Download or read book An Investigation of College Students Perceptions of Advanced Placement Courses Research Note 2013 2 written by Siobhan M. Cooney and published by . This book was released on 2013 with total page 24 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The present study investigates how current college students perceive their experiences in high school Advanced Placement Program (AP) courses. The goal of this research was twofold: We wanted to not only add to the existing literature on outcomes for AP students but also investigate possible benefits for students without success (i.e., a score of 3 or higher) on at least one AP Exam. For the purposes of this research, the College Board Advanced Placement Program partnered with a large public university in the southwestern United States. In April 2012, freshmen and sophomores who had taken at least one AP course in high school were recruited via the university's email system. Participants (n = 128) completed an online survey that included closed- and open-ended items. About two-thirds of participants reported taking an AP Exam for each of their AP courses. Although three-quarters of participants reported scoring a 1 or 2 on one or more exams, only a small subset (n = 16) did not have AP Exam success; one participant had never taken an AP Exam, and 15 participants had never scored higher than a 2 on an AP Exam. Participants on the whole tended to report that their AP courses were of high quality, challenging, and ultimately beneficial in terms of improving specific skills (including writing, test taking, revising work based on feedback, balancing study time with competing demands, and analyzing the strengths and flaws of different points of view) and giving them the confidence to believe that they could do well in college. Participants were largely in agreement that their AP teachers were passionate about their subject areas and had high expectations for their students. The importance of students' AP teachers was also reflected in many open-ended responses: Teaching quality reportedly affected not only how much students enjoyed the experience but also how much they benefited from each of their AP courses. Students without AP Exam success tended to report positive AP course experiences and a range of benefits attributed to their AP courses. Their responses were very similar to those of students with AP Exam success; only a few small differences were noted. Given the small number of participants in this study, particularly when focusing on those without AP Exam success, further research is recommended with a larger sample.
Download or read book Investigation of Teachers Perceptions Regarding Advanced Placement Course Content Fidelity and Student Participation in AP Courses and Examinations written by Megan Z. Ament and published by . This book was released on 2014 with total page 132 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This qualitative study investigated teachers' perceptions regarding reasons students enrolled in Advanced Placement (AP) Courses, why students took, or opted out of, the corresponding Advanced Placement Examinations, and whether or not teachers taught the required Advanced Placement Course content with fidelity. Teachers from four public high schools in southeastern Pennsylvania completed the researcher-developed online survey and participated in face-to-face interviews. Results of this study indicated that although students chose Advanced Placement Courses for a variety of reasons, participants perceived their students as being aware of the role that Advanced Placement Courses play in the college admissions process. The perceptions of teachers also revealed that the cost of the Advanced Placement Exam was not a deterrent unless students took three or more Advanced Placement Courses in a given year. Advanced Placement Exam participation rates in the four study sites were found to be 7.6% higher than the College Board's estimate. Regarding course content fidelity, data analysis indicated that while 100% of the survey participants agreed that the content taught in their classrooms and the content covered on the Advanced Placement Exams were fully aligned, participants still supplemented College Board-approved content or substituted other content in its place. Since Advanced Placement Courses and Exams play a major role in both the college-preparatory process and the college admissions process, these findings may offer direction to high school administrators who wish to increase their Advanced Placement Course enrollments and their Advanced Placement Exam participation rates.
