i THE AUTONOMOUS JOURNEY: A PHENOMENOLOGICAL STUDY OF THE LIVED ...

280 Pages·2015·1.54 MB·English

by  Joshua Miller

THE AUTONOMOUS JOURNEY: A PHENOMENOLOGICAL STUDY OF THE LIVED
EXPERIENCES OF FIRST GENERATION COLLEGE STUDENTS WHO PERSIST

A DISSERTATION

SUBMITTED TO THE GRADUATE SCHOOL

IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS

FOR THE DEGREE

DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY

BY

JOSHUA MILLER

DR. JOHN AMBROSIO - ADVISOR

BALL STATE UNIVERSITY

MUNCIE, INDIANA

July 2015
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THE AUTONOMOUS JOURNEY: A PHENOMENOLOGICAL STUDY OF THE LIVED
EXPERIENCES OF FIRST GENERATION COLLEGE STUDENTS WHO PERSIST
A DISSERTATION

SUBMITTED TO THE GRADUATE SCHOOL

IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS

FOR THE DEGREE

DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY

BY

JOSHUA MILLER

DISSERTATION ADVISOR: DR. JOHN AMBROSIO

APPROVED BY:

________________________________________ ____________________
Dr. John Ambrosio, Chairperson Date

________________________________________ ____________________
Dr. Nancy Brooks, Member Date

________________________________________ ____________________
Dr. Jon Clausen, Member Date

________________________________________ ____________________
Dr. Tom McConnell, Member Date

________________________________________ ____________________
Dr. Robert Morris, Dean of Graduate School Date

BALL STATE UNIVERSITY
MUNCIE, INDIANA
JULY 2015
ii
Copyright © Joshua L. Miller 2015

All Rights Reserved

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Dedication

I dedicate this dissertation to my best friend and wife, Heather. Your support and
inspiration throughout this long journey have allowed me to complete this meaningful project.
Your unyielding support, patience, and encouragement provided me with the motivation that I
needed to become the person I am today. You have been the light in the darkness, the warmth in
the winter, and the sunflower of my life. I can only hope to have many years left upon the earth
in which to repay your support of my dreams and your never-ending strength. Proverbs tells us
that an excellent wife is more precious than jewels, and to that I say amen. You are a precious
gift and I hope to honor you in all that I do. To you, I shall remain eternally grateful.

