Postsecondary Education Opportunities Research Articles

Public Health Youth Ambassador Program: Educating and Empowering the Next Generation of Public Health Leaders to Build Thriving Communities

Summary: Through a collaboration among Fairfax County Health Department (FCHD), Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS), Morehouse School of Medicine (MSM), George Mason University College of Public Health, federally qualified health centers, hospital systems, non-profits, and other agencies, this initiative targets underserved high school students as a way to increase diversity among community health professionals, build generational health, and provide participants with tools to enhance their post-secondary educational and career opportunities.

College opportunity and teen fertility: Evidence from Ser Pilo Paga in Colombia

We study the effects of an increase in post-secondary educational opportunities on teen fertility by exploiting policy-induced variation from Ser Pilo Paga (SPP), a generous college financial aid program in Colombia that dramatically expanded college opportunities for low-income students. Our preferred empirical approach uses a triple difference design that leverages variation in the share of female students eligible for the program across municipalities and the fact that the introduction of SPP should not affect the education and fertility decisions of older women not targeted by the program. We find that after the introduction of SPP, fertility rates for women aged 15–19 years old decreased in more affected municipalities by about 6 percent relative to less affected municipalities. This effect accounts for approximately one-fourth of the overall decrease in teen fertility observed in the years following the program’s announcement. Our results suggest that increasing economic opportunities through expanding college access can contribute to lowering teen fertility rates.

Behind the Love and Stories: Rural Learners’ Reasons and Motivations for Learning Mathematics

Research on learners within rural areas and rural schools in South Africa has been consistently overlooked by researchers in the field of mathematics education. If the education landscape in rural areas differs from that of urban areas, which has been extensively researched since the end of apartheid. In that case, it becomes evident that the research on mathematics education in South Africa has not adequately addressed issues of social justice. To address the lack of research on mathematics education in rural contexts in South Africa, this study focuses on exploring the experiences and attitudes of Grade 10 rural mathematics learners. A qualitative multiple case study design was used, involving 12 learners from two different school sites. Data was collected through semi-structured individual interviews and unstructured classroom observations. Fairclough's Critical Discourse Analysis, in conjunction with Anderson's concept of imagination, was employed to analyse the data. The findings revealed that learners anticipate and aspire for mathematics to enhance their opportunities for post-secondary education and employment, which instils a sense of hopefulness and motivates them to better understand mathematical concepts.

Instructor experiences providing accommodations and modifications for students with intellectual disability in inclusive higher education

ABSTRACT In recent years, with the passing of the Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) of 2008, growing numbers of universities and colleges have provided inclusive post-secondary education (IPSE) opportunities to students with intellectual and developmental disabilities (ID). As universities and colleges welcome more students with ID into the classroom, there is a need to examine the experiences of these students and their instructors. Using semi-structured interviews with twelve university instructors who hosted students with ID in their courses, this qualitative study was conducted to examine instructors’ experiences modifying course content and implementing accommodations for students with ID. Results indicate that instructors desire greater institutional support and training as they feel unsure about their ability to modify course content and accommodate students with ID. Instructors who identified as disabled demonstrated more skill and confidence providing modifications and accommodations for students with intellectual disability. Implications for practice are provided.

A (mis)guidance of disabled youth: Post-secondary schooling transition experiences in South Africa.

Globally, there is a disparity that exists between equal employment opportunities for people with disabilities post-schooling. While South Africa has aimed at the inclusion of people with disabilities, there has not been sufficient evidence of a successful transition from school to work environments. This study documents the experiences and barriers that influence the preparation of high school students with disabilities for post-secondary education and work opportunities. A qualitative research methodology employing multiple case study design was used where semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with youth between the ages of 18 years and 36 years who were currently employed. The participants were identified through purposeful sampling. Data were analysed by thematic analysis. The findings indicate two overarching themes indicating that the career choices of participants, firstly, were significantly influenced by teacher and guidance counsellor expectations and, secondly, experiences of discouragement where personal agency and autonomy were limited. This study illuminates the need to enhance the decisions around careers for people with disabilities which should debunk the expectations of society. This study will make teachers, mentors and counsellors more aware of their contribution, influence and support to youth with disabilities as they transition into the workplace.

