Life After Drop-Out: An Examination of Rural, Appalachian, First-Generation Non-Persisters

318 Pages·2014·1.21 MB·English

by  Angela Mccutcheon

Life After Drop-Out:
An Examination of Rural, Appalachian First Generation Non-Persisters

A dissertation presented to
the faculty of
The Patton College of Education of Ohio University

In partial fulfillment
of the requirements for the degree
Doctor of Education

Virginia M. Cottrill
May 2014
© 2014 Virginia M. Cottrill. All Rights Reserved.
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This dissertation titled
Life After Drop-Out:
An Examination of Rural, Appalachian First Generation Non-Persisters

by
VIRGINIA M. COTTRILL

has been approved for
the Department of Educational Studies
and The Patton College of Education by

Peter C. Mather
Associate Professor of Counseling and Higher Education

Renée A. Middleton
Dean, The Patton College of Education
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Abstract
COTTRILL, VIRGINIA M., Ed.D., May, 2014 Educational Administration
Life After Drop:Out An Examination of Rural, Appalachian First Generation Non-
Persisters
Director of Dissertation: Peter C. Mather
High percentages of college students fail to persist in higher education each year
(Attewell & Lavin, 2007; Rosenbaum, Stephan, & Rosenbaum, 2010; Tinto, 2012). Until
recently, the national goal was to make accessible the four year degree for all United
States citizens in order to advance the goal of being the most credentialed society in the
world (Grubb & Lazerson, 2005; Lee, 2012; Leef, 2006). Marginalized populations,
however, sometimes face opposing forces or conflicting priorities when making the
decision to attend and persist in higher education. This study recognizes what other
researchers have determined regarding the lack of college persistence in first-generation
students and seeks to add to that body of knowledge by examining the role of higher
education and its impact on rural, Appalachian working class students who do not
complete their bachelor’s degrees. The findings of this study indicate that for these
participants higher education was not the appropriate path for them after high school and
that there were responsibilities growing out of their culturally-shaped experiences that
first required their attention. The themes in this study indicate that family relationships,
social integration, academic management and financial matters took precedence over
higher education for these participants at that stage in their lives; however, for many of
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the participants, a college education remained a priority and the degree was earned later
in their adult lives.
The unique, cultural characteristics of Appalachian students should be considered
by stakeholders when determining higher education goals and practices. Among the
important considerations should be flexible expectations for the enrollment and
completion of higher education, as well as delivery models that take into account place
boundedness that grows out of Appalachian students’ strong connections to their
communities and families.
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Dedication

This work is dedicated to my family - my husband Ken,
my children, Matthew, Ryan, Christina and Lauren and
the many friends and family who supported my efforts and helped this
first-generation, rural student realize a once far-off dream.
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Acknowledgments
I have relied on the support of several individuals in order to make this voyage
happen for me. I am most grateful to my family, especially to my children who have no
memory of me not working on my “homework” while growing up. Matthew, you have
been my rock and took on responsibilities at home and with your siblings, so I could
work on my studies. Thank you for helping me keep it all together. Ryan, you never
complained about me missing some of your games to work on my studies. Thank you for
your understanding. Christina, your independence and take charge attitude has been such
a benefit to me because I knew I could count on you to chip in at home. Lauren, I have
been in graduate school since you were a baby. Your quiet acceptance of my
responsibilities and support of me when I needed to focus was invaluable.
I am so lucky to have found my husband, Ken, during my doctoral journey. You
took on the monumental responsibility of my four children and I and helped keep me
from being stressed and overwhelmed on this journey. Your quiet strength is an
inspiration to me and the children. Without you, I may have been a drop-out. I cannot
thank you enough. I love you!
Without the help of Joe and Nancy Helm, who took care of my children when I
worked on this project, I would not have been able to succeed. Joe, you inspired me to
continue my education and Nancy, you never refused to care for the children. Thanks for
all of your many ways of assisting me and my family whenever I needed a hand.
To Craig and Aimee Howley who began this journey with me as my advisors
before moving on. Your patience and assistance even when you were out of the country
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on vacation will never be forgotten. Thanks for pushing me farther than I ever expected I
could go.
To my dissertation committee members: Dr. Joni Wadley, Dr. Bruce Martin and
Dr. Bill Larson. I appreciate your willingness to serve on my committee, especially when
it was at the last minute. I am grateful for your understanding, patience and willingness
to assist me whenever I needed and for providing the data I needed.
Dr. Peter Mather, you have had my back several times throughout my journey in
classes and as my new committee chairperson. Your willingness to assist me in the many
twists and turns this process has taken has not gone unnoticed. Because of you, I made it
to the end. Thank you!
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Table of Contents
Page

