High School Experiences Research Articles

Life After High School: The Employment Experiences of Autistic Young Adults

The present study examined the employment landscape for 129 autistic young adults. Data were collected over multiple waves including high school and early adulthood. Parents participated in interviews and responded to questions regarding young adult employment outcomes, on-the-job supports, job match, and overall job satisfaction. The predictive relationship between in-school variables and employment outcomes was examined. Findings indicate over 50% of the sample had at least one job working independently in the community for pay. Parents reported the need for both formal and informal support to both obtain and sustain employment. Over half of the parents reported that the young adult’s job was aligned with their interests/strengths and that the young adult was satisfied. Predictive analyses indicated a relationship between work-based learning experiences in high school and general education involvement during high school and later paid employment in adulthood. Future research, limitations, and implications for practice are discussed.

“Sometimes We Struggle, Sometimes We Push Back:” The Educational Experiences and Aspirations of Youth with Refugee Backgrounds from the Horn of Africa

This qualitative article focuses on the high school experiences and post-secondary education (PSE) plans of 57 youth with refugee backgrounds from the Horn of Africa living in Ontario. The article is guided by two conceptual frameworks. The first is an anti-oppressive approach, which helps us examine the structural barriers at school that prevent, impede, and discourage the youth from successfully transitioning to PSE. We then use Yosso’s (2005) community cultural wealth framework to highlight the cultural capital that the youth bring from their homes and communities to navigate the challenges at school and embark on a pathway to PSE. Our findings show that while a significant number of the youth continue to face challenges, some are pushing back on the common narrative that Black African refugees are not capable of attending PSE.

The association between experiences of unfair treatment in school and adolescent adjustment over 5 years.

This study investigates how high-school experiences of unfair treatment connect to adolescents' higher education enrollment and life satisfaction 5 years later. We utilized four waves of data at ages 14 years (T1), 16 (T2), 18 (T3) and 19 (T4) in the UK (N = 13,065; 51% Male, 49% Female, 70% White, 11% Black, 19% South-Asian). Perceived teacher unfairness at T1 predicted lower university aspirations (T2) and subsequently lower enrollment in higher education (at T3 and T4) and life satisfaction (T4). Experiences with T1 teacher ethnic discrimination also predicted lower life satisfaction. The effects were similar across historically minoritized and majority-background pupils, but historically minoritized adolescents experienced more ethnic discrimination in school. Our findings highlight the importance of fair treatment for all pupils.

Argument Matters: Helping Freshmen Present their Main Arguments

ABSTRACT Most literature courses at the tertiary level require students to write a research paper. However, due to their lack of experience and training in high school, many undergraduates fresh from high school find it difficult to meet the requirements when preparing for this assignment. Based on my experience teaching first-year university students in Hong Kong, this paper discusses students’ difficulties in formulating and presenting cogent arguments for their literature papers and ways to help remedy their problems.

An effective Caenorhabditis elegans CRISPR training module for high school and undergraduate summer research experiences in molecular biology.

Engaging in research experiences as a high school or undergraduate student interested in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) is pivotal for their academic and professional development. A structured teaching framework can help cultivate a student's curiosity and passion for learning and research. In this study, an eight-week training program was created to encompass fundamental molecular biology principles and hands-on laboratory activities. This curriculum focuses on using clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) gene editing in the Caenorhabditis elegans model organism. Through pre- and post-program assessments, enhancements in students' molecular biology proficiency and enthusiasm for scientific exploration were observed. Overall, this training module demonstrated its accessibility and ability to engage inexperienced students in molecular biology and gene editing methodologies.

Navigating the high school to university transition with social media: intensity of use, sense of belonging, and meaningful change

PurposeThis study aims to explore the use and perceptions of social media among university students before and during their transition from high school to higher education.Design/methodology/approachThis exploratory, cross-sectional study uses an online survey of 312 undergraduate students at a large public research university in the USA.FindingsActive participation was prevalent for connecting with peers, while passive use was high when learning about university-related topics. While at university, social media was most useful for finding campus events and connecting with classmates, but least effective for connecting with instructors. Most participants experienced meaningful change in their social media use from high school to university, which is often attributed to personal growth. Social media intensity correlated weakly but positively with usefulness and sense of belonging.Research limitations/implicationsThe study’s sample from a single university limits generalizability. While similar institutions might show comparable results, variations due to student demographics and differing institutional practices could emerge. The retrospective approach for reporting high school behaviors also poses a limitation. Future research could longitudinally follow students from university search to enrollment and attendance.Practical implicationsThe study recommends universities adjust social media strategies by prioritizing social content, using student ambassadors and customizing feeds. Universities should support students both online and offline, recognizing diverse pathways to belonging.Originality/valueThis study examines the transition period by asking university students to retrospectively reflect on high school experiences and also report current experiences. It also offers insights into student perceptions of whether their social media use has changed in meaningful ways.

