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  • Instructor Perspectives on Soft Skills in Higher Education

    Description:
    There are jobs available today that did not exist 10 years ago. According to employers, there is a significant gap in essential universal skills in recent college graduates necessary for success in any career. Because of student debt and rising college tuition, more than ever, higher education is being held accountable for its contribution to workforce readiness. How does higher education prepare students for jobs that do not yet exist? How can higher education better prepare students for the workforce? Higher education has been a gateway to higher-paying jobs in America and other developed countries. Employers look to higher education to teach students the skills required in the workplace. Some careers in areas such as computer programming, accounting, and engineering require specific skills or hard skills that can be measured by tests and certifications. However, businesses expect students to have developed competencies in areas that are more difficult to measure. These competencies include verbal and written communication, problem-solving skills, critical thinking, and the ability to work well in teams. These soft skills lead toward success in any career, yet according to hiring managers worldwide, these skills are lacking among college graduates. How can higher education continue to provide value to employers if these key competencies have not been learned?
    Keyword:
    Higher education, Soft Skills, Instructor Perspectives, universal skills, recent college graduates , success, student debt , rising college tuition, workforce readiness, higher-paying jobs, America , developed countries, hard skills, and transferable skills
    Subject:
    Education
    Creator:
    Grilli, Kathryn
    Owner:
    skushner@saintpeters.edu
    Publisher:
    Saint Peter's University
    Date Uploaded:
    11/01/2022
    Date Modified:
    03/04/2024
    Date Created:
    2022
    Rights Statement:
    In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted
    Resource Type:
    Dissertation

  • Cultural and Socioeconomic Factors Affecting the Successful College Completion of Dominican and Haitian ESL Students in the United States

    Description:
    College completion rates are one of the major issues facing immigrant and non- immigrant students in the United States, especially among Hispanic and African American student populations (Scott-Clayton, 2015). Socioeconomic inequalities in college completion have become a significant concern nationwide (Page et al., 2019). The passage of the Higher Education Act of 1965 has promoted an increase in college enrollment rates; however, gaps in enrollment and college completion have persisted (Bailey & Dynarski, 2011). Nearly half of students enrolled in a 4-year college will complete a bachelor’s degree in more than 6 years. No less than 62% of White, 39% of American Indian and Alaskan Native, 40% of Black, and 50% of Latino students enrolled in 4-year college complete a bachelor’s degree in a 6-year timeframe (National Center for Education Statistics [NCES], 2012). To promote college completion among Hispanics and African Americans, the researcher explored Dominican and Haitian English as a Second Language (ESL) students’ college experiences in post-secondary institutions in the United States.
    Keyword:
    Multicultural education , Educational leadership, English as a second language--ESL, and Higher education
    Subject:
    Education
    Creator:
    Romain, Rony
    Owner:
    skushner@saintpeters.edu
    Publisher:
    Saint Peter's University
    Date Uploaded:
    12/22/2021
    Date Modified:
    11/30/2023
    Date Created:
    2020
    Rights Statement:
    In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted
    Resource Type:
    Dissertation

  • Breaking the Cycle of Poverty: A Qualitative Analysis of Higher Education Success among Women on Welfare

    Description:
    The purpose of this study is to give a voice to economically disadvantaged women on welfare pursuing a degree in higher education. Attention is focused on the motivational and institutional factors they encounter while struggling to integrate academically and socially into the college campus community. The theoretical framework of the study was based on Vincent Tinto’s Theory of Persistence, which emphasizes the importance of a strong inclusive educational and social campus community, and the role it plays in student retention. The study considers the impact of the 1996 Welfare Reform Act and the feminization of poverty in the United States. The impact the new welfare reform act had on education acquisition for women on welfare as well as the challenges these women faced was also examined. In addition, the academic and non-academic support programs that have enabled women on welfare to overcome the obstacles and barriers to education and achievement of academic success in higher education was further explored. The research design was a narrative study approach, which included the participants sharing their own story which included their background, family upbringing, educational experiences from elementary school to high school and ultimately college. In-depth interviews were used to develop a thorough description for the narratives. The participants were women on welfare who currently attended or had graduated from colleges and universities located in Hudson County, New Jersey. Through an analysis of the results a better understanding of how motivational and institutional factors affect a student’s persistence was identified. The themes that emerged during analysis of the interview transcripts were considered within Tinto’s 1973 model of attrition and persistence. Tinto’s model includes the following components: pre-entry attributes (prior schooling and family background); goals/commitment (student aspirations and institutional goals); institutional experiences (academics, faculty interaction, co-curricular involvement, and peer group interaction); integration (academic and social); and outcome (departure decision— graduate, transfer, dropout). Findings indicate that colleges and universities can increase retention and support persistence by identifying students’ individual institutional needs, and by implementing and improving upon programs that aid academic and social integration.
    Keyword:
    Poverty, Higher education, Women, Welfare, Vincent Tinto’s Theory of Persistence, and Academic and social integration
    Subject:
    Higher education
    Creator:
    Ahern, Susan L.
    Owner:
    skushner@saintpeters.edu
    Publisher:
    Saint Peter's University
    Date Uploaded:
    12/22/2021
    Date Modified:
    11/16/2023
    Date Created:
    2018
    Rights Statement:
    In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted
    Resource Type:
    Dissertation