University Preparation Programs Research Articles

Appalachian High Schoolers’ Sense of Belonging in a Residential College Preparatory Program

Abstract The importance of a strong sense of belonging at school for academic engagement and performance, particularly for marginalized students, has been robustly demonstrated. However, researchers have not yet thoroughly explored its influence on Appalachian youth. As with other marginalized groups, Appalachian students may have difficulty feeling as though they belong when entering highly selective academic environments. This study investigates factors that Appalachian high schoolers identify as influencing their sense of belonging in a selective residential college preparatory program located outside of Appalachia. Employing a two-stage qualitative coding process involving analysis of open-ended survey responses and in-depth interviews with thirteen Appalachian high schoolers, we identified seven factors important to students’ sense of belonging: mental health experiences, student motivation, social identity, location of origin, interpersonal-level social context, academic culture, and school-level social context. Within these seven themes, two factors emerged that have not been linked to sense of belonging in prior literature: geographic identity (i.e., a feeling of connection to the place in which one lives) and academic achievement. The findings of this work contribute to a fuller understanding of the psychological processes affecting Appalachian students’ sense of belonging and better ensure their educational success in highly selective learning environments.

The College-Going Experiences of Mexican American Participants Who Graduated from a College Preparatory Program

Despite educational levels improving in the Latinx community overall, Latinx adults continue to fall behind other racial and ethnic groups. The increases in educational attainment we have seen fall along gender lines, with Latinas graduating from college at a higher rate than Latinos. Despite these disparities, there is still a lack of knowledge about the intersectional education journey of Latinx students. This phenomenological study explores the gendered experiences of first-generation, documented, higher education students of Mexican origin who participated in a college preparatory program created for Latinx students and families. Utilizing the theory of community cultural wealth, students’ strengths are highlighted to demonstrate how their skills apply to higher education experiences. Findings indicate that long-term, holistic, mentoring from trusted adults was key to bolstering the educational success of students. The gendered analysis suggests Latinas may have increased opportunities to engage in on-campus programming than Latinos.

Implementation of Rtl as a Part of Multi-tiered Systems of Support: What Teachers, Administrators,Teacher Educators Need to Know

Multi-tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) is an outgrowth of Response to Intervention (RtI). The various systems of support for students and school communities provided through these programs are integral to modern education and embedded in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEIA) of 2004. While there are many benefits to the implementation of MTSS and RtI, there are various obstacles that can hinder successful intervention programs. The absence of consensus across districts and states with respect to program development and implementation creates confusion. This article addresses considerations and concerns related to MTSS and RtI. Discussed are underlying principles, challenges to effective implementation, expertise and training of teachers, and usage for classification for special education services. The roles of general and special education teachers, administrators, and university preparation programs are examined, and recommendation providec

Socializing Latinx college-going youth to (White) Neutral Rationality: Liberal teaching practices and right-wing racisms

The mythology of liberal anti/racism endures in U.S. mainstream educational discourse as the rational approach to address white supremacy, with college-going positioned as the pathway to a better life. Liberal logics suppose that once racialized peoples enter positions of power, society will improve. Drawing upon pláticas and interviews from an ethnographic study of a college preparation program for Latinx youth at a public high school in the liberal, racially diverse San Francisco Bay Area, this work examines how liberal teaching practices shaped Mexican-origin youths’ responses to right-wing terror. Instead of preparing youth to dismantle white supremacy, these practices undermined youths’ readings of their sociopolitical worlds. Engaging language socialization approaches, this work argues that liberal teaching practices socialized college-going youth to (white) neutral rationality, wherein accommodating white supremacy signals rationality and college readiness. This research illustrates why college-going can be no more than one tactic towards collective wellbeing for racialized people.

Adult Refugees and Asylum Seekers in University Preparation Programs: Competing Identities and Multiple Transitions Manifested in Stigma Consciousness and Student Self-Identification

Preparation for university studies is key to enabling adult refugees and asylum seekers to reestablish their educational and professional careers in the host country. While refugees’ transition to higher education (HE) is embedded in multiple transitions regarding social position, educational career, and migration, related identities may compete. We investigate how this is manifested in stigma consciousness and precarious student self-identification and how these factors influence the transition to HE. We combine novel quantitative and qualitative data on refugee students in prestudy programs in Germany. The results show that stigma consciousness impedes student self-identification. Moreover, stigma consciousness moderates the effect of student self-identification on the likelihood of enrolling in university. Qualitative interviews show how refugee students use strategies to deal with the stigma that unfortunately reproduces stigmatizing attributions. We provide implications for further research, educational counseling, and prestudy programs for refugees as an integral part of adult education.

