Abstract
To provide a snapshot of the skills of community college students as compared to senior college students, this study investigated writing performance and college experience of initial two-year enrolled (community college transfer students, n = 17) versus initial four-year enrolled students (n = 12) in a teacher preparation program. Results of independent samples t-tests on in-class writing, research paper, and final score were non-significant (p =.28, p = .54, p = .15, respectively) indicating that two-year and four-year start teacher candidates did not differ in their performance on these assignments nor overall in the course. Qualitative data indicated that while both two- and four-year start teacher candidates had a positive writing identity during their first two years of college, the personal support that two-year starts had may be what enabled them to succeed and have a positive writing identity once they transferred to a four-year college. Implications regarding how to coordinate supports for transfer student teacher candidates will be discussed, as this is the very population of diverse students needed as PreK-12 teachers.
Highlights
Examining academic preparedness of community college students for transition to 4-year colleges is important in order to best support these students (Bailey & Cho, 2010; Doyle, 2009)
The purpose of the current study was to begin an investigation of the preparedness of students who started their college career at a community college and are teacher candidates at a 4-year college
There are many facets to examining preparedness; the scope of this study focused on a snapshot of teacher education students, their literacy skills, and their ability in one particular education class
Summary
Examining academic preparedness of community college students for transition to 4-year colleges is important in order to best support these students (Bailey & Cho, 2010; Doyle, 2009). Research demonstrating that community college students sometimes experience negative attitudes from professors and staff at 4-year colleges compounds issues of academic preparedness (Eggleston & Laanan, 2001), and students face challenges with curricular alignment and successful transfer of credits from one institution to another (Kopko & Crosta, 2016; Lederman, 2017). This study examined academic performance and experience in a teacher preparation program with literacy heavy certification requirements. This project advocates for preservice teachers who come from underserved populations, a group included in community college populations. Some students start at a 2-year community college and transfer to a 4-year college.
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