Carter, Kimberly S. (2018-04). In It to Win It: An Examination of Community College Developmental Students Enrolled in Corequisite Remediation English Courses. Doctoral Dissertation. Thesis uri icon

abstract

  • This qualitative dissertation explores the experiences of developmental English students at a large community college who are enrolled in corequisite remediation English courses. The goal of this research was to examine those experiences using the lens of Schlossberg, Lynch, and Chickering's (1989) Theory of Transition to determine how the students adjust to the transition into college, the personal and academic demands of college life, and the factors that facilitated the students' success or acted as barriers to that success. The mindset of the students as reflected in their beliefs about learning was examined using Dweck's Theory of Mindset. Sixteen students, four faculty, and six advisors on three Texas community college campuses were interviewed. The students identified their motivation for entering college and their academic and career goals and described their experience in the admissions and testing processes and their motivation for enrolling in corequisite remediation English classes. They also described their experiences in those courses and explained the factors that contributed to their success and their struggle to succeed. Faculty and advisors explained their role in supporting these students as they move into and through the community college arena and what they believe are the factors that facilitated the students' success or served as barriers to that success. Support emerged as the most important factor to the students' success; it impacted the students' perception of their situation, themselves, and their implementation of strategies. Personal and institutional forms of support were critical to the students' formation of beliefs about their ability to succeed in college and the strategies they implemented to do so. The students' beliefs about learning were influenced by the students' mindset. The students demonstrated more growth mindset beliefs than fixed mindset beliefs. They were proactive in their strategies, sought the help of their professors and other institutional personnel as well as help from their family members, and engaged in other strategies that facilitated their success. Ultimately, the students demonstrated the belief that effort would lead to learning, and this belief was connected to the belief that they could achieve their goals because they were supported in their efforts.

publication date

  • April 2018