Challenges and supports for secondary science and mathematics teacher retention

AbstractMore research related to effective ways to support and retain teachers in the teaching profession is necessary as the need for science and mathematics teachers continues to grow. Understanding how teachers perceive challenges and experience support early in their career can contribute to building environments which foster teacher retention. This mixed‐method study explored the influences on the self‐efficacy and career satisfaction of a group of 21 early‐career (2–6 years of classroom experience) secondary science and mathematics teachers who participated in a traditional university preparation program and scholarship program to prepare them for teaching in high‐need school districts. Using data from an efficacy survey and semistructured interviews, this study measured changes in teacher efficacy and described teacher leadership experiences, perceived teaching challenges, and valued supports. Results found no change in teachers' self‐efficacy scores although mean outcome expectancy scores decreased. Teachers' identification as a teacher leader was correlated with science or mathematics teaching self‐efficacy. Qualitative coding of the interviews revealed ways in which assessments, workload, school structures and polices, administration, students, and teacher community either contributed to teachers reported difficulties or supported them as early‐career teachers. The discussion offers suggestions for ways to increase secondary science and mathematics teachers' job satisfaction.

Leadership Impact on Lecturer Retention at University Preparation Programs in Malaysia

Many higher education institutions (HEIs) offer pre-university/foundation programs that help students transition from secondary school to universities, in Malaysia, or around the world. To be globally competitive and meet the needs of students looking to enter world class universities, HEIs in Malaysia often need to employ expatriate lecturers (ELs) (Trembath, 2016). Many ELs choose to depart their institution at the end of their first contract. This can have a negative impact on programs and adds additional recruitment costs to program budgets (Theron et al., 2014). This study’s purpose was to understand the importance of leadership and organizational climate on ELs’ decision to either renew their contract or depart. The objective was to provide the leaders of such programs with insights to help them mitigate the challenges expatriates face and develop a supportive environment that encourages longer-term commitment of lecturers beyond an initial contract.
 A convergent, parallel mixed methods research design was used for this study in which 63 participants completed an online questionnaire. In addition, 31 participants also completed a semi-structured interview. The research population for this study included current and former ELs who have worked at university preparation programs at Malaysian HEIs.
 Five themes that affect EL retention surfaced from the analysis of the qualitative and quantitative data: (a) professional growth and fulfilment, (b) the direct influence of the leader, (c) institutional factors, (d) cultural adjustment factors (Froese, 2012), and (e) country-specific factors. These key factors have influenced the decision making around contract renewal for ELs at Malaysian HEIs.
 Based on the results of this study, The Leadership Model for Expatriate Lecturer Satisfaction and Fulfillment was developed in order to guide program directors in developing a system to foster the conditions that encourage EL retention.

A call to reshape our desires: contesting the “inevitable answer” of inclusion within empire

ABSTRACTWhile increased college access is widely celebrated for racialized peoples, the end goal of inclusion maintains engagement with and desires for wellbeing within the U.S. white supremacist settler state. This paper examines a culturally relevant college preparation program designed primarily for Mexican-origin youth in California to consider the college-going competencies and desires the program socializes youth through and to. Drawing from educator and youth pláticas embedded within an ethnography of the Bridge Program, this scholarship argues that the competencies youth were socialized into for college-going purposes simultaneously prepared them to uphold the settler colonial state. Engaging language socialization and settler colonial studies perspectives, this paper finds that Bridge Program youth were socialized into understandings of better lives as only possible within U.S. empire by framing college as an almost singular pathway to wellbeing. This work calls for anticolonial desires, visions of and pathways to better lives beyond empire’s boundaries.

The conceptual difficulties Saudi female ELL students encountered in learning algebra: A case of a college preparatory program

This research explores the type of conceptual difficulties that female Saudi students encounter in Introductory Algebra courses at college level and identifies pedagogical practices that might impact students’ learning of algebra. Instructional tasks were designed and implemented for 12 weeks to collect and analyze data. The research sample consisted of a study group of 28 students from an Introductory Algebra class. The findings identified and classified the types of difficulties that the students encountered and suggested instructional models to overcome or minimize them and a theme to teach and learn algebra.

