Motivating Student to Achieve: Findings from Avenue Scholars

Advisor Information

Jeanette Harder

Location

Milo Bail Student Center Ballroom

Presentation Type

Poster

Start Date

8-3-2013 1:00 PM

End Date

8-3-2013 4:00 PM

Abstract

Educators within the nation’s public school systems are seeing an achievement gap not only between the rich and poor, but also between the white and non-white. The Avenue Scholars program provides students of hope and need in the Omaha area with support throughout high school, college, and into the workforce (Avenue Scholars, 2012). Data was collected on 186 students within the first cohort of the Avenue Scholars program to evaluate attendance and GPA goals as well as demographic factors and hope. In the analysis of the Avenue Scholars dataset, a non-experimental midtest survey research design was used to investigate the hypothesis that there is a relationship between race/ethnicity and the scores on the Gallup Hope, Wellness, and Engagement Survey from 2011 and 2012. This is a statistically significant finding at the .05 level showing that students did score differently on the Hope survey based on their race. This and other findings leave implications for future work in motivating students to achieve academically.

Additional Information (Optional)

Winner of Meritorious Graduate Poster Presentation

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Mar 8th, 1:00 PM Mar 8th, 4:00 PM

Motivating Student to Achieve: Findings from Avenue Scholars

Milo Bail Student Center Ballroom

Educators within the nation’s public school systems are seeing an achievement gap not only between the rich and poor, but also between the white and non-white. The Avenue Scholars program provides students of hope and need in the Omaha area with support throughout high school, college, and into the workforce (Avenue Scholars, 2012). Data was collected on 186 students within the first cohort of the Avenue Scholars program to evaluate attendance and GPA goals as well as demographic factors and hope. In the analysis of the Avenue Scholars dataset, a non-experimental midtest survey research design was used to investigate the hypothesis that there is a relationship between race/ethnicity and the scores on the Gallup Hope, Wellness, and Engagement Survey from 2011 and 2012. This is a statistically significant finding at the .05 level showing that students did score differently on the Hope survey based on their race. This and other findings leave implications for future work in motivating students to achieve academically.