Jones-White, D., Radcliffe, P., Huesman, R., & Kellogg, J. (2010). Redefining Student Success:
Applying Different Multinomial Regression Techniques for the Study of Student
Graduation Across Institutions of Higher Education, Research in Higher Education, 51(2), 154-174. doi: 10.1007/s11162-009-9149-4

This is a quantitative case study measuring the success of university students’ ability to attain a degree within a specified period since enrollment or transfer to another institution of higher learning. In the study mixed methods were implemented in order attain accurate and reliable results. The sample was obtained from the National Student Clearing house (NSC) and the data focused on 3 cohorts of University of Minnesota- Twin Cities students entering college for the first time. Finding a new definition for academic success in university among first year or transferring students was the key question. The prevailing definition of success was distorted because only the students who completed their studies at initial universities regarded as academically successful. This study focused on broadening the definition of success by including any students who transferred and graduated in another university. The new definition of academic success consisted of students who graduated from the initial university and those who transferred and graduated from other institutions. Factors that helped to broaden the definition of success were analyzed implementing the Binary logit, multinomial logit and multinomial probit models. Dependent variables were three cohorts of students from the initial school of admission and tracking each one who transferred to another school within six years period. The independent variables were First GPA, 1st choice, Pell grant … gender, ethnicity and housing.
The independent variables were measured on the dependent variable using Binary logit, multinomial logit models. The outcome showed that students attained academic success even though factors caused them to transfer. Multinomial logit model included a wide range of factors indicating that academic success definition put in broader terms. Impacts of these factors academic factors were key to student success at the original or Transfer University. Some of these factors were geography, first choice schools, social fit and gender. According to the study Pell grant receivers, Asians and underrepresented minorities did not experience success where ever they attended school. The Inability to track minority students who left the institution limited the study. This research was able to help reflect true rate of student graduation rates for students in institution of higher learning. A variety of methods were used to test the hypothesis. The research highlights issues that negatively impact students’ academic achievements. This information is beneficial because it reflects factors that contribute to academic success. I would like to become a student academic advisor so the methods of research play a key role. I learned to use multiple variables in order to measure the hypothesis. Tellez, K. (2011). A case study of a career in education that began with “Teach for America",
Teaching Education, 22(1), 15-38. doi: 10. 1080/ 10476210.2010. 541238
This is a 7 year case study designed to research the effectiveness of a teacher whose preparation to teach was non - traditional education program. The research reveals factors other than pre service teacher education and Teach for America an alternative route to a teaching enhance effectiveness of teachers. In this study the qualitative method was implemented. A professor compiled data on his former student during his teacher preparation program and throughout his teaching career for a period of seven years. The data compilation was by video recording, lesson observation and face to face and telephone interviews. The purpose of the study was to determine the effectiveness of teachers from alternative teacher preparation programs. Key observations were done on a teacher who joined teaching through the teacher alternative program. His observation analyzed in comparison to teachers who received full college preparation. As a former student Jones- White selected the subject because he represented those who attained their career through the alternative teacher program. Data collection was done in a biographic narrative an interpretive method. The narrative structure style uses singles questions which are effective in collecting valuable raw information from the primary source. The research question focused on the effectiveness of teachers alternative teacher preparation programs. In this case study the factors which were being analyzed were the teacher’s performance and data was collected over a period of seven years. The method used was biographic narrative interpretive which analyzed weakness and strength of the teacher’s performance. The data collected through observations and interviews was analyzed in order to answer the research question. The findings show that regardless of a teacher’s education preparation background the effectiveness in the classroom depends on personal skill set, willing to adapt to the existing culture of the school and continuous professional development. The outcome of analyzing an in-service teacher and alternative teaching programs revealed that all teachers had similar weaknesses. The willingness for the teacher to grow was to acquire and implement new strategies which stimulate effectiveness. The study was limited because it focused only on one teacher from the alternative program. This study is similar to others because it is scientifically based. This research knowledge from this study will be applied to my research objectives.