Underrepresented Groups In Higher Education Research Articles

Gender and social class inequalities in higher education: intersectional reflections on a workshop experience.

Research about the experiences of underrepresented groups in higher education (HE) demonstrates the persistence of challenges, despite policies and institutional strategies to promote inclusion. Diversity and inclusion policies have been part of the HE agenda for several decades, yet most policies and interventions focus on (a) a given, isolated identity experience (e.g., based solely on gender, social class, or ethnicity) rather than more intersectional approaches to identity; and (b) top-down interventions that do not include participants insights in their design. In this paper, we report a case study of a workshop with students at an elite university that drew on an intersectional approach to social identities (IASI), specifically, looking at gender and social class. We explore three key themes: (a) the importance of group processes, (b) the use of visual techniques, and (c) the institutional tensions and the (de)politicisation of social psychology research. Reflecting on this case study we argue that approaches to identity and inclusion in HE can benefit from intersectionality beyond the use of multi and overlapping identity and social group categories. We argue that research in this space is not neutral and needs to acknowledge researchers' position about (a) inclusion and diversity, (b) perceptions of participants in research, and (c) the motivation and aims of institutions where the research is conducted. Finally, we discuss the theoretical and practical implications of integrating an intersectional approach within social identity research in HE when focusing on underrepresented groups.

Unlikely Additions

Early childcare professionals represent a cross-section of two underrepresented groups in higher education: childcare educators, and adult female learners. According to the United States Bureau of Labor and Statistics, the childcare workforce in 2020 was predominantly female and lacking post high-school education (https://www.bls.gov/ooh/personal-care-and-service/childcare-workers.htm ). Early childcare professionals often receive minimal training and compensation (Harwood & Tukonic, 2016). Participants in a university credentialing program for non-traditional students participated in a focus group as part of a program evaluation. The data was collected and analyzed. Themes were identified, including anticipated themes such as concerns about cost of college credits, and successfully completing coursework while simultaneously managing personal and work challenges. However, themes of professionalism, and the significance of belonging to a community of learners were not anticipated. The focus group provided rich discussion, and the analysis offers thoughts on advocacy for and with the early childhood education and care workforce.

Policies for achieving inclusion in higher education

ABSTRACT Considering the extensive social and private benefits that higher education generates, ensuring inclusive access and success is essential to achieve social justice and economic efficiency. With this premise in mind, this article reviews current knowledge about equity promotion policies in higher education and what is known about the effectiveness of various policies, drawing from experience in various parts of the world. It starts with reviewing definitions of under-represented groups in higher education, which can be considered as ‘equity target groups’. After examining the depth and scope of disparities across regions and countries, it analyses studies focusing on the effectiveness of equity promotion policies and measures. For this purpose, it distinguishes between financial aid programmes (grants, loans) and non-monetary interventions (outreach, affirmative action, retention, specialized institutions, etc.) that seek to remove the barriers facing students from under-represented groups. It concludes that policies matter and can make a significant difference.

Widening participation and a student “success” assemblage: The materialities and mobilities of university

AbstractThis paper takes an assemblage approach to extend knowledge and understanding of widening participation (WP) in the United Kingdom. We reflect on the identification and experiences of a WP student population—how this population has been marked out, labelled, and considered through policy and intervention, alongside the materialities and mobilities that shape the lived experiences of these students. Using questionnaire findings, narrative interviews, and photo diaries, it draws on a 12‐month study at a London university to explore the factors that have enabled final‐year undergraduate students from a WP background to stay the course and complete their programme of studies. Our arguments are shaped by the geographical and educational literatures on materialities and mobilities. We bring these together to sketch out a student success assemblage comprising wide‐ranging elements that we frame around identity, support, and resources. Assemblage draws attention to the multiplicity of human/non‐human relations that shape student experience and students' capacities for success. Assemblage intersects with university precisely through a focus on experience and, as we suggest, takes on a particular inflexion for students from a WP background. This underpinning ontological basis to studying WP enables us to view the university, student experience, and success as being continually produced and reproduced, and coconstituted between the human and non‐human. Universities should attend to student assemblages to better understand the experiences of and support needed by underrepresented groups in higher education.

