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A Holistic Approach to Estimating the Influence of Good Practices on Student Outcomes at Liberal Arts and non-Liberal Arts Institutions
An, Brian P. Parker, Eugene T. Trolian, Teniell L. Weeden, Dustin D.
An, Brian P.
Parker, Eugene T.
Trolian, Teniell L.
Weeden, Dustin D.
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Abstract
Many higher education administrators and researchers have considered certain “good practices” of institutions as an instrumental way to improve student outcomes. Chickering and Gamson’s (1987) seven principles of good practice has been particularly salient in defining these practices. Often, prior studies only select some of the seven principles for their analysis. Even studies that consider several principles of good practice on student outcomes typically examine the net effect of each principle instead of assessing how these principles holistically influence student out-comes. Using structural equation modeling, we test a basic conceptual framework where we in-vestigate the contribution of the seven principles on a global measure of good practices (GP), as well as the influence of GP on a multitude of student outcomes. We further test whether liberal arts colleges promote an institutional ethos of good practices as compared to non-liberal arts col-leges. Overall, the majority (but not all) of the principles affect GP. Moreover, we find partial evidence that liberal arts colleges foster an institutional ethos of good practices. Although a commitment to foster good practices may create a supportive environment that influences student outcomes, this commitment may lead to unintended consequences for those with little exposure to these good practices.
Description
Date
2016
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Publisher
Informing Science Institute
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Keywords
Good practices, Learning outcomes, Student experiences, Liberal arts colleges, Liberal arts education, Wa-bash National Study
Citation
An, B. P., Parker , E. T., Trolian, T. L., & Weeden, D. D. (2016). A holistic approach to estimating the influence
of good practices on student outcomes at liberal arts and non-liberal arts institutions. Journal for the Study of
Postsecondary and Tertiary Education, 1, 153-175. Retrieved from http://www.informingscience.org/Publications/3446