Using Flashcards and Descriptive Feedback to Teach Industrial Kitchen Equipment to a Student with Intellectual Disabilities in a Postsecondary Education Program.

With postsecondary education opportunities for adult students with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) on the rise, it is important to find socially validated research-based methods that are appropriate for the university or other community-based postsecondary instructional settings. The present research examines the effects of using flashcards with descriptive feedback and opportunities to respond, to teach one student with intellectual disabilities, enrolled in a postsecondary education-training program, commonly used industrial kitchen equipment. Results showed that discrete trail instruction, which included an error correction strategy of descriptive feedback plus opportunities to correctly respond was highly effective in mastery and maintenance of kitchen equipment identification, and generalization when asked to locate those items in the university kitchen lab.

FACTSHEET – Civic Engagement: Roles and Opportunities for Postsecondary Education

FACTSHEET – Civic Engagement: Roles and Opportunities for Postsecondary Education

Ecosystem services in postsecondary and professional education: an overview of programs and courses

ABSTRACT Postsecondary and informal professional educational opportunities have increasingly become an important mode of supporting the understanding, dissemination, and application of ecosystem services (ES). The development of professional activities and group characteristics (e.g. a shared vocabulary, common objectives, dedication of time) together with teaching and education are instrumental for the institutionalization of new ideas, concepts, and disciplines in society. Integrating ES into postsecondary and professional education can help us to understand complex human-environment interactions and shape policy towards greater socio-ecological sustainability. This study analyzes the current status of ES-related programs and courses offered at the postsecondary and professional levels around the world. We collected data in English on these opportunities in mid-2020 using Internet searches, crowdsourcing techniques, and personal knowledge and discovered 20 degree-granting programs and 112 courses focused on or related to ES. Our analyses suggest that most ES education is uncoordinated and aimed at graduate students (master’s or doctorate level), but is also interdisciplinary with an emphasis on ES as a plural concept. We argue that the continued evolution and application of ES depends on the concept’s integration into postsecondary and professional education and that more attention should be paid to these modes of knowledge sharing and building. Our analysis adds to the current understanding of the available formal and informal opportunities for learning about ES and provides a lens by which we can envision new pathways for increasing the reach and effectiveness of ES education and training.

Accessibility service providers’ perceptions of college students with autism spectrum disorder

Increasing numbers of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are pursuing postsecondary education opportunities, including college degree programs. Many receive supports and accommodations from their college accessibility service office. In this study, results of an online survey completed by 147 college accessibility services personnel summarized their perceptions of the facilitators and barriers faced by college students with ASD. Descriptive statistics and qualitative coding procedures were utilized to analyze the data. The participants indicated that the academic preparation of college students with ASD varies. Respondents believed that the most important facilitators of success were the presence of appropriate executive function, social, and self-determination/self-advocacy skills in students, and the absence of these skills was reported as a major barrier to the success of college students with ASD. Respondents also believed that the students’ ability to self-advocate, make independent decisions, self-regulate behaviors, and use appropriate coping and study strategies facilitate the success of college students with ASD. Implications of these findings and suggested directions for future research are offered.

The Relationship Between Special Education Placement and High School Outcomes

Propensity score matching was used to create intervention and comparison groups to compare academic outcomes of students with disabilities in the U.S. state of Indiana placed in more inclusive settings with those placed in less inclusive settings. Student and school demographic and outcome data were analyzed from the eighth grade in 2013 through graduation in 2018. Students with disabilities spending 80% more time in inclusive classrooms did better in reading and math than peers spending more time in special education classrooms. The study shows differences in diploma types of students in more inclusive settings than those in less inclusive settings, indicating that students in inclusive settings engage in more rigorous course of study and are more prepared for successful post-secondary educational and employment opportunities.

