College Readiness Research Articles

Exploring the Influential Factors Affecting Staff Willingness to Adopt Augmented Reality

Adopting modern learning technology such as Augmented Reality (AR) technology in higher education has become a demand to enhance teaching and learning performance and motivate students to acquire effective learning processes. Yet, the readiness of universities to adopt modern learning technology, such as AR applications, in developing countries, particularly in Saudi Arabia, is considered one of the critical issues to ensure the AR system’s success. This study aims to explore the factors that influence the academic members’ willingness in Saudi Arabian higher education to adopt modern learning techniques such as AR technology. To test the model, a quantitative survey using a questionnaire with a five-point Likert scale was applied in this study to collect the data. The study was conducted among a sample of 228 academic members and e-learning staff. Based on the analysis, the study found that perceived usefulness and perceived pedagogical contribution are important predicting factors for academic members’ willingness to employ AR in Saudi Arabian higher education teaching. The findings from this study provide insights that assist further studies regarding AR integration factors in higher education. This study contributes to the literature by developing a theoretical and conceptual framework of critical success factors for AR incorporation in Saudi Arabian (SA) universities.

School Motivation and Learning Strategies and College Readiness of Senior High School Graduates in the Philippines

School Motivation and Learning Strategies and College Readiness of Senior High School Graduates in the Philippines

Comparative analysis of the Khan Academy virtual college course to improve new students’ academic performance in Faculty of Engineering

The low performance of the engineering student is an underlying problem in mathematics subjects, derived from the various situations that surround the student and for which he is exposed to school dropout. However, there are technological learning tools (Khan Academy), which, if well implemented and in a timely manner, at the beginning of their higher education, help to improve the understanding of mathematical and logical concepts in the field of basic sciences and mathematics. especially in the latter, because it contributes greatly to the formation of the Engineer. The comparative analysis of the Virtual College Preparatory Course implemented in the Khan Academy platform over a period of 4 years was carried out, which shows the evolution of the new student, as well as the results with the comparative analysis of the diagnostic and final exam obtained each year. It is notorious reservation of young new students to make use of the various educational platforms on the Internet, however, the comparison suggests a positive impact by the use of these, with the appropriate guidance and experience.

Coming together in a digital age: Community twitter responses in the wake of a campus shooting.

Campus mass shootings have become a pressing policy and public health matter. Twitter is a platform used for processing events among interested community members. Examining the responses of invested community members to a mass shooting on a college campus provides evidence for how this type of violence affects the immediate community and the larger public. These responses may reflect either content (e.g. context-specific) or emotions (e.g. humor). Aims Using Twitter data, we analyzed the emotional responses as well as the nature of non-affective short-term reactions, in response to the April 2019 shooting at UNC Charlotte. Methods Drawn from a pool of tweets between 4/30/19-5/7/19, we analyzed 16,749 tweets using keywords related to the mass shooting (e.g. "shooting," "gun violence," "UNC Charlotte"). A coding team manually coded the tweets using content and sentiment analyses. Results Overall, 7,148 (42.67%) tweets contained negative emotions (e.g. anger, sadness, disgust, anxiety), 5,088 (30.38%) contained positive emotions (e.g. humor, hope, appreciation), 14,892 (88.91%) were communal responses to the shooting (e.g. prayers, healing, victim remembrance), 8,329 (49.73%) were action-oriented (e.g. action taken, policy advocacy), and 15,498 (92.53%) included information (e.g. death/injury, news). All tweets except positive emotions peaked one day following the incident. Conclusions Our findings point to peaks in most emotions in the 24 hours following the event, with the exception of positive emotions which peaked one day later. Social media responses to a campus shooting suggest college preparedness for immediate deployment of supportive responses in the case of campus violence is needed.

The effect of brain-based learning on cognitive motivation and preparation of the experimental devices lab experiment report College of Education students

