Nontraditional Students Research Articles

Listening to the Student Voice – Student Engagement in Professional Higher Education

The practical orientated education and training of professional higher education institutions attract a very diverse student body and more and more non-traditional students are finding their way to higher education institutions in Europe. In order to sufficiently address the different needs of this group, non-traditional students must be given opportunities for student engagement in student organisations and extracurricular activities outside of lectures. Furthermore, the diversity characteristics of non-traditional students within professional higher education institutions need to be analysed, as well as the barriers and challenges to student engagement. With the help of qualitative expert interviews and focus groups, five problem areas were defined and an outlook on possible improvements was given in order to sharpen the view of an inclusive university environment outside of the lecture hall.

Student support as social network: exploring non-traditional student experiences of academic and wellbeing support during the Covid-19 pandemic

ABSTRACT The Covid-19 pandemic has caused a global crisis in higher education, affecting all aspects of university work and practices. This article focuses on student experiences, in particular by problematising academic and wellbeing support available to non-traditional students. This article proposes an original approach to student support as comprising social networks that are dynamic, reciprocal and involving a variety of formal/informal actors. We draw on interviews with 10 non-traditional students from a UK university to explore the nature of their student support. Our findings suggest that support networks for non-traditional students tend to exclude formal support services and centre primarily around family (wellbeing support) and fellow students (academic/wellbeing support). While these findings problematise the lack of institutional support in student networks which is likely to further disadvantage these students, it questions the dominant deficit views of non-traditional students. In particular, the interviews highlight the resourcefulness of close interactions and emphasise the importance of approaching student support as a dynamic network of informal and formal actors when responding to crisis situations such as the Covid-19 pandemic.

THE GROWTH OF PRIVATE HIGHER EDUCATION: AN OVERVIEW IN THE CONTEXT OF LIBERALISATION, PRIVATISATION AND MARKETISATION

<p>Economic policies encouraging private ownership (liberalisation, privatisation and marketisation) have allowed Private Higher Education Institutions (PrHEIs) to proliferate in most parts of the world, particularly since the 1990s. The number of private colleges and universities continues to grow in most countries at a remarkable rate, partly reflecting the demand for greater choice and more flexibility, which PrHEIs are able to offer. In some countries, PrHEIs even outnumber public higher education institutions (PuHEIs) or are at least expected to do so within the next decade. This is particularly the case in emerging and developing countries. The worldwide expansion of private higher education can be illustrated by the fact that one in three students globally is now enrolled in PrHEIs, and there are very few places in the world where public monopolies continue to prevent the emergence of alternative providers from the private sector. In the UK, the Government recognises that private, for-profit higher education institutions, the majority of which award degrees in conjunction with state universities, typically function more efficiently and work harder to improve the student experience. Their appeal among non-traditional students dovetails perfectly with Government rhetoric to make higher education more accessible and widen participation. A legal framework has been created that makes it easier for challenger institutions to enter the market and compete with the public higher education sector. A more streamlined, student-focused approach to the regulation of higher education in the UK is also designed to stimulate further growth and competition in the HE sector, ensuring that private colleges and universities remain a viable alternative to the public sector. </p><p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/edu_01/0886/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>

Understanding Academic Success From the Perspective of Nursing Students: A Qualitative Study.

Baccalaureate nursing education programs must focus on social transition as well as academic preparedness to maximize student success. The purpose of this qualitative research study was to identify nontraditional nursing students' perspectives on strategies that enabled them to succeed. Focus groups were conducted with nontraditional students who graduated on time from a BSN program. Themes that emerged included resources, self-awareness, social support, and early engagement. Using findings from this study, the faculty and administration changed the new student orientation to include time management, test-taking skills, self-awareness assessments, and professional socialization.

Identity and the learning experience of non-traditional students undertaking the specialist practitioner qualification

This small qualitative study is an exploration of the concept of identity and its relationship to the learning experience of non-traditional students undertaking the Specialist Practitioner Qualification in District Nursing. Using a narrative inquiry approach, three participants were asked to recall their experiences 1 year after completing the SPQDN programme. Individual narratives were analysed, and central themes were extracted using NVivo coding. The findings indicated that feelings of academic self-doubt, the impact of past learning experiences and the connotations of being labelled as a student all had an influence on the participants' learning experience.