Supporting students with sex chromosome aneuploidies in educational settings: Results of a nationwide survey

Children with sex chromosome aneuploidies (SCAs) are at an increased risk for neurocognitive and behavioral disorders that may interfere with academic success, including early developmental delays, learning disabilities, executive function problems, and social communication deficits. The present national survey aimed to update and extend our understanding of school supports and educational outcomes for students with these increasingly common genetic diagnoses. Parents of children with a diagnosed SCA, birth to 21 years, living in the United States (N = 248), responded to an electronic survey with questions focused on school support plans, academic accommodations, educational therapies, school completion, and perceptions of educator awareness of SCAs. Results revealed high rates of delayed kindergarten, grade retention in primary years, and educational support plans (IEPs = 71%; Section 504 Plans = 26%). A majority (73%) of respondents with children over age 18 years (N = 41) reported their children successfully completed high school, and nearly half (46%) pursued post-secondary education opportunities. Many parents reported their children's educators had little to no knowledge of SCA conditions, justifying a need to train teachers and policy makers in the unique educational needs of children and adolescents with SCAs. School psychologists should be aware of the frequent need for accommodations and individualized support plans in this population so they can support children and families by advocating for early and comprehensive evaluations and intervention plans.

Literacy Learning Among Students With Complex Support Needs in Postsecondary Education Programs: A Scoping Literature Review

Abstract Although valuable for an individual's quality of life and participation in society, many individuals with complex support needs (CSN) do not receive appropriate literacy instruction. Recent expansion of postsecondary education opportunities for individuals with CSN offers new opportunities for continued literacy skill development (e.g., participation in coursework, employment, social activities). This scoping review explored existing research to understand how students with CSN experience literacy learning opportunities in postsecondary education. Results reveal a need for future research to include as participants individuals who are reading at pre-first grade levels and to investigate opportunities to acquire or develop literacy skills for these students within inclusive university classes with students who do not have disabilities. Implications for future research and practice are discussed.

Examining the Undocumented College Student Policy Implementation Environment Through a Contextual Interaction Theory Lens

The higher education policy implementation landscape has substantially shaped postsecondary education opportunities for undocumented youth, who are already negatively affected by discriminatory public policies, and institutional agents, who are often unprepared to address their needs. Guided by Bressers’s contextual interaction theory that identifies the role of contexts, actor characteristics, and social interactions among implementers in the policy implementation process, the researchers examined the experiences of 45 community college administrators in four states to understand how these elements shaped the participants’ role as implementers of policies for undocumented students. Implications are significant given current social and political landscapes and challenges higher education institutional agents encounter in implementing policies that affect undocumented students’ educational opportunities.

The use of digital technology to enhance language and literacy skills for Indigenous people: A systematic literature review

Indigenous people have experienced negative inter-generational impacts of colonization and socioeconomic stress, which has led to persistent subpar academic performance compared to non-Indigenous populations. This has prevented Indigenous people from graduating high school and pursuing post-secondary education and professional opportunities. One of their most critical challenges is obtaining adequate language and literacy skills required for success in school and at work. Thus, by a systematic review of 25 empirical studies, this article examines the evidence for the efficacy of using digital technologies to support Indigenous people's learning of language and literacy skills. This research synthesis provides a profile of the studies’ comprehensive attributes and responds to five research questions that focus on the effects of, and Indigenous people and educators’ perspectives on digital technology use for Indigenous people's learning of language and literacy skills. This article provides insights for teaching practice, and also identifies gaps for future research, instructional designs and implementations that are urgently needed to support Indigenous people, particularly the language and literacy development of Indigenous school children and youth.

Does Online Course-Taking Increase High School Completion and Open Pathways to Postsecondary Education Opportunities?