Widening participation for non-traditional students: can using alternative assessment methods level the playing field in higher education?

This paper will explore and examine the notion and practice of using alternative assessments as a means to overcoming barriers to learning and success for under-represented groups, such as mature students returning to learning. Since widening participation initiatives began, many universities have begun to engage in practices that are conducive to their learners successfully accessing and achieving in higher education. The pedagogical practice of using alternative assessments for students who are considered to be at a disadvantage, not because of disability, but because of their background and affiliation with under-represented groups in higher education, may go some way to levelling the playing field.

Social inclusion of refugees into higher education in Norway: A critical analysis of Norwegian higher education and integration policies

In numerous countries, the widening participation of underrepresented groups in higher education has become an official part of education policies. However, inequalities continue in some areas, including refugees’ participation. Norway hosts many refugees, but little is known about the social inclusion of refugees into higher education in the country. In this paper, three documents representing Norwegian higher education and integration policies are analysed using an integrated analytical framework constructed from social inclusion and its three main dimensions (access, participation and empowerment) and from a critical discourse analysis. The analysis is conducted to address how social inclusion into higher education is conceptualized, which major discourses underpin the conceptualization and what implications these have for the social inclusion of refugees into higher education in Norway. The article argues that social inclusion is conceptualized from an access dimension signifying the dominance of neoliberal principles in the policy documents. On the contrary, social justice discourses are marginalized and human potential principles are absent from the documents signalling the disempowerment of refugees in relation to higher education. Future policies should incorporate conscious and clear strategies informed by social justice and empowerment principles to ensure the social inclusion of refugees into higher education.

Peer-assisted learning to support attainment in Pharmacy

Academic mentoring (AM) is embedded in two modules of the Pharmacy course, using a peer-assisted learning (PAL) design. Training and payment are given to student mentors who work with academics and the AM team to create student-centred active learning material. In 2017/18, student attendance at PAL sessions was high, with 87% of the first- and second-year Pharmacy cohorts attending a session. Thirteen mentors supported both modules for a semester each. The impact of PAL in these sessions was measured by quantitative and qualitative analyses, using institutional data on retention, progression, attainment and self-report data. These data showed that students who engaged in PAL were: from traditionally under-represented groups in higher education (HE); specifically-disadvantaged students; from a Black and Minority Ethnic background (BME). PAL-engaging students had higher progression, retention and module pass rates. A survey of fifty mentees found unanimous agreement for the proposal that PAL was valuable and it confirmed that mentors were regarded as enthusiastic, organised and prepared. The formalisation of the AM and PAL process, together with its co-production between mentors and mentees, has increased the professionalism of the scheme and should be supported in the future.

Parental Attachment of Students as They Move through Tinto’s Rites of Passage: Separation, Transition, and Incorporation

