New book for researchers looking to better understand the college student experience

 

Work can help design, implementation, interpretation of results that shed light on students, especially underrepresented populations

 College students are among the most popular subjects and topics of research across academia, whether subjects in an undergraduate psychology experiment or the topic of an in-depth study by researchers looking to understand the college experience. A new book from a University of Kansas scholar aims to guide researchers conducting qualitative research to better study the college student experience, especially that of historically marginalized populations.

“Conducting Qualitative Research on and with College Students: Practical Considerations and Examples” by Antonio Duran of Arizona State University and Zak Foste, associate professor of educational leadership & policy studies at KU, provides guidance and examples for conducting sound research that can advance both understanding and student success.

Duran and Foste both specialize in qualitative research of the college student experience. Published by Routledge, the book covers considerations researchers should make when studying the growth, experience, development and challenges today’s diverse student population faces.

“Qualitative research is well suited for a host of questions related to the study of college students, including how they experience various transitions in their educational journeys, how they arrive at particular decisions or choices related to major or institution type, or how they come to understand and make sense of who they are and what they value in the world,” Foste said. “One of the benefits of qualitative research is that it can help illuminate the how and why behind many of our most desirable outcomes in postsecondary education. These approaches can illustrate how students experience and make meaning of important educational contexts and conditions.”

The authors were both students of Susan Jones, an influential researcher at Ohio State University and co-author of “Negotiating the Complexities of Qualitative Research in Higher Education: Fundamental Elements and Issues.” Jones wrote the foreword for Duran and Foste’s book, framing their new volume as a passing of the torch in qualitative college student research.

The new book provides technical guidelines on developing qualitative questions, issues related to sampling and participant recruitment, and how to write and present findings for audiences such as academic journals and practitioners who work with students. The book also guides researchers through considerations such as why qualitative research can be the proper approach, considering oneself and the relationship with college students involved in research and why qualitative research is more than just talking with people.

“We hope the reason people take up qualitative research is not just to theorize or engage in purely academic exercises, but to write in such a way that speaks to practitioners, faculty, administrators and policy makers directly responsible for student success. As we emphasize throughout the book, we believe this is especially important for students from those communities historically excluded from full participation in higher education,” Foste said.

“Conducting Qualitative Research” also provides examples of research that has successfully and effectively examined such topics and how new studies can draw inspiration and guidance from them. Ethical considerations researchers should make before and during research are also discussed throughout.

The book is written with novice researchers and graduate students looking to make a career in the field in mind but can also be a valuable resource for veteran scholars looking for new ideas.

“‘Conducting Qualitative Research on and with College Students’ should be required reading in every higher education program. The authors distill methodological texts, synthesize contemporary higher education research and offer practical examples of how to do qualitative research on college students. And they do this in an accessible, engaging manner. It's a book I wish I had as a student but am happy to have as an instructor. Duran and Foste have offered a gift to the field of higher education,” said Antar Tichavakunda of the University of California Santa Barbara.

There is a common refrain that scholars come to qualitative research because they are not good with numbers, a necessary component of quantitative research, or because they enjoy talking with people. While not discounting that, the authors hope to help show there is much more to experience in the line of inquiry.

“One of the hopes of our book is to say, ‘A meaningful study of college students is more than just talking to people,’” Foste said. “There are questions of meaning, experience and interpretation. We really want those new to the qualitative study of college students to think critically about what they are embracing and what such approaches can offer us in the way of improving our collective understanding of college students today.”

Social media linked to early substance use in US pre-teens

 

Social media use, texting, and video chatting linked to increased experimentation with alcohol, nicotine, or marijuana among early adolescents

 As teens continue to spend more time on screens and social media, a new study finds that among 11-12-year-olds, excessive time online is associated with early experimentation with substances like alcohol, nicotine, and cannabis.

Published in Drug and Alcohol Dependence, the study shows that adolescents who spend more time on social media, texting, and video chatting are more likely to experiment with alcohol, nicotine, or cannabis one year later. In contrast, time spent on other types of screen activities—such as video gaming, browsing the internet, or watching TV, movies, or videos—was not linked to the same risks.

“Our findings suggest that online social connections may be driving the relationship between screen time and early adolescent substance use,” explains first author, Jason M. Nagata, MD, an associate professor of pediatrics at the University of California, San Francisco. “When preteens are constantly exposed to friends or influencers drinking or smoking on social media, they are more likely to see these behaviors as normal and may be more likely to try these substances themselves.”

Social media platforms often display substance use in a positive light and are frequently used for marketing campaigns promoting alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis products. “With developing brains that are still building impulse control, young teens may be particularly vulnerable to this type of content and advertising,” adds Nagata.

