Examining Relationships Between Deeper Learning Opportunities and Competencies in High School and College Outcomes

• In Event: Deeper Learning in High Schools: Longer-Term Effects on Students' College, Civic Engagement, and Workforce Outcomes

Abstract

Introduction
Prior research indicates that interpersonal skills (e.g., communication and collaboration) and intrapersonal skills (e.g., self-efficacy and self-management) are associated with success in college (National Research Council, 2012). While strategies to promote these deeper learning (DL) skills or competencies are prevalent across the country, research has not examined whether students’ opportunities for instruction focused on DL in high school, or DL competencies during high school, are related to college success later in life. Filling this gap in the literature, we examine survey data from the same sample of students at two time points: (1) during the 11th and 12th grades, and (2) 5 and 6 years after expected high school graduation. Using these data, we addressed the following research questions:
1. Are students’ opportunities for DL in high school associated with college outcomes?
2. Are students’ self-reported DL competencies in high school associated with college outcomes?
Data and Methods
The sample includes 22 high schools; 12 of the high schools were associated with DL networks, and 10 were traditional high schools located in the same geographic area and serving similar student populations. In spring 2013, surveys were administered to 2,329 study participants who entered grade 9 between 2009-10 and 2010-11, were still enrolled in the same school in spring 2013, and consented to participate in the study (response rate = 75.7%). The high school survey captured students’ self-reports of six opportunities for DL (see Exhibit 3 in the Appendix) and eight DL competencies (see Exhibit 4 in the Appendix). Starting in summer 2019, the study team administered a second survey to the same study participants (response rate = 27.2%). Overall, 517 study participants responded to both surveys and are included in the analyses described here. Ninety-five percent of study participants who responded to both surveys reported that they enrolled in college and therefore have nonmissing data on college experiences.
We estimated two-level hierarchical linear models (with students nested within schools) to estimate relationships between opportunities for DL in high school, DL competencies (measured in high school), and college outcomes. Statistical models control for Grade 8 demographic characteristics and achievement test scores. Due to the large number of coefficients (looking at 14 separate high school survey measures for each of six college outcome measures), we looked for patterns of significant relationships across survey measures to identify meaningful results.
Results
Although DL opportunities and competencies were not consistently related to associate’s degree attainment, opportunities for complex problem-solving and five of the eight competencies were significantly, positively related to bachelor’s degree attainment (see Exhibit 5 in the Appendix): locus of control, motivation to learn, perseverance, self-efficacy, and self-management. In addition, opportunities for collaboration, creative thinking, interdisciplinary learning, and real-world connections were positively related to students’ reports that high school prepared them for the first year of college (see Exhibit 6 in the Appendix).
Significance
These findings confirm theories that academic mindsets in high school are positively related to bachelor’s degree attainment, and that specific high school experiences improve students’ perceived college preparedness.

Author

• Catherine Sousa Bitter, American Institutes for Research