A connected view of how higher education works.

Background

Educational and economic opportunities are shaped by the routes available to students: entry into college-level coursework, affordable degree pathways, workforce training, and industry-recognized credentials. We examine how policies and program structures open these routes or create barriers to progress.

HERA's projects examine developmental education reforms, noncredit workforce training, industry certifications, and zero-textbook-cost degree pathways. Across these studies, we ask how changes in access and program design affect academic progress, completion, employment, earnings, and equity.

Background

Learning depends on how courses are designed, how students connect with instructors and peers, and whether useful support is available when it is needed. We examine these experiences across classroom and online settings, treating technology as one part of the learning environment.

HERA's work includes peer learning through PeerSpace, humanized online STEM instruction, instructor professional development, condensed course formats, online support hubs, and support for distance learners. These projects examine how teaching practices and learning environments influence participation and academic outcomes.

Background

Promising practices depend on the institutions that put them into use. Colleges and systems make decisions about how to organize support, prepare instructors, use data, and sustain changes across programs and campuses. We examine how these choices shape implementation and the reach of student-success efforts.

HERA's work in this field includes scalable behavioral supports at Calbright College and the expansion of humanized online STEM professional development across institutions. Together, these projects connect questions about implementation and scale with efforts to improve teaching and student success.