We See You: A Co-Constructed Autoethnography of Black Women Educators Subverting Carcerality in Community with Black Students

This study examines the school experiences of Black students and the perceived impact that we (the researchers) as Black women educators have had on these experiences. We conducted a series of focus groups with thirty-four former and current students, all of whom identify as Black. Our questions centered around various aspects of the students’ high school experiences, specifically as they related to their reflections on their relationships with Black teachers compared to the school community at large. We found that overall, students reported having positive experiences with us as Black women and often felt humanized in our classes. These findings suggest that Black women educators like us, who use their pedagogy (influenced by their positionality) to subvert carceral and antiblack school policy and culture, employ what we have conceptualized as the Core Tenets of Spiritual Nourishment: (1) a sense of belonging, (2) visibility, (3) room to make mistakes, (4) representation, (5) support navigating the pressures of systemic racism and Black fatigue, (6) safe spaces to unpack traumas and (7) love perceived.

Longitudinal Trends in Adjustment to US Higher Education: The Role of International Students' Foreign High School Experiences

Longitudinal Trends in Adjustment to US Higher Education: The Role of International Students' Foreign High School Experiences

Factors Influencing of School Type, Parental Educational Background, Gender, and Age on the English Language Speaking Proficiency of Chinese College Students

English, as an international language of communication, plays a crucial role in the development of global economic exchanges. In China, where English serves as a second language, the improvement of college students' English language speaking proficiency faces numerous challenges due to the lack of authentic English communication environments. However, there has been a lack of in-depth research on the relationship between Chinese college students' English language speaking proficiency and factors such as school background. This study utilized multiple linear regression to analyze data from the 2021 China General Social Survey. It aimed to investigate the relationship between college students' English language speaking proficiency and various factors, including different types of high school experiences, parental educational backgrounds, gender differences, and age disparities. The findings revealed that college students who attended provincial-level and municipal-level key high schools demonstrated higher English language speaking proficiency. Additionally, paternal educational background had a more significant impact on the English language speaking proficiency of offspring compared to maternal educational background. Furthermore, female students exhibited higher English speaking proficiency levels than male students. Moreover, English speaking proficiency showed an inverted "U"-shaped trend with age, peaking at 22.5 years old. Based on the research results, recommendations were proposed to balance the educational resources of different types of high schools and to reform English teaching in universities. These suggestions aim to provide robust evidence for the formulation of educational policies to meet the growing demand for English learning in China.

Students speak: Academic, career, and sociocultural experiences of African American college students

This manuscript presents the outcomes of a qualitative research investigation centered on the experiences of African American college students in terms of their preparation for high school, college, and careers within a Predominantly White Institution (PWI) situated in rural southeastern Wisconsin. At the time of this research, the comprehensive public university had an undergraduate enrollment of 10,196 students. Among these students, 82.1% self-identified as White, 7.8% as Hispanic or Latinx, 5.4% as African American, 3.2% as Asian or Southeast Asian, and 0.9% as American Indian or Alaskan Native. Using semi-structured interviews with willing student participants, the primary objectives of this study were twofold: (1) to recognize the sociocultural and institutional elements that influence the career trajectories of African American students attending the institution and (2) to effectively capture the educational and career viewpoints and voices of these students as they navigate the complex sociocultural and institutional landscape. Key findings from the research highlight the students’ perspectives on the substantial connections between their high school experiences, particularly those in and around a major urban center in the Midwest, and their subsequent college and career paths. Additionally, the study underscores the challenges these students encounter while navigating the physical and social spaces on a rural PWI campus. Recommendations are made for creating a more welcoming space for African American students and for supporting those engaged in the work.

‘Pragmatists’ and ‘Rebels’: Ambivalent Success Frames of Chinese International Secondary School Graduates in the United States

ABSTRACTUpper‐middle‐class Chinese families send children to the United States for high school to exit what some perceive as an ‘unhappy’ educational environment in China or in pursuit of a ‘better education’ in the United States. However, for some students, the American high school experience itself may be marked by ‘unhappiness’, endured in the pursuit of ‘success’. Based on ethnographic interviews with Chinese youth attending private American high schools, this study illustrates how narratives of unhappiness surrounding such transnational educational choices result in multiple success frames among students, categorized as ‘pragmatists’ and ‘rebels’. Those who downplay happiness or experience unhappiness in the US context tend to adopt the ‘pragmatic’ frame, while those emphasizing their exit from an ‘unhappy’ situation are more likely to align with the ‘rebel’ frame. Despite slight deviations from parental expectations, the relative economic security of these families enables Chinese youth to develop ambivalent success frames based on their familiarity with both US and Chinese contexts, questioning the dominance of a singular success narrative.

