Transition from Home Education to Higher Education: Academic and Social Issues
Abstract: The purpose of this study is to understand academic and social attitudes among undergraduates who have been home educated as primary or secondary students and to learn from their transition to university. A comparative study of 215 undergraduates was conducted in 2005, via questionnaires, to determine if academic and social differences exist between university students who have been previously home educated versus their conventionally schooled peers who attended public or private school. This report concentrates on a subsample of 28 undergraduates who were home educated for at least seven years. The focus of this report considers their educational background, their attitudes toward home education, their readiness for university, and their perceived level of academic and social success as undergraduate students in comparison to their peers. Although not statistically significant, findings indicate the home-educated subsample achieved superior scores on standardized college entrance tests, maintained a higher cumulative grade point average in university studies and were more socially involved in campus activities than the public and private school subsamples. Yet, results also show areas for growth among the home-educated subsample—they felt slightly less confident than their peers when writing term papers, delivering speeches and indicate they shied away from class discussion at a higher rate. Despite this slight disadvantage during their transition to university, the home-educated subsample felt they adjusted to college life at relatively the same rate as the public school subsample.Erika M. L. Jones, Volume 25, Number 3, 2010, p. 1-9. Del Rey Church, Playa del Rey, California 90293, erika@delreychurch.com
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The Harms of Homeschooling? Where Are the Premises?
DATA-BASED RESEARCH has consistently revealed favorable things related to the modern homeschool movement for about 25 years. Theoretical philosophical research, on the other hand, argues conflicting things about home-educating families and students. For example, professor Robin West (2009) recently published a controversial piece entitled “The Harms of Homeschooling” that will be the main subject of this article. To set the stage for this discussion, a very brief summary of research on home education is important. Brian D. Ray, Volume 25, Number 3, 2010, p. 11-16. (In the “Perspectives – News and Comments” section of this journal which consists of articles that have not undergone peer review.) National Home Education Research Institute, Salem, Oregon, USA, bray@nheri.org
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Home School Researcher 