Download or read book Learning in the Fast Lane written by Chester E. Finn, Jr. and published by Princeton University Press. This book was released on 2021-05-11 with total page 292 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "More than three million high-school students take five million Advanced Placement exams each May, yet remarkably little is known about how this sixty-year-old, privately-run program, has become one of U.S. education's greatest successes. From its mid-century origin as a tiny option for privileged kids from posh schools, AP has also emerged as a booster rocket into college for hundreds of thousands of disadvantaged youngsters. It challenges smart kids, affects school ratings, affords rewarding classroom challenges to great teachers, tunes up entire schools, and draws vast support from philanthropists, education reformers and policymakers. AP stands as America's foremost source of college-level academics for high school pupils. Praised for its rigor and integrity, more than 22,000 schools now offer some-or many-of its thirty-eight subjects, from Latin to calculus, art to computer science. But challenges abound today, as AP faces stiffening competition (especially dual credit), curriculum wars, charges of elitism, misgivings by elite schools and universities, and the arduous work of infusing rigor into schools that lack it and academic success into young people unaccustomed to it. In today's polarized climate, can Advanced Placement maintain its lofty standards and overcome the hostility, politics and despair that have sunk so many other bold education ventures? Advanced Placement: The Unsung Success Story of American Education is a unique account-richly documented and thoroughly readable-of the AP program in all its strengths and travails, written by two of America's most respected education analysts"--
Download or read book The Wiley Handbook of Social Studies Research written by Meghan McGlinn Manfra and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2017-03-13 with total page 822 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Wiley Handbook of Social Studies Research is a wide-ranging resource on the current state of social studies education. This timely work not only reflects on the many recent developments in the field, but also explores emerging trends. This is the first major reference work on social studies education and research in a decade An in-depth look at the current state of social studies education and emerging trends Three sections cover: foundations of social studies research, theoretical and methodological frameworks guiding social studies research, and current trends and research related to teaching and learning social studies A state-of-the-art guide for both graduate students and established researchers Guided by an advisory board of well-respected scholars in social studies education research
Download or read book Inquiry Based Learning for Faculty and Institutional Development written by Patrick Blessinger and published by Emerald Group Publishing. This book was released on 2014-12-05 with total page 522 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume covers the many issues and concepts of how inquiry-based learning (IBL) can be applied to faculty and institutional development. This volume serves as a conceptual and practical resource and guide for educators and offers practical examples of IBL in action and diverse strategies for how to implement IBL in different contexts.
Download or read book Closing the Advanced Placement Opportunity Gap for Traditionally Underrepresented Students written by Jennifer Roberts and published by . This book was released on 2018 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Exposure to rigorous curriculum is a significant predictor of college persistence and success. Traditionally underrepresented students, those who are African American, Hispanic, and identified as economically disadvantaged often do not engage in Advance Placement (AP) courses. There are several factors that lead to decreased participation of underrepresented students in AP courses including lack of information and education of the benefits of engaging in the AP curriculum. The purpose of this study was to examine the social capital of students and the students' perceptions of their high school experiences related to college readiness. This study examined student perspectives in the areas of attitude toward college, teacher expectations and interactions, college readiness, school-wide support, and parental engagement. Additionally, student perspective was examined related to their high school experiences in terms of preparation for college and support from school faculty. Data were collected from a purposeful sample of seniors enrolled in English IV. The participants were individually matched by enrollment or non-enrollment in AP courses, gender, and ethnicity. The matched sample consisted of 123 students in AP courses and 123 students not in AP courses. Nine students participated in a focus group to obtain a deeper understanding of their high school experiences. The findings in this study show overall students in AP courses and those not in AP courses have comparable perspectives of their high school experiences as it relates to attitude toward college, teacher expectations and interactions, school wide support, and parental engagement. Only in the area of college readiness do students not enrolled in AP courses perceive they are not as prepared as their counterparts enrolled in AP courses. The focus group data revealed students felt their teachers and the College and Career Advisor were instrumental in assisting them with college planning and course selection. The students in the focus group spoke to the influence of their peers in selecting courses. The students also pointed to the importance of participating in extracurricular activities as a way to round out their high school experiences.
Download or read book A Phenomenology of Student Perceptions about the Impact of Participation in the Advanced Placement Program on College Readiness written by Leah Kliewer and published by . This book was released on 2022 with total page 144 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to understand college undergraduate perceptions about preparedness to meet the demands and expectations of college-level coursework based on their experiences with the AP program in high school. Previous quantitative research regarding the AP program has shown students who participated in AP courses in high school do have an edge in college admissions. However, through this study the researcher sought to qualitatively understand the level of confidence and preparedness that former AP students feel when encountering college-level coursework during their undergraduate college experience, using Schlossberg’s transition theory for theoretical guidance. This phenomenological qualitative study interviewed 13 college undergraduates who attended one of three private high schools in southwest Florida and successfully completed a minimum of two AP courses in high school. This study’s data collection included individual interviews, focus group interviews, and a narrative reflection to investigate the following central research question: What are the perceptions of college undergraduates who have participated in their high school’s AP program regarding their preparedness to meet the demands and expectations of college-level coursework? Memoing, coding, and phenomenological reduction were used for data analysis to develop rich descriptions of participants’ experiences with the AP programs in their respective high schools. From these descriptions, three key themes emerged: the participants’ motivation for taking AP courses was varied and impacted by personal benefits, participants see a need for more autonomy being granted in the high school setting, and participants have strong opinions about the specific needs of a successful AP program.
