Browsing by Subject "Academic performance"

Now showing 1 - 6 of 6

Asthma control, academic performance, and peer functioning in children with asthma : the role of school absenteeism
(2022-05-09) Alvarado, Cinthia; Rodriguez, Erin M.
Asthma affects 1 in 12 children in the U.S. and has shown to affect a child’s peer functioning and academic achievement (Bloomberg et al., 2009; CDC, 2018; Graetz & Shute, 1995; Moonie et al., 2008; Schmier et al., 2007). The sample consists of 58 caregivers of children with asthma ages 5 to 17 and is primarily low-income, ethnically, and racially diverse. The study examines the correlations between asthma control, academic performance, school absenteeism, and peer functioning, and examines the mediational role of school absenteeism in these relationships. Results show that poorer asthma control was associated with higher school absenteeism. Both, poorer asthma control and higher school absenteeism, were also associated with lower GPA. Poorly controlled asthma can impact a child’s overall functioning in school, which may have long-term effects on future educational attainment.
Great expectations : narratives of second generation Asian Indian American college students about academic achievement and related intergenerational communication
(2012-08) Kahlon, Amardeep Kaur; Reddick, Richard, 1972-; Sharpe, Edwin R.; Ovando, Martha N.; Saenz, Victor B.; Accapadi, Mamta
Asian Indian Americans are a highly successful subset of Asian Americans. According to a 2012 Pew Center report, this population has the highest level of degree attainment among Asian Americans as well as the highest median income among Asian Americans ("The Rise of Asian Americans," 2012). However, there is a cloak of invisibility surrounding this population. There is little research on how second-generation Asian Indian Americans navigate the expectations of academic excellence and cultural adherence in their relationships with their first-generation parents. There is limited knowledge and understanding of this population that is burdened by family expectations, community expectations, institutional expectations, and their own self-expectations of academic excellence. The paucity of research on this population creates the invisible minority where students’ needs may be ignored based on unfounded assumptions on part of the community and the institution. This phenomenological study adds to the sparse literature on Asian Indian Americans by exploring the intergenerational relationships of Asian Indian American undergraduate students in a narrowly focused area of academic choices and academic performance. This study examined students’ perceptions of the communication between first-generation parents and second-generation children who are currently enrolled at Southern State University. Further, this study examined the stress generated by the intergenerational relationships and the coping strategies employed by the students for dealing with the aforementioned stress. Findings from this study indicate that first-generation parents stress academic excellence and enrollment in certain majors based on their own experiences as new immigrants as well as to uphold the honor and prestige of the family. While the expectations of academic excellence from parents create stress for the students, the students remain grateful to their parents for instilling such values in them. However, the findings reveal that students felt stress from the expectation of excellence from the community, family, and institution to perform well. The findings of varying levels of intergenerational issues suggest that the parent-child relationships in this population were complex and non-linear.
Recent high school immigrants’ program placement and academic performance in Texas schools : what do we know and what do we need to know
(2012-05) Lee, Pei-Ling; Ovando, Martha N., 1954-; Young, Michelle D.; Reyes, Pedro; Vasquez Heilig, Julian; Wade, Maria
The study explored the relationship between program placement policies regarding the education of recently immigrated students and selected outcomes for these newcomers in urban high schools located in Texas under the implementation of NCLB. In an effort to better understand the impact of such policies on immigrant learning opportunities, this research investigated how newcomers’ identification and promotion, which were based upon English language proficiency testing, affected recent immigrant students’ program placement, course completion and educational achievement. In addition, this study used secondary data analysis to examine how newcomers’ background characteristics were associated with their grade retention rates. Finally, the relationship between students’ background characteristics and newcomers’ academic performance in language arts and mathematics subject areas were examined. This research attempted to answer questions including: 1) How do newly arrived youth students enrolled in newcomer programs, schools, and those enrolled in traditional English as a Second Language (ESL) programs differ with regard to characteristics, such as race, gender, socioeconomic status (SES), course completion, grade retention, and language spoken at home?, 2) How do the differences in characteristics of newly arrived youth students relate to grade retention?, 3) What is the relationship between the growth in academic achievement and newly arrived youth students’ demographic characteristics while enrolled in different programs?, and 4) What kinds of learning opportunities and educational supports are provided by traditional ESL programs, newcomer programs, and newcomer schools for newly arrived youth students in northern and central Texas? Findings indicated newly arrived immigrant adolescents are consistently the most disadvantaged group due to their later start age with limited English proficiency facing a new culture. In general, recently arrived immigrant youths appear to benefit more from teachers with ESL certification as well as even much more experience for serving immigrant adolescents in a safe and caring environment, newcomer schools.
