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SKILL, WILL, AND SELF-REGULATION: ASSESSING THE LEARNING AND STUDY STRATEGIES OF UNIVERSITY SUMMER BRIDGE PROGRAM STUDENTS A Dissertation Submitted to the Temple University Graduate Board In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY by Gerardine Jean-Louis December 2014 Examining Committee Members: Dr. Joseph DuCette, Advisory Chair, Department of Psychological, Organizational and Leadership Studies Dr. Catherine Schifter, Department of Psychological, Organizational and Leadership Studies Dr. Frank Farley, Department of Psychological, Organizational and Leadership Studies Dr.

Gerald Stahler, External Member, Department of Geography and Urban Studies Dr. Doug Lombardi, External Member, Department of Teaching and Learning © Copyright 2014 by Gerardine Jean-Louis All Rights Reserved ii ABSTRACT Colleges and universities face a critical challenge in addressing the educational needs of their academically underprepared students. With college dropout rates increasingly rising, post-secondary institutions must ensure that these students have both the knowledge and the skills necessary to succeed in higher education and beyond. The aim of this study was to investigate the learning and study strategies and skills of students participating in a university summer bridge program (SBP), which is a 6-week, high- school-to-college transition program for academically underprepared, at-risk, first-year students (as defined by the university).

The relationships between SBP students’ learning and study strategies and two measures of college achievement (first-year GPA and first- to-second-year persistence) were investigated using a two-phase, mixed-methods explanatory design. In Phase 1 of the study, the Learning and Study Strategies Inventory (LASSI) profiles of SBP students (N = 266) were examined. The LASSI, an 80-item, self-report questionnaire, is used to assess students’ knowledge and use of various cognitive, motivational, and self-regulatory strategies that contribute to strategic learning. In Phase 2 of the study, semi-structured interviews were conducted to follow-up with purposefully selected SBP students (n = 4) during their sophomore year at the university.

Results of the study found that selecting main ideas and test strategies (LASSI) scales were significant predictors of first-year college GPA. Motivation, as assessed by the LASSI, was a significant predictor of first-to-second-year college persistence. Interviews conducted in Phase 2 of the study expand on these findings. Implications for educational policy and practice are highlighted.

iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS First and foremost, I give all the glory, honor, and thanks to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. The blessings and privileges that He has bestowed upon me are immeasurable. Without Him, none of my accomplishments could have been possible. Lord, you are my provider, my source of strength, my problem solver, my guide, my joy, my everything.

Your grace, goodness, and faithfulness truly endure. Next, I would like to thank my family and friends for their steady prayers and words of encouragement throughout my educational journey. To my parents, Gerard and Josette Jean-Louis, thank you for your unwavering love and support over the years. I am eternally grateful for the sacrifices you have both made to ensure that we, your children, achieved our dreams.

I love you both dearly. To my siblings, Jerry, Naomie, and Cathiana, thank you for all of the calls, messages, and loving hugs of support and encouragement. To Naomie especially, I couldn’t have done this without you! To my grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, the Maranatha Baptist Church family, and close friends, distance did not keep you from checking in with me periodically—sending love and raising up prayers on my behalf from your various locations. There are not enough words to express how much I love and appreciate you all.

The completion of my graduate studies may not have been possible without the guidance and support of my advisor, Dr. I am very grateful for all you have done for me over the years. Throughout the dissertation process, in particular, you served as an advisor, mentor, editor, proofreader, research supervisor, friend, and more— truly going above and beyond the call of duty. If I have not said it enough, I thank you.

iv To the other members of my advisory committee, Dr. Catherine Schifter and Dr. Frank Farley, I appreciate how readily you both agreed to join my committee and offer your feedback and guidance. Catherine, I thank you for your constant support and the genuine kindness you’ve shown me over the years.

Frank, what can I say? I love your passion and enthusiasm for psychology. Being a part of your research team was truly a great experience. On behalf of your team, I hope we’ve made you proud. To my external committee members, Drs.

Gerald Stahler and Doug Lombardi, thank you both for all of your guidance and support throughout the dissertation process. Gerald, I sincerely appreciate your willingness to serve on my committee and chair the oral defense. You’ve helped me close a major chapter in my life and for that I will always be grateful. Doug, I thank you not only for your help with this dissertation but also for granting me the opportunity to work as your research assistant these past 2 years.

I learned a great deal from the time that I spent with you. You’ve been a great mentor and a great friend. I wish you all the best life has to offer. I would also like to express my gratitude to a few current and former Temple students who helped me get through this graduate school experience.

Many of you paved the way and provided me with a clear roadmap to follow. Specifically to Drs. Tressa Aulenbach, Heather Jennings, Jaclyn Galbally, and Diana Wildermuth, I thank you for your friendship throughout my years at Temple. Our in-school research team meetings and out-of-school chats through Skype, Facebook, phone calls, and text messages have meant more to me than you will ever know.

To Diana especially, I thank you for keeping me motivated and on track these past few months. It was comforting to know that I had a traveling companion with me on this journey until the very end. I sincerely thank you. v To the director of the learning center referred to in the study, Mr.

Michael Stokes, and supporting staff, especially Ms. Felicia Woods, I sincerely appreciate all of your help with this research endeavor. To the summer bridge program students who donated their time to participate in this research study, I thank you. I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge the staff at Temple University’s office of Institutional Research and Assessment (IRA; formerly known as the Measurement and Research Center [MARC]).

