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If Given a Chance: A Study Exploring the Experiences of Former Academically Underprepared College Students in Trinidad and Tobago

Cumberbatch, Helen C.
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1585920821520921

Abstract Details

2020, Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Ohio University, Higher Education (Education).
The last two decades witnessed a significant increase in higher education enrollment in Latin America and the Caribbean (Ferreyra, Avitabile, Alvarez, Haimovich Paz, & Urzua, 2017). A global shift towards massification prompted developing countries, such as those in Latin America and the Caribbean, to introduce alternative pathways to higher education (Chisholm & Kennedy, 2014). Trinidad and Tobago, a twin-island country in the Caribbean, was one such country. Over an 11-year period, from 2004 to 2015, the country’s higher education participation rate increased by 45%. This was due to government-led access initiatives that created opportunities for previously underserved students. Guided by Laurie Schreiner’s (2010) theory, thriving, this study explores the college experiences of 10 former academically underprepared students who entered college during that period. They accessed college through the developmental education program at a public undergraduate college in Trinidad and Tobago. Through their own narratives, they give insight into their pre-college experiences, their college journey, the factors that contributed to thriving in college, and their progress since leaving college. The findings of the study reveal that these students displayed high levels of persistence, determination, and grit, resulting in most of them successfully earning undergraduate degrees. To succeed at college, they relied heavily on the support of faculty, a factor which proved to be a dominant pathway to thriving. Their ability to thrive and persist in college was also influenced significantly by spirituality and the bonds that they formed within the wider college community. As they overcame barriers to academic success, they experienced a heightened sense of self-efficacy and their locus of control shifted inwardly. This newfound self-confidence led many of them to explore enriching paths after completing college. Given the findings that emerged from this study, recommendations are offered to guide national and institutional policy. These include taking steps to address systemic biases that contribute to the widening gap between the social classes and deprive academically underprepared students of a chance at social mobility. Institutions of higher education are advised to examine their systems, support services, and pedagogical approaches to ensure institutional integrity and to effectively support multiple learners, not the least of whom is the academically underprepared student.
Laura Harrison (Committee Chair)
Peter Mather (Committee Member)
David Nguyen (Committee Member)
Dwan Robinson (Committee Member)
221 p.
Adult Education; Community College Education; Education; Higher Education
academically underprepared students; developmental education; thriving in college; Trinidad and Tobago higher education; Caribbean higher education; underrepresented students; faculty support

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Cumberbatch, H. C. (2020). If Given a Chance: A Study Exploring the Experiences of Former Academically Underprepared College Students in Trinidad and Tobago [Doctoral dissertation, Ohio University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1585920821520921

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Cumberbatch, Helen. If Given a Chance: A Study Exploring the Experiences of Former Academically Underprepared College Students in Trinidad and Tobago. 2020. Ohio University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1585920821520921.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Cumberbatch, Helen. "If Given a Chance: A Study Exploring the Experiences of Former Academically Underprepared College Students in Trinidad and Tobago." Doctoral dissertation, Ohio University, 2020. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1585920821520921

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

ohiou1585920821520921
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This open access ETD is published by Ohio University and OhioLINK.