scholarly journals Operationalizing “Internationalization” in the Community College Sector: Textual Analysis of Institutional Internationalization Plans

10.28945/4435 ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
pp. 177-196 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa M Unangst ◽  
Nicole I Barone
Keyword(s):  
Community College ◽  
Community Colleges ◽  
Open Access ◽  
Textual Analysis ◽  
National Sample ◽  
Local Context ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Analysis Tool ◽  
College Level ◽  
Digital Scholarship

Aim/Purpose: This paper evaluates three community college internationalization plans using quantitative textual analysis to explore the different foci of institutions across three U.S. states. Background: One of the purposes of community college internationalization is to equip future generations with the skills and dispositions necessary to be successful in an increasingly globalized workforce. The extent to which international efforts have become institutionalized on a given campus may be assessed through the analysis of internationalization plans. Methodology: We use the textual analysis tool Voyant, which has rarely been employed in educational research, being more frequently applied in the humanities and under the broad heading of “digital scholarship”. Contribution: Extant literature examining internationalization plans focuses on the four-year sector, but studies centered on the two-year sector are scarce. This study addresses that gap and seeks to answer the research questions: How do community colleges operationalize internationalization in their strategic plans? What terms and/or concepts are used to indicate international efforts? Findings: Key findings of this study include an emphasis on optimization of existing resources (human, cultural, community, and financial); the need for a typology of open access institution internationalization plans; and the fragmentation of international efforts at the community college level. Impact on Society: It is clear that internationalization at community colleges may take shape based on optimization of resources, which begs the question, how can education sector actors best support open access institutions in developing plans tailored to the local context and resources at hand? Future Research: We recommend additional use of quantitative textual analysis to parse internationalization plans, and imagine that both a larger sample size and cross-national sample might yield interesting results. How do these institutional groupings operationalize internationalization in the corpus of their plans?

A Textual Analysis of Community College Internationalization Plans in the U.S. and Canada

2021 ◽  
pp. 102831532110527
Author(s):  
Nicole Barone ◽  
Lisa Unangst
Keyword(s):  
Community College ◽  
Comparative Studies ◽  
Textual Analysis ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Analysis Tool ◽  
National Policies ◽  
Language Programs ◽  
Internationalization Strategies ◽  
The U.S

Internationalization in the community college sector serves many purposes that align with the local and national contexts in which an institution is situated. One method of assessing how international efforts have become institutionalized is through the analysis of internationalization plans. Prior research examining internationalization plans and agendas is centered on the four-year sector, and studies on the two-year sector and comparative studies are scarce. This article addresses that gap by analyzing four community college internationalization plans in the U.S. and Canada. We use the textual analysis tool, Voyant, to examine how internationalization is operationalized in these two national contexts. Our findings indicate that there is little emphasis on mobility and language programs, despite the presence of these internationalization strategies in institutional or national policies. The documents also show greater quantification of goals related to internationalization and lesser specificity regarding intercultural activities. Implications and recommendations for future research are offered.

Structures, Practices, and Policies to Support Community-Engaged Scholarship at the Community College

2020 ◽  
pp. 172-186
Author(s):  
Mary Ann Bodine Al-Sharif ◽  
Hugo García
Keyword(s):  
Community College ◽  
Community Colleges ◽  
Undergraduate Research ◽  
Local Communities ◽  
Postsecondary Institutions ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Research Projects ◽  
Engaged Scholarship ◽  
Community Engaged Scholarship ◽  
Large Corpus

This chapter illuminates the ways in which community colleges can develop and enhance their community-engaged scholarship (CES) to ensure they meet the needs of the local communities they are a part of. Indeed, community-engaged scholarship (CES) has been seen as a vehicle to support local communities by creating partnerships with postsecondary institutions to ensure research is conducted in a way that is mutually beneficial. The authors first explore the large corpus of literature regarding undergraduate research and then present a select number of community colleges that have been successful in incorporating undergraduate research projects. They then present how CES has been defined and how it has been implemented within a higher education context. They then proceed to introduce a CES conceptual model and explain how community colleges can utilize the model to support the institutionalization of CES programs. They conclude with recommendations for future research.