Aim/Purpose: This study explored the connection between Tinto’s notion of “rites of passage” and Kenny’s parental attachment. Specifically, this study sought to explain how students’ parental attachment (i.e., affective quality of parental relationships, parents’ ability to facilitate independence, and parents as source of support) influenced their rites of passage (i.e., separation, transition, incorporation) and how this may differ based on different demographic data. By understanding students’ connections to their parents, student affairs/life administrators will be better able to offer programming that helps students move through the rites of passage in order for the students to become more academically and socially integrated within the institution and ultimately persist. Background: There is little doubt that academic and social integration play a major role in college student persistence. Yet, there remains considerable interest in how students reach this integration. One factor that continues to be explored is parental influence. However, little is known about students’ connections to their parents and how this connection influences their ability to move through Tinto’s “rites of passage.” Methodology: This study employed survey design. For this study, 129 students were surveyed at two institutions in the South. Contribution: By further exploring these relationships, this study will add to the growing body of research on persistence, parental attachment, and historically underrepresented groups in higher education. Findings: Findings from this study suggest that programming provided through student affairs/life offices should focus on the facilitation of independence, so students become more comfortable relying on themselves, new friends, and the institution to assist them as they overcome the new challenges that come with attending college. In doing so, the students can become more integrated into the university and ultimately persist. Recommendations for Practitioners: These findings could be instrumental in shaping the freshmen experience of traditional age enrollees specifically through the admissions process, New Student Orientation programming, and Freshmen Seminar courses. Findings suggest that students may benefit from facilitating their own admission process; therefore, institutions should encourage this independence by sending literature to students, requiring students to take action or respond to requests, and facilitating student campus visits prior to orientation. During New Student Orientation, institutions could offer breakout sessions to parents and students to help with the separation, transition, and incorporation processes. Break-out sessions for parents will focus on what these different stages look like and what they can do to assist their students overcome them. Additionally, break-out sessions for students will focus on helping them identify stages, develop strategies for moving through them, and maintaining good relationships with their parents in the process. Finally, the Freshmen Seminar course should reinforce lessons taught at New Student Orientation regarding separation, transition, and incorporation by providing lessons that allow students to explore the different stages via case studies, identify strategies that one can employ to address issues that arise at the various stages, evaluate services of offices created to assist with stages, and other lessons. Recommendation for Researchers: Although this study has limitations the findings are useful in identifying future research opportunities. A study is required with a larger sample, with a diverse population to allow for rigorous testing of all variables. I suggest a larger and more diverse sample at varying institutional types to fully capture differences among the different groups. Although there were a number of significant correlational findings, the relationships were weak. This suggests that these variables need to be further explored to determine the strength of parental attachment and separation, transition, and incorporation. Impact on Society: This study is important to society because it not only addresses where the issues occur as students move the rites of passage (i.e., separation, transition, incorporation) but also identifies strategies that institutions can employ to assist students as they move through those rites. By understanding how connected students are to their parents, institutions can better prepare their students to work more independently to achieve their educational goals. In doing so, the students will be better able to join the work force and contribute to society in a meaningful way. Future Research: Future research should further study parental attachment and persistence at varying institutional types and link student success services to addressing some of the issues related to separation, transition, and incorporation of these students.

Realising the dream of becoming a nurse: Underrepresented BSc nursing students experiences

BackgroundThis paper describes the experiences of underrepresented BSc nursing students in realising the dream of becoming a nurse in one university. In the past ten years, pre-registration nurse education has become established within higher education in Ireland. This development includes promoting access and inclusion of students from traditionally underrepresented groups in higher education. A third of nursing students currently access places on programmes through routes specifically designed for underrepresented groups. MethodsA qualitative descriptive study design provided an opportunity for student voices to be heard. Ethical approval was sought and granted. Eleven students were interviewed nearing completion of a four year BSc Nursing programme. Data analysis followed a thematic approach, in generating themes. FindingsThree themes emerged from the data: taking the first steps; finding a way and getting through. Findings highlight participants' challenges in balancing study, clinical practice and family life in achieving and realising their dream of becoming a nurse. ConclusionThis study illustrates the nature and complexities of participants' experiences throughout the BSc Nursing programmes towards becoming university graduates, eligible for registration as a nurse. Students from underrepresented groups bring rich and diverse life experiences in preparation for and becoming caring practitioners. It highlights the individuality within participants' experiences and draws attention to the value of personalised support for students. An opportunity to encourage the development of emotional intelligence needs to be fostered within nurse education programmes. Creating positive learning environments is critical to supporting student understanding of compassionate patient centred care. Findings have relevance for global curriculum design and structures to support individual student centred engagement. Further research is required to consider how best to support students from underrepresented groups.

