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Why Some Students Take Longer Than Others

Why Some Students Take Longer Than Others. Chriss Walther-Thomas Maya Israel Trish Steinbrecher Sherrie Saathoff. Session Overview. Overview of doctoral program completion Research Questions Initial findings related to program completion OSEP funding Other variables/predictors

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Why Some Students Take Longer Than Others

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  1. Why Some Students Take Longer Than Others Chriss Walther-Thomas Maya Israel Trish Steinbrecher Sherrie Saathoff

  2. Session Overview • Overview of doctoral program completion • Research Questions • Initial findings related to program completion • OSEP funding • Other variables/predictors • Variables identified as improving program completion • Illustrative Examples • Data Challenges • Future Plans

  3. What We Know About Doctoral Program Completion • The number of doctorates granted in education is decreasing, except in educational administration (Hoffer, Hess, Welch, Jr., & Williams, 2007) • 30% of doctoral students reported funding from the U.S. government, which represents a decrease since 1986 (Hoffer et al., 2007)

  4. Doctorates Granted - Education

  5. Doctorates Granted – Special Education

  6. What We Know About Doctoral Program Completion • Median Completion Time: • All doctoral recipients: 7.9 years • Education recipients: 12.7 years (Hoffer et al., 2007) • Median Age at Completion: • All doctoral recipients: 32.7 years • Education recipients: 41.7 years (Hoffer et al., 2007)

  7. What We Know About Doctoral Program Completion • D’Andrea (2004) identified 3 factors that influence completion in education: • Academic Competencies: planning, writing, and researching • Personal Characteristics: procrastination, dependency, and unrealistic thinking • Finances: finances and personal relationships

  8. What We Know About Doctoral Program Completion • Lovitts (2008) highlights 3 fates of doctorate students following completion of coursework: • Distinguished completer: easy transition to independent research with a high-quality dissertation • Undistinguished completer: difficult transition but completes a dissertation • Noncompleters: difficult transition and fails to complete dissertation

  9. Lovitts (2008) Model of Factors Influencing Degree Completion and Creative Performance

  10. Challenges for OSEP and IHEs • Current Funding Priorities • Future Funding Decisions • Local and National Accountability • Effective Student Recruitment and Support • Ongoing Program Improvement

  11. Research Questions • How long does it take typical KU doctoral students to complete their program? • Does funding matter? • What obstacles do students face? • What can IHEs do to improve the doctoral education process?

  12. Current Study Challenges • “It’s murky” Judy Tate • Limited Electronic Recordkeeping • Informal vs. Formal Reporting Mechanisms • Confidentiality

  13. Presentation of Initial Data • Data collection and analysis is still underway. • Information presented today is of INITIAL data. • More to come 

  14. Data Collection • Doctoral Completers (2002-2008) 1. Database search of doctoral graduates 2. Faculty interviews • Funding sources • Reasons for late completion 3. Doctoral completers survey • Factors influencing graduation

  15. Dependent Variable • Dependent Variable: Years towards completion • On time=4 years or less

  16. # Years of OSEP funding # times switch funding Full time work Part time work Change in marital status Personal disabilities Family members w/disabilities Dependents Professional choices Single parenthood Other 11 Independent Variables(presented today…more to come)

  17. KU Doctoral Student Demographics • Doctoral program completers • 2002-2008 • N=61 • Gender • 51 females (83.6%) • 10 males (16.4%)

  18. How long does it take ? • It depends….. • Mean years to completion • 5.2 years (SD=2.23) • Median years to completion • 4 years • BUT…

  19. Does funding matter? YES! • Independent Samples t-test • Independent variable: Years of OSEP funding • Dependent variable: On-time graduation (4 years or less) • t(58)=9.63, p=.003

  20. Funding Sources • 12 No Funding • 31 OSEP funding alone • 16 OSEP and additional funding including • GRA positions • GTA positions • Scholarships • Work reimbursement • BUT….Funding was NOT the only variable

  21. Variables Predicting On-time Completion • Three variables accounted for nearly half of the variance in completion time. 1. Years of OSEP funding 2. Switching funding sources 3. Family disability • R2=.46 F(3, 56)=15.83, p<.001. • When adding all 11 variables, not a great increase in variance. • R2=.55 F(11, 47)=5.29, p<.001

  22. Program Completion Challenges: Emerging Themes • Entry-level Responsibilities • Dependents/Children • Children ages 0-6 • Children ages 7-12 • Adolescent children • Dependents with disabilities • Spouses • Illness/disability • Extended Family • Extended family illness/disability • Financial

  23. Program Completion Challenges Emerging Themes • During Coursework Completion • Pregnancy/Young Children • Change in Martial Status • Immediate Family Illness or Accident • Loss of Funding • Distance from Campus

  24. Program Completion Challenges Emerging Themes • During Coursework Completion • Extended Family Illness or Accident • Financial Burdens • Loss of KU Funding • Professional Growth Opportunities

  25. Program Completion Challenges Emerging Themes • During Dissertation Completion • Family Responsibilities • Financial Burdens • Loss of Funding • Professional Growth Opportunities

  26. Program Completion Challenges: Emerging Themes • During Dissertation Completion • Inadequate Research Funding • Deficient Independent Research Skills • Advisor-Advisee Conflict • Distance from Campus

  27. Two Illustrative Cases….. • Nadine • Demographics • Mid 30s • One child under 6 • Brother with a disability • Katy • Demographics • Mid 30s • Engaged to be married • Elderly parents

  28. Reporting Challenges OSEP and IHE face – Case Studies Nadine’s Doctoral Timeline: GRA=3 years; OSEP funding=2 years Extended OSEP funded leadership grant into 5th year GRA (Project Coordinator on a teacher licensure personnel preparation grant) OSEP funded doctoral leadership grant Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 This Grant Ended Family Illness: Delayed graduation Expected Graduation Actual Graduation

  29. Katy’s Doctoral Timeline OSEP funding 4 years; GRA/GTA 1.5 years New OSEP Leadership Grant OSEP Leadership Grant Began GTA Began GRA; GTA continues Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Ant. Grad. Delay due to family needs First OSEP Grant Ends Marriage Actual Grad

  30. Completers’ Identified Variables for Improving Program Completion • Open ended question: Greatest contributions to completion of doctoral program? • Well-developed Skills • ***Advisor support (83%) • Peer Support • Academic Community Support • ***Funding (65%) • ***Personal Ambition (44%)

  31. Data Challenges • Incomplete data • Change from paper to computerize databases • Reporting by grant--not by student (does not account for individual student changes) • Inconsistencies between faculty reports and doctoral completer reports • Ex) -Faculty reports poor writing ability -Doctoral Completer reports lack of faculty support

  32. Our Future Plans • Interviews (we follow doc students pretty well) • Interviews will expand on themes that emerge from the survey and database findings. • WHAT ELSE???

  33. Questions and Comments

  34. References D'Andrea, L. M. (2002). Obstacles to completion of the doctoral degree in colleges of education: The professors' perspective. Educational Research Quarterly, 25(3), 42. Hoffer, T. B., Hess, M., Welch, V., & Williams, K. (2007). Doctorate recipients from united states universities: Summary report 2006. Chicago: National Opinion Research Center. Lovitts, B. E. (2008). The transition to independent research: Who makes it, who doesn't, and why. Journal of Higher Education, 79(3), 296-325.

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