Download or read book A Mixed methods Study of High School Students Advanced Placement Enrollment Decisions written by Jason Burns and published by . This book was released on 2019 with total page 226 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Advanced Placement (AP) program is often touted as an opportunity for academically talented high school students to be exposed to a rigorous, college-level classroom setting. Components of the AP program include a range of courses and corresponding standardized assessments. According to the College Board, which administers the AP program, students who take AP courses have an opportunity to gain advanced knowledge and skills, to improve the quality of their college applications, and earn college credits (College Board, 2017b). Based on this reputation, AP participation has increased dramatically in recent years. In the spring of 2017, over 2.7 million students took an Advanced Placement (AP) exam, a more than three-fold increase over the spring of 2001 (College Board, 2017a). While AP enrollment has expanded dramatically, AP participation varies significantly across student groups. Relative to White students, Hispanic students are approximately 25% less likely to participate in the AP program and Black students are just half as likely. Low-income students, compared to their non-economically disadvantaged peers, are over sixty percent less likely to be an AP student (Theokas & Saaris, 2013). These patterns have led to calls to increase AP participation, especially amongst students from disadvantaged groups. Some, however, have expressed concerns that expanding AP enrollment without considering students' ability may set some up for failure (Finn & Winkler, 2011). Because high school students typically have significant agency in the courses they take, I argue that understanding AP participation requires an understanding of students' decision-making around whether to take an AP course. In this dissertation, I investigate students' AP enrollment decisions by answering the following research questions: 1) What are the patterns in AP enrollment for the overall student population and for the sub-population of academically talented students?; 2) How do student characteristics vary by AP enrollment status?; 3) What student-level factors or characteristics predict enrollment in AP classes?; and 4) How do perceptions of AP classes and students vary across student groups? To answer these research questions, I use the conceptual frameworks of judgment and decision-making, social-emotional skills, and identity in a mixed-methods explanatory case study of two high schools in Michigan that includes student-level administrative data (n = 16,939 student-year observations), student surveys (n = 389), and student interviews (n = 19) in 2018. Results show: (1) disadvantaged students participate in AP at lower rates, but that the size of the participation gap is sensitive to how AP participation is defined, and that many academically talented students do not take an AP class; (2) students who enroll in AP classes are, compared to their peers, less diverse, higher-achieving, wealthier, have more developed social-emotional skills, a stronger academic identity, and make decisions more deliberatively; (3) achievement is the strongest and most reliable predictor of AP enrollment, though constructs related to identity, social-emotional skills, and decision-making tendencies also appear to be related to enrollment; and (4) students generally perceive AP classes as difficult and AP students as academically talented, students of color are acutely aware of the lack of diversity in AP classes, and some students link their course selections to their future. I interpret these findings using the conceptual frameworks employed in this study and develop a conceptual model of students' AP enrollment decisions. Implications for researchers, educators, and policymakers are discussed.
Download or read book Effects of Advanced Placement Courses on College Academic Success written by Stephen L. Brown and published by . This book was released on 2019 with total page 98 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The principal objective of high school learning is to prepare students for college success, even if they choose an alternative path of post-high school education or the workforce. Ideally, the most rigorous courses offered by high schools would provide students the greatest opportunities for collegiate academic success. The purpose of this study was to develop an understanding of how advanced placement courses affect college readiness and ultimately college academic success. This study investigated how advanced placement curricula affected college learning. The mixed method study used a Likert scale survey that collected demographic, perception, and open-ended responses. In addition to the survey, interviews were conducted to further clarify survey responses. Fifty-three college students participated in the survey and four of those students chose to partake in an interview. The researcher used the networking features of Facebook to procure participants and Facebook profile pages to help diversify the participant pool. Data from the study presented strong correlations to AP course enrollment and college academic success. This study found students who enrolled in AP courses, regardless of the number of courses taken and their college GPA, perceived their AP courses to have supported their college success through the development of college readiness skills. When analyzing survey data for each of the college readiness skills studied, the three skills the greatest percent of all participants believed affected their college success were problem solving, supporting arguments with evidence, and research writing.