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Acknowledgements

The journey of writing a dissertation may include countless hours of isolation, but it is
never undertaken alone. To that end, I wish to acknowledge those who shared in my journey.
First, I wish to thank my loving wife for her countless sacrifices, as she indulged my
desire to pursue a Ph.D. Your confidence and limitless support of my dreams are the staples that
saw me through the more difficult times. Words are simply unable to capture and communicate
my gratitude for your willingness to share in my journey. You have fueled my desire to become
an agent of educational change and to give back to those who are unable to follow their dreams.
To Dr. John Ambrosio, my committee chair and mentor, I acknowledge the countless
hours of your sacrifice in reading, reviewing, guiding, and provoking me to greater
accomplishment. You have profoundly influenced the person that I have become, and I am
grateful. Thank you for teaching me to think more critically and to evaluate the educational
foundations on which our society rests. Your confidence and trust in me, as well as your
willingness to put my needs first have shaped the manor in which I will engage my students for
years to come. I thank you for more than can be contained in this section.
For my committee members, Dr. Nancy Brooks, Dr. Jon Clausen, Dr. Tom McConnell, it
is impossible to express my gratitude for your commitment and support throughout the
dissertation process. Your willingness to guide and support my aspirations reveals your service
and commitment to the development of your students. I deeply appreciate and value your skills
and insight that have helped to shape this study.
To Austin and Jewel, although you are no longer with us, I acknowledge that this
dissertation would not have been possible without your unconditional loyalty and support.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title Page.............................................................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
Approval Page .................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Dedication .................................................................................................................................................. v
Acknowledgements .................................................................................................................................. vi
Abstract ................................................................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
TABLE OF CONTENTS ........................................................................................................................ v
Chapter One: Introduction ................................................................................................................... 1
Problem and Context ......................................................................................................................................... 1
Purpose of the Study .......................................................................................................................................... 7
Research Questions ............................................................................................................................................ 8
Theoretical Framework ..................................................................................................................................... 9
Methodology ...................................................................................................................................................... 10
Definition of Relevant Terms ........................................................................................................................ 11
Significance ........................................................................................................................................................ 13
Scope of the Study ............................................................................................................................................ 18
Assumptions ................................................................................................................................................................... 18
Delimitations .................................................................................................................................................................. 18
Limitations ...................................................................................................................................................................... 19
Organization of the Study .............................................................................................................................. 21
Chapter Two: Review of the Literature ........................................................................................... 24
Academic Attrition .......................................................................................................................................... 30
Cost of Academic Attrition to the Nation ............................................................................................................. 32
Cost of Academic Attrition to the Institution ....................................................................................................... 33
Cost of Academic Attrition to the Individual ....................................................................................................... 34
Autonomy and Academic Success ................................................................................................................ 37
Visions of Autonomy ....................................................................................................................................... 38
Defining Autonomy ..................................................................................................................................................... 40
Autonomy within Democracy ................................................................................................................................... 43
A Critique of Personal Autonomy ........................................................................................................................................... 50
Autonomy Through Education ................................................................................................................................. 52
First Generation Students .............................................................................................................................. 60
First Generation Demographics ................................................................................................................................ 64
Barriers to Education ................................................................................................................................................... 67
Social and Cultural Capital ........................................................................................................................................ 68
Autonomy in Education .................................................................................................................................. 72
Learner Autonomy ........................................................................................................................................................ 73
Learner Autonomy in Higher Education ............................................................................................................................... 76
Establishing Autonomy ............................................................................................................................................... 78
Consequences of Students who Lack Autonomy ................................................................................................ 84
Academic Persistence in Higher Education ............................................................................................... 86
Theories of Student Persistence ............................................................................................................................... 87
Tinto’s Model of Institutional Departure .............................................................................................................................. 89
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Transition into Higher Education ............................................................................................................................. 95
Chapter Summary ........................................................................................................................................... 98
Chapter Three: Methodology .......................................................................................................... 102
Research Paradigm ....................................................................................................................................... 102
Research Strategy: Phenomenology .......................................................................................................... 104
Proposed Research Design ........................................................................................................................... 109
Proposed Study Location ......................................................................................................................................... 109
Proposed Participants ............................................................................................................................................... 110
Participant Selection ................................................................................................................................................. 111
Method for Data Collection ......................................................................................................................... 112
Data Stream – In-Depth Interviews ...................................................................................................................... 114
Interview Questions .................................................................................................................................................. 115
Interview Process ....................................................................................................................................................... 116
Data Analysis .................................................................................................................................................. 118
Holistic Reading of the Entire Text ..................................................................................................................... 119
First Line-by-Line Reading .................................................................................................................................... 119
Follow-Up Questions ................................................................................................................................................ 120
Second Line-by-Line Reading ............................................................................................................................... 120
Third Line-by-Line Reading .................................................................................................................................. 120
Subsequent Readings ................................................................................................................................................ 121
Qualitative Data Analysis Software ..................................................................................................................... 121
Quality Criteria .............................................................................................................................................. 122
Trustworthiness .......................................................................................................................................................... 122
Truth Value .................................................................................................................................................................. 124
Applicability ................................................................................................................................................................ 124
Consistency .................................................................................................................................................................. 125
Neutrality ...................................................................................................................................................................... 125
Role of the Researcher and Qualifications .............................................................................................. 126
Ethical Considerations .................................................................................................................................. 127
Timeline ............................................................................................................................................................ 128
Chapter Four: Findings .................................................................................................................... 129
LIVED EXPERIENCES OF FIRST GENERATION COLLEGE STUDENTS WHO
PERSIST .............................................................................................................................................. 129
Purpose ............................................................................................................................................................. 130
Research Questions ....................................................................................................................................... 130
Introduction to the Participants ................................................................................................................. 131
Anita ............................................................................................................................................................................... 133
Brianna .......................................................................................................................................................................... 133
Carline ........................................................................................................................................................................... 134
Erik ................................................................................................................................................................................. 134
James .............................................................................................................................................................................. 134
Martin ............................................................................................................................................................................ 135
Miranda ......................................................................................................................................................................... 135
The Interview Process ................................................................................................................................... 136
Phenomenological Reduction ...................................................................................................................... 139
Steps of Analysis ............................................................................................................................................. 142
The Emergence of Themes ........................................................................................................................... 146
A Sense of Purpose ................................................................................................................................................... 147
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Self-Reflection ............................................................................................................................................................ 151
Internal Locus of Control ........................................................................................................................................ 156
Resisting Conformity ................................................................................................................................................ 161
Perseverance ................................................................................................................................................................ 165
Uniqueness of Being First Generation ................................................................................................................ 171
The Phenomenological Structure of Autonomy ..................................................................................... 175
Participant Response Throughout the Study ..................................................................................................... 176
Chapter Five: Summary and Discussion ...................................................................................... 180
Study Summary .............................................................................................................................................. 180
Interpretation.................................................................................................................................................. 183
Relevance to the Literature Review........................................................................................................... 200
Implications ..................................................................................................................................................... 211
Strengths and Limitations ........................................................................................................................... 214
Suggestions for Future Research ............................................................................................................... 217
Concluding Remarks..................................................................................................................................... 220
References ............................................................................................................................................ 225
APPENDICES ..................................................................................................................................... 266
Appendix A: Participant Request ................................................................................................................. 267
Appendix B: Informed Consent Form ......................................................................................................... 268
Appendix C: Participant Semi-structured Interview Protocol .................................................................. 271

