Analysis of the findings revealed that student participants perceive online degree programs to be isolating and lacking in culturally relevant support systems. The findings also show that many students have very limited exposure to online degree programs when evaluating colleges, and access to the necessary technology and internet connection for completing a degree online is often inadequate where they live. These factors contribute to an overall negative perception of online higher education for the study participants.
Online education has created an ever-expanding number of programs. Adult online learners are diverse and have varied talents, challenges, and motivations. They choose online learning for its convenience and accessibility, but the online learning environment can be flat and two-dimensional. Adult online learners can then become disengaged and disconnected—especially if the online learning experience does not support their social-emotional needs. More research on supporting the whole learner in adult online classrooms is required. Motivation and Momentum in Adult Online Education highlights unique and varied approaches to adult learners’ motivation and momentum in online education. It provides examples of strategies, tools, and practices educators and educational institutions use to encourage and support adult learners’ motivation and momentum across a variety of online educational programs. Covering topics such as academic coaching, faculty-student interaction, and student engagement, this premier reference source is an excellent resource for higher education leaders, professors, course instructors, advisors, curriculum developers, instructional designers, lifelong learning application developers, professionals in student support services, librarians, researchers, and academicians.
This book argues that two principal factors are inhibiting Native students from transitioning from school to college and from succeeding in their post-secondary studies. It presents models and examples of pathways to success that align with Native American students’ aspirations and cultural values.Many attend schools that are poorly resourced where they are often discouraged from aspiring to college. Many are alienated from the educational system by a lack of culturally appropriate and meaningful environment or support systems that reflect Indigenous values of community, sharing, honoring extended family, giving-back to one’s community, and respect for creation.The contributors to this book highlight Indigenized college access programs--meaning programs developed by, not just for--the Indigenous community, and are adapted, or developed, for the unique Indigenous populations they serve. Individual chapters cover a K-12 program to develop a Native college-going culture through community engagement; a “crash course” offered by a higher education institution to compensate for the lack of college counseling and academic advising at students’ schools; the role of tribal colleges and universities; the recruitment and retention of Native American students in STEM and nursing programs; financial aid; educational leadership programs to prepare Native principals, superintendents, and other school leaders; and, finally, data regarding Native American college students with disabilities. The chapters are interspersed with narratives from current Indigenous graduate students.This is an invaluable resource for student affairs practitioners and higher education administrators wanting to understand and serve their Indigenous students.
Abstract: This study explores the significant issues facing Tribal College and University students. Research questions formed the basis of the study: 1) What are tribal college students' perceptions of the issues facing TCUs? 2) Why do students choose to attend TCUs? 3) How do tribal college students view the importance of tribal college issues to students' ability to obtain a degree upon completion of their program of study? 4) How do tribal college students view the importance of tribal college issues to students' ability to obtain a job in their chosen career upon completion of study? 5) How do tribal college students view the importance of tribal college issues to students' ability to transfer to another university to complete their program? An online survey of TCU students measured 47 content variables. Variables were grouped into three categories: Planning for College, Choosing a College, and My Goals for Attending College. The reliability of the variables, as expressed by Cronbach's alpha, was .915. Exploratory factor analysis was used to analyze the data (N=398) and the relationships among the variables. Ten factors were extracted from 40 of the 47 variables, with 66.6% of total variance explained. The factors were: Self-Actualization, Qualities of TCU, Prepare for College, Culture/Beliefs/Values, Convenience of TCU, Livelihood While Student, Career/Work Expectations, Short-term Goals, General Education, and Paying for College. The results indicated the level of importance or agreement with various issues among TCU students. Students indicated that 40 of the 47 issues presented to them were Important or Very Important on a four-point Likert-type scale. The extracted factor Self-Actualization, which consisted of seven variables, was found to explain the most variance of all the extracted factors (38.5% of common variance, 15.8% of total variance).
A Choice Outstanding Academic Title for 2013While the success of higher education and student affairs is predicated on understanding the students we serve, the reality is, where the Native American population is concerned, that this knowledge is generally lacking. This lack may be attributed to this population’s invisibility within the academy – it is often excluded from institutional data and reporting, and frequently noted as not statistically significant – and its relegation to what is referred to as the “American Indian research asterisk.”The purpose of this book is to move beyond the asterisk in an effort to better understand Native students, challenge the status quo, and provide an informed base for leaders in student and academic affairs, and administrators concerned with the success of students on their campuses.The authors of this book share their understanding of Native epistemologies, culture, and social structures, offering student affairs professionals and institutions a richer array of options, resources, and culturally-relevant and inclusive models to better serve this population. The book begins by providing insights into Native student experiences, presenting the first-year experience from a Native perspective, illustrating the role of a Native living/learning community in student retention, and discussing the importance of incorporating culture into student programming for Native students as well as the role of Native fraternities and sororities.The authors then consider administrative issues, such as the importance of outreach to tribal nations, the role of Tribal Colleges and Universities and opportunities for collaborations, and the development of Native American Student Services Units..The book concludes with recommendations for how institutions can better serve Native students in graduate programs, the role that Indigenous faculty play in student success, and how professional associations can assist student affairs professionals with fulfilling their role of supporting the success of Native American students, staff, and faculty. This book moves beyond the asterisk to provide important insights from Native American higher education leaders and non-Native practitioners who have made Native students a priority in their work.While predominantly addressed to the student affairs profession – providing an understanding of the needs of the Native students it serves, describing the multi-faceted and unique issues, characteristics and experiences of this population, and sharing proven approaches to developing appropriate services – it also covers issues of broader administrative concern, such as collaboration with tribal colleges; as well academic issues, such as graduate and professional education. The book covers new material, as well as expanding on topics previously addressed in the literature, including Native American Greek organizations, incorporating Native culture into student programming, and the role of Native American Special Advisors. The contributors are themselves products of colleges and universities where Native students are too often invisible, and who succeeded despite the odds. Their insights and the examples they provide add richness to this book. It will provide a catalyst for new higher education practices that lead to direct, and increased support for, Native Americans and others who are working to remove the Native American asterisk from research and practice.
Many aspects of Native American education have been given extensive attention. There are plentiful works on the boarding school program, the mission school efforts, and other aspects of Indian education. Higher education, however, has received little examination. Select articles, passages, and occasional chapters touch on it, but usually only in respect to specific subjects as an adjunct to education in general. There is no thorough and comprehensive history of Native American higher education in the United States. Native American Higher Education in the United States fills this need, and is now available in paperback. Carney reviews the historical development of higher education for the Native American community from the age of discovery to the present. The author has constructed his book chronologically in three eras: the colonial period, featuring several efforts at Indian missions in the colonial colleges; the federal period, when Native American higher education was largely ignored except for sporadic tribal and private efforts; and the self-determination period, highlighted by the recent founding of the tribally-controlled colleges. Carney also includes a chapter comparing Native American higher education with African-American higher education. The concluding chapter discusses the current status of Native American higher education. Carney's book fills an informational gap while at the same time opening the field of Native American higher education to continuing exploration. It will be valuable reading for educators and historians, and general readers interested in Native American culture.
