Likert Scale Survey Questions for the Study on Low Student Graduation Rates at Glendale

LIKERT SCALE SURVEY QUESTIONS 1

Low Graduation Rates at Glendale Community College: Likert Scale Survey Questions

Central Research Question

How can the problem of low graduation rates among black (non-Hispanic) students at Glendale Community College be addressed?

Likert Scale Survey Questions

The survey will require students to indicate their level of agreement or disagreement with a set of statements.

1. Glendale Community College offers adequate institutional support in terms of mentorship programs, career progression, and financial aid to help students complete their courses on time

Strongly Agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly Disagree

This question seeks to assess the overall effectiveness and relevance of the on-campus institutional programs available to students to help them navigate challenges and complete their courses on time. Studies have shown that students are more likely to persist and graduate on time if they have access to campus resources such as financial aid, effective customer service, on-campus disability services, mentoring services, and career progression support (Haverila et al., 2020). According to Haverila et al. (2020), such services and interventions provide room for students to interact with others with similar interests and goals, to feel comfortable, and to engage in knowledge-sharing on how to achieve personal goals. Ultimately, such programs help enhance students’ overall wellbeing, making them more likely to persist in college (Haverila et al., 2020).

The question plays a two-fold role: to determine whether such programs exist at Glendale in the first place and how effective and relevant the students perceive them to be. Higher scores (4 and 5 on the Likert scale) indicate that the students perceive the available support programs to be effective in enhancing students’ well-being and fostering retention. Lower scores, on the other hand, could be an indicator that such programs are either non-existent or ineffective in realizing their intended objectives. The insights obtained from participants’ responses will show whether there is a gap in the available institutional support programs at Glendale, and hence a need for policy improvements.

2. Faculty members at Glendale are accessible and supportive as student mentors

Strongly Agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly Disagree

Studies have shown a positive association between faculty-student interactions and student retention, particularly among African-American students. According to Kennedy and Wilson-Jones (2019), such interactions foster students’ motivation to excel, which, in turn, increases their engagement in academic activities. Increased engagement in academic activities increases the likelihood of completing one’s course on time. Further, when faculty members serve as mentors for students, they help in developing the students’ self-confidence by offering encouragement, thus influencing their perspectives about the organizational culture. Frequent and effective faculty-student interactions also provide room for faculty members to mentor students towards realizing their personal goals, which helps enhance their sense of belonging (Kennedy & Wilson-Jones, 2019).

The statement seeks to obtain information from students on the frequency and effectiveness of formal and informal faculty-student interactions at the institution. Higher scores indicate that respondents perceive the faculty members to be supportive and accessible whenever students require mentorship or guidance. Lower scores, on the other hand, will indicate that faculty members are inaccessible and hence, not supportive as student mentors. Lower scores will indicate a need to put in place new measures to enhance interactions among faculty members and students.

3. It is important to make extracurricular activities an integral part of campus life for all students at Glendale College

Strongly Agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly Disagree

Studies have found extracurricular activities to be a significant source of motivation and persistence for college students (Buckley & Lee, 2021). According to Buckley and Lee (2021), students’ persistence in college depends on how rewarding they perceive the institution’s academic and social systems to be. Involvement in extracurricular activities such as societies, fraternities, and clubs help students develop and foster new peer relations, explore new interests, and develop a range of crucial skills including leadership and interpersonal skills (Buckley & Lee, 2021). These help to create a sense of belonging, particularly for minority students, allowing them to bond and connect with the institution and its culture (Buckley & Lee, 2021). According to the research findings, involvement in extracurricular activities fosters positive student experiences. Thus, students who participate in extracurricular activities are less likely to drop out of college or change the institution out of dissatisfaction (Buckley & Lee, 2021).