Date of Conferral

2021

Degree

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)

School

Education

Advisor

Danette L. Brown

Abstract

Obtaining a health care degree benefits individuals and society; however, 2-year radiologic technology programs in a metropolitan area of the southern United States continue to struggle with student persistence from enrollment to graduation. Exploring student persistence is important to college administrators, faculty, and students because of the predicted growth in the profession of radiologic technology. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore students' perceptions of their experiences at the local college that encouraged them to persist to graduation or quit attending. Deci and Ryan's self-determination theory and Bean and Metzner's nontraditional undergraduate attrition model served as the conceptual framework. Two research questions focused on the experiences of 7 students who did not persist and 7 students who persisted from enrollment to graduation in a 2-year radiologic technology program. Individual participant interviews were conducted. Data analysis involved open and axial coding and application of the NVivo 12 software package. Findings indicated that (a) financial issues, (b) lack of support, (c) student readiness issues, and (d) personal issues were reasons participants did not persist from enrollment to graduation, whereas (a) autonomy, (b) preparedness, (c) connectedness, and (d) self-efficacy were reasons participants persisted from enrollment to graduation. The findings may promote social change by encouraging higher education institutions to provide resources, support, and active learning environments that increase connectedness and contribute to student persistence from enrollment to graduation.

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