Impact of Privatization on Access to Higher Education Among Social and Income Groups in India

This paper contributes to the issues related to the impact of privatization on access to higher education among social groups. STs and SCs are the only underrepresented groups in higher education. The expansion of higher education during 2007 and 2014 benefited OBCs most. STs and SCs are lowest beneficiaries. Privatization also benefited OBCs most. Publicly financed institutions serve STs and SCs most which shows inclusive character of such institutions. Disparities by social group exist even at a higher level of income which indicates that income alone does not determine access to private unaided institutions. The empirical evidences suggest that affirmative actions are inevitable make private unaided institutions inclusive.

University: a universe of study and independent living opportunities for students with disabilities. Goals and critical issues

The study and inclusion experience of university students with disabilities is characterised by many complex issues but is also of great importance for personal, working and social life. Over the last two decades, international organisations have issued guidelines aimed at ensuring equal opportunities to underrepresented groups in higher education; first among them, the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (2006)2. However, the academic quality of teaching programmes is greatly influenced by the autonomy of each university and by varying national legislations. Innovative trends move towards the model of inclusion: from the provision of services for a specific population to a structural reorganisation of the context. In Italy, the rate of students with disabilities at university has been found in quantitative and qualitative data since the early 1990s. Evidence shows that there has been a progressive increase in the number of enrolments leading in parallel to a more established provision of financial, professional and material resources. The few surveys conducted in the field, however, highlight the need to improve the quality of individualised courses and of the tools used, directing support towards a more systemic and diachronic perspective.Keywordshigher education; disability; right to education; equal opportunities; inclusion; independent living

The New Higher Education Reform and Higher Education Law in the “Social Dimension” Perspective: The Albanian Case

Higher education and research in Albania during these 24 years of democracy seems to be not in the international standards, progress seems to have been somewhat disappointing in the last 14 years of reforms in higher education. Although the number of universities and students enrolled in higher education has grown rapidly, the quality assurance remains an issue. For this reason the government is undertaking a reform that involves higher education which is expected to bring a dramatic change in the structure of the higher education and soon in the outputs. This new approach to higher education brought many debates among the stakeholders of higher education and especially among student’s organizations. In this context this paper focus the analysis in particular of 1. 1) How the social dimension of higher education is perceived in the higher education reform and the new higher education law 2. What are the specific actions undertaken by the government to improve the participation of under-represented groups in higher education. This paper and the study of the higher education reform and law is part of my PhD thesis (which is in progress) which tends to open a discussion on the role that universities , as one of the main stakeholders of higher education, has in the Albanian society. DOI: 10.5901/ajis.2015.v4n2s2p284

Conceptualizing Scale in the Science of Broadening Participation of Underrepresented Groups in Higher Education

The Association of American Geographers Catalyzing Research on the Geographies of Broadening Participation Creative Scholarly Retreat explored ways in which geographers can advance approaches to broadening participation of underrepresented groups in higher education and the scientific workforce. Conversations during the retreat revealed the need for theoretical models to guide research and policy development. In this article, I ask how the geographic concept of scale can inform the problem of broadening participation of underrepresented groups in higher education. First, I explain how the concept of scale can drive future research using the literature within geography. Next, I propose the situational matrix as an analytical schema using the concept of scale. I then analyze various scales first as ordering devices and then as politically produced entities in conversations about underrepresentation in higher education. I conclude by arguing that identifying the scales that are in operation and then figuring out ways in which they function simultaneously and even in mutually contradictory ways will push the project of broadening participation forward.

