The effects of a mentoring intervention program on retention of students in a community college (Doctoral dissertation).
Cousert, D. (1999). Available from ProQuest Dissertations and Theses database. (UMI No. 304550777). https://docs.lib.purdue.edu/dissertations/AAI9951937/.
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examining175Students, gradePS
Strategies for Postsecondary Students in Developmental Education–A Practice Guide for College and University Administrators, Advisors, and Faculty
Review Details
Reviewed: February 2024
Strategies for Postsecondary Students in Developmental Education–A Practice Guide for College and University Administrators, Advisors, and Faculty Practice Guide- Randomized Controlled Trial
- Meets WWC standards without reservations because it is a randomized controlled trial with low attrition.
This review may not reflect the full body of research evidence for this intervention.
Evidence Tier rating based solely on this study. This intervention may achieve a higher tier when combined with the full body of evidence.
Findings
|
Outcome measure |
Comparison | Period | Sample |
Intervention mean |
Comparison mean |
Significant? |
Improvement index |
Evidence tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
enrolled the following semester |
New Dimensions vs. Business as usual |
1 Semester |
Full sample;
|
73.80 |
67.40 |
No |
-- |
|
Outcome measure |
Comparison | Period | Sample |
Intervention mean |
Comparison mean |
Significant? |
Improvement index |
Evidence tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Grade in developmental reading course |
New Dimensions vs. Business as usual |
1 Semester |
Full sample;
|
77.50 |
61.10 |
Yes |
|
|
|
Passed developmental reading course |
New Dimensions vs. Business as usual |
1 Semester |
Full sample;
|
92.50 |
94.70 |
No |
-- |
Evidence Tier rating based solely on this study. This intervention may achieve a higher tier when combined with the full body of evidence.
Sample Characteristics
Characteristics of study sample as reported by study author.
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Female: 60%
Male: 40% -
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Indiana
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Race White 39%
Study Details
Setting
The study included students who were enrolled in developmental reading classes at community colleges in Indiana. Mentors contacted students outside of class to discuss students' needs and help them develop action plans.
Study sample
The study included 105 female students and 70 male students. Of the 175 students, 68 students were white and 107 were identified as minorities.
Intervention Group
The 1-semester New Dimensions program offered faculty mentoring to academically underprepared students, in which faculty mentors followed up with students’ progress on their action plan and referred them to other support services (e.g., tutoring, career counseling). Students in the intervention received direct faculty mentoring contact, worked to create a written student action plan based on the College Student Inventory, and received follow-up monitoring on the actions outlined in the student’s plan. Students were randomly selected for participation in the intervention, but were not required to participate in the mentoring program.
Comparison Group
The comparison group did not receive any additional mentoring services. All traditional college counseling services were available, however, and thus the condition is considered business-as-usual.
An indicator of the effect of the intervention, the improvement index can be interpreted as the expected change in percentile rank for an average comparison group student if that student had received the intervention.
For more, please see the WWC Glossary entry for improvement index.
An outcome is the knowledge, skills, and attitudes that are attained as a result of an activity. An outcome measures is an instrument, device, or method that provides data on the outcome.
A finding that is included in the effectiveness rating. Excluded findings may include subgroups and subscales.
The sample on which the analysis was conducted.
The group to which the intervention group is compared, which may include a different intervention, business as usual, or no services.
The timing of the post-intervention outcome measure.
The number of students included in the analysis.
The mean score of students in the intervention group.
The mean score of students in the comparison group.
The WWC considers a finding to be statistically significant if the likelihood that the finding is due to chance alone, rather than a real difference, is less than five percent.
The WWC reviews studies for WWC products, Department of Education grant competitions, and IES performance measures.
The name and version of the document used to guide the review of the study.
The version of the WWC design standards used to guide the review of the study.
The result of the WWC assessment of the study. The rating is based on the strength of evidence of the effectiveness of the intervention. Studies are given a rating of Meets WWC Design Standards without Reservations, Meets WWC Design Standards with Reservations, or >Does Not Meet WWC Design Standards.
A related publication that was reviewed alongside the main study of interest.
Study findings for this report.
Based on the direction, magnitude, and statistical significance of the findings within a domain, the WWC characterizes the findings from a study as one of the following: statistically significant positive effects, substantively important positive effects, indeterminate effects, substantively important negative effects, and statistically significant negative effects. For more, please see the WWC Handbook.
The WWC may review studies for multiple purposes, including different reports and re-reviews using updated standards. Each WWC review of this study is listed in the dropdown. Details on any review may be accessed by making a selection from the drop down list.
Tier 1 Strong indicates strong evidence of effectiveness,
Tier 2 Moderate indicates moderate evidence of effectiveness, and
Tier 3 Promising indicates promising evidence of effectiveness,
as defined in the
non-regulatory guidance for ESSA
and the regulations for ED discretionary grants (EDGAR Part 77).