Factors related to first-year retention rate in a public minority serving institution with nontraditional students

The authors present a comprehensive study to identify factors that affect the retention rate of first-time freshman business students in a large four-year public university. Factors include background academic and demographic variables, current performance indicators, and course-taking patterns. Based on a logistic regression model and comparison between nonretained students and students who graduate on time, the authors determined that sex, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, grade point average, academic standing, and performance in foundational and remedial courses were significant predictors of nonretention. Underrepresented students were found to struggle more in college and be at a significantly higher risk for nonretention than were others with socioeconomic or financial reasons playing a big role along with poor academic performance.

Experience of students in cooperative education – A case study of Singapore’s work-study degree programme

The increase in the number of adults returning to complete their university education as ‘non-traditional students’ brings more attention to the challenges of a standard degree format. This paper examines the experiences of seven non-traditional students undergoing a cooperative education programme in Singapore, where students would alternate spending a few days in a week at a university while working full-time for the remaining days, in relation to the challenges and opportunities of the programme. Using qualitative thematic analysis, we discovered four themes greatly affected by the programme design – motivations for enrolling, transferability of knowledge, work–study balance and coping mechanisms. Overall, some obstacles hindering adults from continuing education were addressed by this cooperative education programme. The strong integration of work and study roles ensured that adults did not need to leave their job before starting university, reducing time and money-related pressures while increasing their commitment level to education. Additionally, rigid institutional practices were mitigated by the flexibility given by teaching faculty and work supervisors. We suggested several improvements to better suit the rising number of adults wanting to attain a degree. With the research results and recommendations proposed herein, this paper is useful to various universities willing to adopt cooperative education.

What student support practitioners know about non-traditional students: a practice-based approach

ABSTRACT Student support practitioners, who provide personal counseling and academic advising to non-traditional students, play a key role in widening participation efforts, but their perspectives are rarely researched. To address this gap, this study draws on the practice perspective on knowledge and learning, and explores the practice-based knowledge shared by support practitioners working in Israeli higher education institutions. The study is based on interviews with 43 practitioners who work in 17 higher education institutions, and addresses their expertise, insights and practices. The discussion focuses on practitioners’ collectively developed understandings of the student lifecycle and their situated knowledge and support practice in the organizational context of academic faculties. Practitioners suggest that support at the stages of enrollment and withdrawal are missing elements in the student lifecycle approach. Advice at the enrollment stage could significantly reduce students’ difficulties, as well as the likelihood that they will change their course of study or withdraw. Support for students who withdraw requires a nuanced and contextual understanding of withdrawal – one that includes ‘healthy withdrawal’. Finally, practitioners suggest that it is more useful to consider the faculty or department as the relevant organizational level for student support, and call for a distributive structure of support services. This would strengthen relations with students and staff and generate faculty-situated support knowledge and practice. The study calls for taking into consideration the practice-based expertise of support practitioners to improve understanding of the experiences, needs and challenges of widening participation.

Student-run free clinic volunteers: who they are and what we can learn from them

BackgroundInitiatives employing medical students’ volunteerism and idealism, such as the Student-Run Free Clinics (SRFC) program, are prevalent in US medical schools. Many studies evaluated various aspects of volunteering, sometimes resulting in conflicting evidence. This study simultaneously sought to identify the characteristics of volunteers vs. non-volunteers, and to characterize the volunteers’ perception of the SRFC.MethodsWe administered a survey to the Long School of Medicine (LSOM) Class of 2018 before their third year of medical school. The authors compared and contrasted the findings of the SRFC volunteers with their non-volunteering counterparts by analyzing their demographics, volunteering history, academic performance, and clinical skills. The volunteers were also asked about their SRFC experiences.ResultsWhile most volunteers were female (62 %) and non-traditional students (67 %), the difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.15 and p = 0.38, respectively). Additionally, there were no statistically significant differences between the two groups in measures of academic performance (p = 0.25). Most of the volunteers learned about the SRFC program prior to starting medical school. Further, while SRFC volunteers were more likely to engage in additional local volunteering initiatives, the difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.03, prespecified α= 0.006). Importantly, volunteers agreed/strongly agreed that SRFC volunteering emphasized aspects that were missing or underemphasized in the formal medical school curriculum.ConclusionsMedical students’ age, gender, undergraduate major, and non-traditional status were not statistically different between volunteers vs. non-volunteers. However, there may be tendencies for volunteers to be female, non-traditional, and locally engaged. Further, the timing of knowledge of the SRFC program may not affect student involvement in the SRFC, either. Most importantly, however, while volunteering does not affect the students’ academic performance, it may provide improvements in clinical competencies.

