Postsecondary Programs Research Articles

Factors in successful programme completion for postsecondary students with disabilities: A systematic review of the literature

AbstractEnrolment of postsecondary students with disabilities continues to increase, yet completion rates of postsecondary students with disabilities are much lower than those of their non‐disabled peers. The purpose of this systematic review is to examine the perceptions of postsecondary students with disabilities, solely within the USA, regarding factors they believe are influential in completing their postsecondary programme. Specifically, the study will focus on student‐related factors as identified within the literature. A total of 19 studies were identified after meeting the inclusionary criteria for review. The results of the review identified the student's kindergarten (K) to grade 12 (K‐12) transition services, the student's knowledge of their disability and related postsecondary disability services, the student's ability to self‐advocate, the student's self‐determination and the student's support system as student‐related factors that influence their ability to successfully complete a postsecondary programme. According to the literature, these student‐related factors are heavily impacted by the social interactions of their past and present instructors, peers, support systems, legislators and chosen postsecondary institution. Therefore, Critical Disability Theory was chosen as the lens for analysis to examine how students with disabilities, a marginalised group, continue to face obstacles within postsecondary environments. Postsecondary students with disabilities are more apt to be successful in completing their programme if the identified student factors are present. It is important for K‐12 support systems, family support systems and postsecondary institution support systems to recognise that the identified factors are important for successful programme completion by students with disabilities. Implications for future research, policy and practice are discussed.

Do elite schools improve students performance? Evidence from Tunisia

This paper is concerned with identifying whether selective high schools may have an effect on students’ post-secondary trajectories and labor market prospects. It uses data from Tunisia, a country in which unemployment rates for post-secondary graduates are higher than for non-graduates, particularly for women—although there is significant variation across types of diplomas and fields of study. Our main finding is that admission to an elite high school raises students’ probability to eventually get assigned to a university program associated with a lower post-graduation unemployment rate. This is particularly true for women. Focusing then on students who would have applied to post-secondary programs regardless of admission to an elite high school, we show that this effect is the result of an increase in the competitiveness of their applications rather than of a change in their probability to apply to programs lower post-graduation unemployment rate.

Assessing the incorporation of the soil health concept in postsecondary education in Canada

Incorporation of soil health concept into professional practice, supported by integration into postsecondary programs, may lead to the successful maintenance and improvement of Canadian soils. The Canadian Society of Soil Science (CSSS) has identified the need to promote the teaching of the soil health concept to instructors of soil science and related courses across Canada. In summer 2023, a 37-question survey was emailed to CSSS members with the objectives of (1) gauging the understanding and interest among instructors of soil science (and related) courses across Canada in soil health, (2) describing the current status of the soil health concept in Canadian postsecondary soil science (and related) courses, and (3) assessing the need for an open access repository of educational resources focused on soil health. Survey results of 46 respondents suggest that inclusion of the concept in courses has been increasing steadily for the last 20 years, with estimated 1400 students being exposed to the concept annually in 30 courses in 6 majors, where 60% had soil in the course title. The main reasons for not including soil health in courses included lack of time and experience. Creation of a Canadian soil health repository of teaching materials would provide resources to 28% respondents (13/46) who do not include the soil health concept into their courses. Respondents indicated that the soil health concept is useful in teaching because it requires integration of a range of basic soil disciplinary concepts, a process that might be best implemented through active learning strategies.

Managing quality assurance at community colleges in Ontario, Canada: experiences and perspectives of front-line quality managers

PurposeThis paper aims to examine the roles of quality managers at community colleges, their experiences balancing accountability and improvement and their insights into the future of quality assurance.Design/methodology/approachThis phenomenological, qualitative study used semi-structured interviews with eight community college quality managers to investigate their roles, experiences and perspectives. A reflexive thematic approach was used to analyze the interview data.FindingsFour themes were identified from participant responses: quality managers frame and enable program quality, quality managers drive program change, quality managers cultivate a culture of quality and quality managers seek system change. The findings illustrate the roles played by quality managers as they work to improve college education at program, institution and system-wide levels.Research limitations/implicationsThe decision of participants to accept the recruitment invitation might reflect particular attitudes, perspectives or experiences.Practical implicationsQuality assurance has emerged as a key mechanism for ensuring postsecondary programs are current, relevant and meeting the evolving needs of students and employers. This study advances the understanding of how quality assurance processes play out at the operational level and explores the experiences of quality managers as they navigate various quality tensions.Originality/valueQuality managers play key roles in leading, evaluating and influencing quality assurance processes in postsecondary education yet they are underrepresented in the literature. The findings of this study shed new light on the aspirational and influential roles they play in advancing quality assurance.

