Using Student and Institutional Characteristics to Predict Graduation Rates at Community Colleges: New Developments in Performance Measures and Institutional Effectiveness

A Retrospective-Longitudinal Examination of the Relationship between Apportionment of Seat Time in Community-College Algebra Courses and Student Academic Performance

“…In excess of 50 covariates were considered in the multivariable model-testing process. The vast majority of these covariates were selected based upon the theory-driven recommendations of other researchers (e.g., Andreu, 2002;Bini et al, 2009;Fike & Fike, 2008;Goble, Rosenbaum, & Stephan, 2008;Moosai et al, 2011). These included student-demographic, instructor-demographic, academicbackground, and class-section related variables.…”

“…The work of Moosai et al (2011) provide some valuable insights into these timespan and sample-size issues. In their study of student and institutional predictors of community college graduation rates at 142 community colleges in three states, they attested to the erratic nature of community college students' enrollment patterns; most notably, part-time students, who encompass the majority of community college enrollment (p. 813).…”

“…Additionally, this researcher's selection of covariates was guided by the multivariate analyses and findings of comprehensive community-college persistence-type studies. Of particular interest were multivariate studies that utilized multi-institutional data sets and/or longitudinally tracked a student cohort (e.g., Fike & Fike, 2008;Moosai, Walker, & Floyd, 2011).…”

“…In their study of student and institutional predictors of community college graduation rates at 142 community colleges in three states, they attested to the erratic nature of community college students' enrollment patterns; most notably, part-time students, who encompass the majority of community college enrollment (p. 813). Moosai et al (2011) compensated by restricting their sample to a three-year time period and a student cohort restricted to first-time, full-time, degreeseeking students. Although such a restriction on the student sample was not feasible in the case of this dissertation's single-institution study for a variety of reasons, it is nonetheless instructive that Moosai et al (2011) utilized a three-year tracking period, even despite the comparatively massive size of their sample and, hence, the statistical power it afforded them.…”

“…Moosai et al (2011) compensated by restricting their sample to a three-year time period and a student cohort restricted to first-time, full-time, degreeseeking students. Although such a restriction on the student sample was not feasible in the case of this dissertation's single-institution study for a variety of reasons, it is nonetheless instructive that Moosai et al (2011) utilized a three-year tracking period, even despite the comparatively massive size of their sample and, hence, the statistical power it afforded them.…”