يهدف البحث الحالي إلى معرفة أثر التعلم المستند إلى الدماغ في الدافع المعرفي وأعداد تقرير تجارب مختبر الأجهزة العملي لدى طلبة كلية التربية. ولتحقيق هدف البحث تم صياغة الفرضيات الصفرية وإجراء تجربة استغرقت فصلاً دراسياً كاملاً وهو الفصل الدراسي الثاني. تكون مجتمع البحث من طلبة المرحلة الرابعة بقسم الفيزياء، كلية التربية في الجامعة المستنصرية للعام الدراسي(2012-2013). وقد اختيرت عينة البحث اختياراً قصدياً وبلغ عددها (37) طالب وطالبة. وتم التأكد من التكافؤ بين مجموعتي البحث من خلال المتغيرات) العمر بالأشهر، المعلومات السابقة والذكاء). بالنسبة لأدوات البحث تم إعداد مقياس للدافع المعرفي (لعدم وجود مقياس مناسب لأغراض البحث) واستمارة الملاحظة لتقويم أعداد تقرير التجارب لمختبر الأجهزة. وبناء على ذلك صيغت (32) فقرة وتم التأكد من صدق المقياس واستخرج معامل الثبات له باستخدام معادلة الفا. فيما يتعلق باستمارة الملاحظة لأعداد تقرير التجارب لمختبر الأجهزة، تم اعتماد الطريقة التحليلية في التقويم النهائي. وهي تتضمن تحويل كل نشاط أدائي إلى خطوات لأفعال سلوكية محددة ومتسلسلة وضعت كأوصاف على مقياس تقرير وصفي بياني ذي تسعة أبعاد لتساعد على تحديد مستوى أداء الطلبة. تم التأكد من صدق المحتوى واستخراج معاملات الثبات لاستمارة الملاحظة باستخدام معادلة معامل ارتباط بيرسون كي تؤكد موضوعية استمارة وثباتها. وبعد انتهاء ألطلبه من دراسة جميع التجارب اختبرت مجموعتي البحث بالأدوات التي تم إعدادها. وعند تحليل البيانات تبين تفوق طلبه المجموعة التجريبية على المجموعة الضابطة في الدافع المعرفي وأعداد تقرير تجارب. وفي ضوء هذه النتائج تم وضع مجموعة من التوصيات والمقترحات والاستفادة منها في مؤسسات تعليمية أخرى.

SOCIOECONOMIC PRIVILEGE IN CHILDHOOD AND LATER LIFE COGNITION

Abstract Prior studies have demonstrated the effects of early socioeconomic status on later life cognition; yet the degree to which this effect operates directly, or indirectly through adult factors, is not well documented. Drawing from accumulation theories, we use longitudinal data from the Health and Retirement Study and its Life History Mail Survey (N=11,761) to examine the extent to which childhood socioeconomic privilege protects against later life cognitive decline and whether this effect is direct or indirect through measures of adult socioeconomic position. Analyses reveal that, among childhood privilege measures, consistent attendance in private school, participation in college preparation, foreign language, and multiple clubs in high school were most protective of later life cognition. The effect of cumulative childhood privilege on later life cognition is both direct and indirect through increased wealth and education credentials and the strength of this relationship is particularly robust for those demonstrating upward social mobility.

Future Directions for Digital Literacy Fluency using Cognitive Flexibility Research: A Review of Selected Digital Literacy Paradigms and Theoretical Frameworks

As learners engage, test, and apply new subject knowledge, they often expend their cognitive capacity on the technological tools designed to capture their learning progress and outcomes. The energy and attention spent on these tools reduces their capacity to engage deeply with new learning concepts. Digital literacy skills require both cognitive and technical skills to develop a learner’s ability to locate, use, and communicate information. Increasingly complex information environments create various barriers for student learning, and as our learning and working industries continue to evolve and integrate technologies, students must overcome these barriers by bridging learning needs and technology expectations. This research explores the value of developing digital literacy to improve learners’ cognitive flexibility by decreasing technological cognitive load and increasing learning fluency. The findings highlight the need for establishing scaffolded digital literacy skills and digital tool selection, and expand college readiness requirements to include digital literacy as a prerequisite skill for learners.

Introduction to the Special Issue: Creating Social Capital through School Counselor-Principal Collaboration

Intentional collaboration among school principals and school counselors can improve the student experience by better meeting students’ social/emotional, academic, and career and college readiness needs. In this special issue, we seek to share the many ways school counselors and school administrators (e.g., principals, assistant principals) can effectively work together to ensure that school counseling programs throughout pre-K–12 schools are comprehensive, support equitable opportunities, and empower all students to experience success. This special issue includes 11 articles representing conceptual, qualitative, quantitative, mixed-methods, and best practices methodologies with a commitment to equity and access while simultaneously bridging social capital to create networks of resources within the school and the community to support all students.