Schools and parents may play an important role in addressing this issue. “Schools could consider media literacy programs that teach students about the influence of digital content on harmful behaviors,” says co-author Kyle T. Ganson, PhD, assistant professor at the University of Toronto’s Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work. “Parents can also help by monitoring content and setting clear guidelines for their teens’ screen use.”

The study extends upon existing knowledge surrounding substance use in adolescents, which has been associated with poor academic performance, cognitive impairment, and increased risk of developing a substance use disorder later in life. The study uses data from the nationwide Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study, the largest long-term study of brain development in the United States. The study collected data for 8,006 early adolescents aged 11-12 years old. Study participants provided information about their typical screen habits, as well as whether they had ever experimented with alcohol, nicotine, or cannabis.

“This study emphasizes the importance of understanding how digital social interactions impact teen behavior,” Nagata concluded. “Future research can deepen our understanding of these links to help create effective interventions.” 

 

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Journal

Drug and Alcohol Dependence

DOI

10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2024.112504 

An alarming rise in depression rates among all higher education students in the United States

 

Depression rates in LGBTQIA+ students are three times higher than their peers, new research suggests

The findings, which were published in the Journal of American College Health, uncover an alarming rise in depression rates among all higher education students in the United States, but especially among sexual and gender minorities. This population includes those who identified as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, intersex, asexual (LGBTQIA+), non-binary or gender non-conforming, and other identities. 

 

“This study highlights the critical need for targeted interventions to support the mental health and well-being of young adults during their studies, particularly those who identify as LGBTQIA+,” says David Pagliaccio from the New York State Psychiatric Institute. “As LGBTQIA+ self-identification rates continue to rise, addressing these disparities becomes increasingly urgent for creating inclusive and supportive academic environments.” 

 

In recent years, there has been a rise in mental health concerns, especially among sexual and gender minority populations. This continues amidst rising population-level depression and suicide rates, especially among college and university students. 

 

The current study looked at data from 483,574 responses to the Healthy Minds Study, an annual survey examining mental health trends in full-time students aged between 18 to 35 years old between 2007 to 2022. 

 

The researchers found that on average 18.81% of students self-identified as LGBTQIA+ across all survey years, representing a six-fold increase over the 15-year period.  

 

Depression rates also increased over time, with 11.97% of all students reporting symptoms of major depression. However, LGBTQIA+ students were disproportionally affected as they were 3.18 times more likely to report depression compared to cisgender, heterosexual students (26.85% versus 8.53%). Although LGBTQIA+ students made up around one-fifth of the population, they accounted for nearly half of those experiencing depression. 

 

The research also identified key factors contributing to these mental health disparities, including experiences of discrimination and not feeling a sense of belonging. Despite these challenges, LGBTQIA+ students were twice as likely to seek therapy compared to their peers, but they were also only half as likely to seek support from family members. 

 

“Our findings highlight a growing mental health crisis among LGBTQIA+ students that demands immediate attention,” says David Pagliaccio. “Academic institutions need to take urgent and proactive steps to address these alarming rises in depression that are affecting the lives of so many young adults, particularly among those who face unique challenges due to their sexual or gender identity.” 

 

The authors call on academic institutions to take concrete actions to address these mental health disparities. Their recommendations include reducing barriers to mental health care, implementing robust anti-discrimination policies, fostering a stronger sense of community and belonging, and enhancing interpersonal support systems for sexual and gender minority students. 

 

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Journal

Journal of American College Health

DOI

10.1080/07448481.2024.2404944 

Most U.S. Public K–12 Schools Offer After-School Programs BUT

 