Breaking new ground? An analysis of the use of embedded occupational therapy in a postsecondary education programme for students with intellectual disabilities

AbstractBackgroundDespite the growing diversity among students in higher education, nonprogression to postsecondary education persists for many students with intellectual disabilities with low completion rates for those who do progress. Research suggests that occupational therapy (OT) support can be extremely beneficial in assisting students. Less is known however about the impact of OT in higher education. This study aims to examine the use of OT embedded in a postsecondary programme for students with intellectual disabilities.MethodsThis study uses a scoping review of relevant literature and a qualitative analysis of OT working in a higher education programme specifically designed for students with intellectual disabilities in Ireland.FindingsThis paper highlights how the OT support within this programme uses a four‐fold collaborative approach supporting students, staff, business partners and wider organisational structures in the university.ConclusionThe analysis highlights the opportunities for collaboration between OT and curriculum developers, teaching and ancillary staff and students in higher education along with the significant OT input into work placements and internships with business partner mentors. Challenges in educating stakeholders to understand OT in the higher education environment would suggest a substantial need for further research.

Shifting Spaces: How Journalism Students Perceive their Training through the COVID-19 Pandemic

ABSTRACT This study explores how journalism students in one Canadian post-secondary programme perceived their training through the pandemic. We draw on journalism pedagogy literature, Bourdieu’s field theory, and Zelizer’s conceptualisation of interpretive communities to interrogate how remote learning disrupted opportunities for socialisation in the journalistic field. Through surveys of and interviews with students, we identify shared narratives of loss and perceptions of precarity in journalism careers. We argue emerging journalists’ perceptions of the pandemic period contribute to mapping the field and its practices. We conclude by considering how shared pandemic narratives of disruption add to conversations that interrupt the reproduction of spaces that foster burnout or overwork, as students and educators seize opportunities to reframe how journalism operates and how it is taught.

Teacher Exit and Educational Opportunity: Lessons From Career and Technical Education

Ensuring a stable pool of teachers is critical to building a pipeline of future workers, especially in career and technical education (CTE), where programming can lead to immediate post-school employment or postsecondary enrollment. We use longitudinal state data with unemployment insurance records to document workforce dynamics among CTE teachers. We find that teachers in hard-to-staff CTE areas are more likely to leave teaching and are difficult to replace, creating net reductions in the number of students who can be served. We demonstrate that teachers with the greatest likelihood of leaving are also those who earn the most money in their post-teaching employment, suggesting actionable dimensions for policies to help retain or recruit teachers in these areas. Ensuring a steady and stable pool of high-quality teachers is critical to building a pipeline of future workers and professionals to support economic stability, especially in growing and high-wage fields. This is particularly true in career and technical education (CTE) where programming in high school can lead to immediate postschool employment or enrollment in aligned postsecondary programs. Increased policy focus on CTE has expanded program offerings over the last 15 years, and new federal requirements that programs align with in-demand occupations and industries have heightened potential tensions between the private and public employment opportunities for current or potential CTE teachers (Perkins V, 2018). Even before the new federal mandate, CTE teachers were a hard-to-staff group, with school administrators citing higher turnover and difficulty hiring (Hensley et al., 2017). Though the quantitative research on CTE teachers is limited, evidence does suggest that teachers who score higher on content-specific certification exams produce graduates who earn more money in their early years of post–high school employment, bolstering the claim that these teachers are important (Chen et al., 2023).

A Pilot Study of Drayton Valley’s Zero-Fee Tuition Program

ABSTRACT This qualitative pilot study introduces and reflects on early development and implementation of the Zero Fee Tuition (ZFT) program in the rural, oil and gas town of Drayton Valley, Alberta, Canada. This innovative, primarily municipally funded program, implemented in 2019, provides local students with up to $5,000 in free tuition for select post-secondary programs. Here we situate ZFT within higher education funding debates and other publicly funded tuition assistance programs in North America. ZFT is then put into conversation with a typology of tuition assistance Promise programs in the United States, framing ZFT as a last dollar, place-based, and universal program. Implications for such programs are explored in the context of Canadian post-secondary education. We conclude by drawing implications from our pilot examination of ZFT.