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Chapter One: Introduction

Problem and Context

With the expanding rhetoric of politicians and business leaders advocating the need to
increase the number of college graduates in the United States (Casey, 2011; Martinez, 2011;
Schneider, 2010), more must be done to address the scourge of student attrition (Rosenbaum,
2007). Year after year eager students flock to institutions of higher learning in ever-increasing
numbers (U.S. Department of Education, NCES, 2013), as dropout rates continue their unabated
and voracious feeding upon the would be scholars. According to the U.S. Department of
Education, National Center for Education Statistics (2014) less than 59% of first time, full-time
public college and university students graduate within six years. These statistics indicate that
41% of first time, full-time students will most likely fail to achieve their desire for a college
degree. However, this is simply the beginning of their sorrows. Astonishing, as it may be, the
completion rate of first time, full-time students enrolled in a public institution is a meager 31%
within the traditionally allotted timeframe of four years (US Department of Education, National
Center for Education Statistics, IPED, 2014). With such alarming statistics, student attrition
within the world of higher education deserves further exploration.
While the literature is replete with theories of persistence and retention (Braxton, 2008)
that include fostering an understanding of the periods of transition (Barefoot, 2008) or
emphasizing student incorporation (Tinto, 1975, 1986, & 1993), such theories do not address the
autonomous actions and attitudes of students as they experience postsecondary life. There
remains adequate room to explore other possible factors related to persistence and degree
attainment that integrate the manner in which students direct his or her personal experiences as
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well as the motivations that drive the action or inaction of the individual. The possible influence
connecting the attitude and the ability to self-direct (Dworkin, 1988), throughout the college
experience remains underexplored (Buvoltz, Powell, Solan, & Longbotham, 2008; Crede, &
Niehorster, 2012) and may be useful to bolstering student persistence.
Autonomy is a social construct that remains difficult to define, yet elucidates
characteristics aspired to by most members of society (McAvoy, 2013; Schneewind, 2005).
These characteristics often overlap with the language used to describe qualities of a successful
student, which include one who exercises creativity, authenticity, and originality (Clifford, 2007;
Pintrich & DeGroot, 1990; Ryan & Deci, 1987). Of further significance beyond the academic
experience, when considering the qualifications of a fully participating member of the modern
democratic society, these very characteristics remain essential to its continuance (Heyneman,
2003; Thorpe, 2010). Therefore, one can speculate that serving the needs of the individual
student in his or her quest of attaining a college degree, by fostering autonomous attributes, also
serves the needs of society beyond the collegiate experience.
Plato (trans. 1935) understood the correlation between serving the interests of the
individual as well as society in the ability to comprehend one’s capacity to achieve his or her
fullest potential through education. This perception is echoed through the exploration of such
educational and philosophical scholars as Bruner (1996), Eisner (1985), Rawls (1999) and Raz
(1986) all who emphasized a connection between achieving one’s potential and contributing to
the furtherance of a democratic society. Taylor (2005) advances the idea that autonomy
“celebrates creative self-authorship and encourages the development of those virtues…integrity
and authenticity” (p. 602), which serve the needs of both the individual in his or her pursuit of
education and society in its need for active citizenship. It has been argued that in order to
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