Download or read book African American Students Career and College Readiness written by Jennifer R. Curry and published by Lexington Books. This book was released on 2015-10-08 with total page 379 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: College and career readiness is essential to promoting the success of all students. Educational and economic changes in today’s society demands well thought out strategies for preparing students to survive academically, socially, and financially in the future. African American students are at a disadvantage in this strategic planning process due to a long history of racism, injustice, and marginalization. African American Students’ Career and College Readiness: The Journey Unraveled explores the historical, legal, and socio-political issues of education affecting African American students and their career and college readiness. Each chapter has been written based on the authors’ experience and passion for the success of students in the African American population. Some of the chapters will appear to be written in a more conversational and idiomatic tone, whereas others are presented in a more erudite format. Each chapter, however, presents a contextual portrayal of the contemporary, and often dysfunctional, pattern of society’s approach to supporting this population. Contributors also present progressive paradigms for future achievements. Through the pages of this book, readers will understand and hopefully appreciate what can be done to promote positive college bound self-efficacy, procurement of resources in the high school to college transition, exposure and access to college possibilities, and implications for practice in school counseling, education leadership, and higher education.
Download or read book Advanced Placement Course Admissions Criteria Enrollment and Student Achievement written by Lena Showers-Lewis and published by . This book was released on 2016 with total page 135 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This study examined student enrollment and achievement in Advanced Placement classes. Teacher perceptions regarding reasons why students enrolled or did not enroll in Advanced Placement classes, teacher perceptions of effects of course admissions criteria on student motivation and achievement, and student achievement outcomes data were collected using an online survey and a focus group. Teachers from 12 schools across four counties in southcentral Pennsylvania participated in this study. Results of this study indicated that teachers believed that earning college credit was the top reason why students took Advanced Placement courses, followed by increased probability of college admissions, and exemption from entry-level college courses. Teachers reported that the primary reason why students did not take Advanced Placement courses was the time commitment and amount of work involved. The availability of easier course options as well as time conflicts with other academic and extra-curricular activities were cited as additional deterrents to enrollment. The majority (86.7%) of teachers felt that prerequisites worked to ensure that students were academically prepared for Advanced Placement classes and 63.3% reported using at least one prerequisite. Teacher recommendations were believed to be the most effective screening tool. Overall, students performed well on both measures of Advanced Placement achievement. The median of all Advanced Placement class grades was B and the average of all Advanced Placement exam scores was 3.51 with a participation rate of 80.3%. In schools using prerequisites and in schools using no prerequisites to enroll in Advanced Placement classes, students achieved at similar levels in class grades and exam scores, supporting open enrollment.
Download or read book Research on Teaching and Learning in Higher Education written by Edith Braun and published by Waxmann Verlag. This book was released on 2020-12-16 with total page 170 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This international anthology aims at researchers and practitioners interested in the dynamic developments of research on higher education teaching and learning in Europe and beyond. It includes ten chapters covering a wide array of topics and methodologies used by researchers in the Special Interest Group ‘Higher Education’ (SIG4) of the European Association for Research on Learning and Instruction (EARLI). The volume consists of three main sections: the first section includes three chapters addressing different practice- and research-based challenges related to students’ transitions into higher education and their teaching internship. The following four chapters investigate the assessment and development of students’ study paths and skills in a variety of disciplines. The final three chapters present research on student emotions and cultural perspectives, including mixed and multi-method empirical approaches. A key text for those keeping up with the current advances in the field.
Download or read book The Completion of Advanced Placement Courses as an Indicator of Academic Success in First year College Students written by Sean Michael Preston and published by . This book was released on 2009 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The purpose of this study was to determine if Advanced Placement (AP) courses were an indicator of academic success in first-year college freshmen. A quantitative analysis of a twenty-one question survey was conducted in order to understand how AP classes create a successful high school graduate for the academic rigors of a postsecondary institution. The survey was administered to one-hundred first-year college freshmen at a large suburban state university in Georgia. The results of the quantitative survey yielded information in support of the research hypothesis and rejected the null hypothesis. The researcher was mindful of threats to both internal and external validity and implemented validation methods. A number of experts in the field of quantitative educational research determined the instrument, the data, and findings were valid and reliable.
