Dissertation Abstract

An Assessment of Associate Degree Radiography Programs in Virginia: Comparison Between Traditional and Nontraditional Students

The increase of non-traditional students in higher education has been a topic of discussion and examination for over a decade. This study compared the non-traditional student with the traditional student in radiography programs in Virginia's community colleges.

The purpose of this study was to determine if differences exist between traditional and non-traditional student performance in a structured radiography program. The study hypothesized that there were no differences in academic performance, national board examination scores, and program completion. Focus-group interviews examined themes related to success factors. t-Test analysis indicated significant differences in academic success between traditional and non-traditional learners. Non-traditional learners experienced greater success. Chi-square analysis did not show a significant difference between the traditional and non-traditional students in graduation rate and scores on the American Registry of Radiologic Technologist (ARRT) national examination. Findings in this study could serve as a baseline for further study regarding non-traditional and traditional student success in radiography programs.

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