This study proposes a formal multi-step methodology for qualitative assessment of topic modeling results in the context of online learner motivation to purchase Statements of Participation (SoP). We developed Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) based topic models on open-ended responses of three post-course survey questions from 280 open courses…

Although completing a college certificate or diploma program after a bachelor's degree has long been a topic of interest for federal policy makers and academic organizations, its prevalence and nature have not been clearly characterized to this day. Many of the studies exploring this issue have been limited to a single institution or a single…

Micro-credentials (MCs) are a rapidly expanding element of modern teacher professional learning. In this brief, we provide a concise review of what is currently known about MCs: how they work, their strengths, their shortcomings, and what we still need to learn. For districts and states that are considering introducing MCs, this brief is designed…

This paper focuses on the colleges and institutes of higher education (CIHEs), major providers of HE, almost sixty of which existed in England and Wales between the 1970s and the early twenty-first century. Its central argument is that a failure to develop the CIHEs as specialist institutions of advanced professional learning along the lines of…

Background: There are a number of pathways available for international students to gain admission into universities in English-speaking countries. While many international students for whom English is not their first language succeed academically, there is concern that some do not cope with the demands of university which can affect their…

During the 2020 COVID-19 lockdown, edX launched an initiative, called the Remote Access Program, to give access to free certificates for its Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) to the communities of its partners. This paper describes the experience of a Higher Education (HE) institution in Europe participating in this initiative as a strategic…

Few studies explore post-collegiate leadership applications of alumni who complete curricular leadership programs, like minors or certificates. How can we, as a field, say our leadership programs and courses integrate beyond the boundaries of campus or undergraduate life without an understanding of post-collegiate leadership applications? This…

This study aims to explain the relationship between student performance in the International General Certificate Secondary Education (IGCSE) and the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program (IBDP) as well as explore the predictors of the IBDP scores in languages, sciences, and mathematics. A purposive sample of 338 high school students was…

In the wake of policy, technology, and ideological disruptions in Western higher education, it is in universities' interests to improve the quality of their learning and teaching to meet changed expectations. In some countries, particularly anglophone countries such as Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom, the medium for this…

Adult learners' retention, persistence, and completion remain a significant challenge for many higher education institutions. The purpose of this action research study was to investigate the factors and improve persistence for part-time older adult learners of color enrolled in a credit-bearing certificate program within a small college in a large…

As Mississippi prepares to support the statewide postsecondary attainment goal, understanding the returns to higher education is crucial to determining where to invest resources. Ithaka S+R has partnered with the Woodward Hines Education Foundation to provide Mississippi policymakers, advocates, and legislators with information they need to make…

Teacher quality and student achievement have shown positive relationships in prior studies of elementary and secondary grade levels in the United States. However, postsecondary career and technical education (CTE) teacher quality and student achievement is an understudied topic. According to the literature, teacher quality is measured by…

This qualitative case study examined one community college's attempt to better meet the needs of the single mother student population and create a better understanding of the barriers encountered by single mothers in their access to and completion of a short-term certificate program at a community college. Through a qualitative case study of…

In 2015, the Minnesota Legislature passed statute 135A.012 Higher Education Goal, which enacted a goal that 70% of Minnesota adults (ages 25-44) will have attained a postsecondary certificate or degree by 2025. In recognition of existing gaps in attainment, the law also sets 30% and 50% educational attainment benchmarks for all races and…

Introduction: Over the past decade, informaticists expressed dissatisfaction with their training, feeling unprepared for the demands of their role. To address this, we developed the Tiered Skills Acquisition Model (TSAM) program in 2023 to improve the onboarding process of new hires. The goal in evaluating TSAM was to assess its effectiveness and…