Abstract ...........................................................................................................................3
Dedication .......................................................................................................................5
Acknowledgments ...........................................................................................................6
Chapter One .................................................................................................................. 13
Rationales for and Realities of College Attendance .................................................... 14
I want to get a good job. ......................................................................................... 16
I want to make a lot of money. ............................................................................... 17
I want to “be” somebody. ....................................................................................... 19
Doubting the Conventional Wisdom .......................................................................... 20
Marginalization ......................................................................................................... 22
Appalachian marginalization. ................................................................................. 23
The Consequences of Non-Persistence ....................................................................... 24
Purpose of the Study and Research Questions ............................................................ 26
Significance of the Study ........................................................................................... 26
Summary ................................................................................................................... 32
Chapter Two .................................................................................................................. 35
Promises of a Brighter Future .................................................................................... 37
Socialization for professions via the undergraduate degree. .................................... 39
Examples of higher education alternatives .............................................................. 44
Higher Education in the United States and the Dilemma of Globalization .................. 49
Credentialism in Action in the United States .............................................................. 52
Confronting the impracticality of credentialism ...................................................... 54
Contexts of Decisions about Attending College ......................................................... 56
Individual contexts ................................................................................................. 57
Rural contexts. ....................................................................................................... 57
First-generation working-class contexts ................................................................. 58
Appalachian contexts ............................................................................................. 59
The Decision to Attend College and Challenges to Consider ...................................... 60
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Social relationships ................................................................................................ 60
The assimilation challenge ..................................................................................... 62
Academic preparedness .......................................................................................... 63
Financial constraints. ............................................................................................. 65
Conclusion ................................................................................................................ 68
Chapter Three ................................................................................................................ 70
Methodology ............................................................................................................. 70
Methods..................................................................................................................... 78
Research design ..................................................................................................... 78
Participants ............................................................................................................ 79
Snowball sampling ............................................................................................. 81
Collecting data through interviews. ........................................................................ 82
The sequence of interviews. ............................................................................... 83
Characteristics of effective interviews. ............................................................... 85
Field notes ............................................................................................................. 89
Reflective journal ................................................................................................... 90
Data Collection and Organization .............................................................................. 90
Recording and transcription of interviews .............................................................. 90
Data Analysis ............................................................................................................ 92
Initial reading of the transcripts .............................................................................. 93
Profiles of participants ........................................................................................... 93
Analytic matrices ................................................................................................... 93
Coding ................................................................................................................... 94
Analysis of outliers ................................................................................................ 95
Reexamining the categories to identify emergent themes. ....................................... 96
Credibility ................................................................................................................. 96
Internal validity ...................................................................................................... 98
External validity................................................................................................... 101
Limitations .............................................................................................................. 103
Delimitations ........................................................................................................... 105
Operational Definitions ............................................................................................ 106
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Chapter Summary .................................................................................................... 107
Chapter Four................................................................................................................ 109
Participant Synopses ................................................................................................ 109
Joey Anderson summary. ..................................................................................... 109
Background. ..................................................................................................... 109
Salient characteristics ....................................................................................... 110
Education ......................................................................................................... 114
Carol Arnold summary ......................................................................................... 118
Background ...................................................................................................... 118
Salient characteristics ....................................................................................... 119
Education. ........................................................................................................ 121
Patty Brown summary .......................................................................................... 130
Background. ..................................................................................................... 130
Salient characteristics ....................................................................................... 132
Education. ........................................................................................................ 133
Kevin Ford Summary ........................................................................................... 140
Background ...................................................................................................... 140
Salient characteristics ....................................................................................... 141
Education. ........................................................................................................ 145
Future plans ..................................................................................................... 148
Shelley Morgan summary. ................................................................................... 149
Background ...................................................................................................... 150
Salient characteristics ....................................................................................... 150
Education ......................................................................................................... 154
Future plans ..................................................................................................... 158
Drew Nardella summary. ..................................................................................... 159
Background ...................................................................................................... 159
Salient characteristics. ...................................................................................... 160
Education ......................................................................................................... 162
Jack Peters summary ............................................................................................ 170
Background ...................................................................................................... 170