DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln

Title

Influences on Student Attitudes: An Examination of Ten Selected Influence Areas that Impact Community College Students’ Attitudes Towards Postsecondary Education and Student Outcomes

Authors

Luke A. Stobel, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow

Date of this Version

Spring 4-18-2013

Citation

Stobel, Luke A. (2013). Influences on Student Attitudes: An Examination of TenSelected Influence Areas that Impact Community College Students' AttitudesTowards Postsecondary Education and Student Outcomes. MA thesis, University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Comments

A THESIS Presented to the Faculty of The Graduate College at the University of Nebraska In Partial Fulfillment of Requirements For the Degree of Master of Arts, Major: Educational Administration, Under the Supervision of Professor Richard E. Hoover. Lincoln, NE: May, 2013

Copyright (c) 2013 Luke A. Stobel

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine different selected influence areas that may have an impact on a community college student’s attitudes towards their education. The study was first examined in relation to existing research regarding influences that can affect, positively or negatively, a student’s attitude towards education, the courses and type of institution that they select, and ultimately in their decision to pursue higher education in general. Ten different selected influence areas were chosen and aspects of each area were examined to provide insight into influences that may impact student attitudes towards education and ultimately student outcomes. Some of the impacts reinforced those which were represented in existing literature, and some of the influences were new with regard to existing literature. Previous studies and existing literature were discussed in detail to include any connections, similarities, and differences between the existing literature and the current study. A sample of 22 community college students was chosen from Western Nebraska Community College. A 20 question Likert Assessment was implemented, and 8 students were chosen from the sample of 20 to participate in the interview portion, which consisted of 10 semi-structured questions about the selected influences in an effort to shed more light on why certain influences impacted students and in what ways that occurred.

Adviser: Richard E. Hoover