Assessing the Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Nontraditional Students' Mental Health and Well-Being.

The current study sought to measure how the COVID-19 pandemic affected the mental health and well-being of college students, particularly nontraditional students. Participants (n = 321) completed a series of surveys assessing their level of depression, anxiety, sleep disturbances, insomnia, and well-being. Participants also indicated their nontraditional student characteristics, level of resilience, and additional life stressors due to the pandemic. Statistical analyses found that participants reported higher levels of depression, anxiety, sleep disturbances, and insomnia, with corresponding lower levels of well-being across all students, compared with prepandemic levels. Results showed that while nontraditional students indicated an increased number of life stressors during the pandemic compared with their traditional peers, nontraditional students also demonstrated higher levels of resilience. Nontraditional students appear to be more successful at managing stressful life events due to the increased resilience that comes with age and experience, which can better prepare them to persevere and overcome challenges.

Design, Development, Implementation, and Support (DDIS): A Curriculum Supporting Online Doctoral Candidates

Objectives: The purpose of this paper is to comprehensively describe and justify the case design of an approach for the integration of synchronous virtual meetings to support nontraditional online doctoral candidates. As more nontraditional doctoral students are completing their degree programs virtually through online universities, the nature of their degree progression and the development of critical knowledge and skills differ from traditional on-campus programs. Method: The case design of an approach to integrating synchronous online interactive meetings to support these learners is identified and justified through references to research in the learning sciences including sociocultural learning, heutagogy, and constructivist instructional design methods. The instructional design process resulted in a scaled schedule of interactions linked to the development of specific cognitive processes, academic skills, and expert knowledge required by doctoral candidates for successful completion of their degree programs. Results: This case design study resulted in identification of developmentally phased synchronous interactions designed to support online nontraditional doctoral candidates. The interactions identified were linked to the development of critical processes, skills, and knowledge to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of the candidate’s progress. Conclusions: The results identified how the integration of synchronous virtual meetings to support online nontraditional doctoral candidates throughout their programs can both increase the development of the advanced knowledge required by these learners and the collaboration needed between mentor and mentee for the online learners to be successful.

Exploring the Impact of an Open Access Mindfulness Course with Online Graduate Students: A Mixed Methods Explanatory Sequential Study

As enrollment in online graduate education increases, retention continues to be problematic for many colleges and universities across the United States. Non-traditional students, who represent the majority of online graduate student enrollment, have unique issues related to persistence considering they often must juggle the demands of graduate school with work and families. The competing demands can lead to increased levels of perceived stress, which can impact academic performance due to increased mind wandering and decreased attention. Mindfulness is a practice that has been shown in the literature to decrease levels of perceived stress and mind wandering, therefore, the integration of mindfulness practice could have a positive effect on student persistence in online graduate education. Therefore, an online open access mindfulness course was created at one large urban university. The purpose of this explanatory sequential study was to explore the impact of teaching mindfulness to online graduate students. Self-report levels of perceived stress and mind wandering were significantly lower after students completed Module One of an open access mindfulness course. Self-reported perceived persistence levels were found to be significantly higher after Module One with students in the first or second quarter of their program, students with little or no mindfulness experience, and students who meditated four or more times a week. Furthermore, students interviewed felt that the course provided excellent foundational information about mindfulness that could be immediately applied, and therefore should be a requirement for all incoming students.

Piloting Learning Analytics in a Multidisciplinary Online Program

Learning analytics is a recent innovation that holds promise for improving retention in fully online programs. However, only a few case studies exist to show models for and outcomes of the implementation of learning analytics systems. This paper reports on a learning analytics implementation in a fully online, multidisciplinary program designed for nontraditional students using a pilot planning group with stakeholders from various roles. The processes for selecting reports, creating communication structures, and evaluating outcomes are outlined. Overall, faculty and advisors were positive about the project and found the reports to be helpful. The results suggest that the actions most often triggered by learning analytics reports were emails to students. Evaluation results suggest that the implementation of the learning analytics program and the interventions enacted had a positive impact on student success, though we acknowledge that it is difficult to isolate the impact of the learning analytics tool itself. We also address several challenges that came along with the implementation of learning analytics including understanding the efficacy of interventions, data security, and ethics.

