Establishing Conocimiento Colegial: Latinas/os Choosing and Navigating Community Colleges

• In Event: 26.043 - Challenging the Discourse on Latinas/os in Community Colleges

Abstract

Objectives

The purpose of this presentation is to share findings from a qualitative case study that examined the college choices and transitions of Latinas/os. In addition, this presentation shares a framework to understand Latina/o community college choice and transition. Finally, the presentation challenges the notion of academic undermatching (Bowen, Chingos, & McPherson, 2009) by reframing the choices of Latinas/os who choose a community college.

Theoretical Framework

Three frameworks guided this study. Critical race theory is used to challenge the potential contemporary deficit thinking present in education settings (Solorzano, 1998). I merged the conceptualization of Steele and Jenks (1977) with Brown and Rodriguez (2008) to define school culture as: a set of actions informed by the intersections of school structures, climates, and individual agency, which allowed me to examine the college-going climate within the school site. A college-choice organizational habitus (McDonough, 1997) served to understand the role of schools reproducing social inequalities through the college choice process.

Methods

Data for this paper derived from a qualitative case study, which examined an under-resourced, urban high school in northern California. The study sought to examine how educators from the under-resourced high school developed a college-going culture. The study also focused on understanding how Latinas/os with college aspirations chose and transitioned into college.

Data sources

Sources of data included 1) Oral histories with 57 students during two points in time. The first collected during senior year in high school and the second occurred during the first semester in college; 2) Observations of college-going events during one school year; and 3) Semi-structured interviews with 18 practitioners and administrators.

Results

Findings for this presentation will focus on Latina/o community college choice and navigation. The findings include a Latina/o college-going identity and college-navigation framework, which I entitle conocimiento colegial (CC). CC examines the intersectionality of the participant’s race, first-generation college status, immigration status, and socioeconomic status as they inform college choice, college identity, and college navigation. In addition, findings reveal that student participants negotiated strategically college choices—instead of aspiring to attend a four-year college, some participants planned to enroll in a two-year college in order to prepare academically and save money.

Scholarly Significance of the Study

The educational outcome statistics mask the reality that Latina/o students aspire to attend college (ACT & Excelencia in Education, 2014; NWLC & MALDEF, 2009; Pew Hispanic Center, 2005; Venezia, Kirst, & Antonio, 2003). This study addresses the gap between college aspirations and attainments—the “most vexing problem in education today” (Roderick, Ngaoka, & Allensworth, 2006). In addition, I establish conocimiento colegial, which bridges college choice and transition theories. I also share the methodological framework I developed, which facilitated the research process to allow for a critical and relevant analysis of the data. Finally, I challenge the notion of academic undermatching by framing the community college choice process for transfer-aspiring students as a strategic choice.

Author

• Nancy Acevedo-Gil, California State University - San Bernardino