Many Cannot Accommodate All Students Who Want To Participate

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) releases today the latest round of findings from the School Pulse Panel (SPP). These SPP data examine after-school programs, summer programs, and civics education around the 2024 national election cycle, during the 2024-25 school year, as reported by school leaders in U.S. public schools. All data can be found on the SPP interactive dashboard. Below is a summary of some key findings from this release. Key Findings After-school Programs for the 2024–25 School Year Eighty-five percent of U.S. public schools are offering after-school programs during the 2024–25 school year, and 60 percent are offering academically focused after-school programming, a decrease from the 2023-24 school year (64 percent).      Forty-two percent of U.S. public elementary schools are offering an extended-day care after-school program during the 2024-25 school year, an increase from the 2023-24 school year (35 percent). School leaders estimate that 13 percent of public school students will participate in academically focused after-school programs during the school year. Compared to the national estimate (13 percent of students), public schools with the following characteristics estimate that lower percentages of students will participate in academically focused after-school programs: With a student body made up of less than 25 percent students of color (8 percent of their students) In the Midwest (9 percent of their students)   In rural areas (10 percent of their students) Compared to the national estimate (13 percent of students), public schools with a student body made up of greater than 75 percent students of color estimate that a higher percentage of students will participate in academically focused after-school programs (20 percent of their students) Forty-two percent of public schools indicated they would be able to provide academically focused after-school programs to all students who want to participate in them. Fifty-nine percent of public schools utilized district or school finances to fund their academically focused after-school programs, 47 percent used federal grants or other federal programs, 29 percent used state grants or other state programs, and 13 percent used partnerships or sponsorships with organizations. Public school leaders at schools without one or more academically focused after-school programs were asked the reasons why their school is not running one for the 2024–25 school year. Commonly cited reasons among those offered were: Lack of—or reductions in—funding to support after-school programs (37 percent) Cannot find staff to support after-school programs (30 percent) Lack of participation (24 percent) Transportation limitations (24 percent) Summer Programs for Summer 2024 Eighty-three percent of U.S. public schools offered programs for students during summer 2024. Thirteen percent of public school students participated in academically focused summer programs during summer 2024. Compared to the national estimate (13 percent of students), public schools with a student body made up of 25 percent or lower students of color reported that a lower percentage of their students (9 percent) participated in academically focused summer programs. In contrast, public schools with a student body made up of 76 to 100 percent students of color (9 percent of students) reported that a higher percentage of their students (17 percent) participated in academically focused summer programs. Forty-five percent of public schools offering academically focused summer programs were able to provide their programs to all students who needed or wanted to participate in them. Sixty-four percent of public schools utilized district or school finances to fund their academically focused summer programs, 50 percent used federal grants or other federal programs, 36 percent used state grants or other state programs, and 7 percent used partnerships or sponsorships with organizations. Public school leaders at schools without one or more academically focused summer programs were asked the reasons why their schools didn’t operate one during summer 2024. Commonly cited reasons among those offered were: Implementing summer programming was not a priority for the school (26 percent) Lack of, or reductions in, funding to hire staff to support the programs (25 percent) Students attended academically focused summer programs at other schools within the same school district (21 percent) There were not enough students at the school who would have participated (17 percent) Could not find staff to support academically focused summer programs (13 percent) Civics Education According to public school leaders, 77 percent of schools had at least one teacher incorporate the upcoming 2024 national election cycle into their lessons this year. Fifty-two percent of public schools reported having special programming around the upcoming 2024 national election cycle, including voter registration opportunities for students, mock debates, mock voting, assemblies/guest speakers, and/or other special programming. A blog post diving deeper into these special programs, specifically voter registration opportunities, can be found here.

Student absenteeism crisis may be hurting teacher job satisfaction

 

Researchers warn that rising absenteeism could worsen growing teacher shortages

As student absenteeism reaches record highs in schools across the United States, new research finds that student absences are linked to lower teacher job satisfaction, raising concerns that this may exacerbate growing teacher shortages. The findings were published today in Educational Researcher, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Educational Research Association.

The study, by Michael Gottfried and Colby Woods at the University of Pennsylvania, and Arya Ansari at The Ohio State University, is the first to examine the connection between student absenteeism and teacher satisfaction. Using nationally representative data from the U.S. Department Education on 2,370 kindergarten teachers, the researchers found that when teachers have more absent students, they report feeling less satisfied with their jobs. This was true for new teachers as well as more experienced teachers.

“Our findings show that a lack of good student attendance has the potential to detract from the satisfaction teachers get from instructing and helping their students learn and grow,” said Gottfried, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education. “This has important implications for the current educational landscape. Addressing absenteeism is critical not only for improving student outcomes, but also for bolstering the teacher workforce, which faces a host of challenges.”

The study found that student absenteeism had no link to teachers’ feelings about other aspects of school, such as their teaching ability or school climate—just job satisfaction. There was also no indication that teachers who were less satisfied to begin with were being assigned to the students who were more likely to be absent.

“We show that student absenteeism emerges as a teacher challenge, and so there is a need for a more well-rounded approach to addressing the effects of absenteeism in the classroom,” Gottfried said. “Approaches need to go beyond only those that are focused on students. Broader efforts will have the potential to yield positive impacts across teachers, contributing to a more satisfied and engaged workforce.”

Examples of effective efforts include investing in interventions that strengthen teachers’ relationships with students and families, implementing trauma-informed teaching, and professional development to support the diverse needs of students, including those at risk of absenteeism. Absenteeism initiatives could also improve working conditions for teachers. For example, reducing administrative burdens and increasing staffing support to better address absenteeism-related challenges could bolster more regular school attendance and, in turn, improve satisfaction, according to Gottfried.

