Guided Pathways Help Provide Supports for First-Gen Students

            Attending community college is a less expensive option compared to attending a four-year institution; and with many colleges and universities accepting coursework from community colleges as transfer credit, many students take advantage of that opportunity to get a university level degree with a lower amount of student debt upon graduation. This is a very attractive alternative, especially for students of low-socioeconomic backgrounds. The Community College Resource Center (n.d.) reports 5.4 million students were enrolled in public two-year colleges in fall, 2019. Of those students, it’s projected only 13 percent go on to earn a bachelor’s degree from a four-year institution; though that 13 percent have a relatively high persistence rate with 44 percent of those going on to achieve the degree (Mintz, 2020). Wheeler (2018) cites several potential barriers to a bachelor’s degree which include unstructured course selections, earning credits which don’t transfer, and not having the proper support systems in place.

Essentially, multiple “course and program options with limited guidance likely contribute to students’ meandering and varied pathways through college” (Bailey et al, 2015-a, p. 1). After over 20 years of research on the successes and failures of community college students, Bailey, et al (2015-b) released a framework to support a student’s ability to not only successfully complete community college, but also further their education and advance in their career. Community colleges which have implemented components of this framework, known as Guided Pathways have seen promising results to the point where stakeholders at 4 year institutions are investigating this approach as well; as part of providing students with a more equitable learning environment (Jenkins, et al, 2018). Guided Pathways have influenced the way community colleges support their students through examples of institutions leveraging the framework to promote student success. In the reconsideration of general education offerings, four-year institutions are beginning to apply this framework to support not only students transferring from community college, but also to support first generation students.

What Are Guided Pathways?

            Even a well-organized course catalog for the average community college is overwhelming, with so many certificate, credential, and degree options available; that even the most experienced student can have trouble navigating a path to degree completion. Bailey, et al (2015-b) frame a student’s experience enrolling in courses at a community college as a “cafeteria style, self-service model” (p. 3). This, paired with extensive research in best practices to support students in a community college learning environment led to the development of the Guided Pathways framework. As of 2018, this model has been adopted by over 200 community colleges throughout the United States (Jenkins, et al, 2017); as a result of statewide education reform, strategic planning, or a combination of the two (Jenkins, et al, 2018). It’s not difficult to understand why this framework has been embraced by so many as Guided Pathways is built upon only four main areas of practice: “Mapping pathways to student end goals, helping students choose and enter a program pathway, keeping students on path, and ensuring students are learning” (Jenkins, et al, 2018, p. 3).

Mapping Pathways

            The process of program mapping is a collaborative effort among faculty and members of student services. The process begins with mapping out specific courses in a program along with the specific points in the sequence in which they should be taken. Examples include having certificates embedded in degree pathways instead of being “disconnected credentials” and having course requirements such as math specific rather than having a single course like Algebra as a “default math requirement” (Jenkins, et al, 2018, p. 3).

Customized Educational Plans

            While many first-generation students have the desire and drive to pursue a degree, they may not always know the best way to go about doing so. Bailey, et al (2015-b) indicate the need for institutions to provide wrap around support to these individuals from day one, whether or not they have future career choice. Support systems may begin with a period of guided career exploration; and then the development of a customized education plan with a very clear sequence of courses by the end of the first term or semester. 

Staying the Course

            Bailey, et al (2015-b) also stress the importance of checking in on the student frequently throughout their degree program. Further, (Jenkins, et al, 2018) stress the use of data dashboards and other technologies to monitor student progress; and intervene quickly when they get off track. 

Inspecting What’s Expected

            A letter grade isn’t always the best measure of what a student has learned, or more importantly, mastered. Bailey, et al (2015a) stress the need for institutions to establish course outcomes which can be measured. The data generated from the course outcomes can then be used to see what is working in the program, and what requires improvement. 

Success Stories

Institutions which have implemented the Guided Pathways model are beginning to see the fruits of their labor. The Center for Community College Student Engagement (CCCSE) recently published a report indicating students are responding positively to interventions put in place using the framework. For example, at Michigan’s Jackson college, the amount of students receiving career counseling is higher compared to institutions not participating in guided pathways (CCCSE, 2020). Additionally, Cleveland State College in Tennessee has increased the rate of students completing gateway english and math courses by 18 percentage points; and Lorian County Community College in Ohio is pleased to report the number of credits students are taking to receive associate’s degrees decreased by 7 percentage points (Jenkins, et al, 2018). This is significant as students are completing degree programs in a shorter amount of time; equating to a lower-cost education. These early success stories have encouraged stakeholders at four-year institutions to investigate how the Guided Pathways framework may help their own students. 

Implications for Four-Year Institutions

Beginning with the 2018-2019 school year, The Institute of Higher Education at the University of Florida embarked on an investigation of the impact of the Guided Pathways framework in collaboration with three other four-year institutions: West Virginia University, Howard University, and Appalachian State University (University of Florida Institute of Higher Education, n.d.). The goal of this research project funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is to take lessons learned from the original work of Bailey, et al, and produce an evidence-based framework which could be applied at colleges and universities. Other four-year institutions, mainly those who have partnered with community colleges in their state have begun to implement components of the framework as well (Wheeler, 2018). While it is too early to tell whether the framework lends to four-year colleges and universities, stakeholders at these institutions understand the need for a different level of supports for the changing population of students; whether coming straight from high school, as a working professional wanting a career change, or as a student successfully transferring from a community college thanks to a support system based on the Guided Pathways framework. 

References

Bailey, T., Jaggars, S. S., & Jenkins, D. (2015a). What we know about guided pathways. Columbia University, Teachers College, Community College Research Center.

Bailey, T., Jaggars, S. S., & Jenkins, D. (2015b). Redesigning America’s community colleges: A clearer path to student success. The President and Fellows of Harvard College. 

Center for Community College Student Engagement. (2020). Building momentum: Using guided pathways to redesign the student experience. The University of Texas at Austin, College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy, Program in Higher Education Leadership.

Community College Resource Center. (n.d.). Community college FAQs: Community college enrollment and completion. Retrieved November 12, 2020, from https://ccrc.tc.columbia.edu/Community-College-FAQs.html 

Jenkins, D., Lahr, H., & Fink, J. (2017). Implementing guided pathways: Early insights from the AACC pathways colleges. Retrieved from https://ccrc.tc.columbia.edu/media/k2/attachments/implementing-guided-pathways-aacc.pdf

Jenkins, D., Lahr, H., Fink, J., & Ganga, E. (2018). What we are learning about Guided Pathways. Part 3: Timeline and tips for implementing pathways reforms. Columbia University, Teachers College, Community College Research Center.

Mintz, S. (2020). Tackling transfer issues: Addressing transfer students’ needs and challenges. Inside Higher Ed. Retrieved November, 2020, from https://www.insidehighered.com/blogs/higher-ed-gamma/tackling-transfer-issues

University of Florida Institute of Higher Education. (n.d.). Projects. Retrieved November 14, 2020 from https://www.aplu.org/projects-and-initiatives/center-for-public-university-transformation/

Wheeler, E. L. J., (2018). Extending “Guided Pathways” beyond the community college: Lessons for university transfer orientation. Community College Journal of Research and Practice 43(4), 275-279. DOI:10.1080/10668926.2018.1460283