Browsing by Subject "Focus groups"

Now showing 1 - 5 of 5

A multi-modal approach to understanding Asian American political participation
(2023-04-20) Lawrence, Cornelia Elizabeth; Shaw, Daron R., 1966-; Philpot, Tasha; Jessee, Stephen; Wong, Janelle
This project aims to enhance our understanding of political participation within the United States by more carefully and systematically examining political participation within the Asian American community. Previously, prominent theories of political participation have been created with Anglo-Americans in mind, resulting in incomplete or unsatisfactory applications to racial and ethnic minority groups. By updating our understanding of what participation looks like and by formulating a racially aware theory, I seek to improve upon these previous explanations of the participatory habits of voters. I first expand upon the Resource model offered by Verba, Schlozman, and Brady (1995), both by updating the conceptualization of the dependent variable, political participation, to reflect recent technological advances, and including key variables I believe that are missing from the original. My first empirical chapter compares the original Resource model to the updated model, I name the Unified Resource Model, via an Asian American survey sample. There I find strong support for my suggested changes, before speaking with members of the Asian American community via focus groups in my second empirical chapter. Finally, in my third empirical chapter, I retest the Unified Resource Model in a hybrid quantitative-qualitative online community. Throughout this study, generational status and nativity status are significant predictors of the numbers of acts one is likely to participate in politically, and while organizational involvement behaved similarly in 2016, qualitative research suggests that this may no longer be true. All three empirical chapters support the expanded conceptualization of political participation to include social media usage.
Close but no credit : a mixed-methods study of the who, what, and why of late course withdrawal
(2023-05-01) Johnson, Emily Amanda; Reddick, Richard ,1972-; Alvarado, Cassandre G; Green, Terrance L; Schudde, Lauren
Course withdrawals result in the average college student taking 13 more credit hours to graduate than needed. Also, course withdrawals cost the U.S. $6.5 billion annually. This tremendous waste causes decreases in available seats and funding for incoming students. However, there are fewer than twenty peer-reviewed studies on course withdrawal over the past fifty years. This study builds on prior research to broaden the field of retention literature. Considering that course withdrawal is likely a sign of academic or personal struggle, higher education professionals should view a course drop as a risk factor for attrition. Further, by understanding the course withdrawal experience, administrators can predict which students might consider withdrawing from a course and deploy preventive measures in a timely fashion. Public Research University (PRU) permits undergraduate students to drop a course after the standard drop deadline and up until the last day of classes once during their degree. This seven-year-old Late Course Withdrawal (LCW) policy has not been analyzed qualitatively to date, and only one prior study examined the timing aspect of course withdrawal. This study employed a sequential, mixed-methods design within a phenomenometric methodology to identify how LCW relates to on-time (four-year) graduation, which students are more likely to use the LCW, which courses students are more likely to use the LCW to drop, and why students use their LCW. Statistical analyses — primarily stepwise logistical regressions — revealed that LCW usage, particularly in the first year, was related to a reduced likelihood of on-time graduation. Male students, students of color, students with lower SAT scores, students in STEMB colleges, and students in the undecided, undeclared college were more likely to use their LCW in the first two years of college. Students with lower cumulative GPAs were more likely to use their LCW in every semester. LCWs were more likely to be used on STEMB courses and non-major-department courses. Focus group participants identified thirty-five reasons for dropping courses, including nine reasons specifically related to using their LCW. Both sets of reasons fall under five larger areas for intervention: instructional support, advising support, health/wellbeing support, learning support, and administrative support. Every participant noted multiple reasons for withdrawal indicating interactive effects between reasons. The findings of this study translate into recommendations for practice and future research that will help reduce the incidence of late course withdrawals.
ESL teachers' perspectives on methods and practices of supporting struggling learners and identifying a possible disability
(2016-05) Philpott, Anna Jura Mary; Toste, Jessica; Ainslie, Ricardo; Linan-Thompson, Sylvia
Efforts to implement the Response to Intervention (RTI) framework in middle schools are increasing. Concurrently the number of English Learners (ELs) enrolled in middle schools is growing rapidly, yet little research exists regarding efficacy of the RTI framework for ELs at the middle school level. This study used qualitative focus group methodology to explore middle school English as a Second Language (ESL) teachers’ perceptions of effective instruction and interventions for ELs and to gain insight into their experiences of referring a struggling student to special education services. Specifically, three research questions are addressed: (1) In districts with at least 25% EL populations, how do ESL teachers currently respond to struggling ELs who may need special education services?; (2) What barriers exist that make it difficult to provide support for these students?; and (3) What critical success factors can be distilled from the experience of ESL teachers interviewed? Themes discussed include the challenge of distinguishing struggles related to limited English proficiency from a possible learning disability, the need for more structure and guidance within the RTI process, and support provided by district ESL departments. Implications of these findings are discussed and direction for future research is stated.
Evaluating brand perceptions, attitudes and usage of Airbnb with the uses and gratifications framework
(2020-06-22) Northfelt, Peter; Sciarrino, JoAnn
Airbnb and many technology platforms disrupt markets with superior customer functionality and reduced friction. However, as these technology platforms evolve from disruption to mainstream providers, it is imperative for them to also move from being perceived as a “facilitator” brand to a “gratifier” brand in order to retain and grow brand advocates and loyal consumers. This study applies the well-known uses and gratifications theoretical framework, coupled with qualitative research, to explore and understand consumer perceptions of Airbnb within the facilitation/gratification spectrum. This study revealed that consumers in the Gen-Z and college target market perceive Airbnb as a facilitator brand, but have clear aspirations for the brand as a gratifier. Airbnb may build on this study to evaluate and evolve marketing communications to demonstrate tangible gratifications of the brand more meaningfully to consumers
Gamergate, gender, and the virtual public sphere : exploring the online experience of female gamers
(2016-05-03) Figueroa, Ever Josue; Bock, Mary Angela; Jensen, Robert
The Gamergate episodes on Twitter in 2014 revealed the challenges that women face when engaging in public discourse in the video game community. Women are harassed and attacked for expressing personal views that challenge patriarchy within the context of these virtual social groups. The backlash that women receive when speaking online raises an important questions that academic scholarship needs to address. What do women experience when participating in predominantly masculine communities, and how does this help us understand patriarchy in the public the sphere? This study used a critical cultural approach to textual analysis and focus group research as a methodology for researching female gaming experience. A discourse analysis of tweets on Twitter during two key moments of the Gamergate episodes was conducted. The findings from the discourse analysis were used to inform a series of questions for focus group research with female gamers. The findings of these two studies show that discourse on Twitter reflects and reproduces patriarchy, and this sexist online discourse has an impact on female gamer's experience with online engagement. The findings show that women who join virtual networks must overcome barriers to discourse that are placed on them by men. Women who do participate in public discourse within these communities tend to fragment their femininity by emphasize stereotypically masculine. The findings suggest that patriarchy positions women as outsiders to the video game community, and that female participation in this community is seen as an invasion of a private sphere. In order for online forums to be a true platform for public discourse, women have to be allowed to join online conversations without sacrificing their femininity.