This dissertation examines the impacts of a last-dollar promise program on high school-to-college enrollments at a very large community college (VLCC) district in Texas. The research intends to add to the current literature on the growing popularity of promise programs at two-year community colleges. Specifically, this quantitative study examines…

This article focuses on first-year university students' understanding of concepts related to third-degree polynomial and trigonometric functions that they encountered during their study of Grade 12 mathematics. In this study three online questions from two first-year mathematics quizzes at the University of KwaZulu-Natal were analysed. The first…

Common Core State Standards (CCSS) were adopted by most states in the United States to improve academic rigor, which in turn is believed to better prepare graduating high school students for college and careers. Yet, it is not as well understood whether CCSS Initiative-aligned instruction potentially better prepares all students, thereby availing…

Despite many theories on student success as well as many resources to help students make the transition from high school to college, many students do not persist in or graduate from college. The purpose of this dissertation is to provide insight into what takes place when students leave P-12 institutions and enter institutions of higher education…

The transition from high school to university often amounts to a muddled process, making it both an exciting and challenging time for many undergraduate students. Integrating both academically and socially is key in this respect. Social support from peers and teaching staff, but also from family and friends, can have a decisive impact. A learning…

First-year students encounter a plethora of challenges upon entering university. However, little is known about how they adjust and work through these challenges during the transition phase. This study investigates the relationships among transitional challenges, well-being, help-seeking, and students' adjustments to the university by combining…

The purpose of the study was to write individual narrative stories about the subjective experiences of six students who entered college and had to take at least one remedial course their first semester. A subjective experience refers to the emotional and cognitive impact of the personal account of an experience (Subjective Experience, n.d.). The…

The transition into higher education is a challenging process for many students. Students are often underprepared academically (amongst other aspects). This under-preparedness influences students' subsequent academic performance, and ultimately, overall student success. Research has shown that successful student transition into higher education…

Academic and social deficits, a nine-month secondary school-to-university learning loss, a readiness gap for university-level coursework, and limited cultural capital characterize the transition to university for Botswana's secondary school completers seeking a STEM qualification. This study investigated internationally implemented developmental…

In the United States high school students may take college level courses that count for credit in both high school and college, often called dual enrollment. Students may take courses at their high school from certified instructors or at a local college. We investigate possible differences between these two groups of students using student level…

Issues regarding scientific explanation have been of interest to philosophers from Pre-Socratic times. The notion of scientific explanation is of interest not only to philosophers, but also to science educators as is clearly evident in the emphasis given to K-12 students' construction of explanations in current national science education reform…

Short, preparatory 'foundation year' courses have exploded in popularity in recent years, but they have drawn criticism from policymakers. Like Access diplomas, they serve to support people from all backgrounds to enter higher education. This HEPI Report asks whether foundation years are effective tools for widening access -- or whether, when it…

The impact of evolving feedback ecology on students' feedback literacy development remains underexplored. This study examined the effects of transitioning from secondary to higher education on students' conceptions and practices of feedback literacy. The research involved 35 first-year associate's degree students from various disciplines at a Hong…

Understanding the secondary--tertiary transition is not only an educational matter, but also an inclusion and equality matter as mathematics qualifications lead to better employment and better earning for students. Research on what causes the crisis associated to this transition has so far focused on the impact of cognitive and epistemological…

There is a worldwide trend to include engineering design in high school curricula as a bridge course to higher-level STEM education and to increase high school students' interest in STEM fields. This study used a battlebot design curriculum to compare engineering design learning between high school and college first-year students and then proposed…