High School Course-Completion Trajectories and College Pathways for All: A Transcript Analysis Study on Elective Computer Science Courses

Whereas researchers regard high school math and science coursework as the best indicator of college readiness for students in the United States, computer science coursework and its relationship to college attendance, particularly for minoritized students, have not received due attention despite its root in the mathematical and scientific reasoning ability. We examined students’ high school course completion patterns across subjects and grade levels with a special focus on elective computer science courses and whether the coursework pattern transitions worked differently for minoritized students in Texas, USA. Latent profile analysis and latent transition analysis revealed multiple patterns of coursework, including Regular, Trailing, and Computer Science-Intensive. However, high school students seemed to attempt computer science courses with an experimental attitude. High school girls, low-income, and Latinx and African American students were less likely to complete computer science courses, despite demonstrating a similar coursework pattern in the previous year. Similarly, students with limited English proficiency, those eligible for free- or reduced-price lunch programs, and Native American students systematically have a lower chance to attend college, despite sufficient academic preparation in high school. Findings highlight the challenges minoritized students face and how students approach elective computer science courses in high school.

Correlation Between Self-learning Readiness and Self-study Activities in Higher Education

The dynamics of learning in higher education today, right down to the stage of producing graduates that oriented are towards sustainable learning needs (long life learning), and meeting the needs of a specific market need. This has resulted in universities implementing self-learning, which is characterized by the interaction of lecturers and students in organizing learning, giving a greater share to students. The readiness of universities in carrying self-learning, in this study emphasizes the interactions found of lecturers and students in accommodating forms of self-learning activities consisting of Apprenticeship, Urban Development, Student exchange/ interscience, Research Collaboration, Entrepreuneurial, Independent Project, Community Engagement, and Learning Society. The result on lecturer respondents using a linear regression approach, shows that the factors of Apprenticeship and Research Collaboration activities, have little effect on the readiness of universities in carrying out Self-Learning activities, which shows that lecturers have to provide the widest possible opportunity for students to engage directly, in Apprenticeship and research activities.
 Keywords: Self Learning, Self Study, Higher Education

Long-term English learners’ mathematics course trajectories: downstream consequences of early remediation on college preparation

ABSTRACT We investigated how high school mathematics course placement contributes to inequalities in college preparation for students categorized as “English Learners” (ELs), especially “long-term” English Learners (LTELs). We devised a base-2 enumeration approach that allowed us to process complex transcript data from one school district and enumerate the thousands of possible trajectories (combinations) of mathematics courses taken by students during high school. We observed significant disparities in college preparation across students by English proficiency designation. In comparison to English Only (EO) students, LTELs were funneled into fewer trajectories that predominantly included lower level mathematics courses. We found that enrollment into remedial mathematics courses in Grade 9 appears to restrict access to advanced courses, with grave consequences for Grade 12 college preparation.

Early Academic Success in College: Examining the Contributions of Reading Literacy Skills, Metacognitive Reading Strategies, and Reading Motivation

ABSTRACT More knowledge is needed regarding the student factors that impact academic reading and success in college beyond traditional measures of college readiness. This study examined the contributions of student factors specified by the Proficient Academic Reader framework—reading literacy skills, metacognitive reading strategies, and reading motivation—to performance on a complex academic reading task and cumulative GPA across three semesters within the first two years of college. Hierarchical regression models were estimated using a sample of 166 students at a four-year public institution. Results indicated the importance of vocabulary, reading comprehension, and problem-solving reading strategies to academic reading performance and early college GPA. However, some of these effects diminished after controlling for students’ standardized test scores and high school GPA. The findings imply that institutions should implement sustained support for reading skills and strategies across disciplines.

First-in-their-family students at university: Can non-cognitive skills compensate for social origin?

We study the role of cognitive and non-cognitive skills in the university readiness and performance of first-in-family students (FIFS) using nationally representative survey data and linked survey-administrative data on an incoming student cohort at an elite Australian university. In both data sets, we find that FIFS enter university with lower levels of cognitive skills than non-FIFS but with similar levels of non-cognitive skills. The only exception is that male FIFS report lower levels of Openness to Experience. FIFS at the elite institution have lower grade-point averages and are more likely to drop out after Year 1 than non-FIFS, a finding driven by females. The higher risk of dropout is not observed in the broader Australian tertiary education context, suggesting that female FIFS struggle at this elite university. Gaps in cognitive skills are the dominant channel through which FIFS experience achievement penalties, while non-cognitive skills play no role. However, very low levels of Conscientiousness exacerbate the achievement penalties due to social origin.

School Counselor and Administrator Perceptions of Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Collaborative efforts by school counselors and school administrators that are grounded in social capital principles have the potential to better support students’ educational success, health, and well-being in the wake of challenging and adverse events, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of this study was to assess perceptions of school counselors and administrators to determine the extent to which they had a shared vision of the challenges and strengths in their school’s initial response to the pandemic. We also explored their sense of the anticipated future needs within the context of social capital theory and trauma-informed practices. Participants included 381 current pre-K–12 school administrators and school counselors throughout the United States who completed a mixed-methods survey in spring 2020. Use of these findings can help school stakeholders continue to foster students’ social/emotional, academic, and career and college readiness development during continued and future mass trauma events.