Understanding the coaching experiences of non-traditional students in Higher Education in the UK

Understanding the coaching experiences of non-traditional students in Higher Education in the UK

Computer says no? Limitations of tech-focused transitions to higher education for Australian LSES students

ABSTRACT This article explores the limitations of technology-focused teaching and online learning in ‘widening participation’ tertiary preparation programs, from the perspective of non-traditional university students, and in their own words. Specifically, the article draws on data derived from the Life Literacies academic preparation and action research project which was designed to enhance the capacity of students from low socioeconomic (LSES) backgrounds to successfully undertake undergraduate study at a regional Australian university. Reflecting on this data, as an action researcher and critically reflective practitioner, I argue for a more human-centred and holistic approach to teaching LSES students in widening participation programs. This approach does not overestimate the potential of computer-mediated learning, but provides embedded digital literacy support through positive, supportive social relationships. What enabling educators need, is not ever more complex communications technologies, but the time, through-care and people skills to be authentically and consistently available and present for their non-traditional students.

All We Can Be: Innovations to Improve the Pipeline of Military Veterans in Medical Schools

Issue Medical schools are increasingly identifying military veteran applicants as a source of diversity, resiliency, and commitment—often derived from their personal experiences in the military. Yet, veterans remain significantly under-represented in entering classes; moreover, those veterans who do matriculate are not yet fully reflective of the diversity that the Armed Forces have to offer. Fortunately, specific measures have been shown to be effective at increasing both the number and diversity of student veterans in medical school. Evidence In 2019, there were less than 60 military veterans who entered the 144 civilian medical schools in the United States, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges. We identify common barriers faced by military veterans and propose best practices for medical schools to recruit and sustain them. We draw on the existing medical education literature about veteran support systems, and we underscore the unique challenges of veterans in medicine. Finally, we highlight innovative programs currently in place at several US medical schools that seek to address the needs of student veterans. This article provides a guide for how to recruit, assess, and nurture student veterans, suggesting a new way of thinking about this population of nontraditional medical students. Implications This dearth of servicemembers significantly below what would be expected based on national demographic data is indicative of how medical schools offer few pathways to entry for military servicemembers—and far fewer for enlisted personnel and other populations traditionally under-represented in medicine. Should schools aim to recruit a veteran population that is truly representative of the military, additional measures need to be taken into consideration during the admissions review process.

Student belonging: the impact of disability status within and between academic institutions.

Belonging at university is a complex and important issue which relates to student attainment but is more challenging for non-traditional students, including those with disability. This study, part of a larger project, explored differences in academic self-confidence and engagement, belonging, peer belonging and institutional acceptance in those with and without disability in two academic institutions. Quantitative data, collected using a series of statements in online questionnaires, indicated that academic self-confidence was significantly lower in those with disability, as were aspects of peer belonging. By contrast, academic engagement and institutional acceptance did not differ for most statements by disability status. Possible reasons for this, and the implications of the findings, are discussed.

CUREing Ocean Plastic in Pandemic Times

“The CUREing Ocean Plastic” project, an NSF-funded initiative addressing microbial colonization of ocean plastic, is a collaboration between a private non-profit university serving non-traditional students (National University, NU) and a world-renowned research-oriented institution (Scripps Institution of Oceanography, SIO). Over two years it has consistently shown significant gains in student knowledge of scientific research, laboratory techniques, and appreciation of science. In 2020, the SARS-Covid-19 pandemic effectively stopped in-person classes and field trips to SIO. The goal of this study was to 1) adapt content to online delivery, and 2) test the hypothesis that an online experience would result in comparable increases in student engagement and knowledge. In our original design, students in onsite classes were shown a documentary describing the background to the project, assessed by a low-stakes quiz. The day of the field trip, students visited the SIO pier and observed sample deployment and collection. Presentations addressed the research project, its experimental design, and updates about current ocean plastic research, culminating in a Q&A session with NU and SIO researchers and students. Afterward, students in the lab analyzed the collected plastic samples according to the course, from simple colony observations to DNA extraction, 16S PCR, and blast analysis. Introductory biology lab courses were selected for the online pilot. We developed video content of lectures presented during the field trip experience and footage of deployment and collection of samples. The material was scaffolded over 3 weeks of the course. At the end of the third, students participated in a live Zoom session with NU and SIO scientists and research students. The panel answered questions about the project, science skills and careers, the state of plastic pollution, and possible solutions. The intervention was assessed via retrospective surveys and focus groups. Survey results of the online students (N=24) were compared to those of previous onsite students (N=83) using paired and unpaired t-tests with Bonferroni corrections. For both groups, the “after” scores were significantly higher for all questions than the “before” scores, as students rated their knowledge of scientific design, basic laboratory techniques, SIO and NU research, and ocean plastic research. Interestingly, the “before” scores of online students were significantly lower compared to the onsite students, but there was no significant difference was found in the “after” scores. Focus group interviews of nine students reflected a deep appreciation of both the experience and the knowledge gained regarding the real-life relevance of plastic pollution. The results show that carefully designed virtual experiences can substitute in-person science experiences with comparable effect on student engagement and perception of knowledge. While limited in the hands-on and informal social aspects, the virtual field trip is an accessible alternative that can reach larger student audiences.

