the experiences of undergraduate students during the great recession at a flagship university an...
TRANSCRIPT
The Experiences of Undergraduate
Students during the Great
Recession at a
Flagship University
An Ecological Analysis of Student
Retention
Pilar Mendoza, Ed.D.Zaria Malcolm, Ph.D.Nancy Parish, Ph.D. Candidate
The Great Recession
Downturn that began in 2007 has effected many sectors of society (Clarke, 2010)
Unemployment and foreclosures has effected many college students’ families
1 in 6 students reportedly forced to change college plans as a result of economic circumstances (College Board, 2009)
Purpose of the Study
Decades of research shows that college affordability is a significant factor on student retention (Perna, 2006; Chen, 2008; Hossler, Ziskin, Gross, Kim, & Cekic, 2009)
The real cost of a college education has climbed almost 30% in the past 10 years (Cellini, 2008) and financial aid is not growing at the same pace as college costs (Long, 2010)
Therefore, this study investigated qualitatively how undergraduate students experienced the Great Recession at a flagship university and how this experience relate to their retention
Theoretical Perspectives
Premise: Students’ success depends on how much they believe they can succeed (Bandura, Barbaranelli, & Caprara, 1996) and on the environmental conditions that enable students to realize their expectations of success (Tinto, 2010)
STUDENT X ENVIROMENT = SUCCESS
Theoretical Framework: Bronfrenbrenner’s ecological systems theory (1993) and Tinto’s institutional conditions for student retention (2010)
Tinto (2010): Institutional Conditions for Retention
There are four environmental conditions at the institutional level that allows students to realize their expectations of success:
Expectations
Feedback
Involvement
Support
Bronfrenbrenner (1993)
Ecological Systems Theory accounts for the influences of individuals (person), their interactions with the environment and the responses they provoke from the environment (process), their interactions within immediate settings (context), and changing sociocultural influences on development (time)
The elements of person, process, context, and time (PPCT) create a developmental environment unique to an individual that shapes their growth
This environment is the result of five nested environmental systems: microsystem, mesosytem, exosystem, macrosystem, and chronosytem
Bronfrenbrenner (1993)
Microsystem: Face-to-face settings containing the individual such as housing, classes, student organizations, employment, friendships, living situations, family, community, church, etc.
Mesosystem: Interactions/processes among microsystems for example, employment influence in classes taking; influence of friendships in social activities, etc.
Exosystem: Social setting in which the individual does not have an active role and the individual's immediate context. For example, institutional policies, financial aid, students’ family labor conditions, etc.
Macrosystem: Describes the broader political, economical, social and cultural context in which individuals live
Chronosystem: The patterning of environmental events and transitions over the life course, as well as socio-historical circumstances (when and where)
Bronfrenbrenner (1993) Applied to Campus
Environments
Graph from Renn (2003) p. 388
Theoretical Framework: The Ecology of Student
RetentionBronfrenbrenner
(1993) Tinto (2010)
Nested Environments Conditions for Student Retention
Student Self-Expectations and behaviors
Microsystem Mesosystem
Feedback Involvement
Exosystem Support and Expectations
Macrosystem Economic & Political Climate
Chronosystem Flagship University in the Great Recession
Research Design
Participants: 45 undergraduates ~40% African-American
~24% Hispanic
~7% Asian
~29% White
~55% with income above $40,000
Data collection: 30-45 minutes face-to-face open-ended interviews
Typological analysis (Hatch, 2002)
Interview ProtocolBronfrenbrenner
(1993) Tinto (2010) Interview
Protocol
Nested Environments
Conditions for Student Retention
Questions
Student Self-Expectations and behaviors
Aspirations
Microsystem
Mesosystem
Feedback
Engagement
High school and college experiencesAcademic and social integration
Exosystem Support and Expectations
Familial and community environmentFinancial aid Family supportInteractions with faculty and staff
Macrosystem Economic & Political Climate
Experiences related to the Great Recession
FindingsGraph 1. The Impact of the Great Recession on Students based on the Study Typologies by the Levels of the Brofenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory model (1993)
Great Recession
Financial Aid
Family economic/labor
conditions
Anxiety
Parental Financial Support
Aspirations
Financial Behavior
Life style Housing Employment
Social & Academic
Integration
Time in College
Chronosystem: Great Recession at a Flagship Institution
Macrosystem
Exosystem
Student
Microsystem
Mesosystem
Institutional Choice
Thank you.