From High School to Higher Ed: Closing Knowledge Gaps Together

Remember heading off to your postsecondary adventure for the first time? 

Emotionally, the prospects of starting a new chapter in higher education after graduating high school engender a mixed bag: exhilaration, hope, stimulation, giddiness even. Sometimes, there’s a bit of anxiety about the financial burden. Other times, euphoria is tempered by the thought of a heavy academic workload.

Academically, students say they feel ready, but studies indicate they most certainly are not. A recent Lincoln Learning Solutions survey of higher education professionals in leadership roles reveals that the highest hurdle for half their students when transitioning to postsecondary education is the elevated level of academics. About 30% of faculty said their students would benefit from revisiting high school material. These revelations are reflected in steeply declining ACT scores that, in 2023, were at a 32-year low. Scores show only a little more than 20% of test takers met benchmarks in core subjects.

Students are facing real challenges. Academic preparedness, study habits, and anxiety about fitting in rank among the top concerns. The good news? There’s a solution. As was underscored in our recent survey, transitional and academic support programs can serve as the vital tool for students to be successful. When K-12 and higher education institutions collaborate, they can bridge these gaps and set students up for success.  

Supporting Successful Transitions

The Lincoln Content Bank with Canvas integration is emerging as one of the tools to support these efforts. The multimodal, educational content library equips educators with an abundant selection of rigorous learning assets they can retrieve, configure, and assemble to smoothly transport students across the gap. 

Boosting academic preparedness

A growing number of incoming college students need an academic boost, whether because their high school courses did not align with college expectations, or they missed out on advanced subject matter. Post-pandemic learning loss is also to blame.  

As higher education institutions face these realities, they must find creative ways to deliver content and learning materials that enhance student success. One key challenge is bridging learning gaps — whether in foundational math, writing, or other essential skills — to ensure students are prepared for the rigors of college coursework.  

By tapping the Lincoln Content Bank, educators can build college readiness courses that support high school graduates transitioning to the next level. These materials seamlessly integrate into Canvas, allowing instructors to embed them into assignments, organize them within modules, or set them as prerequisites before students can progress to the next section of a course. This structured approach ensures that students have the skills they need before diving into more advanced coursework.  

Institutions leveraging these resources give students tools they need to succeed — whether through targeted skill-building, supplemental coursework, or full-fledged readiness programs. As education continues its shift toward digital-first solutions, integrating high-quality learning materials and platforms will be essential for student achievement.  

Creating a Sense of Belonging 

Any student stepping foot into a new community naturally needs time to adapt and gain a comfort level. And a significant share of first-generation students, having no parents with college experience or a bachelor’s degree, often feel an added disconnect because they don’t have a family role model. It’s scary to be out on your own for the first time, and these anxieties lead to high remediation rates and lower persistence, retention, and success in higher education. 

Universities are working through these challenges with dedicated support services, orientations, robust curricular and extracurricular opportunities, and academic engagement. Along with caring adult mentors, they provide needed pillars for these fresh faces. We must bolster these kinds of initiatives to support student success.

Summer bridge programs are also popular among colleges trying to create a sense of belonging. Beyond facilitating connections among peers, faculty, and staff, they help students get up to speed before the fall semester. The Lincoln Content Bank can power summer bridge programs with a wealth of learning resources. Students who need to master basic math skills for college-level courses can do so while students who need to strengthen their writing abilities for literature classes can also benefit from targeted, engaging content designed to reinforce these critical areas. 

Because the Lincoln Content Bank seamlessly integrates with Canvas, the transition is even smoother. As Canvas is the most widely used LMS, students have a familiar learning experience that eases their shift from high school to college.  

Cases in Point: How Canvas and the Lincoln Content Bank Support Students in Transition

For many students, the journey into higher education comes with unique challenges. Whether they are first-generation college students, non-native English speakers, or apprentices honing their skills, having access to the right resources can make all the difference. That’s where best-in-class performers like Canvas and the Lincoln Content Bank are stepping in to support students in transition.  

By providing educators with tools to build and distribute curriculum that emphasizes critical skills, these platforms help learners gain confidence and proficiency before their primary coursework begins. This proactive approach is already making an impact in a variety of educational settings.  

A Head Start for Future Nurses

At a community college in Texas, faculty are using Canvas and the Lincoln Content Bank to develop ramp modules for their nursing courses. These modules are designed to support first-generation students and those whose first language is not English, helping them build foundational knowledge before diving into their nursing program. By providing engaging and relatable educational materials, the pilot program aims to increase student success and retention rates in a demanding field.  

Boosting Math Skills for Apprentices

In another application, the Joint Apprentice Training Committee of Greater Boston is leveraging these tools to assist apprentices who need to sharpen their math skills. By mapping Lincoln Learning’s content to specific questions in their math assessments, JATC has created a targeted course that is delivered through Canvas. This initiative ensures that apprentices receive the support they need to confidently progress in their training programs.  

Transforming Education Through Innovation

By integrating Canvas and the Lincoln Content Bank into their programs, educators are not just teaching content; they’re empowering students with skills and confidence they need to succeed. Whether preparing for a career in health care or a skilled trade, these students are overcoming barriers and achieve their goals with the help of these resources. 

Collaboration is Key: Building a Bridge Together 

The best start to building a bridge is by encouraging a strong collaboration between K-12 and higher education institutions. By sharing insights, aligning curricula, and implementing targeted interventions, we can help bridge gaps and ensure students are truly ready for the next step in their educational journey. Simply sitting around the table with one another is a great first step. 

What K-12 Can Learn from Higher Ed 

The higher education experience helps us understand more intimately the skills students are lacking when they arrive, giving K-12 educators guidance to improve student success. 

Encouraging independent learning, critical thinking, and research skills, in addition to providing a foundation for discerning between legitimate and untrustworthy sources, are all essential to strengthening study habits.  

Offering rigorous curriculum that applies real-world scenarios encourages collaboration and reflection, uses open-ended questions, and employs differentiated learning opportunities can buttress students’ confidence and proficiency in core subjects.  

Surrounding students with adults and peers who build and support their college-going aspirations builds confidence and arms students with a sense of belonging.  

How Higher Ed Can Support K-12 

Participants in our own survey indicated a strong inclination for higher education to share its first-year general education learning outcomes with high schools to provide a basis for them to more closely align coursework. Likewise, they felt that data sharing on student readiness would go a long way toward helping K-12 educators tailor their instruction to higher ed expectations. 

Higher education should also provide high school students access to mentoring, advising, career-connected learning, and early credential attainment, according to the Gates Foundation, in addition to ramping up access to dual enrollment, which closes equity gaps and helps students from low-income backgrounds save time and money. 

The Next Step 

Now that your wheels are turning, you likely have your own stories and anecdotes to share. And we want to hear them. Let’s explore these ideas in greater depth and discover actionable strategies.  

Join us for our upcoming webinar, April 17 at 9 a.m. MST, when we will give you a platform to share your experiences, dive deeper into survey insights, highlight successful partnerships, and provide concrete steps for bridging the divide. 

Register now and be part of the conversation! 

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