Download or read book Advanced Placement Courses and College Student Success written by Jinhai Zhang and published by . This book was released on 2011 with total page 240 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The purpose of this study is, based on the application of Tinto's student persistence theory, to explore whether AP course taking, as one pre-collegiate student background characteristic, impacts college students' persistence, academic achievements, and college completion. This study used the national Beginning Postsecondary Study 96/01 longitudinal data set collected by the National Center of Education Statistics (NCES), which includes 12,100 first-time postsecondary beginners over a period of 6 academic years from 1995/96 to 2000/01. In this study, students were categorized into three groups by their SAT scores. Logistical regression analysis indicated that overall students who took any AP course in high school were more likely to persist in college than their non-AP peers in most SAT categories. Students who took more AP courses were more likely to persist in college than those who took fewer. Multiple regressions analysis suggested that students who took any AP course and more AP courses were more likely to have higher GPAs at different points of time in college. Multiple regressions indicated that the AP taking, and the number of AP course taken contributed significantly to the prediction of time to graduate in most SAT categories. The AP course taking, and the number of AP courses taken are two critical factors in students' college persistence, academic achievements, and time to graduation. On the other hand, it was found that, at certain SAT categories, AP did not contribute significantly to the regression model of students' time to graduation. This study adds to the literature regarding Tinto's college persistence theory that students' academic integration greatly influences their persistence, college academic performance, and college completion.
Download or read book The Enlightened College Applicant written by Andrew Belasco and published by Rowman & Littlefield. This book was released on 2016-08-30 with total page 253 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Deluged with messages that range from “It’s Ivy League or bust” to “It doesn’t matter where you go,” college applicants and their families often find themselves lost, adrift in a sea of information overload. Finally—a worthy life preserver has arrived. The Enlightened College Applicant presents a no-nonsense account of how students should approach the college search and admissions process. Instead of providing recycled entrance statistics or anecdotal generalizations about campus life, authors Belasco and Bergman incorporate cutting-edge data and research to pull back the curtain on critical topics such as: Whether college prestige really matters, How to maximize your college admission prospects Which schools and degrees provide the best return on investment How to minimize the costs of a college education What college-related skills are valued in the job market, and much more. Whether you are a valedictorian or a B/C student, this easy-to-read book will improve your college savvy and enable you to maximize the benefits of your higher education.
Download or read book Developmentally Appropriate Curriculum and Instruction written by Ana Garcia-Nevarez and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2021-04-14 with total page 224 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This timely and accessible volume explores how our understanding of research in child development can help cultivate the knowledge, skills, and attitudes children need for informed and thoughtful participation in society by viewing the curriculum through a developmental lens. Biddle and Garcia-Nevarez cover a range of key topics including characteristics of physical, cognitive, and psychosocial development of children; heritable and environmental influences on children’s developing self; language and literacy development; mathematical cognition; growth mindsets; and evidence-based positive behavioral interventions and supports. The expert team of contributors offers an advanced exploration of developmental science and how this applies to learning and education in order to create inclusive environments that support children with a range of abilities, including those with the most significant medical, intellectual, and developmental delays. Each chapter contains boxes exploring how the topic relates to the themes of "Promoting Social and Emotional Competence Theory," "Research to Practice Connection," "Common Core and Other Standards," and "Social Justice and Diversity," ensuring comprehensive and consistent coverage across the volume. Developmentally Appropriate Curriculum and Instruction will be essential reading for students of child development and education, as well as educators and those in teacher training who are interested in how theory and research can be effectively harnessed to improve children’s outcomes.
Download or read book The Relationship Between Advanced Placement and College Graduation 2005 AP Study Series Report 1 written by Chrys Dougherty and published by . This book was released on 2006 with total page 35 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This study explores the relationship between college graduation rates and student participation and success in Advanced Placement (AP) courses and exams. We reviewed three approaches to examining this relationship: 1) comparing the college graduation rates of AP and non-AP students; 2) comparing the college graduation rate of AP and non-AP students after controlling for students' demographics and prior achievement and the demographics of their high schools; and 3) examining the relationship between percent of students from a given high school graduating from college, and the school's percent of students in Advanced Placement. We conclude that the percent of a school's students who take and pass AP exams is the best AP-related indicator of whether the school is preparing increasing percentages of its students to graduate from college. The importance of AP exam results indicates the need for schools and districts to pay close attention not only to the quality of teaching in Advanced Placement courses but also to improving the academic preparation of students prior to their enrollment in those courses. Appendices include: (1) Cohort Definitions and Descriptive Statistics; (2) Hierarchical Linear Modeling Analysis; (3) Ordinary Least Squares Analysis With School-Level Data; and (4) Differences in College Graduation Rates Compared with Students Not Participating in Advanced Placement. A bibliography is included. (Contains 16 tables, 6 figures and 30 footnotes.).