Recent increases in high school graduation rates have been linked anecdotally to online course-taking for credit recovery. Online course-taking that supports high school completion could open opportunities for postsecondary education pursuits. Alternatively, poorer quality online instruction could diminish student learning and discourage persistence toward graduation and further education. Using quasi-experimental methods in an 8-year longitudinal study of high school online course-taking, we find positive associations between online course-taking, credits earned and high school graduation, and for those with limited online course-taking, small increases in college enrollment. However, we find significantly lower 4-year college enrollments and lower quality college enrollments for all online course-takers, leaving open the question of whether online course-taking will lead to long-term postsecondary education and labor market success.

Ineligible Anyway: Evidence on the Barriers to Pell Eligibility for Prisoners in the Second Chance Pell Pilot Program in Pennsylvania Prisons

Since the mid-1990s scholars, practitioners and policy-makers have consistently identified the ban on Pell eligibility for prisoners as the primary cause for the decline of post-secondary education programs in prisons nationwide. In 2015, the Second Chance Pell (SCP) pilot program authorized reinstatement of Pell eligibility for prisoners with the goal of providing post-secondary educational opportunities in prisons. However, SCP programs used fewer than half of the available Pell grants in the first three years of the program. We analyze novel data from a sample of individuals in Pennsylvania prisons to estimate population-level eligibility for SCP. We find demand in excess and uptake far below availability, which is a consequence of multiple barriers to eligibility. In the absence of significant reforms designed to address collateral ineligibility for Pell grants among the population of incarcerated individuals, there will be systematically low utilization of Pell-funded higher education programming in prisons.

Examining an Urban District’s College-Going Culture: The Role of Magnet School Designation

Inequitable access to postsecondary education opportunities continues to persist in many highly segregated, under-resourced urban school districts. This study examined the college-going culture of three urban public secondary schools located in one district, with a close examination of the role magnet and nonmagnet school designations had in shaping college-going culture. Guided by the work of Corwin and Tierney (2007), this investigation examined college-going culture, including magnet and nonmagnet disparities, along the following dimensions: (a) academic momentum, (b) understanding of how college plans develop, (c) clear mission statement, and (d) comprehensive college counseling services. This study identified differences in the college-going culture of magnet versus nonmagnet schools—as evidenced by the availability of Advanced Placement courses, the level of expectations established by institutional agents who work in the school, and the presence of wide-ranging college services that are embedded into the fabric of the school. This study links college access disparities to court decisions that may have facilitated social inequalities. Implications for policy, research, and practice in developing stronger college-going cultures in urban school districts are discussed.

Supporting Students With Intellectual and Developmental Disability in Postsecondary Education

