance of peer sup- were men. In addition, there was a dispropor- fluences persistence is warranted. port. Dora noted, “the semester after FYE, I felt tionately small number of men who graduated confused and a little alone. The students I knew or had earned 30 or more credits (4) compared Conclusion were no longer around or in the same class. I had to those who started in the FYE program (29); phone numbers and we would sometimes chat The ideals of learning communities are con- approximately 14% had been retained. In com- on-line, but it wasn’t the same.” Anna, a dropout, sistent with the values of community colleges. noted, “If I was still in the FYE program, it could Key factors in retention for the graduates and have kept me in school. It was more structured.” persisters in the current study included high Qualitative research Perhaps colleges should consider the implemen- level of faculty-student interaction, integra- tation of a Second Year Experience. informs and identifies areas tion of academic and social activities, oppor- Sixth, to increase students’ sense of academic tunity for involvement, mentoring, leadership of interest for quantitative integration, administrators could group students experiences, cultural and social support, and based on major to increase their academic disci- researchers to pursue. use of campus resources and student services pline identification. Absum reported, “if I had (similar to findings reported by Harvey-Smith, the same major of students with me who were 2002). This study supports research by Tinto focusing on…in the same direction, I think, it (1975) and Astin (1984) who discussed certain parison, 16 women had graduated or earned would have helped a lot.” Perhaps more of these precollege characteristics, social involvement, 30 or more credits out of 69 women who ini- supportive peer relationships would continue and academic integration which contribute to tially joined FYE; 23% of the women persisted. beyond the first year if the participants were in persistence. Tinto studied mostly White, Non- Understanding the needs of men who persist the same program of study. Hispanic, students who came from middle- may help administrators and faculty introduce Reviewing the impact of FYE on students as class and higher socioeconomic levels and had more effective support services to retain them. identified in the themes from this study, there higher secondary school achievement records In addition, a further study of students en- are some policy implications that colleges might in contrast to the participants in the current rolled in developmental mathematics is war- implement. For example, the number of FYE study who represented first-generation Ameri- ranted. Both the archival data and interview learning communities can be expanded to in- can, immigrant students. Participants in the transcripts show that the majority of under- volve more students. Furthermore, to attract current study all expressed positive influences prepared students in the current study en- more students, additional cohorts could be add- from high levels of family support and more countered difficulty with mathematics. Many ed to include evening or part-time groups. frequently spoke about other personal char- participants withdrew from or failed their In addition, the development of a 3-credit acteristics. Participants also agreed that it was math courses. As a result, those courses had to student success course may be beneficial. The beneficial to be socially involved and engaged be repeated, thus extending time to completion literature supports the implementation of a on campus with activities to work closely with of their programs of study. freshmen seminar class that teaches time man- peers and faculty on class projects. Finally, all A study of underprepared students who did agement, goal-setting, and educational plan- participants regarded education as a means not participate in a learning community might ning and complements the academic disciplines of liberation to break away from the current reveal that their experiences are qualitatively (Fidler & Godwin, 1994; Folger, Carter, & Chase, dominant cultural frame of reference to a more different from those who did participate. In 2004; Ishler, 2003). As found in this study, many open, hopeful view of self with limitless poten- this study, it was found that half of qualifying of these behaviors may be learned in college to tial. underprepared students joined the program. enhance student success and retention. Analyzing the impact of learning commu- Perhaps there are characteristics that distin- nities on students who are most at-risk for at- guish the learning community participants Recommendations for trition can inform community college admin- from those students who choose not to join. istrators, admissions personnel, and faculty Future Research Outside of basic demographic information and about the at-risk students’ experiences. With entry test scores, little is known about those Developmental education can greatly benefit who choose not to participate in FYE. The from continued studies that listen directly to nature of the differences could inform college continued on page 24 24 JOURNAL of DEVELOPMENTAL EDUCATION continued from page 22 Burley, H., Butner, B., & Cejda, B. (2001). Drop- Knight, W. (2003). Learning communities and out and stopout patterns among developmen- first-year programs: Lessons for planners. increased understanding of the lived experi- tal education students in Texas community Planning for Higher Education, 31(4), 5-12. ences of persisters and graduates compared to colleges. Community College Journal of Re- Levine, A., & Nidiffer, J. (1996). Beating the odds: dropouts, perhaps more holistic initiatives can search and Practice, 25(10), 767-782. How the poor get to college. San Francisco, CA: be developed to positively impact the at-risk, Byrd, K.L., & MacDonald, G. (2005). Defining Jossey-Bass. developmental student population. Such pro- college readiness from the inside out: First- McCabe, R. (2003). Yes, we can! A community col- grams can allow them to experience greater generation student perspectives. Community lege guide for developing America’s underpre- success in their postsecondary education pro- College Review, 33(1), 22-37. pared. Phoenix, AZ: League for Innovation in grams. In the final analysis, understanding the Creswell, J.W. (1998). Qualitative inquiry and re- the Community College. experiences of developmental students can search design. