Improving Student Outcomes in Higher Education
David S. Fike, PhD, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Pharmacy, Renea Fike, Ed.D., West Texas A&M University
Presented at the Lubbock Conference
Forecasts suggest a growth trend in the number of minorities, particularly Hispanics, in Texas. A low percentage of Hispanics enroll and succeed in post-secondary education. Furthermore, Hispanics are underrepresented in health care professions; a key contributor is the lack of success of Hispanics in college.
About half of all students entering higher education need at least one developmental (remedial) course. At a local community college, 85% of entering students are not prepared for college-level math. For those pursuing an education leading to health care careers, developmental math is the single most important gatekeeper course. It is essential that students complete developmental math in order to obtain a degree/certificate. Our recent research finds that Hispanics’ performance in developmental math is not as positive as Whites. Of particular interest, fewer Hispanic males are enrolling and of those enrolling, the success rate is significantly lower than females. This alarming statistic suggests that interventions are needed to help minority students, particularly males, to be successful in their college work. If improvements in developmental education are not realized, continued under-representation of minorities in health care careers can be anticipated.
This presentation will suggest interventions focused on improving minority student outcomes in higher education.
Objectives
- Identify the primary gatekeeper course for students in higher education.
- Name factors that contribute to minority under-representation in health care programs.
- List intervention strategies that promote student success.