“It’s Bigger Than Just a Book Challenge”: A Collective Case Study of Educators’ Experiences With Censorship

Background: Challenges to books are surging across the United States, and books that portray diverse human experiences are particularly targeted. Censorship has deleterious consequences, such as undermining children’s intellectual freedom and influencing educators’ book selections. In a climate of censorship, when educators face the realistic possibility of a challenge, diverse voices may be silenced, and real-world issues avoided. Despite the impact that book challenges have, the experiences of educators who have faced them are understudied. Purpose: This study investigates the self-reported experiences of seven educators who have been involved in book challenges within K–12 public schools within the United States. Its goal is to yield new insights about how educators perceive the experience of censorship and what resources they leverage as they defend children’s right to read. It is significant because the lessons learned from these educators may be instructive for novice and veteran teachers and school librarians who are facing censorship—an increasingly likely possibility in contemporary times. It also highlights the range of forms that censorship takes within today’s schools. Research Design: This research employs a collective case study design. Seven teachers and school librarians from K–12 public schools across the United States were interviewed about their experiences with book challenges and other forms of censorship. Interview transcripts were qualitatively analyzed using Pierre Bourdieu’s types of cultural capital as a framework. Within-case and cross-case analyses are presented. Conclusions: Participants drew from various forms of cultural capital in their efforts to defend children’s intellectual freedom, including their professional ethics, school policies, and institutional knowledge. The study emphasizes the importance of building cultural capital among pre- and in-service educators within university preparation and professional development programs. It also calls on professional groups within education and librarianship to take an organized stand against censorship.

University Preparation Programs in Australia: International Student Perspectives

Existing studies have revealed that prior educational experience plays an important role in student learning, and many international students are encountering challenges while undertaking academic studies at Anglophone universities. However, few studies have examined how the pre-university preparation international students experience assists them in transitioning to university. This study explores, through the perceptions of students, the effectiveness of different university preparation pathways of a cohort of international students in a leading Australian university. Using a mixed-method research design, a questionnaire and focus group interviews were conducted to collect data about overseas student perceptions of the pathway program they undertook. The results show that international students who undertook different pathway programs had different perspectives about the extent to which they felt prepared for university in terms of important aspects of their education, such as subject content knowledge and English language proficiency. Based on the students’ perceptions, the findings of this exploratory study contribute new insights to help improve education practices at universities through a deeper understanding of the diverse preparation international students receive. Overall, the article highlights the heterogeneous nature of international students’ academic preparedness for university transition, and offers some practical implications for university educators, administrators, and curriculum designers.

Lessons Learned: A Programmatic Reflection on the Al Qasimi Foundation College Preparation Program

Since its inception, the mission of the Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi Foundation for Policy Research has been to support the capacity development of educational systems in Ras Al Khaimah and the broader United Arab Emirates (UAE). Leaders at the Foundation, and its collaborators, have accomplished this through the production of relevant research and directly engaging with policymakers, educators, and students. The Foundation began working with students in 2013 after inheriting the Sheikh Saqr Overseas Scholarship Program. It provided supplemental scholarships to Ras Al Khaimah Emirati students studying overseas and had been running for several years when it transitioned. As part of its new scholarship management responsibilities, the Foundation was tasked with increasing the number of students enrolled at well-regarded overseas universities.

Literary Braille Instruction: A Review of University Personnel Preparation Programs

Introduction: Braille literacy for students who are visually impaired (i.e., those who are blind or have low vision) can be a critical component for school and postsecondary transition success. This survey study was a modified replication of previous studies that examined the instruction of literary braille in university preparation programs for professionals who work with students with visual impairments. Methods: Nineteen university instructors of literary braille responded to a survey about instructional formats, books, and tools, as well as assessment issues, such as test formats, scoring, and requirements for demonstrating proficiency. Results: Survey responses indicated that some instructional strategies at the university level have remained the same over the last 20 years, but there are also some changes. Most notably, updated books and resources are being used and instructors represent the same demographic group, Caucasian females over 45 years old. But, the level of experience has substantially dropped and there has been a shift to increased online learning. All programs indicated focusing instruction on Unified English Braille (UEB) code. Discussion: Prior concerns about the challenges of teaching UEB have been somewhat satisfied. Proficiency exams are now required by programs, which could contribute to better prepare teachers for students with visual impairments. Implications for Practitioners: The shift to online learning affects practice. The use of braille simulation software might alter the way practitioners think about erasures. In preparing for distance learning, instructors must consider how to make courses accessible, rigorous, and of high quality. Although university braille proficiency exams should continue to be used to evaluate the skills of future professionals, educators might advocate for tests at the state or province level prior to licensure and common standards for minimal competency.