Family Heterogeneity, Human Capital Investment, and College Attainment

From 1995 to 2015 the aggregate US college completion rate increased almost 50 percent, but completion trends differed markedly by family background. We consider whether changing college preparedness contributed to growth in aggregate completion and differences by family background. We first document parallel empirical trends in precollege investments, college preparedness, and completion. We use these moments to discipline a quantitative model of intergenerational human capital investment with heterogeneous families. Within the model, investment trends generate half of the empirical increase in college completion. The model implies that subsidizing precollege investments increases college completion and lifetime earnings more than college tuition subsidies. (JEL I23, I26, J12, J24, J31)

Challenges, Opportunities, and Adaptations of a College Preparatory 4-H Youth Development Program during COVID-19

Challenges, Opportunities, and Adaptations of a College Preparatory 4-H Youth Development Program during COVID-19

The Influence of Family and Religion on Youth Decisions in Higher Education English Literature Review

The literature review explores the influence of family and religion on youth decisions in higher education. The study examines articles on how parental influence and religion impact the youth’s horizons of actions. The research identified three significant influencers linked to academic performance and college readiness: parental figures, educators and peers. Parental influence has become an emergent factor in enrolling in higher education. Parental guidance and experience can impact willingness to enroll in higher education and highlight the importance of obtaining a college degree. The findings of this study may be used to create resources for parents that did not attend college or those in lower socioeconomic status communities to more readily gain access to college information, which may aid in the enrollment process.

Validating HiSET® Tests as High School Equivalency Tests That Improve Educational, Vocational, and Quality‐of‐Life Outcomes

Results from two studies provided strong evidence for the validity of the HiSET® tests, thereby demonstrating that HiSET is a well‐developed battery of tests with passing and college and career readiness (CCR) standards that, when met, provide a pathway to postsecondary education, better employment opportunities and wages, and a better quality of life to those who are unable to experience a traditional high school education. Positive relationships exist between HiSET scores and both high school grades and ACT scores, including high levels of agreement between HiSET CCR indicators and ACT CCR indicators. Therefore, evidence supports the claim that HiSET scores are measures of high school equivalency, preparedness for middle skills jobs, and college readiness. Furthermore, there is evidence that passing the HiSET provides value to stakeholders. Passing the HiSET battery is associated with gaining academic and personal skills, college enrollment, employment gains (e.g., obtaining employment, obtaining more full‐time employment, wage increases, and improvement in a job or position), and quality‐of‐life improvements.

Challenges, Opportunities, and Adaptations of a College Preparatory 4-H Youth Development Program during COVID-19

SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) has proliferated across the United States, and in the process, it has disrupted all sense of normalcy. Because adolescents are in a critical period for growth and development, youth are particularly susceptible to negative impacts of disruption from COVID-19. Therefore, sustaining youth development programs is essential to ensuring positive youth development occurs despite significant challenges. Unfortunately, the implementation of programs that maintain safety precautions can be challenging. Many programs have been forced to either cancel all activities or to transition program elements to a virtual format. Rural Medical and Science Scholars (RMSS) program administrative staff made the decision to transition to a virtual delivery. Despite only having a few weeks to reshape the program, RMSS administrative staff were able to innovatively adapt to new challenges in order to deliver a successful program. The success of the program extends beyond its participants. By understanding potential program barriers and successful adaptation methods, other youth development programs will be better equipped to sustain program activities and youth outreach during the COVID-19 pandemic. Ultimately, this will ensure negative developmental impacts of COVID-19 are lessened in adolescents and positive youth development is cultivated through program support, stability, and structure.

The Reality of Crisis Management in Jordanian Public Universities from the Perspective of Academic Leaders

Objective: This study aims to identify the reality of crisis management in Jordanian public universities during the Covid-19 pandemic from the perspective of academic leaders in those universities.
 Methods: The study population consisted of all academic leaders in Jordanian public universities for the academic year (2021-2020). The study sample consisted of (216) academic leaders.
 Results: The results of the study show that the reality of crisis management in Jordanian public universities from the point of view of academic leaders came to a moderate degree in all areas (pre-crisis management, university readiness to manage crises, and dealing with crises). The results of the study show that there are statistically significant differences between the estimates of individuals due to job title in favor of department chairs.
 Conclusions: The study recommends improving university infrastructure and ensure readiness for crisis management. It also recommends establishing specialized departments concerned with crisis and data management.