Underserved Students Research Articles

Public engagement of underserved students with open civic data

Abstract Today, various non-governmental organizations proclaim the need for public engagement of citizens, a concept that is integrated into the notion of global citizenship. However, much of the mathematics that students find in the primary school curriculum falls short to support that need. This lack of curriculum alignment with global needs has implications for the development of communities, but they are much more severe for students from underserved populations who systematically suffer different types of exclusions that increase their social disadvantages. This study explores the traits of global citizenship that students from underserved populations exhibit as they progress through a learning experience with open civic data on a global issue (climate change). The learning experience was used as the basis for an individual interview with five participants (9–10 years old) from public schools in low-income neighborhoods of a metropolitan area in northern Colombia. Participants were offered a dataset (data) ready to use and they were asked to undertake data handling actions (data-ing) using freely available web-based software. Participants were asked “What does this dataset say?” and their verbal statements were analyzed. The main findings suggest that in data and data-ing on open civic data reflecting global issues, participants exhibited understanding, belonging and action which are traits of global citizenship. In terms of understanding, participants described the behavior of the variables, suggested informal inferences, and made associations between variables. In terms of belonging and action, participants’ statements suggested including themselves as part of the community, taking responsibility, and proposing transformative actions.

AI in Education: Opportunities, Challenges, and Pathways for Equitable Learning

This paper explores the evolving role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the learning environment, emphasizing both opportunities and challenges. Through tools like adaptive learning systems, automated grading, and personalized tutoring, AI tools have revolutionized educational practices. Further, AI tools have established tailored learning experiences and optimized teaching strategies. Especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, AI has offered support for learners, parents, and educators, and was crucial in facilitating remote and hybrid learning. However, introducing AI also presents notable challenges, such as privacy concerns, ethical implications, and socio-economic disparities in access, which can exacerbate existing educational inequalities. Furthermore, without appropriate and proper training, educators often face difficulties in adapting to AI-driven environments. This paper focuses on AI's potential to reduce educational disparities among low-income and underserved students, as it offers inclusive opportunities through accessible and personalized learning technologies. In response to these complex challenges, this review paper proposes recommendations for ethical policy frameworks, adequate teacher training, and transparent AI usage guidelines to ensure equitable and responsible AI integration. By balancing AI's benefits with its limitations, the field of education can foster a future where AI contributes positively to diverse, inclusive, and adaptive learning environments.

Differences in Cooking Behavior and Infrastructure by Food Security Status Among Historically Underserved College Students

ABSTRACT Food insecurity is a growing concern among diverse college students. This study examined how cooking confidence, behavior, and kitchen infrastructure differ among low-income, first-generation college students. Multiple linear regression was used to assess differences in access to cooking confidence, behavior, and infrastructure by food security status among students at three college campuses from Northern, Central and Southern California (n = 404). Fifty-eight percent of students were food insecure. Food insecure students reported significantly less access to cooking infrastructure (p < .001) and less cooking behavior (p < .002). Colleges might consider addressing cooking resources and kitchen facilities for historically underserved students.

Navigating Course-Sequencing Decisions and Community College Pathways for Historically Underserved Student Populations

ABSTRACT Course sequencing in higher education refers to the structured order of courses required for progressing toward a certificate or degree. Community college students, particularly those from historically underserved backgrounds, face a variety of challenges associated with meeting academic requirements and completing their degree. In this study, we draw from semi-structured interviews with 80 historically underserved students and 9 advisors from a high-enrollment community college to explore how historically underserved students and their advisors consider and implement course-sequencing strategies when building students’ academic schedules. Taken together, our emergent themes revealed that (1) historically underserved community college students were concerned primarily with fulfilling degree audit requirements, (2) the importance and difficulty of navigating the first semester of college, (3) the role and influence of non-curricular barriers to students’ academic success, and (4) the challenges and opportunities associated with taking online courses. Our findings suggest a potential need for institutional policies or requirements designed to ensure historically underserved students meet with their advisors at set intervals and receive evidence-based advising recommendations related to appropriate ordering and combinations of courses given their academic progress, degree program, and individual goals.

