Are Community Colleges Going the Distance?: An Assessment of Student Support Services for Texas Community and Technical Colleges
Date
2006-05
Authors
Alston, Allyson A.
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Abstract
Purpose: The purpose of this research is twofold. The first purpose is to gauge the level of student support services provided for students enrolled in distance learning courses or programs at Texas community or technical colleges by utilizing Cherry Beth Luedtke's (1999) student support services model. The second purpose is to document the change in student support services available at Web sites.
Method: The research method, content analysis, is used to assess student support services for distance learners at Texas community and technical colleges and to determine whether these services have changed since Luedtke's 1999 study. The sampling frame is a list of 57 Texas public junior or community and technical colleges.
Findings: Overall findings reveal that there has been improvement over the last seven years in every category defined in Luedtke's student support model. Admissions, registration, and learning resources categories were given a strong rating. Information/technical support and assessment categories were given an adequate rating. Lastly, the advising and counseling and other student support services categories were given a poor rating. Though there is no category with a very strong rating, none of the categories were give a very poor rating as in Luedtke's study.
Description
An Applied Research Project Submitted to the Department of Political Science, Texas State University-San Marcos, in Partial Fulfillment for the Requirements for the Degree of Masters of Public Administration, Spring 2006.
Keywords
community colleges, distance learning, student support services, Texas, technical colleges, higher education, Public Administration
Citation
Alston, A. A. (2006). Are community colleges going the distance?: An assessment of student support services for Texas community and technical colleges. Masters of Public Administration, Texas State University, San Marcos, TX.