An international partnership between a Canadian and Brazilian University: A descriptive report

Post-secondary programs in health are strengthened when curricula and experiences are internationalized. Internationalization encourages students to think, advocate and practice globally; thus, preparing graduates to contribute to health beyond geo-political borders. However, designing and supporting international experiences in undergraduate health curricula can be challenging due to time and resource constraints, costs, language barriers, and collaborative processes within and across organizations; thus, internationalization is not easily achieved. The purpose of this report is to describe an initiative aimed at supporting undergraduate nursing student experiences in an international partnership program between a Brazilian and Canadian university. First, we describe the project. Second, we present the context of the two partnering undergraduate nursing programs and their respective communities. Third, students from each school describe their experiences with the initiative. Fourth, we integrate our experiences with literature to offer three lessons for moving forward using a framework of resource allocation, fair trade learning, and decolonized competencies. Our report is timely as worldwide, universities are eager to build collaborative partnerships with stakeholders to implement internationalization within curricula. Such partnerships can help students learn about health-related experiences for populations living in distinctive social inequality and inequities in accessing health services.

“You’re a Mature Student and You’re a Tiny, Tiny Little Fish in a Big Massive Pond of Students”: A Thematic Analysis Investigating the Institutional Support Needs of Partnered Mature Students in Postsecondary Study

Mature students in postsecondary education—those over 25 years of age, also known as nontraditional students or adult learners—make up a significant minority population on Canadian postsecondary campuses. Despite academic performance that tends to be higher than that of traditional students, the retention of mature students is lower due to the stressors they face in their home and school roles. This paper examines the insights of mature students and their intimate partners on how higher education institutions can provide better supports to make postsecondary programs and campuses more accessible to adult learners and enable their success. A sample of 25 mature postsecondary students enrolled in Canadian higher education institutions and their partners participated in dyadic interviews that explored the connections between their relationship and school experiences. A data-driven, inductive thematic analysis of the transcribed interviews found three themes that focused on the institutional support needs of partnered mature students, highlighting the need to (1) increase institutional knowledge and awareness of mature students’ needs, (2) offer flexible study options to complete courses and program requirements, and (3) provide relevant supports and programs. Mature students felt marginalized at their institutions related to the programs, instructors, staff, resources, and supports that are strongly focused on traditional-aged and circumstanced students. Recommendations are provided for higher education institutions to provide resources and supports that meet mature students’ unique needs to both access and be successful in their pursuit of postsecondary education.

Exploring Postsecondary Experiences for Dance Majors in Texas with Backgrounds in Competitive Dance and/Or Drill Team

ABSTRACT The purpose of this qualitative study is to explore the experiences of college dance majors in Texas who have a background in studio dance, competitive dance, or drill team as they navigate the culture of dance in postsecondary education. At this stage in the research, the experience of college dance majors will be generally defined as the benefits and challenges they face, the positive and negative impacts of these challenges and benefits, and the interpretations they have of their existence within the culture of dance in postsecondary education, as well as how they define that culture of dance. Findings from this study show dance majors from this participant pool who had consistently challenging experiences regarding their own integration into postsecondary programs. The conclusion of this study provides a recommendation for postsecondary dance programs to consider curriculum revision to better suit the needs of a significant demographic within their student populations.

Empowering Autistic College Students: Recommendations Based on a Review of the Literature and Existing Support Programs

A review of 29 juried journal articles from 2009–2022, among other sources, found that autistic students face numerous systemic barriers to success in postsecondary settings. Despite autistic students being academically prepared, many are not persisting and completing a postsecondary program. Major findings from the literature include the benefits of additional support for autistic students in the areas of executive functioning skills, selfregulation, mental health, social, and communication skills. Additionally, the research indicates that by offering additional support services, colleges and universities can decrease the systemic barriers to success that autistic students face. The author also discusses the available autism-specific support programs that provide additional services amongst this growing population of students.

특수학교 전공과 전문적학습공동체의 개인중심 ITP 운영에 관한 협력적 실행

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to reveal the practical meaning by examining in detail the process of establishing and implementing an individualized transformation education plan based on the philosophy of person-centered planning through cooperative practice using a specialized learning community on post-secondary program for vocational education in special school. Method: For a total of 10 months from April 2020 to February 2021, the collaborative implementation research method using the professional learning community is not applied, but the data collected in the implementation process are analyzed using considerable analysis procedures, and the four upper categories and It consisted of 12 individual subcategories, 28 meanings. Results: 1) Laying the basis for practicing individualized transformation education reflecting the individual-centered plan through cooperation between teachers. 2) Improving vocational rehabilitation and independent living skills of students participating in the study by operating a curriculum reflecting the individual-centered plan. 3) Curriculum reflecting the ITP. 4) The educational effect of ITP is enhanced when students, teachers, and parents are together. Conclusion: Based on these research results, Basic information and implications for ITP implementation were presented.

