Examining summer laboratory research apprenticeships for high school students as a factor in entry to MD/PhD programs at matriculation

Do summer laboratory research apprenticeships during high school have an impact on entry into MD/PhD programs? Apart from the nearly decade-long span of time between high school and matriculation into an MD/PhD program, young people have many life-shaping experiences that presumably impact their education and career trajectories. This quantitative study (n = 236,432) examines the connection between early laboratory research apprenticeship experiences at the high school level and matriculation into one of the more rigorous educational programs for scientific research training. The span of time covered by this analysis reaches across more than a decade, examining the potential importance of research experiences during the precollege years in the educational trajectory of young people. Intertwined with this question on research experiences is a second major concern regarding diversity in the life sciences research corps. Diversity in this wide-ranging discipline refers specifically to the underrepresentation of Blacks/African Americans, Hispanics/Latino/as, and American Indians/Alaska Natives among the ranks of research scientists. Thus, this study includes analyses that specifically focus on research apprenticeships of Blacks/African Americans and Hispanics/Latino/as and their entrance into MD/PhD programs. </jats:p

Preparing Students for College Learning and Work: Investigating the Capstone Course Component of Virginia's College and Career Readiness Initiative

The authors investigated the design and implementation of the capstone courses that are part of Virginia’s College and Career Readiness Initiative. Based on a set of performance expectations for college readiness, two capstone courses — one in English and one in mathematics — were developed to help support high school juniors and seniors who intend to enroll in college but are at risk of placing into developmental education. The courses were piloted in more than 20 high schools across Virginia during the 2011–12 academic year. To better understand the pilot year of the capstone courses in Virginia, NCPR partnered with the Virginia Department of Education to document the implementation of the courses. Researchers interviewed stakeholders at the state, school division, and school levels, as well as the creators of the curricula at four partnering institutions of higher education. They also visited several high schools and school divisions involved in implementing the capstone courses to understand how the curricula were being used and to learn more about course content and pedagogy. As a result, the authors identified issues that practitioners should consider as the capstone course initiative expands and implications for researchers investigating capstone courses

Getting Ready for College: An Implementation and Early Impacts Study of Eight Texas Developmental Summer Bridge Programs

In 2007, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) funded 22 colleges to establish developmental summer bridge programs. Aimed at providing an alternative to traditional developmental education, these programs involve intensive remedial instruction in math, reading, and/or writing and college preparation content for students entering college with low basic skills. In 2009, the National Center for Postsecondary Research (NCPR) launched an evaluation of eight developmental summer bridge programs in Texas (seven at community colleges and one at an open-admissions four-year university), the early findings of which are described in this report. Students who participated in the study were randomly assigned to the program group or the control group. Program group students participated in the developmental summer bridge programs, while control group students received colleges’ regular services. All developmental summer bridge programs had four common features: accelerated instruction in math, reading, and/or writing; academic support; a “college knowledge” component; and the opportunity for participants to receive a $400 stipend

Bridging the Gap: An Impact Study of Eight Developmental Summer Bridge Programs in Texas

Developmental summer bridge programs are a popular strategy for increasing college readiness among recent high school graduates. Aimed at providing an alternative to traditional developmental education, these programs provide accelerated and focused learning opportunities in order to help students acquire the knowledge and skills needed for college success. The current study uses an experimental design to evaluate the outcomes of eight developmental summer bridge programs offered in Texas during the summer of 2009. At each college, students who consented to participate in the study were randomly assigned to either a program group that was eligible to participate in a developmental summer bridge program or a control group that was eligible to use any other services that the college provided. Based on a program model developed by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, the developmental summer bridge programs in this study included four common features: accelerated instruction in developmental math, reading, and/or writing; academic support; a “college knowledge” component; and the opportunity to earn a $400 stipend

Getting Ready for College: An Implementation and Early Impact Study of Eight Texas Developmental Summer Bridge Programs