Teacher characteristics and race/ethnic and economic disparities in academic achievement at the start of elementary school
(2009-08) Hamilton, Madlene Patience; Crosnoe, Robert; Reyes, Pedro,1954-
As an exploration of some of the major provisions of NCLB, this dissertation applies the resource substitution perspective (Mirowsky & Ross, 2003) to the early years of elementary school and examines various forms of teacher human capital (e.g., educational background, certification, experience) to capture the pool of potential compensatory resources for segments of the child population deemed at-risk for academic problems because of their race/ethnicity and/or economic status. The research literature concerning teacher effects on academic performance and disparities in the elementary grades (vs. later levels of schooling) is limited, and the prevailing research on teacher effects in general either focuses on factors that are less relevant to early childhood education or provide mixed results. Applying multilevel modeling and other statistical techniques to data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Kindergarten Cohort, I found that poor and non-poor Black children are consistently the most at-risk groups in math between kindergarten and third grade and in reading by the end of third grade. Poor Black and poor Hispanic children appear to benefit more from teachers who have regular and/or elementary certification than their non-poor White peers. In general, Hispanic children tend to be more responsive to resources in the early grades than other at risk groups.
The effectiveness of a dual credit program on Black and Hispanic students in an urban school district
(2022-05-02) Love, Michael R.; Reyes, Pedro, 1954-; DeMatthews, David; Cruz, Paul; Cruz, Rick
The limited research that incorporates a mixed-method approach on dual credit and the impact on students, especially Black and Latinx students, creates an opportunity to contribute to the knowledge within the field. As advanced courses such as dual credit have increased in popularity since the 1970s (Kravitz, 1994), many stakeholders have brought up concerns about the equity, accessibility, and rigor of these courses (Troutman, Hendrix-Soto, Creusere, & Mayer, 2018; Miller et al., 2018). A rising number of states have passed legislation to expand dual credit, which accentuates student exposure to collegiate courses. However, much of the legislation outlines little to nothing about supportive measures or benchmarks for those institutions delivering dual credit courses (Durosko, 2019). As states, districts, and post-secondary institutions boost investment in this approach, additional evaluation is warranted because the goal is to amplify the matriculation and success of students who take advantage of college courses in high school, with an emphasis on those at-risk student populations. This method of career preparation has been heralded as a universally beneficial platform for all students who participate. Based on this increased belief in the success of such courses, enrollment in dual credit courses exploded with an increase of over 68% from the early 2000s to 2011 (Thomas et al., 2013). This study examined the impact of a dual credit program on students’ academic performance in an urban school district. Specifically, the study was designed to identify and isolate those specific program elements – postsecondary matriculation, course performance, and participant perception of the program – while evaluating differences in outcomes between racial groups. Surveys, focus groups, and existing student performance data were used in this study. Subjectivism is the epistemology that informs this research and is guided by the interpretivism theoretical perspective (Crotty, 1998). Interpretivism can be defined as different people experiencing and understanding the same “objective reality” differently (O’Donoghue, 2006). Findings indicate that dual credit courses can help improve matriculation rates and the perception of a college of participants. Gaps in academic performance between minority student groups (Black and Hispanic) and White students were found among dual credit students.
The impact of interpersonal stress in romantic relationships on college students' mental health and academic performance
(2016-05) Liu, Briana Linda; McCarthy, Christopher J.; Moore, Leslie A
Problems in relationships are one of the leading reasons for why college students seek counseling at university mental health centers (Green, Lowry, & Kopta, 2003). Interpersonal stress has been linked to higher levels of depression and anxiety, more problems with substance use, and higher suicidal ideation (Simon & Barrett, 2010; Drum, Brownson, Burton Denmark, & Smith, 2009). Research suggests that interpersonal stress experienced in romantic relationships has a more severe impact on well-being than stress experienced in any other relationship. Stress in general has been linked to impaired memory, lack of ability to focus and concentrate, lack of motivation, and lower retention rates in school (Duran, Kelly, & Rotaru, 2011; Linn & Zeppa, 1984). Due to the pervasive nature of interpersonal problems, there is a need for proper implementation of intervention and services on college campuses to properly support college students. This report examines the effects of interpersonal stress, and more specifically romantic stress, on college students’ well being and academic performance, as well as details possible counseling implications.