Assessing Experiential Learning Program Design and Delivery Using Institutional Mission and Professional Standards

BackgroundHigh-impact practices (HIPs), such as mentored research, Capstone projects, study abroad, and field experiences, have been shown to improve college student engagement through experience-based learning. Research indicates that these practices can have high impact when they are intentionally designed and delivered to align with institutional mission and professional standards. The administrative structure of a HIP initiative may not consider how to assess program effectiveness. Few close examples exist in the literature to guide program staff to understand whether the HIPs supported by their programs are being designed and delivered for high impact. Our study details the efforts of one unit at a large private university to evaluate the implementation of an experiential learning initiative intended to support faculty to design and deliver high-impact practices to students. PurposeThis qualitative case study responds to the call for assessment to ensure that HIPs qualify as high impact. It illustrates a standards-based approach to evaluating a program of co-curricular, experientially based high-impact practices by determining how educational design and delivery aligns with the institution’s mission and professional standards for best practice. Methodology/approachTo qualitatively evaluate how well our HIP program aligned with institutional mission and HIP standards, we collected narrative data drawn from six faculty projects, faculty interviews, and reflections from 70 participating students. We used the institutional mission and established HIP professional standards as confirmatory themes to code the narrative and observe levels of coverage. Administrative directives were mapped against the confirmatory themes to identify areas of high and low emphasis and emergent themes that fell outside specific mission and standards language were considered for meaning. Findings/conclusionsOur qualitative assessment of a HIP program revealed program strengths and areas in need of improvement. By evaluating the concentration of institutional mission and professional standard themes across the project narratives and within the way the program was structured and administered, we found strong alignment existed in the areas of intellectual growth and interaction with faculty and peers. When we found that other mission themes and standards were present at lower levels, we mapped the administrative directives to the themes and discovered that the high concentration themes occurred more frequently in the directives. This insight led us to observe that addressing all mission and professional standard themes more clearly in the design phase could serve to align administrative directives more closely. In addition to the presence of confirmative themes across the data, we found emergent themes that had meaning to study participants but fell outside of the mission and industry standards. The evaluative process taught us important lessons around how administration-to-faculty program directives can impact the design and delivery of pedagogical practice. RecommendationsEducational leaders should consistently use institutional mission and professional standard language in directives to faculty and staff; training faculty in designing HIPs to meet professional standards can benefit underserved students; and recognizing meaningful themes that emerge through program evaluation can illuminate important unanticipated outcomes.

Applying to Lead: A Mixed-Methods Investigation of Prospective Principals’ Job Application Strategies in Two Urban Districts

Purpose: Urban school districts often face challenges in filling principal vacancies with effective leaders, especially in high-needs schools. Prospective principals’ engagement with the job application process may contribute to these challenges. The goal of this study is to better understand the job search strategies and behaviors of prospective principals and how their approaches might contribute to leadership staffing challenges in high-needs schools. Research Design and Methods: We employ a convergent mixed-methods design that draws on data from two urban school systems. We pair analysis of interviews of 36 principals who have recently navigated the districts’ hiring systems with multiple years of applications and other administrative data provided by the two districts. We explored how patterns and themes that emerged from each data source were confirmed or disconfirmed with the other source. Findings: Guided by a job-search model, our analysis uncovers three main findings. First, the typical principal applicant conducted a targeted rather than a wide search, reflecting multiple strategies, preferences, and relational factors. Second, elementary educators showed a strong propensity to apply to the same grade level. Third, leaders applied to schools serving larger proportions of historically marginalized students at similar rates as other schools, reflecting their motivations to work with underserved students. Implications for Research and Practice: Considerations informing prospective principals’ job searches are multifaceted. High-needs schools are desirable to many principal candidates. Identifying and strategically recruiting candidates with preferences for working in such schools can be a strategy for districts seeking to overcome challenges in filling principal vacancies.

Changes in Intrinsic Motivation and Self-Efficacy

Grades in introductory STEM courses can impact intrinsic motivation (IM) and self-efficacy (SE). We used an exploratory approach to examine trends in grades and how IM and SE impact students’ grades. It is known that most first-generation (FG) college students are from underrepresented backgrounds (URM), and that these students are least likely to persist in STEM fields. Therefore, gaining a better understanding of motivation in our most underserved students could be critical to improving their success in introductory biology courses and ultimately future persistence in STEM. We found that, on average, URM FG students received the lowest final grades and experienced the greatest declines in IM and SE. This research informs the way we may think about changes in motivation and self-efficacy in our introductory biology courses as these lay the foundation for future learning and success.