Approaches of Quality Assurance Models on Adult Education Provisions

The present paper aims at elaborating a comparative analysis on quality assurance approaches and their impact on adult education across European Higher Education Area. As soon as Quality Assurance was recognised as one of the major concerns of Bologna Process, the concept started being reflected in national legislation, policy making at national level and quality assurance agencies provisions. At a later stage, Quality Assurance managed to substantially influence institutional priorities and focuses, no matter if external quality assurance reviews had formal and financial consequences or not. We can only speak about good quality education if also the Social Dimension is of good quality. Ensuring equal opportunities in higher education is not only a question of social justice, but also about improving and strengthening the quality of higher education, therefore quality assurance must take account of the social dimension of higher education in making certain that institutions would operate with the goal of fostering equality within the academic world and ultimately in society. Quality Assurance should strengthen its role in regularly monitor and foster the access, succession and completion rates of underrepresented groups in higher education (ESU, 2011).Since social dimension might be defined as all obstacles to access, progress and completion in higher education (with the strongest emphasis on obstacles to access), we can state that ensuring access of adult population to higher education is a matter of social dimension as it was included in Bologna Process in 2001 (Prague Communique, 2001). Countries have different cultures and financial possibilities, universities are located in a specific social environment, often serve different groups in society. Some study programmes are more open to underrepresented groups. Students have different needs; they can come from different socio-economic backgrounds, can be mobile students, students coming from rural areas, adult students, etc. The main objective of this paper is to analyse to which extent do different models of Quality Assurance processes manage to reflect the provisions and practices related to adult education and the priority that is being given to adult education in institutional practices. Some models look at the internal quality assurance system and processes, while others look at the results of these processes – the quality itself, some models look at the achievement of Intended Learning Outcomes, while others look at the vision, mission and objectives of Higher Education Institutions. With widening access agendas gaining momentum and the recognition of the importance of support structures, quality assurance mechanisms need to pay closer attention to adult education as crucial segment of social dimension in higher education.

European higher education, the inclusion of students from under-represented groups and the Bologna Process

The central questions addressed in this paper are the following: (1) In the context of the (European Union) EU’s goal of severing the link between social class background and higher education participation, what progress has been made in widening access over the past two decades? (2) Has the Open Method of Coordination (OMC) helped EU countries to harmonize their policy and practice in relation to widening access to higher education? (3) What patterns of social stratification are evident in the institutional architecture of higher education across Europe, and how is this reflected in approaches to widening access? The paper begins with a brief review of the OMC, the mechanism used to harmonize social policy across Europe. In relation to higher education, the soft governance approach of the OMC is envisaged as the means of achieving the social inclusion goals of the Bologna Process. Data from Eurostat and the Eurostudent survey are used to analyse levels of higher education participation and differences relating to socio-economic status across Europe. The data demonstrate that access to higher education is strongly influenced by parental level of education and that higher education confers labour market advantages in all European countries. Four institutional case studies are then presented, drawn from different countries and higher education sectors. These case studies illustrate institutional stratification within each country, whereby students in highly selective institutions are more likely to come from socially advantaged backgrounds, whereas students in newer, vocationally orientated institutions are more likely to come from less socially advantaged backgrounds. The paper concludes by arguing that the OMC has been only moderately effective in promoting widening access for under-represented groups, since in the field of higher education there is lack of accord between the policy priorities of the EU and individual member states. Financial retrenchment across Europe is likely to have a negative impact on opportunities for under-represented groups in higher education.

The Social Dimension of Higher Education In Albania

The reform of higher education in Albania has been on the agenda of universities cooperation for a long time. It emphasized that:"universities are key players in Europe's future and for the successful transition to a knowledge-based economy and society. In the political debate on the future of higher education, the social dimension has become increasingly important. The universities are required to establish incentives so that higher education institutions accept more non-traditional learners and improve the learning environment. This approach links the modernization of higher education to the achievement of economic and social goals in a knowledge-based economy. Social dimension in the Albania Higher Education is significant changed, but the challenges remain. This paper has on its focus the analysis in particular:1)How ˜the social dimension of higher education is understood in Albania Higher Education.2) How are the policy of education linked on the social dimension to the Bologna commitment.3) What are the specific targets to improve the participation of under-represented groups in higher education, where only about half of the Bologna countries systematically monitor their participation? The analysis showed that, at European level, significant attention is devoted to making European Higher Education more equitable and inclusive. In particular, what has been done at national level to make higher education systems more inclusive? DOI: 10.5901/jesr.2013.v4n3p299

