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New Tool Gives Teachers a Lesson

High school students are not the only ones learning about college these days. Increasingly, content area high school teachers are being called on to teach beyond the scope of their content areas to expand students’ knowledge about college access and success.

Last year, in conjunction with Lumina Foundation for Education, the Center for P-16 Research and Collaboration developed the College Knowledge and Access Module as a tool to prepare educators and other youth-serving professionals for mentoring students through the postsecondary education process.

When using the interactive module, users interface with virtual students who are dealing with difficult issues real students often face—poverty, language barriers, part-time job commitments, stress, athletics, poor grades, and learning disabilities.

“The module takes a scenario-based approach to help users understand how to manage realistic situations,” Simmons said. “It also connects them with resources and other essential pieces of college-going that help students.”

To ensure authenticity, individuals with training in teaching, guidance counseling and admissions helped develop the scenarios. The module also was vetted by Twenty-First Century Scholars, the Indiana Department of Education and Learn More Indiana.

“We wanted to make sure all the resources were on target—the module is embedded with about 2.5 hours worth of hyperlinks, media and reflective activities,” Claire King, associate director of school and community partnerships at the Center for P-16 Research and Collaboration, explained. “K-12 teachers and community-based mentors will find it quite useful.”

The College Knowledge and Access Module serves as a powerful professional development and training tool. Its self-paced design makes it especially useful for schools that only have a limited amount of time for such activities.

“Teachers can do it on their own time,” King said. “Then, they can meet at regular intervals to talk about it.”

Most importantly, the module helps educators navigate one of the most complex aspects of their jobs.

“Oftentimes, teachers are the first contact students have with high expectations for college attainment. This module gives them an understanding of the simple things they can do to talk with students in class,” King said.


Published: February 2010