Diversity in Civic Engagement: Political Priorities and Protest Behavior of Arizona College Students

A core function of higher education is to prepare students to be active and informed citizens who are prepared to make sustained contributions to civic life and democratic society. However, past research on college student civic engagement has disproportionately focused on students at traditional 4-year universities and on a narrow range of political activities. In this study, we analyzed online survey data ( N = 1,159) collected before the 2020 presidential election from young adults throughout Arizona who were attending 2-year and 4-year postsecondary institutions. Results show significant differences between community college, transfer and university students in terms of political identities, background characteristics, and participation in Black Lives Matter protests. Yet, across these postsecondary pathways, young adults expressed a strong commitment to active citizenship and ranked combating climate change and dismantling systemic racism as top political priorities. We call for more research on underserved students’ political identities, outlooks, and behaviors as part of a broader and more inclusive conceptualization of civic engagement.

Using AI-Enabled Tools to Support Minority Students’ Success in HE

Generative AI and large language models (LLMs) are transforming workplace literacy practices in the fourth industrial revolution. This study explored how master's students in educational leadership and teacher education programs at a minority-serving university in a low SES urban metroplex in the south-central USA perceive and experience using LLMs and AI-assisted software. The focus was on how these tools support their learning and help them demonstrate knowledge. Key themes include equitable access to AI tools, diverse applications in academic and professional contexts, building student confidence through support and training, using AI to enhance academic readiness and skills, identifying individual needs, enabling higher order thinking opportunities, and promoting ethical use and academic integrity.By addressing various issues of AI usage, institutions can better support underserved students in using disruptive technologies, contributing to their academic success and professional preparedness. Faculty must ensure students' needs are met before requiring the use of new technologies like generative AI and AI-enabled tools.

“Fighting an Uphill Battle”: The Pursuit of Equity Through the Every Student Succeeds Act in North Carolina

Purpose: The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) reduced the role of the federal government in K-12 education, giving states more flexibility while maintaining protections for marginalized groups. Despite the potential to leverage flexibility, little is known about how states are addressing equity. Research Methods: Using a critical policy analysis (CPA) approach, this qualitative case study uses semi-structured interviews and document analysis to examine the design and implementation of equity efforts by the state education agency (SEA) in North Carolina. Findings: SEA officials describe writing the state ESSA plan as an exercise in compliance and believe the plan could have gone further in pushing equitable solutions. Competing priorities within the SEA, including the struggle to fulfill its dual roles as service provider and regulatory agency, complicated ESSA implementation, as did state-level political maneuvers. A significant, unexpected finding is that participants were much more comfortable discussing the needs of economically disadvantaged students than students of color, and often avoided mentioning race specifically. Additionally, although the pandemic caused major disruptions to schooling, SEA officials identified “keeps” that were begun as a pandemic response and may continue as the SEA pushes equitable solutions for traditionally underserved students. Implications for Research and Practice: This study suggests that competing initiatives, staff turnover, and political ideology may limit the SEA's capacity to address power and resource imbalances and hinder efforts to promote greater equity in the educational system. Moreover, the SEA's focus shifted to ESSER funding during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Negotiating Identity Tensions: Challenges of an Online Volunteer English Language Teacher in Rural China

We examine the identity tensions of an online volunteer English teacher at a rural village school in southwestern China to uncover the structural inequalities embedded in her everyday teaching and identity work. Adopting narrative ethnographic methods, we conducted thematic analysis of data from interviews and classroom observations. Findings show that Jing's identity tensions derived from the challenges of transitioning to a new school context and a different mode of instruction, as well as navigating the conflicts between personal values, institutional demands, and structural constraints. The study suggests that online volunteer teachers attempting to address the needs of rural underserved students may experience multifaceted dimensions of identity tensions due to the lack of understanding of local pedagogies, and student backgrounds, as well as the social and policy constraints beyond classrooms.

Strategi Komunikasi CSR Samsung untuk Meningkatkan Pendidikan di Indonesia melalui Program Samsung Innovation Campus (SIC)

In Indonesia, one of the challenges experienced by the government here is that there are still many unemployed people. According to data from BPS in August 2022, the unemployment rate in Indonesia was mostly from vocational school graduates, namely 9.42%, 8.57% from high school graduates, 4.59% from Diploma I/II/III graduates and graduates from university is 4.8%. This shows that existing job offers can’t be absorbed by the existing group of educational graduates. To be part of a good corporate citizen in Indonesia, Samsung through its CSR program focuses on education program. Samsung Innovation Campus (SIC), a program through technology skills training to prepare Indonesia's young generation for the digital era with coding and programming and IoT training for senior high school, and vocational high school students. The program is aiming to equip youth with digital literacy including critical technical skills, and bridging educational divides to give underserved students.

