Type of Document	Dissertation
Author	Stubblefield, Luria Shaw
Author's Email Address	lshaw1@lsu.edu
URN	etd-02112004-132337
Title	Students with a GED in Four-Year Institutions: The Voices of Persisters
Degree	Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
Department	Educational Leadership, Research & Counseling
Advisory Committee	Advisor Name Title Becky Ropers-Huilman Committee Chair Eugene Kennedy Committee Member James Wandersee Committee Member Laura Hensley Committee Member Faik Koray Dean's Representative
Keywords	qualitative research photography persistence academic integration social integration time on task developmental education
Date of Defense	2004-01-22
Availability	unrestricted
Abstract This study examined the persistence of students with a GED in four-year institutions. Qualitative research methods were employed to better understand the experiences of GED recipients relative to their progress towards baccalaureate degrees. The theoretical framework for this study was symbolic interactionism. Data were collected in two phases. After a pilot study, Phase I data collection consisted of two focus group interviews with three participants each from two institutions in Louisiana. For Phase II, 10 GED recipients at each university were engaged in semi-structured, in-depth interviews, photography, photo elicitation interviews, and document analysis of students’records. The data were analyzed using Lincoln and Guba’s (1985) Constant Comparative Method. The themes that evolved from the data were (1) quitting is not an option, (2) I just can’t go back, (3) family influences, (4) faculty influences, (5) age, (6) math anxiety, (7) developmental education, (8) time on task, and (9) spirituality. Comparatively, “I just can’t go back” was only prevalent with most of the African American males. The need to support a family was stated by more female GED recipients than males. The older GED recipients were persisting in college for more idealistic reasons, such as their desire to change the world and make it a better place. Overall, most of the GED recipients were academically integrated into the university setting, with very limited social integration. Yet, the participants of this study provided rich evidence that GED recipients have many diverse experiences that affect their persistence in four-year institutions.
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