Date Approved
5-31-2024
Embargo Period
6-3-2025
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)
Department
Educational Leadership, Administration, and Research
College
College of Education
Advisor
Monica Reid Kerrigan, Ed.D.
Committee Member 1
Sarah Ferguson, Ph.D.
Committee Member 2
Andrew Tinnin, Ed.D.
Keywords
College Student; Community College; Military Veteran; Qualitative Case Study; Support; Writing Class
Subject(s)
Veterans--Education; Rhetoric--Study and teaching
Disciplines
Community College Leadership | Education | Language and Literacy Education
Abstract
Current literature indicates a disconnect between military veteran students’ experiences in college and what colleges claim they are doing to support these students. How support is manifested in writing classes at a medium-sized community college, as perceived by veteran students themselves, was unknown. This qualitative case study aimed to establish a deeper understanding of the unique needs of these students and how and whether they experienced support in their community college writing classrooms. The findings of this study showed that the participants’ military experiences impacted their perceptions of the college and of their writing classes. While they valued structure, rigor, and the opportunity to share and hear different viewpoints in writing classes, military veteran students did not require specific types of support simply because they were veterans. Instead, these students collectively appreciated supportive measures which made writing classes and coursework more productive and meaningful for them. The results of this study can form a basis for a paradigm shift in how writing instructors think about veteran students and how they design coursework.
Recommended Citation
Beamen, Jacqueline M., "Military Veteran Students’ Perceptions of Support in College Writing Classrooms: A Qualitative Case Study" (2024). Theses and Dissertations. 3228.
https://rdw.rowan.edu/etd/3228