Bridging the gap for underserved populations: Personalized AI solutions for college access and learning support

AbstractThe evolution of artificial intelligence (AI) technology offers promising solutions to underserved populations in the United States. AI tools can reduce college access and academic barriers for low‐income students, first‐generation college students, racial and ethnic minorities, individuals with disabilities, and students living in rural areas. While AI tools offer support to college students from all demographics, they offer uniquely individualized assistance to underserved students to overcome the complex postsecondary schooling challenges they face. Examples of the nuanced, often complex, obstacles faced by these vulnerable students are discussed along with brief descriptions of AI tools that can help. AI tools leverage the power of high‐speed computing, expansive access to information, machine learning capabilities, and natural language processing. Utilizing the power of AI tools, vulnerable learners can increase their access to financial, academic, and social resources needed to attend and be successful in postsecondary education. AI tools also help close opportunity gaps as they provide means by which college students gain increased independence and control over their educational and career journeys. Note that the AI tools referenced in this article are included as examples only. We encourage ongoing discussion of AI‐powered tools and solutions to help underserved students gain more access to higher education and get individualized support for vulnerable learners.Practical Takeaways Highlighting the potential of AI in addressing educational inequalities. Using AI in higher education settings for educators to better understand and respond to student needs. Implementing AI usage in higher education settings for underserved populations to reduce dropout rates. Leveraging technology to offer tailored guidance, bridging gaps, and fostering community among the underserved populations in higher education.

Dual enrollment equity pathways: A research‐based framework for expanding college and career opportunity for underserved students

AbstractThis article introduces “dual enrollment equity pathways” (DEEP)—a research‐based framework for rethinking à la carte dual enrollment as a more equitable on‐ramp to college programs of study that lead to high‐opportunity careers for students historically underserved in dual enrollment. Using interview data collected from six sites (six community colleges and 12 of their high school partners) that have expanded access and early college success of underrepresented student groups through à la carte dual enrollment, the manuscript describes key themes and emerging evidence of DEEP related to each of the four practice areas of the DEEP framework: (1) outreach to underserved students and schools; (2) aligning dual enrollment to college degrees and careers in fields of interest; (3) early career and academic exploration, advising, and planning; and (4) high‐quality college instruction and academic support. The chapter concludes with considerations for how the DEEP framework influences dual enrollment practice.

Quantity and Quality: Equity Considerations for the Funding of Categorical Programs in Community Colleges

ABSTRACT Categorical funding is often intended to support our most historically underserved students, while also addressing financial inequities. Extant research suggests, however, that these funding streams may be equitable in intention but not in practice. Situated in a multidimensional equity framework, this study leverages descriptive budget data, funding and regulation documentation, and interviews with categorical-affiliated staff across multiple institutions within the US’s largest community college system to examine funding (in)equities of categorical funding and their potential to address persistent inequities in student access and success within higher education. Our findings suggest that in addition to trade-offs in the funding formulas themselves, contextual factors via program regulations and institutional characteristics also ultimately influence the “equitable” resourcing of these potentially high-impact programs. This study contributes to literature on higher education finance and policy, including the often-overlooked mechanism of categorical funding, and offers implications for future policy and practice, as well as opportunities for future research.

Accounting Careers of Tomorrow: A Comprehensive and Accessible Professional Development Program

ABSTRACT This paper describes the Accounting Careers of Tomorrow (ACT) professional development program offered at a large, urban university. ACT is an experiential learning activity hosted at a public accounting firm, where students engage with employees from firms and corporations while immersed in a natural business environment. It provides a free event accessible to working and otherwise underserved students. The six-hour event was developed using experiential learning theory and community stakeholder feedback. It focuses on three key areas: (1) career exploration, (2) professional development, and (3) knowledge of personal and professional ethics. Results indicate that ACT improves students’ knowledge and confidence in these areas, with students especially learning from the mock interview session. This learning strategy discusses current challenges in accounting education, reviews the literature on experiential learning, and documents ACT’s development, implementation, and efficacy. It also provides guidance on how it can be adopted face-to-face, online synchronously, and online asynchronously. Data Availability: Data are available from the authors upon request.