Learning Disabilities Referrals, Eligibility Outcomes, and Services in Community Colleges: A Four-Year Summary

1993 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 199-218 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daryl F. Mellard ◽  
Mark Byrne
Keyword(s):  
Community College ◽  
Learning Disabilities ◽  
Community Colleges ◽  
Ethnic Groups ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Older Students ◽  
Referral Patterns ◽  
Filipino Students ◽  
And Gender ◽  
College Setting

This study examined access to LD services in California's 103 community colleges. The data describe the pattern of referrals for LD, eligibility decisions, and students served according to age, ethnic, and gender groupings. Referrals in these settings are self-initiated and decisions on who receives state-supported classes and services are based on a statewide eligibility model. While the nature of students judged eligible and served as LD was similar to the referral patterns, the initial referrals themselves did not reflect the proportional groupings of the colleges' age, gender, and ethnic groups; besides, year-to-year fluctuations were noted. Fewer referrals were observed from some age and ethnic groups; the most notable differences included lower percentages of older students and Asian and Filipino students. These differences may be associated with such factors as the students' goals, self-attributions, and social influences. Of particular interest in future research is examination of influences on students' decisions to seek assistance in the community college setting.

Exploring Sense of Belonging, Socioacademic Integrative Moments, and Learning Communities Related to ELs’ Persistence Based on Reenrollment Decisions in Community Colleges

2020 ◽  
pp. 009155212096487
Author(s):  
Tiberio Garza ◽  
Margarita Huerta ◽  
Hugo A. García ◽  
Jared Lau
Keyword(s):  
Community College ◽  
Community Colleges ◽  
Learning Communities ◽  
English Learners ◽  
Sense Of Belonging ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Direct Effects ◽  
Measurement Models ◽  
Positive Direct

Objective: The objective of this study was to create a model of English learners’ (ELs) persistence based on theory and empirical research. Findings from this research informs community college educators in helping ELs persist and guide future research regarding this important student population. Method: We examined ELs’ persistence using structural equation modeling (SEM) based on data from the Community College Survey of Student Engagement (CCSSE) among a U.S. national sample of 6,872 ELs. SEM was informed through the means of measurement models for latent variables. Reliability and validity were assessed through Cronbach’s alpha, principal component analysis, and fit indices. Results: Our results show that (a) sense of belonging had significant and positive direct effects on ELs’ persistence based on reenrollment decisions, (b) socioacademic integrative moments had significant and positive direct effects on ELs’ sense of belonging, and (c) learning communities had significant and positive direct effects on ELs’ socioacademic integrative moments and sense of belonging. Contributions: Community colleges offer broad access to postsecondary education for ELs, or students in the process of learning English as a second or other language. As a whole, our study contributes to a better understanding of how ELs may persist in their academic studies. We further discuss the implications of our findings in light of policy, practice, and future research.

scholarly journals A Psychometric Analysis of the Algebra and Precalculus Concept Readiness Assessment for Community Colleges

2019 ◽  
Vol 38 (3) ◽  
pp. 321-336
Author(s):  
Yadira Peralta ◽  
Nidhi Kohli ◽  
April Strom ◽  
Irene Duranczyk ◽  
Vilma Mesa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Community College ◽  
Community Colleges ◽  
Item Response ◽  
Conceptual Understanding ◽  
College Algebra ◽  
College Level ◽  
Readiness Assessment ◽  
Algebra Students ◽  
Reasoning Abilities ◽  
Item Fit