Behind the Virtual Curtain: Techniques to Bring the CAE Principles to Life

In this practice note, the authors discuss techniques they used to bring the collaborative approaches to evaluation (CAE) principles to life in a virtual setting. Following their CAE evaluation of an extracurricular post-secondary program, the authors examined artifacts of their work using CAE as a deductive framework. Their analysis highlighted numerous strategies to enact the CAE principles and the importance of modern technologies to facilitate crucial evaluation processes in a virtual setting. The authors conclude by discussing four recurring practices that aligned with the CAE principles and sharing technologies they used to enhance evaluation activities with clients, stakeholders, and each other.

Introduction to the Special Issue

Introduction to the Special Issue

Employment Preparation Experiences of Youth With Intellectual Disability and Autism Who Attend College-Based Transition Programs

Abstract College-based transition programs offer students with intellectual disability and autism (ID/A) the opportunity to navigate adult learning experiences with similar-aged peers, accessing college coursework and employment experiences while continuing to receive support from or coordinated by their local school system. The present study used data from college-based transition programs included in the Transition and Postsecondary Programs for Students with Intellectual Disability (TPSID) model demonstration program to examine the composition of employment preparation activities including paid employment and the association with having paid employment upon exiting from the program. The findings suggest that college-based transition programs hold promise as a model for supporting the transition to paid employment for students with ID/A. Implications for research and practice are discussed.

Perspectives and Experiences on Engaging in Physical Activity for Adults with Intellectual Disabilities

Physical activity [PA] benefits all individuals, especially those with intellectual disabilities [ID]. This study explores the lived perspectives and experiences of PA for individuals with ID. Two focus groups (n = 8; n = 12) were conducted with participants enrolled in a postsecondary program at an institution of higher education [IHE] postsecondary education. The focus group was conducted on Zoom. Audio recordings were transcribed using NVivo 12, a qualitative software for themes and subthemes. Three main themes emerged: motivation, self-efficacy, and fitness considerations. Several subthemes within each theme emerged to support the main themes. Application of health education and opportunities to engage in physical activities [PAs], education of PA facility capacities to assist all adults, and community health-related supports may improve the retention of participating in PAs for all.

Fostering Higher Education: Preliminary findings from a small randomized pilot study

Many youth with foster care experience have goals of completing a postsecondary program. While the past two decades have seen a great deal of growth in services, supports, and policies to help youth achieve these goals, the evidence base for postsecondary support programs remains limited, and the child welfare system continues to struggle to find ways to meaningfully support youth with foster care experience in meeting their goals. The purpose of this study is to contribute to the evidence base of what works to support youth with foster care experience in achieving their postsecondary goals by reporting on the first full-length evaluation of Fostering Higher Education (FHE), a postsecondary access and retention intervention designed specifically for this population. This was an underpowered study focused on implementation feasibility conducted with 25 youth in SW Washington State. Analyses of intervention implementation data found implementation to be feasible, but reaching desired exposure levels was complicated by challenges such as the chaotic circumstances many youth were living in combined with the onset of the COVID-19 global pandemic. Preliminary assessments of the impact of FHE were encouraging, with participants in the FHE condition experiencing a greater reduction in perceived barriers to education and increased participation in postsecondary preparation activities compared to the control group. FHE offers a promising approach to postsecondary support services for youth with foster care experience. Future research aims to continue to assess the effectiveness of and approaches to strengthen this program.

"The change was as big as night and day": Experiences of professors teaching students with intellectual disabilities.

Since the inception of the Higher Education Opportunity Act in 2008, there has been an increase in the number of post-secondary education institutions in the United States that have established inclusive postsecondary programs for individuals with intellectual disabilities to attend college and achieve higher levels of employment. Previous studies have investigated the development and outcomes of these programs, however, less has been explored related to professors' experiences and perceptions regarding this unique student population, particularly within Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSI). The current study focused on professors teaching inclusive courses within a new Comprehensive Transition and Postsecondary Program at a HSI and aimed to identify their perceptions and experiences related to instructing students with intellectual disabilities. Six professors participated in pre- and post-semester in-depth interviews. Findings from applied thematic analysis included: (a) barriers to success; (b) academic supports and strategies; (c) successful outcomes and (d) considerations for future, related programming.

Authentic Assessments through the Lenses of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice in a Fully Online Course

The social isolation resulting from the 2020 global pandemic posed both challenges and opportunities in higher education. One of the greatest opportunities has been the chance to foreground the dimensions of diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice (DEIJ). As online course enrollments in postsecondary programs increase, educators, researchers, and learning design practitioners need to identify strategies to implement an inclusive learning environment in online learning programs. The purpose of this article is to describe how we, learning designers, conceptualized the DEIJ dimensions and reflected them in our design decisions with the use of technology. Using the DEIJ lenses, we focus on the design of authentic assessments with the use of technology, such as available features within the Canvas learning management system and external tools.