A self‐reported instrument to measure and foster students' science connection to life with the CARE‐KNOW‐DO model and open schooling for sustainability

AbstractNational governments are concerned about the disconnection of young people from science, which hampers the development of a scientifically literate society promoting sustainable development, wellbeing, equity, and a green economy. Introduced in 2015 alongside Agenda 2030, the “open schooling” approach aims at enhancing students' science connections through real‐life problem solving with families and scientists, necessitating solid evidence for scalability and sustainability. This study conceptualizes “science connection,” a term yet underexplored, as the integration of science's meaning and purpose into personal, social, and global actions informed by socioscientific thinking. It details a novel 32‐item self‐report questionnaire developed and validated from insights of 85 teachers into “science connection”‐enhanced learning. A new consensual qualitative analysis method with visual and textual snapshots enabled developing quantitative measures from the qualitative findings with rigor. The multilanguage instrument provided just‐in‐time actionable data, enhancing the immediacy and applicability of the feedback to 2082 underserved students aged 11–18 across five countries participating in open schooling activities using the CARE‐KNOW‐DO model. This innovative feature supports open science and responsible open research, offering real‐time insights and fostering immediate educational impact. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses revealed five components of science connection: Confidence and aspiration in science; Fun participatory science with teachers, family, and experts; Active learning approaches; Involvement in‐and‐outside school science activities; and Valuing science's role to life‐and‐society. Many students felt connected to science— Brazil: 80%, Spain: 79%, Romania: 73%, Greece: 70%, UK: 57%— with boys: 75%, girls: 73%, nonbinary students: 56%. These differences need in‐depth research. Results suggest that science connections decline from the primary to secondary education, but the CARE‐KNOW‐DO model may reengage older students. A robust science connection enhances scientific literacy and builds science capital. This instrument aids policymakers, educators, and learners in identifying factors that facilitate or impede students' engagement with science for sustainable development efforts.

Having an Impact on Underserved Students: A Description of Using a Strategic Science of Teaching Model and Its Application to a Charter School

Having an Impact on Underserved Students: A Description of Using a Strategic Science of Teaching Model and Its Application to a Charter School

The Effects of Question-Answer-Relationship (QAR) Instruction on Standardized Reading Comprehension Test Scores of Third-Grade Students

Despite many school reform initiatives designed to ensure reading proficiency for all students, recent reports from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) reveal that only 37 percent of fourth-grade students and only 34 percent of eighth-grade students performed at or above the proficiency levels measured in reading (NAEP, 2017). This quantitative study used a non-equivalent control group design to examine the impact of direct instruction of the Question-Answer-Relationship (QAR) strategy on standardized reading test scores of third-grade students. It also specifically examined the impact of direct instruction of the QAR strategy on traditionally underserved students' standardized test scores. A two-way Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) was conducted. Adjusted marginal mean post-test scores in the group receiving treatment of the QAR strategy (64.580) were higher than the mean post-test scores of students who did not receive QAR instruction (56.382). Adjusted marginal mean post-test scores of students who did not receive QAR instruction (56.382). Adjusted marginal mean post-test scores of historically underserved students showed no significant differences (60.05 and 60.90, respectively). In addition, adjusted marginal mean post-test scores of historically underserved and non-historically underserved students who received QAR instruction showed no significant differences (54.48 and 58.29).

Fostering Transversal Skills through Open Schooling with the CARE-KNOW-DO Framework for Sustainable Education

This large cross-national study investigates the development of transversal skills in the context of open schooling—an educational approach integrating schools, universities, and communities to address real-world challenges—through the CARE-KNOW-DO framework. Utilising a mixed-methods approach across five countries, this research employs a novel validated self-report instrument to evaluate the perceptions of 12,074 underserved students concerning their learning experiences in open schooling environments. An exploratory factor analysis enabled us to explore quantitative insight into students’ skill development, while thematic analysis of 20 teachers’ reports contributed qualitative depth. The study identified six critical transversal skills: self-initiative, problem-solving, emotional engagement, scientific citizenship, authentic learning, and future prospects. Significant geographic, gender, and age-related variations were found, with notable disparities in skill perceptions among nonbinary students, indicating the need for more inclusive educational support. All countries showed high levels of perceived transversal skills, with 83% of Greek and 80% of Brazilian students leading, compared to 64% in Romania and the UK, and 62% in Spain. Trends suggest secondary students exhibit stronger global citizenship and authentic learning, although they report less confidence in problem-solving and self-initiative than their primary counterparts. These findings, viewed alongside 12 teaching competencies revealed through thematic analysis, underscore the effectiveness of open schooling, which is underexplored, in fostering key skills and call for pedagogical innovations that integrate real-life issues into the curriculum. The study contributes to Agenda 2030—quality of education by demonstrating the real-world applicability of the CARE-KNOW-DO framework for educational practice and policy towards equity and sustainability. Our comparative analysis of transversal skill development across diverse student populations, as well as teaching competencies, further advances the discourse on improving 21st-century education.