Study citation: Gottfried, M.A., Woods C. S., & Ansari, A. (2024). Do teachers with absent students feel less job satisfaction? Educational Researcher. Prepublished November 12, 2024.  https://doi.org/10.3102/0013189X241292331

U.S. Results From the 2023 International Computer and Information Literacy Study

 

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) is releasing the U.S. Results From the 2023 International Computer and Information Literacy Study (ICILS) Web Report. The U.S. Results From the 2023 International Computer and Information Literacy Study (ICILS) Web Report describes results from the third cycle of the ICILS, a computer-based assessment sponsored by the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement. ICILS is designed to measure eighth-grade students’ capacities to use information communications technologies (ICT) productively for a variety of different purposes beyond a basic use of digital technology. It consists of a computer and information literacy (CIL) assessment and an optional computational thinking (CT) assessment. The United States participated in both components in 2018 and 2023. In all, 35 education systems assessed CIL and 24 education systems assessed CT in 2023. The U.S. Results From the 2023 International Computer and Information Literacy Study (ICILS) Web Report describes selected results from the study, comparing U.S. students’ information and communication technology (ICT) knowledge and skills internationally and during two time periods, 2018 and 2023. The report also provides contextual data on factors that may influence students’ CIL and CT performance such as student opinions about the use of ICT and the frequency of ICT use in different subject areas at school, in addition to looking at their performance by gender, free or reduced-price lunch status, and race and ethnicity. The report also examines teacher usage of ICT and principals’ priorities for facilitating the use of ICT in schools. As the 2023 ICILS results show, the average score for U.S. 8th-grade students was not measurably different from the average of students across other education systems (the ICILS average2) in computer and information literacy and was 22 points below the ICILS average in computational thinking. The U.S. average score was 482 for computer and information literacy and 461 for computational thinking. The scores on both scales were lower in 2023 compared to U.S. performance in 2018. U.S. female 8th-grade students outperformed their male peers in computer and information literacy, but female and male scores in computational thinking were not measurably different. Among U.S. 8th-grade students, while 76 percent agreed that using ICT at school makes learning more fun, 54 percent hoped that using ICT would be an important part of their future job. A smaller percentage (37 percent) hoped that their future job would involve programming. More than half of U.S. 8th-grade teachers reported using word-processor software (58 percent) and presentation software (57 percent) in most, almost every, or every lesson (higher percentages than the ICILS averages). Higher percentages of U.S. 8th-grade teachers also rated their ability to produce presentations (91 percent), create computer-based assessments (87 percent), use a spreadsheet program (83 percent), use a learning management system (80 percent), and edit video content (66 percent) moderately or very well than the ICILS averages. Finally, 52 percent of U.S. students attended schools where principals reported that teachers’ willingness to use ICT in their teaching substantially increased because of COVID-19 experiences.

School suspensions and expulsions can lead to a lifetime of depression

 

Each year, nearly 5 million children in the U.S. are suspended or expelled from school. New research from the University of Arkansas found this type of school discipline can lead to higher rates of depression through adolescence and into early adulthood. 

The findings were published in the latest issue of Advances in Life Course Research. The study provides empirical evidence for previous suggestions by scholars that school suspensions and expulsions can have long-term effects on mental health. 

Driven by zero-tolerance policies, school suspensions and expulsion rose by roughly 50% from the 1970s through 2010. Exclusionary discipline, once reserved for violent acts, drug use or possession of weapons, has increasingly been imposed for less serious behaviors. 

“It evolved from these very clearly problematic behaviors to more subjective things, like disrespect or defiance,” said first author Alexia Angton, assistant professor of sociology and criminology at the University of Arkansas. 

In the U.S., six out of 10 schools still use exclusionary discipline, even though researchers have questioned its effectiveness. Boys, economically disadvantaged young people and Black, Latino and Native American students more often receive suspensions and expulsions. 

Using the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health), an ongoing study of 20,000 people who were adolescents in the mid-1990s, Angton and her colleagues were able to track how often students who were suspended or expelled reported depression later in life. 

Adolescents who were suspended or expelled showed “significantly higher depressive symptoms,” the researchers found. This group’s self-reported rates of depression decreased slightly in their late teens and early 20s, and then rose again as they reached their early 30s, the most recent data available in the Add Health survey. 

Scholars have established that early exposure to stress can lead to physical or mental health problems in adulthood. Most of that research, however, has focused on adverse childhood experiences at home, such as physical abuse or substance use by parents. 

“We know very little about how these stressors in school shape long-term physical and mental health outcomes. So, this really is an entirely new line of research,” said co-author Michael Niño, U of A associate professor of sociology and criminology and director of the Arkansas Health Equity and Access Lab. 

Another study by Niño, published early this year in the journal Socius, showed that students who were suspended or expelled reported poorer physical health from adolescence through middle age. 

“Broadly speaking, we definitely need discipline reform,” Angton said. “What can we put into place towards lessening the effects of suspension and expulsion down the line?” 

Shauna Morimoto, U of A professor of sociology and criminology and associate dean of the Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences, and Kazumi Tsuchiya, assistant professor of public health at the University of Toronto, were also co-authors on the paper. 

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Journal

Advances in Life Course Research

DOI

10.1016/j.alcr.2024.100631