How Whiteness Fuels Anti-Blackness: Black Leaders’ Experiences in an Urban High School

This article explores whiteness and how it manifests itself in an urban, Midwestern high school. This examination is done through counter-storytelling to unpack how Black women leaders navigate whiteness while simultaneously experiencing anti-Blackness within and outside a research-practice partnership. These counter-stories came from a larger research project on how school practitioners work towards anti-racism using an anti-racist policy decision-making protocol. Much research centers on the experiences of Black students in PK-12 education settings; however, there is an underwhelming amount of research that analyzes how anti-Black racism or anti-Blackness exists in educational leadership. Our findings reveal that Black women leaders negotiate whiteness through various strategies, encounter moments of anti-Blackness and witness it occurring among Black students within the school. Implications of this study illuminate the importance of counter-narratives in uncovering details otherwise unseen, as well as describe the ways counter-narratives moved the work within the research-practice partnerships forward.

Out-of-Class High School Experiences and Students’ College Aspirations

This study considers whether participation in several out-of-class high school experiences increased the odds that a student would aspire to earn a bachelor’s degree, whether these relationships were moderated by the student’s race/ethnicity or socioeconomic status, and whether these experiences, considered together, had a cumulative influence on educational aspirations. Results suggest that participation in several experiences, including science-related school programs, extracurricular activities, taking a college class, searching the Internet or reading college guides, and talking to a school counselor about going to college, increased the odds that a student will aspire to earn a bachelor’s degree. Findings also suggest a positive, linear relationship as a student increases their participation in these experiences, where participation in four or more of the high school experiences examined significantly increases students’ college aspirations.

Autistic students speak about their experience with their one-to-one teaching assistants in general high schools

ABSTRACT The number of autistic students in general schools has increased substantially. Traditionally, ‘one-to-one teaching assistants’ (TAs) support them academically and socially. Little is known about the impact of the TA from autistic students’ points of view. This qualitative study aimed to understand the perceptions of autistic high school graduates regarding their experiences with their TA. Fourteen autistic young adults (ages 19–27) who had graduated from general high schools in which a TA had accompanied them were individually interviewed. The thematic analysis showed a complex response. The strongest negative responses reflected unsuitable educational support, unnecessary dependencies, and disrupted social interactions with classmates. It seems that personal TAs can hinder the student’s learning and social interactions. Therefore, it is essential to hear autistic students’ suggestions about what can improve their inclusion experience in general high school and ensure that the students are both aware of and involved in the support options available to them.

Teen Perspectives on Suicides and Deaths in an Affluent Community: Perfectionism, Protection, and Exclusion.

Clusters of youth suicide and death are tragic for communities and present long-term consequences for the surviving youths. Despite an awareness of community-based patterns in youth suicide, our understanding of the social and community factors behind these events remains poor. While links between poverty and suicide have been well documented, wealthy communities are rarely targeted in suicide research. In response to this gap, we conducted ethnographic research in a wealthy U.S. town that, over a recent 10-year period, witnessed at least four youth suicides and seven more youth accidental deaths. Our interviews (n = 30) explored community values and stressors, interpersonal relationships, and high school experiences on participant perceptions of community deaths. Youth participants characterize their affluent community as having (1) perfectionist standards; (2) permissive and sometimes absent parents; (3) socially competitive and superficial relationships; and (4) a "bubble" that is protective but also exclusionary. Our qualitative findings reveal network influence in teen suicides and accidental deaths in a wealthy community. Greater attention paid to the negative effects of subcultural values and stressors in affluent communities is warranted. Further, our work promotes the value of ethnographic, community-based methodologies for suicidology and treatment.

High School Aetas’ Course Experience: Benchmark for Streamlining Curricular Program Management

Many of the Aeta students in the province are included in mainstream classrooms. As this causes the Indigenous some difficulty coping, the study analyzed four high schools regarding the course experience of 162 of their Aeta students. The researcher used a survey that he, through referenced studies, localized and translated—”Survey on Aetas’ High School Course Experience.” The survey yielded the most pronounced needs of Aetas—starting lessons with Aetas’ prior knowledge, school-based Indigenous centers, indigenized learning content, and more understandable media of instruction. The study used quantitative and descriptive, using a questionnaire to quantify the Aetas’ assessment of their high school experience with non-Indigenous classmates, teachers, and administrators. The study’s resulting discussion and conclusion suggested improvements through particularized versions of programs that could center on Inclusiveness Training for the teachers; school-based Indigenous Centers; the inclusion of indigenous knowledge in lessons; implementation and consistent management of school services and events that reflect inclusive on-campus services; generation of livelihood programs and on-the-job trainings that are mindful of the job-readiness of the Aetas; content training that is coupled with motivational counseling; the integration of technology that democratizes the access to information for all, with no exclusion against the non-mainstream.