Displayed on billboards and license plates alike, “College for All Texans” is the unofficial motto that is promoted statewide to encourage college readiness, participation, and success in Texas. Policymakers, educators, and business leaders agree that Texas must increase rates of college participation and success to preserve the economic vitality of the state and to secure the future well-being of Texas residents. To address the dynamic needs of the growing state population, Texas launched in 2000 an ambitious statewide strategic plan called called Closing the Gaps by 2015. One of the primary objectives of this plan is to increase enrollment and academic success in Texas colleges and universities. One component of the Closing the Gaps by 2015 initiative was the creation of developmental summer bridge programs — intensive summer experiences that offer eligible students remedial instruction in math, reading, and/or writing along with an introduction to college. Developmental summer bridge programs aim to reduce or eliminate the need for developmental courses so that more students are prepared for college-level courses in their first semester of college. Programs typically offer intensive, targeted coursework for four to five weeks over the summer, accompanied by tutoring, additional labs, and student support services. The integrated approach used in developmental summer bridge programs is thought to help ease students’ transition into college. But despite the increasing popularity of summer bridge programs across the country, little empirical research on their outcomes or impacts has been conducte

Preparing High School Students for College: An Exploratory Study of College Readiness Partnership Programs in Texas

Nationwide, about 40 percent of college students take at least one remedial course to prepare for college-level coursework (Attewell, Lavin, Domina, and Levey, 2006). One cause of this high rate of remedial enrollment is the misalignment of high school graduation standards and college academic expectations (Callan, Finney, Kirst, Usdan, and Venezia, 2006; Venezia, Kirst, and Antonio, 2003). College readiness partnership programs attempt to address this problem by facilitating students’ transition to college. The current study examines 37 state and local college readiness partnership programs in Texas as well as the partnerships that created these programs. The findings are based on a review of the relevant research and Texas policy literature, analysis of an online scan of college readiness partnership programs in Texas with a web presence, and site visits to high schools, colleges, and community-based organizations in the Houston and Dallas–Fort Worth areas. We define college readiness partnership programs as programmatic interventions co-sponsored by secondary and postsecondary institutions and offered to high school students with the goal of increasing students’ college readiness

Eating Homes:A Critical Inquiry into the Representation of Arab American Identities in Contemporary Arab American Writings on Food

Food writing is a significant trend in Contemporary Arab American Literature. This thesis explores the identity content of that body of literature, examining why food has captured the imagination of Arab American writers and how food helps to consolidate, order and narrate Arab American identity. The literature examined in this analysis includes poetry, short fiction and cookbook-memoirs.Rochelle Davi

In search of the beloved community: Understanding the dynamics of student interaction across racial and ethnic communities.

Many have held out the hope that the hallowed halls of higher education are the key to bridging racial difference, given the atmosphere of reason, inquiry and collegiality. Scholars and the popular media have criticized diverse campuses for breeding ethnocentrism and self-segregation among college students. Although emerging research suggests that students do have a range of diversity experiences on campus, few studies have sought to understand students' pre-college experiences with diverse others. The purpose of this study was to develop an understanding of the relationship between pre-college experiences, values, beliefs, and behaviors and the amount of interaction students engaged in prior to college. Through survey data of 7,000 first-year students at four public universities, the study investigates how students' values, beliefs, experiences, and behaviors relate to their frequency of pre-college contact with diverse others. The sample for this study include White, Black, Latino, and Asian American/Pacific Islander students in the entering class of 2000 at four public institutions. Institutions include: one historically Black university, one Hispanic-serving university, and two predominantly White universities located throughout the United States. Four outcome variables were identified: amount of interaction with Whites, Blacks, Latinos, and Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders. Multivariate analyses consisted of twenty ordinary least squares regression equations, one for each interaction outcome measure specified in the model. Findings extend the work of Allport (1954), Blau (1977), and Massey, Charles, Lundy, and Fisher (2003). Findings include: (1) geographic location and varying institutional contexts produce different patterns of interaction, (2) intragroup interaction is substantial across all groups and likely to continue in college unless patterns are re-engineered by college experiences, (3) students of different racial/ethnic groups do have distinct, varying patterns of cross-racial interaction and (4) the model is less predictive at minority-serving institutions and for Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders and Latinos. In addition, all groups appear to have substantial interaction with Whites. Consistent with other recent studies, results illustrate that many students are relatively unprepared for the diversity they will likely encounter in college.Ph.D.Bilingual educationBlack studiesEducationEthnic studiesHigher educationSocial SciencesUniversity of Michigan, Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studieshttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/124334/2/3137961.pd