Why Students Drop Out Of Classes Of Texas A & M Commerce (Case Study Sample)

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Why Student Drop Out of Classes of Texas A&M Commerce
Introduction
The study analyzes why students drop out of classes of Texas A&M Commerce University and if the implementation of some strategies could help inhibit it. There could be a variety of reasons why a student would opt to drop out of classes either at the beginning of the semester or at the end as it is the observed trend in class dropout cases. Some of these could be personal, affecting the student only while some could be general, implying they would affect several of them at the same time. Lack of adaptability to the environment generalizes the reasons for these dropouts. This is a problem that the institution has to counter in its effort to sustain students. It additionally needs to provide quality education, resulting into the variety of classes it offers in order to diversify a student’s knowledge over various areas of study. Students dropping classes would mean they will have to study it later in their course if the class is mandatory for the particular course. Therefore, a student who drops some classes would stay in the institution for long before finishing their course. The institution is affected too. It would resources to teach some classes only for some students to drop along the way. Moreover, it loses its credibility by offering an option that students take advantage of to shift between classes as much as they wish. Parents and guardians to students would have paid for the student’s fees only for them to drop some classes.
Evidently, this is a problem that affects the stakeholders in the education field. Disintegration of the unfavorable entire learning environment as a cause to these dropouts could be done to know precisely what contributes largely to these cases. A research is done to establish these, which further leads to knowledge on what can be done as the solution to this problem. There has not been earlier study done on the issue despite its prevalence in the institution. Several forms of information gathering are done. These involve visiting the university’s website for relevant information as well as offering questionnaires to 500 students. Some interviews are also done on two students to establish why they had dropped some classes. All the research is done considering ethics as described by Belmont Report, which includes respect to people, beneficence and justice.
Information illiteracy is another problem that is evident in many areas. It originates from lack of its provision as students are being taught in various institutions. This results to employers having to take the fresh from college people through a plan that trains them for the job concerned. It is a problem that concerns students, teachers and the public. Information is gained from these people through various means, where questionnaires are used for data collection from students, the internet used for the public and interviews for teachers and lecturers. This research would establish the prevalence levels of information illiteracy in the institution as well as shed light on the ways through which this could be solved.
Location/Setting
Texas A&M Commerce provides an incredibly reliable website. It gives details of all the activities and facilities offered by the institution. The homepage is has several pictures that show students in classrooms, social places, sporting, graduating, and the technically advanced teaching techniques used in the institution. A variety of options are given on which details concerning a specific area can be availed. The options involve academics, admissions, athletics, student life, resources and research. These offer particular details that would be used to determine the causes of dropouts in schools. A variety of reasons could be presumed compromising of unfavorable student association subjected by the institution, lack of sufficient funds to cater for self needs, inappropriate learning methods and low quality education (Texas A&M University Commerce 2012).
The ‘about’ section gives the description of the institution. This involves location, various campuses that the university has, functions and information from various senior offices in the organization, the mission statement and events calendar. The academics link leads to various departments that include business and entrepreneurship, education and human services, humanities, social sciences and arts, science, engineering and agriculture and graduate school. Each of these has programs under them that specify the certain course. The graduate school program offers graduate studies, graduate admissions, request information and apply online as the subcategories. These are aimed at enhancing the relationship between students and administration at large by offering online services that would relief the need to go to the institution for the services. The admissions program gives the fees charged for various courses, financial aid and scholarships and an undergraduate admissions link that offers orientation for new students and an online catalogue. Athletics option displays various sporting activities in the institution, community engagement, facilities and sporting calendar. Student life gives details on dining services, residential living and learning area, room and board rates, campus social facilities and campus recreation programs. Resources offer information on career development, student services and resources, children’s learning centers, academic assistance and programs that incorporates international studies, online courses and faculty web pages, course registration and payment, and the libraries the student could access. Research at A&M-Commerce gives the website visitor an option to view various provisions for research offered by the institution. It is evident that the website is comprehensive on the information it offers its visitors. This information is relevant in analyzing the focus of study (Texas A&M University Commerce 2012).
Besides realizing students’ behaviors, the website is essential in reaching the students through interactive options offered. Moreover, lecturers can easily be reached. They would give their perspective on the observation, and suggest some remedies they would deem right. Moreover, students’ database can be availed in an effort to contact some who have dropped courses so that they give their reasons as to why they did it, shedding more light on the issue. The option to drop classes is obviously provided for by the institution, without which students would have to continue with a class till the end of a semester once they have picked on it (Texas A&M University Commerce 2012).
Ethical Concerns
The Belmont Report played an extremely significant role in the research. Its goal was to deliver a framework that would facilitate resolution of ethical hiccups arising from research involving people. The framework involves boundaries between research and practice, fundamental ethical principles and applications. There are three basic principles that underlie research are respect for other people, justice and beneficence. All these were considered in data collection to avoid uneasiness in response that could result in wrong information being given as well as invoking feelings that would affect the person’s thoughts (Sims, 173-174).
Respect to other people incorporation in the research involved two ethical assumptions. The first included people’s desire to be treated as autonomous individuals. Each is expected to make their own decisions regarding various issues. They were presumed to be judgmental and have the capacity to determine things on their own. Respect was accorded by having each person’s choices and views heard and considered equitably. Contrary, lack of respect could have been shown by withholding information or denying individuals freedom to make informed decisions. Secondly, it was presumed that not every person has willpower. The ability to self inspiration develops over a person’s life. Some people having diminishing capacity to self determination were considered. This could have been as a result of mental disabilities, physical illness, or conditions such as being in the military or prison that would restrict personal freedom.
Beneficence, which is the practice of doing good actions by making efforts to improve a person’s wellbeing, was also considered in data extraction. In order that this could be realized, what can harm the individuals concerned was first established. This would help the research in avoiding that and focusing using a friendly language on the things that would make the respondents cooperative. The research itself was aiming at benefiting the society through various ways, and so it was perceived positive by the society. It is common in research to occur ethical dilemma in making decisions on what is appropriate to pursue to a certain degree. Some risky subjects could be foregone despite the gains that could result from them due to their unethical nature (Sims, 173-174).
Justice, which is the third fundamental principle as described in The Belmont Report, was also considered. It requires that an individual be treated equitably and fairly. There is similar distribution of both benefits and burdens. Injustice occurs when someone is denied personal benefits that they are entitled to, or when excessive burdens are imposed on them. Clinical research requires being mindful of classes of people incorporating indigent, ethnic groups or institutions that could be available, independent or easy to manipulate. The classes are basically recognized as vulnerable populations. They require protection as human subject activities, which include informed consent, analysis of risks and gains, and a range of research subje...