Transfer Student Engagement: In Search of a Model Predictive of High GPA

Abstract

Engagement variables from the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) were explored to determine the relationship between engagement constructs of undergraduate transfer students and high cumulative GPA. The design was a sequential, stepwise, linear, regression emanating from an Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA). Four constructs labeled (a) Academic Dialoguing, (b) Examining Perspectives, (c) Collaborative Learning, and (d) Diverse Student Conversations emerged. A linear regression analysis conducted on the constructs, against cumulative GPA determined no statistically significant findings. However, a second regression analysis conducted on the19 item-levels of the four constructs determined two items to be statistically significant.