Assessing Alternative Academic Readiness Pathways
About
This project will research alternative admissions academic readiness assessment processes, pathways and tools for indigenous students that are reliable, valid, culturally sensitive and appropriate. This project aligns with The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador’s The Way Forward document by helping build a stronger economy by improving access to employment training, improving admissions services and outcomes, and engaging indigenous communities. By improving accessibility to college programs for indigenous groups, supply of labour should more closely match employer and market requirements, and the college will be able to enhance delivery of academic training programs that result in employment.
Primary Research Question
What are the current best practices in alternative admissions academic readiness assessment processes, pathways and tools for indigenous students that are reliable, valid, culturally sensitive and appropriate to inform the development of an assessment model and tools for use in Admissions at College of the North Atlantic, Newfoundland and Labrador?
Who
Research led by College of the North Atlantic.
Where
Research to be conducted within the College of the North Atlantic campuses of Newfoundland and Labrador.
When
February 2019 – March 2023 *This research project is completed.
Research Project Deliverables
The Readiness research project was conceptualized to address problems with mature student admissions at College of the North Atlantic (CNA). Specifically, it sought to explore the best practices for program-relevant post-secondary admissions for Indigenous mature students and develop solutions to the post-secondary admissions challenges facing indigenous communities.
Working with an advisory committee comprising representatives from Indigenous governments of the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador, the project used a three-phrased approach. First, preliminary research was completed to determine the best practices for mature student admissions. Second, a holistic model for mature student admissions was conceptualized. Importantly, the model shifted CNA away from a test-decide model; mature student assessments are only completed if there are questions about the applicant’s readiness and are no longer the default. In the third phase, the evaluation found that the shift to a more holistic mature student placement model increased the number of applicants who were successfully admitted to their programs and decreased the number of applicants who are required to complete testing.
This slide deck was presented at a Stakeholder Briefing on May 10, 2023.
The following video were presented at the NL Workforce Innovators Roundtable 2021 on October 5.