Understanding students’ readiness for precalculus and calculus at the community college level is critical not only because of the key role community colleges play in higher education but also because calculus remains a gateway course for students in advancing to higher level mathematics. The Algebra and Precalculus Concept Readiness Assessment for Community Colleges (APCR-CC) was designed to investigate community college students’ quantitative reasoning abilities and conceptual understanding in algebra. The present study investigates the psychometric properties of the APCR-CC instrument using item response theory based on a sample of intermediate and college algebra students from six community colleges collected in a pretest ( N = 1,131) and posttest ( N = 772) setting. We examine unidimensionality, item fit, local item independence, measurement invariance, and sensitivity to instruction. Our findings suggest that the APCR-CC instrument is sufficiently characterized by one underlying construct, local dependence does not seem to be an issue, and 80% of the items in the APCR-CC instrument are sensitive to instruction.

scholarly journals Academic Advising and the Community College Baccalaureate: Implications for Research, Policy, and Practice

2020 ◽  
Vol 40 (1) ◽  
pp. 110-122 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edna Martinez ◽  
Chinasa Elue
Keyword(s):  
Community College ◽  
Community Colleges ◽  
Academic Advising ◽  
Research Policy ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Degree Programs ◽  
Policy And Practice ◽  
Baccalaureate Degrees ◽  
Advising Models ◽  
Policy And Planning

An increasing number of community colleges have expanded their programmatic offerings to include baccalaureate degrees. In this national, mixed methods study, we examined how and to what extent the implementation of baccalaureate degree programs has impacted academic advising policies and practices across U.S. community colleges. Survey and interview data highlighted the reorganization of advising and adoption of various advising models as well as the need for collaborations, communication, and professional development. In addition to underscoring the overall complexities involved in establishing four-year degree programs at the community college, results from this study helped us illuminate implications for policy and planning as well as suggested areas for future research related to advising.

Academic Outcomes Among Diverse Community College Students: What Is the Role of Instructor Relationships?

2020 ◽  
Vol 48 (3) ◽  
pp. 277-302 ◽  
Author(s):  
McKenna F. Parnes ◽  
Carola Suárez-Orozco ◽  
Olivia Osei-Twumasi ◽  
Sarah E. O. Schwartz
Keyword(s):  
College Students ◽  
Community College ◽  
Community Colleges ◽  
Student Success ◽  
Community College Students ◽  
Academic Outcomes ◽  
Academic Engagement ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Grade Point ◽  
Student Instructor

Objective: Although much research on community colleges focuses on institutional challenges or student deficits, emerging evidence suggests that student–instructor relationships have the potential to impact student success. The current study examined factors that could influence community college students’ development of relationships with instructors and how these relationships are associated with academic engagement and achievement. Drawing on literature exploring student–instructor relationships at 4-year institutions, we hypothesized that students’ relationships with instructors may partially account for the association between student demographic and relational characteristics and academic outcomes (i.e., cognitive and behavioral engagement, grade point average [GPA]). Method: Survey data were collected from 646 ethnically and racially diverse participants, many of whom were first-, second-, or third-generation immigrants, or first-generation college students. Employing a between-subjects, cross-sectional design, we tested the main study hypotheses of mediation through a series of path analysis models using Mplus. Results: Students with higher support-seeking attitudes and students with a mentor reported closer relationships with instructors, whereas part-time students reported weaker relationships with instructors. In turn, student–instructor relationships were significantly associated with both cognitive and behavioral aspects of academic engagement and GPA. Conclusion: This study provides insight into the various factors that may influence community college students’ development of relationships with instructors and highlights the direct and indirect influence of these relationships on student success. Implications for future practice include finding strategies that can be implemented at community colleges to foster student–instructor relationships. Future research should further explore these associations using longitudinal data to gain a deeper understanding of current findings.