Supporting Students With Intellectual and Developmental Disability in Postsecondary Education Andrew Scheef (bio), Aleksandra Hollingshead (bio), and Brenda Barrio (bio) Following a sustained increase in the number of inclusive educational experiences in K–12 settings (U.S. Department of Education, 2019), higher education institutions (HEIs) are offering opportunities for students with intellectual and developmental disability (IDD) to engage in inclusive postsecondary education (IPSE; Think College, 2019). Although many students with mild disabilities (e.g., learning disabilities or ADHD) are able to succeed in college with disability support services, these supports are not enough for individuals with IDD. As a result, IPSE opportunities may be available to students with any number of conditions that make traditional entrance requirements unattainable (e.g., Down Syndrome, Autism Spectrum Disorder). Postsecondary education opportunities for students with IDD can be traced back to the 1970s (Neubert, Grigal, Moon, & Redd, 2001) and are currently offered at more than 270 HEIs (Think College, 2019). The reauthorization of the Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA, 2008) provided the foundation for significant growth of IPSE. Most notably, the HEOA outlined a process by which schools offering postsecondary education opportunities for students with IDD can obtain a comprehensive transition program status, which makes students eligible for need-based federal financial aid (with the exception of student loans). Through this and other provisions, the HEOA has provided increased credibility and legitimacy to IPSE. Among multiple examples of high-quality IPSE opportunities in the US, some of the larger and more established exist at Clemson University (ClemsonLIFE), University of Iowa (UI REACH), Syracuse University (InclusiveU) and Vanderbilt University (Next Steps). Some IPSE offerings provide services that are substantially separate from the courses and services accessed by those students not accessing disability support services; these include specialized programs that are designed for and offered only to students with IDD (Hart, Mele-McCarthy, Pasternack, Zimbrich, & Parker, 2004). Such courses may focus on skill development in areas of need commonly associated with individuals with IDD (e.g., independent living, social skills, vocational skills, self-determination). Although these programs may initially appear to be an effective way to support students with IDD in HEI settings, the lack of engagement with peers without disabilities limits the extent to which these offerings are actually inclusive. Thus, there is an increased emphasis on providing opportunities for students with IDD to enroll [End Page 528] in the same courses as their peers (Grigal, Hart, & Weir, 2011; HEOA, 2008). With this in mind, the purpose of this article is to provide recommendations for HEI staff and faculty to increase course accessibility for students with IDD. BENEFITS OF INCLUSIVE POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION For higher education institutions, IPSE offers an additional opportunity to develop a diverse student body (Izzo & Shuman, 2013). Experiences with diverse individuals are especially important for young adults, because they are in the process of developing self-identity and an understanding of the world (Gurin, Dey, Hurtado, & Gurin, 2002). Although many HEIs may not include disability as a dimension of diversity (Scheef, Caniglia, & Barrio, 2020), a student body that represents a cross-section of the population should include students with IDD. Faculty generally have favorable attitudes toward IPSE, and these may increase after leading a classroom that includes students with IDD (Plotner & Marshall, 2015). Faculty who lead inclusive courses may experience a multitude of benefits, including an increased sense of job satisfaction and a more positive classroom climate (O'Connor, Kubiak, Espiner, & O'Brien, 2012). Students with IDD who engage in inclusive opportunities reap many benefits, including, but not limited to, improved independent living skills, social skills, community access, self-advocacy skills, and employability (Grigal, Hart, Smith, Papay, & Domin, 2018). Uditsky and Hughson (2012) frame IPSE as a moral imperative rooted in social justice; it offers students with IDD the same traditional college experience opportunities as their peers without IDD. Students without IDD who attend postsecondary education institutions that support IPSE are more likely to accept their peers with IDD and to benefit from the experience (e.g., increased comfort with people with disabilities, enhanced self-esteem, greater awareness of career interests; Izzo & Shuman, 2013; May, 2012). RECOMMENDATIONS FOR PRACTICE Following are recommendations for course instructors who are leading classrooms that include students...

Latinx Students and Postsecondary Preparation: Putting the ASCA Model into Practice

To address educational disparities experienced by some Latinx youth and help close the achievement and opportunity gaps in one small school, the first author taught a year-long course on college and career readiness to 16 members of the senior class, using the three ASCA domains as a foundation. The first author was the school counselor in the primarily Latinx-serving charter school, where she designed and delivered the course in alignment with the ASCA National Model: A Framework for School Counseling Programs. The academic, career, and social-emotional development domains were addressed through a wide variety of lessons and activities. Although a pre-test assessment indicated little knowledge of how to prepare or apply for college, by the end of the school year, the majority of students had been accepted and registered for classes at an institution of higher learning. The project underscores the necessity and ethical imperative of providing advocacy and individualized attention to Latinx students, who despite ability and aptitude, may otherwise miss opportunities for postsecondary education.

ESports in K-12 and Post-Secondary Schools

eSports is a rising modality of sports entertainment in the United States and has growing implications for education. Providing competitive eSports teams in schools satisfies the growing desire to train and educate students on the skills emphasized in STEM and Career Technical Education (CTE) education, as well as in programs such as English and Language Arts. eSports develop the soft skills universities and employers like to see in a student graduating from high school. As the market continues to grow for eSports, opportunities for post-secondary education as well as for prospective employment will increase. The popularity of eSports will continue to grow, and this popularity will be reflected in the schools.