Can I Keep My Religious Identity and Be a Professional? Evaluating the Presence of Religious Literacy in Education, Nursing, and Social Work Professional Programs across Canada

In much of the world, education, nursing, and social work are human-centred professions that aim to engage with individuals holistically. Yet, how much of their training prepares them for this manifold reality? In this article, we provide an overview of three Canadian societal contexts, examine the literature on religious literacy in higher education and in the Canadian context, and study the professional programs of education, nursing, and social work offered in the top-ranked universities in the three largest English-speaking provinces in Canada. We describe the incorporation of the Calls to Action issued by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada and the limited evidence of religious literacy evident in the online information provided about the chosen programs and then argue that religious literacy is a necessary component of the university preparation programs for those entering these human-centred professions. Student requests for religious literacy workshops provided by the Centre for Civic Religious Literacy (CCRL), a non-religious and non-profit organization that works with partners in communities across Canada, demonstrate a demand for such education.

The Syllabus Is a Living Document: An Examination of Introductory Adapted Physical Education Syllabi

Physical education college preparation programs continue to require only one adapted physical education (APE) course. Due to the importance of the one APE course often provided to preservice physical education, this study investigated the status of introductory APE courses across the United States. A content analysis of the course descriptions and objectives was completed on 30 syllabi from introductory APE courses, and descriptive information from the syllabi was collected. The most common topics covered included intellectual disability (n = 21), physical disability (n = 21), and assessment (n = 20). The content analysis revealed four area of emphasis: (1) disability characteristics, (2) teaching strategies, (3) advocating for individuals with disabilities, and (4) history and legislation. Further research needs to determine faculty’s rationale behind the content they choose to cover and the effectiveness of physical education teacher training programs in preparing future physical educators to teach students with disabilities.

The development of research activity with schoolchildren

The primary goal of this study was to unveil the key features of research activity in the context of school education and identify the most significant barriers to it. This was to be achieved by conducting a structured survey of 174 teachers. Further interviewing of 10 teachers of the most successful schools in these terms intended to detail the characteristics of research activities in the considered educational institutions. The systematization and generalization of the collected results was the final stage of this analysis. The data obtained in the course of the investigation confirmed the idea that most students should take a special course on introduction to research from their first days at a university. In practice, the research results can be used in the implementation of STEM methods, scientific education, and the involvement of schoolchildren in research activities in the educational programs of most developing countries that have similar problems.
 
 Keywords: entrepreneurial education; research activity; science education; soft skills; STEM; university preparation programs.

The Benefits of Infusing the Arts in a College Preparatory Program

An extensive body of work has demonstrated the benefits of participating in the arts, including when it is integrated into other disciplines, for young adults. In addition, this work highlights the likely advantages of engagement with the arts for students from low-income backgrounds as they transition into elite postsecondary institutions. Such findings have shaped the organization of the Princeton University Preparatory Program (PUPP), a rigorous academic and cultural enrichment program which supports high-achieving, low-income public high school students, from the communities surrounding campus, prepare for admission to and success at selective colleges and universities. More specifically, PUPP provides its scholars with a studio art course during each of their three summers in the program and school-year trips to performances and museums. During their time in PUPP, scholars attend approximately 21 live performances and visit at least six different art museums.In this paper, we add to the literature on art integration by examining whether, and how, the views of PUPP scholars on the arts programming they receive change over their time in the program. We also assess the PUPP alumni’s perceptions of the extent to which PUPP’s art and cultural activities influenced them. Taken together, these analyses of survey data help us understand whether there are differences in student views by the amount of art programming they receive (“dosage”) and if there are sustained benefits of the arts integration and programming PUPP students receive (“fade-out”). We supplement this quantitative data with information from focus groups with a variety of stakeholders.Although our quantitative analyses of survey data revealed no dosage or fade-out effects, our interview data highlighted the cumulative development of art skills and knowledge over time and confirmed that the program’s arts and cultural activities provided contextual information and experiences useful for PUPP alumni in college. Along with prior work that shows PUPP scholars’ overwhelmingly positive views of the arts programing, these  findings point to the benefits of university-led college access programs that provide arts and cultural exposure for students’ social and cultural capital and college preparation.

