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A Digital Approach to Increasing College Access in California High Schools

Thu, April 27, 4:05 to 5:35pm, Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center, Floor: Meeting Room Level, Room 210 A

Abstract

In recent years, organizations interested in increasing access to college have heightened efforts to scale college preparation approaches and have developed a variety of video games and interactive tools to address various aspects of the college preparation process (Tierney, Corwin, Fullerton, & Ragusa, 2014). Yet there still appears to be a disconnect between the information and tools students access via digital sources and the actions students take to become college ready. A student might, for example, find a scholarship online, but not ever apply. This is especially common for students of low-income and/or minority backgrounds. The purpose of this paper is to share findings from a federally-funded, statewide effort to increase access to college via games and social media.

The rationale guiding this project is to “meet students where they are” in their digital use and consequently engage them in accessing college in different ways than traditional efforts. The game-based intervention addressed in this paper focuses on supporting first generation high school seniors who have met college requirements by cultivating college knowledge – the information, skills, and strategies needed to prepare, enroll, and succeed in college (Conley, 2007, 2012; Conley & Seburn, 2014). The project is designed to increasing these non-cognitive skills through games and schoolwide social media campaigns. Games have the capacity to encourage players to apply skills, develop strategies, analyze information, evaluate situations, change attitudes, and create new knowledge (Salen, 2014; Whitton, 2010). They require players to think creatively, practice skills, and apply higher order thinking (Fullerton, 2014; Gee, 2007; 2014; Squire & Jenkins; 2003; Salen; 2014).

During the 2015-2016 school year, our research team conducted a randomized control trial with 62 schools. Randomization occurred at the school-level. Final outcome measures include FAFSA completion, college application completion, and college enrollment and will be measured in the 2016-2107 school year. Concurrent qualitative and quantitative research documented college-going culture, digital equity, and student learning in response to the game intervention. Back-end, server-level data analysis illustrated game-play patterns and was correlated with responses on quantitative pre- and post-tests designed to assess changes in learning and college-going efficacy. This paper presents baseline evaluation data and interim mixed methods findings related to the qualitative and quantitative components of the study.

In order to successfully gain access to higher education, students from poor and working-class backgrounds need high quality information about postsecondary options and costs, as well as support for their college aspirations and plans (McDonough, 2005; Tierney & Colyar, 2009). Otherwise low-income students, even if they have aspirations to attend college and have been high achievers in school, run the risk of not applying to college. Becoming academically prepared, while a strong predictor of college success, does not ensure college access. This project is significant in the novel approach used to boost college-going through digital tools. The study does not treat digital tools as a panacea. On the contrary, study findings highlight digital equity challenges as well as ways technology can supplement college access efforts in schools.

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