Assessing the Promise of California’s Early Assessment Program for Community Colleges

2014 ◽  
Vol 655 (1) ◽  
pp. 36-55 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michal Kurlaender
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
Community College ◽  
Community Colleges ◽  
High School Students ◽  
Postsecondary Education ◽  
College Level ◽  
Early Assessment ◽  
School Students ◽  
Assessment Program ◽  
K 12

This article focuses on California’s efforts to improve the alignment between K–12 and postsecondary schooling through the Early Assessment Program (EAP). Implemented in 2004, the EAP was designed to give high school students information about their academic preparedness for postsecondary education and to encourage teachers to teach for college readiness. I describe the EAP and its evolution and presence at California’s community colleges. I then match EAP and other test score data for California high school juniors to administrative data from California community colleges to investigate the extent to which high school student participation in the EAP predicts their college course placement and influences their academic performance. I find that very few students enter the California community college system ready for college-level work based on the EAP exam, but that the EAP can better serve community college campuses in their efforts to place students in developmental coursework.

Examining Community College Students’ Progression Through the English as a Second Language Sequence

2019 ◽  
Vol 47 (4) ◽  
pp. 406-433 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth S. Park
Keyword(s):  
Community College ◽  
Community Colleges ◽  
International Students ◽  
Proportional Hazards ◽  
Proportional Hazards Model ◽  
Cox Proportional Hazards ◽  
Cox Proportional Hazards Model ◽  
Generation 1.5 ◽  
College Level ◽  
Hazards Model

Objective: Although immigrant students placed in English as a Second Language (ESL) sequence at community colleges are a growing student population, there is a dearth of research focused on these students in college. This study provides descriptive estimates of community college students’ progression through the credit-earning ESL sequence and disaggregates the findings by Generation 1.5/2.0 status. As community colleges seek to better support students whose primary language is not English, this study provides some of the first empirical evidence on who is placing where and how long it takes students to progress through the ESL sequence. Method: This study uses transcript data from a community college in California that enrolls a large proportion of students in the ESL sequence and estimates a Cox proportional hazards model with time to completing English 101 as the dependent variable. Results: Most Generation 1.5/2.0 students who take the ESL placement test start three levels or below college-level English. Furthermore, Generation 1.5/2.0 students attempt and complete English 101 at a lower rate than international students. Results from the Cox proportional hazards model show that international students are more likely to complete English 101 than U.S. citizens at any given point in time. Among the Generation 1.5/2.0 subsample, female permanent residents are more likely to complete English 101 than citizens. Conclusion: The findings suggest a need to reassess the ESL placement process so that all students placed in ESL are able to successfully progress toward college-level English.

Exploring Critical Thinking as an Outcome for Students Enrolled in Community Colleges

2020 ◽  
Vol 48 (3) ◽  
pp. 330-351
Author(s):  
Katrina C. Roohr ◽  
Kri Burkander
Keyword(s):  
Community College ◽  
Critical Thinking ◽  
Student Perceptions ◽  
College Experience ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
Critical Thinking Skills ◽  
Future Research ◽  
College Level ◽  
Performance Differences ◽  
College Programs

Objective: Using data from HEIghten® Critical Thinking, a student learning outcomes assessment, the purpose of this study was to evaluate what variables are associated with higher critical thinking performance for students enrolled in various community college programs and to evaluate performance differences across demographic and college-level subgroups as well as student perceptions. Method: With data from 1,307 students enrolled across 34 U.S. and Canadian higher education institutions (72% enrolled in 2-year institutions), we utilized a hierarchical regression to identify variables associated with critical thinking performance. Critical thinking performance differences were evaluated using analyses of variance (ANOVAs) and t-tests across student demographic and college experience subgroups and across student perceptions. Results: Results of this study showed (a) consistent significant predictors associated with higher critical thinking performance; (b) a positive relationship between critical thinking performance and the frequency of using critical thinking in college courses; (c) significant, but relatively small performance differences across demographic and college experience subgroups; and (d) positive relationships between student perceptions and critical thinking performance. Conclusion: This study added to the limited literature evaluating critical thinking skills for community college students. Overall, results suggest that institutions should focus attention to the frequency at which students are using critical thinking throughout their courses, which could increase student performance in this particular area, especially if critical thinking is an explicit outcome within the course. Results also suggested the need to emphasize critical thinking skills more across various community college programs and across non-STEM-focused programs. Suggestions for future research are discussed.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document