Research Summary
Understanding barriers related to educational access is the overarching goal of my research. I focus on the experiences of underserved and marginalized student groups as they persist through high school and transition to postsecondary institutions. In particular, I explore on how students experiencing homelessness navigate educational systems. I use qualitative and mixed methodologies along with social theories to explore and critique the educational process. Three themes frame my work: basic needs insecurity; college access and success; and, approaches to qualitative research. The themes work together in allowing me to understand how the lived experiences of underserved students frame their educational engagement and retention.
In addition to building upon my research agenda, I also focus on collaborating with graduate students and early career scholars on research projects. Several publications and presentations have been done with graduate students at Pacific as well as other institutions. In addition, I collaborated on research projects with two pre-tenure scholars at Pacific to help strengthen their tenure cases -- both colleagues earned tenure. I am currently working with pre-tenure scholars at other institutions on research projects and publications. Supporting the research of graduate students and early career scholars is important to me.
Basic Needs Insecurity
Since 2006, I have studied how homelessness and basic needs insecurity influence the educational opportunities and engagement of students. I authored or co-authored five books and monographs related to homelessness and housing insecurity, including a Teachers College Press Bestseller -- Serving students who are homeless: A resource guide for schools, districts and educational leaders (Hallett & Skrla, 2017). While the books and monographs focus on translating research into practice, I also published multiple articles and book chapters that present the empirical findings from several studies I conducted. While my early work focused on issues related to homelessness in K-12, I recently transitioned to looking at homelessness and housing insecurity in higher education. Emerging research suggests that large numbers of college students across the nation experience homelessness, housing instability and food insecurity. I co-authored a book for the ASHE monograph series that summarizes research in order to lay a foundation for future researchers as well as to provide initial insights for practitioners and policymakers (Hallett & Crutchfield, 2018). Building upon that work, I am collaborating with two colleagues to write a practitioner guide that will be published by Teachers College Press (Hallett, Crutchfield, & Maguire, forthcoming 2019). In the past year, I began coordinating with a group of scholars across the nation who advocate for basic needs insecurity among college students to be addressed by policymakers and practitioners. We plan to develop research collaborations that will enable promising practices to be identified and disseminated.
College Access and Success
Artificial barriers exist between high school and postsecondary institutions. Underserved and marginalized student groups face multiple difficulties in navigating these obstacles. I explore how increased connectivity and collaboration between institutions may facilitate greater educational access. My early work explored how summer bridge and college preparation programs influence student perceptions of college-going and ability to transition to college. I also explored the experiences of specific subgroups of students, include those who are undocumented, exiting foster care, and homeless. I am currently colleagues at the University of Southern California's Pullias Center on a five year grant-funded mixed methods project that explores the impacts of a wraparound support program within a midwestern university system. One of the largest and most comprehensive studies of its kind, we are employing multiple theories and methods to fully understand how interventions influence student engagement, persistence and multiple non-cognitive constructs (see https://pullias.usc.edu/tslc/ for a fully explanation of the project.) Research and practitioner presentations and publications will continue to emerge from this project over the next five to seven years. The overarching goal is to identify key levers that foundations, universities and policymakers can utilize to increase college engagement and retention for marginalized students across the nation.
Approaches to Qualitative Research
As a qualitative researcher, much of my work involves establishing relationships with participants. Working with underserved and invisible student groups requires careful consideration of how participants experience the research process in order to limit further marginalization. Drawing from my research with students, I consider the ethical obligations researchers need to consider when navigating gatekeepers and entering the social spaces of participants (Cultural Studies—Critical Methodologies, 2010; The role of participants chapter, 2012; The Qualitative Report, 2013). An emerging area of interest involves the relational dynamics inherent when conducting research in virtual environments (Journal of Contemporary Ethnography, 2014). The Internet has changed social interactions. As a result, qualitative research and relational interactions need to be adapted. I am currently working with colleagues on a few articles that discuss a new methodology -- digital diaries -- that we employed within the Pullias research project (the first paper is forthcoming in the Review of Higher Education). In addition, we have a paper under review that explores how to operationalized the ecological systems model within a qualitative interview.
In addition to building upon my research agenda, I also focus on collaborating with graduate students and early career scholars on research projects. Several publications and presentations have been done with graduate students at Pacific as well as other institutions. In addition, I collaborated on research projects with two pre-tenure scholars at Pacific to help strengthen their tenure cases -- both colleagues earned tenure. I am currently working with pre-tenure scholars at other institutions on research projects and publications. Supporting the research of graduate students and early career scholars is important to me.
Basic Needs Insecurity
Since 2006, I have studied how homelessness and basic needs insecurity influence the educational opportunities and engagement of students. I authored or co-authored five books and monographs related to homelessness and housing insecurity, including a Teachers College Press Bestseller -- Serving students who are homeless: A resource guide for schools, districts and educational leaders (Hallett & Skrla, 2017). While the books and monographs focus on translating research into practice, I also published multiple articles and book chapters that present the empirical findings from several studies I conducted. While my early work focused on issues related to homelessness in K-12, I recently transitioned to looking at homelessness and housing insecurity in higher education. Emerging research suggests that large numbers of college students across the nation experience homelessness, housing instability and food insecurity. I co-authored a book for the ASHE monograph series that summarizes research in order to lay a foundation for future researchers as well as to provide initial insights for practitioners and policymakers (Hallett & Crutchfield, 2018). Building upon that work, I am collaborating with two colleagues to write a practitioner guide that will be published by Teachers College Press (Hallett, Crutchfield, & Maguire, forthcoming 2019). In the past year, I began coordinating with a group of scholars across the nation who advocate for basic needs insecurity among college students to be addressed by policymakers and practitioners. We plan to develop research collaborations that will enable promising practices to be identified and disseminated.
College Access and Success
Artificial barriers exist between high school and postsecondary institutions. Underserved and marginalized student groups face multiple difficulties in navigating these obstacles. I explore how increased connectivity and collaboration between institutions may facilitate greater educational access. My early work explored how summer bridge and college preparation programs influence student perceptions of college-going and ability to transition to college. I also explored the experiences of specific subgroups of students, include those who are undocumented, exiting foster care, and homeless. I am currently colleagues at the University of Southern California's Pullias Center on a five year grant-funded mixed methods project that explores the impacts of a wraparound support program within a midwestern university system. One of the largest and most comprehensive studies of its kind, we are employing multiple theories and methods to fully understand how interventions influence student engagement, persistence and multiple non-cognitive constructs (see https://pullias.usc.edu/tslc/ for a fully explanation of the project.) Research and practitioner presentations and publications will continue to emerge from this project over the next five to seven years. The overarching goal is to identify key levers that foundations, universities and policymakers can utilize to increase college engagement and retention for marginalized students across the nation.
Approaches to Qualitative Research
As a qualitative researcher, much of my work involves establishing relationships with participants. Working with underserved and invisible student groups requires careful consideration of how participants experience the research process in order to limit further marginalization. Drawing from my research with students, I consider the ethical obligations researchers need to consider when navigating gatekeepers and entering the social spaces of participants (Cultural Studies—Critical Methodologies, 2010; The role of participants chapter, 2012; The Qualitative Report, 2013). An emerging area of interest involves the relational dynamics inherent when conducting research in virtual environments (Journal of Contemporary Ethnography, 2014). The Internet has changed social interactions. As a result, qualitative research and relational interactions need to be adapted. I am currently working with colleagues on a few articles that discuss a new methodology -- digital diaries -- that we employed within the Pullias research project (the first paper is forthcoming in the Review of Higher Education). In addition, we have a paper under review that explores how to operationalized the ecological systems model within a qualitative interview.