Chicana/o/x Educational Pipelines as Critical Race Heuristics: Tools for Pedagogy, Politicization, and Praxis

Background/Context: Since 2005, critical race theory (CRT) scholars have crafted educational pipelines that compare educational attainment across racial groups in the United States. These visual models offer concise pictorial narratives about the discrepancies that fall along racial lines, particularly the underperformance of Chicana/o/x students over the last two decades. Purpose/Objective/Research Question/Focus of Study: This article conceptualizes educational pipelines comparing the educational attainment of Chicana/o/x, White, Black, Asian, and Native students as critical race heuristics, or exegetic visual instruments and pedagogical tools used by CRT scholars to concisely depict structural inequities predicated on racial hierarchies. Critical race heuristics elicit understandings of systemic oppression, foster critical awareness, and inspire action. Population/Participants/Subjects: There were more than 100 participants in 16 focus groups, and 10 individual interviews were conducted. Research Design: This qualitative study relied on a critical race-grounded theory methodology. Data Collection and Analysis: Data were responses to the question, “If you could show this pipeline to anyone, who would it be and why?” Each researcher separately analyzed the data, then compared emerging patterns and observations in several rounds, drawing on tenets of CRT to inform their analysis. Findings/Results: Participant responses revealed how the heuristic prompted: (a) a conscientization about the factors contributing to the disparities, (b) a call for various forms of praxis to remedy the disparities made apparent by the image, and (c) an appreciation for the simplicity of the image to convey educational inequities. Conclusion/Recommendations: The critical race heuristic enabled participants to articulate a keen awareness of the institutional factors predicated along racial lines that result in disparities between Chicana/o/x students and other racial groups. Moreover, it motivated participants’ desire for intervention, as they conceived of various strategies, tactics, and policies that might abate the pressures that limit the educational attainment of Chicana/o/x students. Our findings give insight regarding how the critical race heuristic could teach preservice teachers, teachers, and administrators about entrenched race-based inequities; motivate faculty and administrators to work toward narrowing the gaps between racial groups; or anchor workshops for students of color in bridge programs, college preparatory programs, retention programs, and leadership training programs that would help them chart a course for educational success.

Perspectives of Chinese Undergraduates in the US towards Advanced Placement High School Curriculum in China

The Advanced Placement (AP) curriculum program is a rapidly growing university preparation program that is being adopted by high schools in China. Despite the fast growth of AP high school curriculum programs, and high expectations from students and parents in China, empirical studies exploring the Chinese AP learners' perceptions of their university preparation are limited. This study aims at exploring the AP learners' perspectives on the AP high school curriculum program in equipping them for universities when they are studying in the US. Students’ responses to the Chinese AP program were collected through a questionnaire and individual semi-structured interviews. The findings show that students generally felt positive about the AP academic courses, which prepared them for their transition to universities. They also expressed that the English learning environment in the AP program developed English competence. However, they felt disappointed about the lack of teaching of paraphrasing skills, and were frustrated about not gaining much intercultural communicative competence in casual communication. This result sheds light on the under-researched area of the Chinese AP high school curriculum for the AP administrator and curriculum designers.

Implementers as Filters of Fit and Quality: Toward Indigenous and Locally Responsive Leadership Preparation Program in Ethiopia

This empirical study of Ethiopia school leadership examines the nation’s leadership preparation programs through the lens of school leaders and a document analysis of national policies as well as narrated accounts of university preparation programs. To meet the expectations of the Millennium Development Goals of 2000, Ethiopia undertook significant education reforms including decentralizing educational governance while establishing a uniform, national curriculum for education leadership preparation, with content largely borrowed from the West. The findings of our study reveal that Ethiopian school leaders confront challenges specific to East African contexts such as addressing complications of abject poverty and multiple inequities, intense political scrutiny, while satisfying external political demands, and managing school operations with minimal resources. Using an asset-driven lens, we describe strategies and tools utilized by school leaders as they craft creative and indigenous solutions for local problems but are often overlooked in national preparation programs. As effective leadership programs are tethered to the local context, we sought to add the voices of Ethiopian leaders to increase the fit between preparation and work demands. At the same time, we advocate for widening the discourse of national policy reform to include local school improvement necessary to advance Ethiopia’s national education priorities.