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. Nora, A., & Cabrera, A.F. (1996). The role of per- help college faculty and administrators struc- Fidler, P.P., & Godwin, M.A. (1994). Retain- ceptions of prejudice and discrimination on ture more effective mentoring relationships ing African-American students through the the adjustment of minority students to college. when working with this student population. freshman seminar. Journal of Developmental Journal of Higher Education, 67(2), 119-148. As indicated by Robert, “College is important Education, 17(3), 34-41. Raftery, S. (2005). Developmental learning com- cause out there is not easy. I am the first one in Folger, W.A., Carter, J.A., & Chase, P.B. (2004). munities at metropolitan community college. my family to go to college and I don’t want to Supporting first generation college freshmen In C. Kozeracki (Ed.), new directions for com- mess that up.” with small good intervention. College Student munity colleges, Vol. 129 (pp. 63-71). San Fran- Journal, 38(3), 472-476. cisco: Jossey-Bass. References Freire, P. (1970). Pedagogy of the oppressed. New Roueche, J.E., & Roueche, S.D. (1999). High stakes, York, NY: Continuum. high performance: Making developmental edu- Achieving the Dream. (2006).Ft. Lauderdale, FL: cation work. Washington, DC: Community Office of Institutional Research, Broward Col- College Press. lege. Understanding Sanchez, I.M. (2000). Motivating and maximiz- Astin, A.W. (1984). Student involvement: A devel- ing learning in minority classrooms. In S. Ara- opmental theory for higher education. Journal the experiences of gon (Ed.), New directions for community col- of College Student Personnel, 25(3), 297-308. developmental students leges, Vol. 112 (pp. 35-44). San Francisco, CA: Astin, A.W. (1985). Achieving educational excel- Jossey-Bass. lence, San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. can help college faculty and Stahl, N.A., Simpson, M.L., & Hayes, C. G. (1992). Astin, A.W. (1993). What matters in college? San administrators structure Ten recommendations from research for Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. teaching high-risk college students. Journal of Bers, T. H., & Smith, K. E. (1991). Persistence of more effective mentoring. Developmental Education, 16(1), 2-10. community college students: The influence of Swail, W.S. (with Redd, K.E., and Perna, L.W.). student intent and academic and social inte- (2003). Retaining minority students in higher gration. Research in Higher Education, 32(5), education: A framework for success. (ASHE- 539-556. Grubb, W.N., & Cox, R.D. (2005). Pedagogical ERIC Higher Education Report No. 2). Wash- Bogdan, R.C., & Biklen, S.K. (2003). Qualitative alignment and curricular consistency: The ington, DC: The George Washington Univer- research for education. Boston, MA: Allyn and challenges for developmental education. In C. sity, School of Education and Human Devel- Bacon Press. Kozeracki (Ed.), New directions for community opment. Boylan, H.R. (1999). Developmental education: colleges, Vol. 129 (pp. 93-103). San Francisco: Tinto, V. (1975). Dropouts for higher education: Demographics, outcomes, and activities. Jour- Jossey-Bass. A theoretical synthesis of recent research. Re- nal of Developmental Education, 23(2), 2-9. Harvey-Smith, A.B. (2002, November). An exam- view of Educational Research, 45(1), 89-125. Boylan, H.R., Bonham, B. S., & Bliss, L. B. (1994). ination of the retention literature and applica- Tinto, V. (1997). Classrooms as communities: Who are the developmental students? Research tion in student success. Promoting Inclusion, 5, Exploring the educational character of stu- in Developmental Education, 11(2), 1-4. 14-26. dent persistence. Journal of Higher Education, Bragg, D.D. (2001). Community college access, Hoyt, J.E. (1999). Developmental education and 68(6), 599-624. mission, and outcomes: Considering intrigu- student attrition. Community College Review, Washington Center for Improving the Quality of ing intersections and challenges. Peabody 27(2), 51-72. Undergraduate Education Learning Commu- Journal of Education, 76(1), 93-116. Ishler, J.L. (2003). Laying the foundation for general nities National Resource Directory. (2009). Braxton, J.M., & Lien, L.A. (2000). The viability education: The role of first-year and short semi- Retrieved from http://www.evergreen.edu/ of academic integration as a central construct nars. Journal of General Education, 52(2), 71-83. washcenter/directory in Tinto’s interactionalist theory of college stu- Killacky, J., Thomas, C., & Accomando, A. (2002). Zhao, C., & Kuh, G. (2004). Adding value: Learn- dent departure. In J. Braxton (Ed.), Reworking Learning communities and community col- ing communities and student engagement. Re- the student departure puzzle (pp. 11-28), Nash- leges: A case study. Community College Jour- search in Higher Education, 45(2), 115-138. ville, TN: Vanderbilt University Press. nal of Research and Practice, 26(10), 763-775. Brittenham, R., Cook, R., Hall, J.B., Moore-Whi- Kincheloe, J.L., & McLaren, P. (2000). Rethink- tWceosmheilmtl,e ,uP K.n, i.R t(yu2 h0o0lf- 3S)lme. aCirtnohne, rnCse.. ,c JtSoiohunarfins:ia -AlM noo fi unDstaeevgvire, alMotepd.-, iNqnu.g a Dlcirteainttizicvianel t&rhe seYeoa.r ryLc hian nc(dop lpqn.u (a2El7idt9as-t.3i)1v, 4eH) r.a enThsedaboroucohska. nIondf S u bt os dc rai yb!e mental Education, 27(1), 18-25. Oaks, CA: Sage. 26 JOURNAL of DEVELOPMENTAL EDUCATION