Taking GEAR UP and TRIO Programs Online during 2020

N

34

COVID-19; Pandemics; Online Courses; Educational Technology; Academic Achievement; Achievement Gap; Academic Persistence; Low Income Students; First Generation College Students; Disproportionate Representation; Secondary School Students; College Students; Access to Education; Federal Programs; Disadvantaged Youth; College Readiness; Educational Legislation; Higher Education; Federal Legislation; Student Needs; Academic Support Services; Academic Advising; Student Evaluation; Communication Strategies; Students with Disabilities; Student Personnel Services; Curriculum; Meetings; Seminars; Best Practices

Higher Education Act 1965; Higher Education Act Amendments 1998

The purpose of this directory was to identify and describe education practices to take federally-funded GEAR UP and TRIO programs online in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. These programs improve academic performance, close the achievement gap, and improve persistence towards graduation for low-income, first-generation, and historically-underrepresented 6th grade through college students. Method: The sample for the directory was derived from TRIO and GEAR UP professionals located at fifty programs across the United States. The Educational Opportunity Association and the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at the University of Minnesota created a clearinghouse to disseminate evidence-based practical activities and approaches to improve success of students who are low-income, first-generation, and historically-underrepresented in education. http://besteducationpractices.org Results: The approved education practices directory represent each of the five major federally-funded TRIO and GEAR UP programs: (a) Educational Talent Search; (b) Upward Bound; (c) Educational Opportunity Centers; (d) Disability Services; (e) Student Support Services; (f) Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement; and (g) GEAR UP. The directory is arranged by the following topical areas: (a) recorded webinars for taking programs online; (b) comprehensive plans for taking programs online; (c) Zoom, online platforms, and technology resources; (d) academic support; (e) advising and counseling; (f) assessment and evaluation; (g) campus tours and field trips; (h) communication strategies; (i) disability services; and (j) online curriculum. Implications: Rather than looking to others for solutions, the federally-funded TRIO and GEAR-UP grant programs have the expertise needed to solve vexing problems with student success. These programs are incubators of best education practices that can be implemented elsewhere to support their online learning environment. Educators need to investigate these education practices to discover effective learning practices that can be adapted and adopted for use in supporting higher student achievement, closing the achievement gap, increasing persistence to graduation, and meeting the needs of culturally-diverse and historically-underrepresented students.

As Provided

2020

ED608845