114 An online course to teach and encourage equine biosecurity practices

To introduce horse owners, caretakers, and industry professionals to equine biosecurity concepts, the University of Minnesota (UMN) Extension Equine Program offered a semi-self-paced, 6-week online certificate course. Our objective to improve content and its delivery was prompted by student feedback from year one before the second offering (January 2020 and January 2021, respectively). The Equine Biosecurity Online Certificate Course (EBOCC) used the Canvas learning management platform. To meet course objectives, adult learners viewed weekly asynchronous lectures on biosecurity concepts, practicing biosecurity at home and at shows/events, and communicating a biosecurity plan to clients and service providers. Weekly assignments alternated between discussion forums and a quiz to assess learning. Lecture notes and supportive resources (e.g., web articles or videos) were provided for each module. Students also wrote a biosecurity plan for their individual farm or horse ownership circumstance, prompted by 11 biosecurity principles. Knowledge gain was measured through pre- and post-course assessments and course satisfaction was considered through a course evaluation. The first offering resulted in knowledge gain ( P ≤ 0.0008) though course evaluations indicated improvements were necessary for future delivery. The non-traditional students struggled with Canvas course navigation and desired more applied uses for equine biosecurity. Improved user-experience was created for year 2 using Canvas design options. Weekly modules were further developed to include deeper biosecurity concepts and applied uses. Learners in year 2 also demonstrated knowledge gain ( P ≤ 0.0001) and greater course satisfaction (82%) compared with the first offering (67%). In total, 40 horse owners and industry professionals from 11 states and 5 countries (including the US) participated. The enrolled students personally owned 101 equids and cared for an additional 303 animals. Based on the information they learned, 93% of the students agreed or strongly agreed they would make at least one change in their horse operation or ownership with respect to biosecurity. Participants conveyed gratitude for the encouragement to write a biosecurity plan as part of their everyday management and disease preparedness, with 47% implementing at least one change before the course ending. Exposure to equine biosecurity through an online course provided students opportunity to increase knowledge and commit to biosecurity practices in the present and for the future. Utilizing course evaluations to constructively evaluate the delivery of this Extension course improved the impact of the lessons taught.

The Need for Equitable Scholarship Criteria for Part-Time Students

Current policies and interventions to enhance student success and retention are often tied to full-time enrollment, which are substantiated by studies associating part-time enrollment with lower retention and poorer academic outcomes. However, these findings are limited to studies of first-time college students and do not represent today’s nontraditional undergraduate who may be transfer, online, and working adult students. To enhance retention of on-campus and hybrid online 2 + 2 transfer students in a STEM undergraduate program, need-based scholarships are awarded to students enrolled full-time as stipulated by the federal granting agency. Although the scholarship has helped >80 students to date, over 40% of eligible transfer students are excluded only because they are enrolled part-time, disproportionately affecting students in the hybrid online track who are more likely to be women and underrepresented minorities. Using quantitative and qualitative methods, this study explores enrollment behavior of transfer students (online and on-campus), its relationship with student characteristics and academic outcomes, and implications for scholarship eligibility. Full-time enrollment is a significant challenge for transfer students. While scholarship requirements are a key factor influencing full-time enrollment, online transfer students additionally cite work and family obligations as drivers of enrollment behavior. Thus, online 2 + 2 transfer students face different challenges than on-campus peers and are more likely to enroll part-time out of necessity, yet still have comparable GPA and graduation rates. These findings support a growing awareness of barriers nontraditional students face questioning the relevance of policies driven by “traditional” student outcomes, which perpetuate inequity in higher education.