Postsecondary Education

AIR tackles postsecondary education’s most pressing challenges by generating actionable insights and helping the field implement effective solutions. Our work addresses every part of the postsecondary continuum including transition to postsecondary education, postsecondary education, and transition out of postsecondary education.
 

Our Work

See our Center for Applied Research in Postsecondary Education (CARPE) to learn more about our approach, areas of expertise, partners, projects, experts, and news.

CARPE screenshot
Contact
Alexandria Radford headshot

Alexandria Walton Radford

Senior Director, Center for Applied Research in Postsecondary Education (CARPE)
Related Topics
Education
Related Work
college students listening to a lecture

Quantitative Evidence Synthesis Training (QuEST) for the AIR Pipeline Partnership Program (P3)

Quantitative evidence synthesis is crucial to evidence translation and application, but opportunities to formally learn these methods are not yet widespread in graduate programs within the social and behavioral sciences. The Quantitative Evidence Synthesis Training (QuEST) program, developed by AIR for Pipeline Partnership Program (P3) participants, addresses this need by ...
circle of hands holding cell phones

Examining Heterogeneity in Nudging Intervention Effects on Postsecondary Student Outcomes

One strategy aimed at narrowing the college success gap, particularly for economically disadvantaged and first-generation students, is nudging interventions, such as texts and emails, choice architecture, predictive analytics, and social comparisons. AIR is synthesizing empirical evidence on postsecondary nudging interventions conducted with both 2- and 4-year college students, recent high ...
young disabled man having fun with friends

My Risk for Opportunity, Autonomy, and Dignity (My ROAD): Developing an Intervention to Expand Dignity of Risk in Inclusive Postsecondary Education Programs

Young adults with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (I/DD) often have ambitious dreams for their future. However, many face challenges in achieving these goals due to ableist environments and attitudes. This project aims to address these challenges by focusing on "dignity of risk" (DOR) within inclusive postsecondary education (IPSE) programs. ...

Beyond the Basics: How Institution Websites Can Encourage Enrollment for Adult Learners

12 Aug 2024
Postsecondary institutions must do a better job of serving adult learners; this includes messaging that recognizes and values the types of information adult learners seek and require to make informed decisions. Ensuring that an institution’s website makes a good first impression and provides necessary information in easy-to-find and understandable formats ...
college biology students examining eye model

Effectiveness of AI-based Instructional Tools in Improving Undergraduate Biology Student Learning

Artificial intelligence (AI) has captured the attention of students, educators, and administrators, alike. However, a clear, comprehensive understanding of how AI can be leveraged to improve student learning remains uncertain. This project aims to generate findings that will directly inform educators on instructional approaches that will be most effective in ...
Happy high school students in a classroom

How to Tackle Chronic Absenteeism: Resources for Policymakers, Educators, and Researchers

31 Jul 2024
Schools, districts, and teachers need support and evidence-based solutions to help students who are chronically absent. AIR experts have studied the effectiveness of strategies and programs designed to mitigate chronic absenteeism and increase student engagement.
Student highlighting text

Identifying and Scaling Programmatic Technical Assistance Resources in Higher Education in Prison

Ascendium Education Group has partnered with AIR to support this initiative to identify and scale programmatic technical assistance in Higher Education in Prison (HEP).
Supervisor and trainee in factory

Coordinating Skills-Based Hiring and Competency-Based Education Practices

28 Feb 2024
 Implementing skills-based hiring practices can expand the talent pool, improve staff retention, and increase diversity.Today’s economy is marked by the rapid evolution of technology leading to labor shortages and evolving skill needs across the labor market. Finding and retaining a skilled workforce is key to an organization’s growth, yet many ...
Diverse Group of College Students on Campus

Exploring Geographic Variation in Equitable Postsecondary Value Among U.S. Community Colleges

Community colleges serve many critical purposes for residents within their local service areas by providing relatively low-cost, open-access postsecondary education and workforce-focused training. Given the hyperlocal enrollment of community college students and their primarily economic reasons for choosing to enroll in college, place-based measures of economic value are increasingly important ...
College students studying in library

Research on the Perspectives of Community College Noncredit Students

AIR is working with Rutgers Education and Employment Research Center to carry out a qualitative study on students students enrolled in noncredit workforce courses and programs at community colleges and their understanding of different program options and their economic returns.