Patterns of Racial Diversity and Segregation in the United States: 1990–2010*

The growing ethnic and racial diversity of the United States is evident at all spatial scales. One of the striking features of this new mixture of peoples, however, is that this new diversity often occurs in tandem with racial concentration. This article surveys these new geographies from four points of view: the nation as a whole, states, large metropolitan areas, and neighborhoods. The analysis at each scale relies on a new taxonomy of racial composition that simultaneously appraises both diversity and the lack thereof (Holloway, Wright, and Ellis 2012). Urban analysis often posits neighborhood racial segregation and diversity as either endpoints on a continuum of racial dominance or mirror images of one another. We disturb that perspective and stress that segregation and diversity must be jointly understood—they are necessarily related, although not as inevitable binary opposites. Using census data from 1990, 2000, and 2010, the research points to how patterns of racial diversity and dominance interact across varying spatial scales. This investigation helps answer some basic questions about the changing geographies of racialized groups, setting the stage for the following articles that explore the relationship between geography and the participation of underrepresented groups in higher education.

Admission Model and Equity in Higher Education

Equity in higher education is mostly related to the context in which it is discussed. Most commonly, equity is sought for enhancing access to higher education for under-represented groups such as minorities, low income groups, or any other type of disadvantaged group of people. The plethora of research in this area mostly focuses on different types of affirmative action aiming to enroll more under-represented groups in higher education, whereas in the research on equity, within the context of educational outcomes and quality, the interaction between equity and quality in higher education is scarce. This paper discusses the entangled issues of equity and quality in higher education and explores the possible solutions to promoting both. It concludes that admission models aiming to achieve equity in higher education should be more outcomes-based (e.g., increase success) rather than process-based (e.g., increase participation).

Increasing Diversity among Students in Recreation, Parks, and Leisure Studies Curricula: A Case Study

Much has been written about increasing the cultural competence of students in recreation, parks, and leisure studies curricula. Little has been written, however, about how these programs can increase the actual number of individuals from underrepresented groups. This article discusses the reasons for problems in recruitment and retention of underrepresented groups in higher education. Data specific to recreation, parks and leisure studies curricula are also presented. Additionally, the paper outlines the conceptual background and actual components of a case example that successfully increased the number of African American students in a therapeutic recreation program by 23% over four years. Finally, this article will offer specific recommendations and strategies gleaned from the case example as well as from the literature for ways to improve the contextual conditions of a department or institution in order to not only recruit but also retain students from underrepresented populations.

Academic and Noncognitive Factors Affecting the Retention of Black Men at a Predominantly White University

High attrition rates have proven especially damaging to the population of risk and minority students in institutions of higher education nationwide. However, budgetary constraints on many campuses have forced administrators to expand their focus beyond cultivating large freshman-class enrollments to including concerted retention efforts. Colleges and universities across the country continue to examine patterns of student retention. In fall 1989, the Office of Educational Services and Programs (ESP) at a predominantly White midwestern state university was configured to recruit, admit, and provide services to educationally underprepared students, racial minorities, and other historically underrepresented groups in higher education. Prior to that the Office of Special Projects provided such services, primarily for freshman students. Students admitted via the ESP route receive counseling and academic support services which include a two-day freshman orientation prior to admission, course placement and schedule completion assistance, academic and financial aid counseling, and group workshops addressing the transitional experiences freshmen encounter. These services are designed to maximize student retention and enhance the quality of academic life. The ESP admissions screening process currently incorporates evaluation of traditional variables such as American College Test (ACT) English subscores, high school class rank, high school courses taken, and grade point average (GPA), along with nontraditional variables (extracurricular activities, club and sports participation, school attendance and tardiness, and employment history). Additionally, applicants must submit an autobiographical letter which helps the staff determine the student's attitude toward college, long-range goals, and academic interest. The counseling staff then interviews each applicant prior to making a decision. The present study was designed to investigate whether and to what extent noncognitive and the traditional precollege variables such as ACT scores and high school class rank predict first-semester grade point average (GPA) and enrollment status for ESP-admitted freshman students by ethnic and gender subgroup. Of specific interest, however, was the sample of Black men. While the complex interplay of academic, eco-