Transition from High School to University: Challenges faced by First-year B.Ed. Students at a University of Technology in South Africa

The recent Council on Higher Education report avers that Higher Education in South Africa experiences serious shortcomings in graduate output and outcomes. The report corroborated the general belief pervading existing research into students’ first-year university experiences. Students are unable to cope with the rigours of academics during this transition. Furthermore, research, especially from the field of psychology, also holds that first-year students struggle to succeed in their first year due to emotional and behavioural problems. However, this study argued that the transition from high school to university is a period characterised by mismatches and discontinuities in the lives of students. The purpose of this article was to investigate the mismatch and discontinuities, expressed as the articulation gap in the exposition of the article, experienced by first-year students at a university of technology. Data was drawn, using a cutting-edge qualitative instrument, from selected first-year B.Ed. students. The findings revealed that first-year students’ high school experiences are often not replayed at university. Students experience a myriad of new challenges which require new ways of learning (academic), and new ways of relating to peers (social challenges). The study recommended that universities need to engage in full orientation programmes to narrow the transition gap between high schools and universities. Universities should also provide ongoing programmes for mentoring, counselling and support services to help students navigate social and psychological challenges. Keywords: Transition; Behavioural Problem; Challenges; Emotions

Impact of food security on coping strategies: a comparison of high school and college perceptions

Objective To examine coping strategies in relation to student experience of food insecurity during the transitionary period from high school to college. Participants Freshmen undergraduates (n = 231) enrolled in one of two public universities during December of 2021, living in traditional student housing. Methods Participants were emailed a link to a USDA 6-item food insecurity and coping strategies survey to investigate if students’ degree of food insecurity correlates to coping strategies used. Questions were answered about experiences as a high school senior and college freshman. Data was analyzed with group comparison tests. Results Food insecurity rates approximately doubled from students’ high school experience to college. Students with lower food security during both their high school and college experience were significantly more likely to practice coping strategies. Conclusion Improving education on utilization of available resources may help students obtain adequate nutrition, decreasing their need to rely on coping strategies.

역량(Competency)과 웰빙(Well-Being)

This study is aimed at exploring how competency-based educational experiences at high school and eudaimonic welling in adulthood affect subjective well-being. To achieve the objective of the study, we examined the data collected from the fourth to twelfth-round surveys of the 2005 cohort (from the first year of high school to the age of 28; 2008-2020) conducted by the Korean Educational Development Institute (KEDI) as part of the Korea Education Longitudinal Study. In specific, we leveraged the data from the fifth and sixth-round surveys (2nd and 3rd grade) focused on high school experiences and those from the nineth, tenth and twelfth-round surveys (when respondents are 22, 24, 28 years-old) focused on post-graduation experiences. For analysis, we carried out multiple regression analysis using the SPSS statistics program.
 Key findings can be identified as follows. First, competency-based educational experiences for self-management and social competency at high school had a positive effect on subjective well-being in adulthood. Second, the level of eudaimonic well-being with regard to self-acceptance, positive relations with others, and social contribution played a significant role in enhancing the level of subjective well-being. Third, autonomy and personal growth, two variables of eudaimonic well-being, contributed to improving the level of subjective well-being in the tenth and twelfth-round surveys, when the respondents were about to graduate from their colleges or seeking or having a job. As these variables are assumed to be related to career in adulthood, eudaimonic well-being with regard to autonomy and personal growth appears to be critical to enhance the quality of life at the time of college graduation.
 Put together, these findings suggest that the level of subjective well-being in adulthood can be enhanced when students develop their competency for self-management to go beyond education limited to cognitive achievement and make their own decisions for learning and career, thereby improving the level of autonomy and personal growth. Moreover, it is necessary to pay more attention to competency-based educational experiences for enhancing social competence. Emphasis should be put more on well-balanced and holistic educational experiences that help students build positive relations with others and contribute to future social development as a member of society.

Insights on first-generation students’ development of social capital for the rigours of college-level research

As a part of a larger study titled, First Years Meet the Frames, this work explores the perceptions of first-generation students (FGS) on their readiness for college-level research as well as their first-year college experience with libraries and librarians. Although, by definition, these students lack the cultural capital normally derived from parents who went to college in order to readily assimilate into higher education institutions, depending on their high school experiences, they may be able to build social capital. Accordingly, this article investigates such opportunities which lie in high schools with strong library programs that have a full-time certified librarian working in alignment with the national school library standards of the American Association of School Librarians (AASL). It addresses what aspects of this preparation facilitate the development of social capital and follows FGS into the first year of college to see how they continue to build it. It also compares FGS to their continuing generation student (CGS) counterparts from the same high schools. Findings show that FGS can build social capital via these high school library programs and continue to leverage their high school experiences and skill sets in order to create new networks and to tackle college-level research during the first year of college. FGS demonstrate similar preparedness and similar confidence in research abilities as their CGS counterparts.