This study focuses on the disparities between the educational aspirations and expectations of high school students in the U.S., and explores why students do not expect to earn a bachelor’s degree despite their aspirations. Using a national dataset and logistic/multinomial logistic regression analyses, the study identified the factors associated with this diminished expectation, such as family background, school experiences, and college preparedness activities. Additionally, students with low expectations of reaching their college aspirations are less likely to search for, apply to, and/or enroll in 4-year colleges. This study provides new insights into the college access process.

This study explores how peer learning and teaching interactions in undergraduate STEM courses occurred through the “Peer-Learning Assistant” (PLA) model. This is one of the active learning strategies applied in a curricular setting, and also to find out the learning experiences for STEM students and PLAs from the PLA model. For this study, a qualitative method approach was applied, specifically a case study using the PLA model in a research-oriented university in the Southern region of the United States. Specifically, four STEM classes were observed, and 6 PLA students and 11 students who were served by the PLAs were interviewed. The findings reveal the characteristics of interactions between PLAs and students through PLA model varied by class design and style; however, PLAs and students achieved learning improvement through the same PLA model. The benefits of the PLA model and what should be performed for the model development are discussed.

Over recent years in colleges and universities, a peer-learning assistant (PLA) model has been introduced into Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) classes. Despite the signific...

This study is concerned with the central issues of community service engagement (CSE) in 21st century democratic societies around the world. To examine the factors influencing postsecondary education attainment’s relationship to CSE, this study utilized data from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries using ordinary least square (OLS) and two-level hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) methods, including various factors for each country’s individual and country levels. The results show that attainment in postsecondary education at the individual level and investment and enrollments in tertiary education both have an influence on increasing CSE in 18 OECD countries. The present study is expected to contribute to an understanding of the relationship between postsecondary education and CSE across the world.