To the staff at IRA/MARC (present and former), Sally, David, Kelly, John, Edwin, Sharon, Kim, Dorothy, Joanne, Janice, Francis, Justin, Amy, Saroya, Tolu, Victoria, Jaime, Nickala, and Monalisa, I will forever be indebted to you all, whom I now call my Temple family. The graduate externship that I was fortunate enough to obtain at IRA/MARC helped me grow both professionally and personally. My stay at Temple would not have been the same without all of you. A special thank you to Dana Kerr for your willingness to go above and beyond to help me stay calm during my most recent “panic moments.” Congratulations to you, fellow Temple graduate! Last but most certainly not least, I would like to thank Golbert Philippe for your daily words of encouragement.

You helped me to remain calm and have patience during moments when my frustrations were most high. You would not allow me to quit. You always believed that I could do this, even during the times when I truly did not believe it myself. You are my greatest supporter.

I could not have achieved this monumental goal without you. Thanks for everything, Chéri. vi I dedicate this dissertation to those whose prayers carried me through this challenging but rewarding educational journey. To all those who have goals and dreams that seem bigger than life itself, I leave you with the following Bible verses.

May the power behind these words give you the courage and strength needed to pursue all your dreams. Go ahead, dream big! “I can do all things through Christ, which strengtheneth me.” (Philippians 4:13, King James Version [KJV]) “ What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.

Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:31-39, KJV) vii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ABSTRACT. vii LIST OF TABLES. xiv LIST OF FIGURES .1 Background of the Problem .4 Destination: Postsecondary Degree Attainment .4 Academic Preparation for College: Roadmap to Success.6 Remedial Education: Detour or Dead End?.8 Significance of the Problem.9 Summer Bridge Programs: Survival Kit for the Underprepared .10 Present Study: The Road Ahead .13 Model of Strategic Learning (Brief Overview of Conceptual Framework).16 Purpose and Significance of the Study .19 Definitions of Key Terms .23 Learning Strategies and Achievement-Related Outcomes .24 Learning Strategies Defined .26 Types of Knowledge Needed for Effective/Strategic Learning.28 Characteristics of Strategic Learners .31 Model of Strategic Learning .36 Self-Regulation Component.50 Strategic Learning: Interaction of Skill, Will, Self-Regulation, and Academic Environment.51 Courses in Strategic Learning (Learning-to-Learn Courses).51 A Call for Further Research.53 Learning and Study Strategies Inventory, 2nd Edition (LASSI) .53 Skill Component Scales .56 Will Component Scales.56 Self-Regulation Component Scales .57 Learning Strategy Use Across Different Populations.59 ix Research Questions.59 Research Design: Mixed Methods .60 Phase 1: Quantitative Phase .63 Description of Individual LASSI Scales.66 Selecting main ideas .69 Psychometric Properties of the LASSI .72 Confidentiality and Anonymity .76 Phase 2: Qualitative Phase .78 Recruitment, Sample, and Data Collection.80 Qualitative Data Analysis .82 Categorical demographic variables.82 Continuous demographic variables.88 Continuous independent variables .92 Relationships Among Demographic Variables.92 Relationships Among Independent Variables.94 Relationships Among Independent Variables and Demographic Variables .96 Relationships Among Dependent Variables and Demographic Variables .103 Relationships Among Independent Variables and Dependent Variables.107 xi Primary Analysis.113 Coding and Organization of Relevant Findings.114 Academic Environment Theme .121 Self-Regulation Theme .122 Skill, Will, Self-Regulation, and Academic Environment.129 Research Question 1: Demographics .129 Research Question 2: Strengths and Challenges .132 Diagnostic Component: Group Strengths and Challenges as Assessed by the LASSI .133 Diagnostic Component: Strengths and Challenges in Comparison to Norm Population .137 Prescriptive Component: Suggested Tools for Improvement .140 Relationships Among DVs (Major Findings) .140 Relationships Among IVs (Major Findings).141 xii Relationships Among IVs and Demographic Variables (Major Findings) .142 Relationships Among DVs and Demographic Variables (Major Findings) .142 Relationships Among IVs and DVs (Major Findings) .145 Research Question 3: Predicting Achievement (Undergraduate GPA) .145 Research Question 4: Predicting Achievement (Persistence).149 Implications for Practice.

NEW STUDENT QUESTIONNAIRE (SELCECTED ITEMS). INTERVIEW PROTOCOL AND QUESTIONS. APPROVAL FOR RESEARCH LETTER. IRB APPROVED CONSENT FORMS.192 xiii LIST OF TABLES Table Page 2.1 Brief Descriptions of the Primary Components of Strategic Learning and Related LASSI Subscales.1 LASSI Scale Statistics .2 Variables in the Study.1 Frequencies and Percentages for Demographic Categorical Variables .2 Means and Standard Deviations for Continuous Demographic Variables of SBP Students .3 Minimum, Maximum, Means, and Standard Deviations for Continuous Independent Variables .4 Percentage of SBP Students Who Scored Below the 50th Percentile on Each LASSI Scale.6 Means and Standard Deviations for 10 LASSI Subscale Scores by Gender .