Developing a Social Determinants of Learning™ Framework: A Case Study.

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education Research
• Higher Education Policy
• Social Determinants of Health and Education

Background:

• Increasing racial and ethnic diversity in higher education mirrors US population trends.
• Persistent challenges include lower persistence and higher attrition rates among diverse student groups.
• Addressing these disparities is crucial for equitable educational outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose the Social Determinants of Learning™ (SDOL™) framework.
• To provide an actionable model for addressing learning disparities.
• To expand learning opportunities supporting diversity, equity, and inclusion in nursing education.

Main Methods:

• Established six socially imposed forces (domains) as foundational to the SDOL™ framework.
• Identified key attributes for each domain through a comprehensive literature search.
• Utilized a case study to illustrate initial interventions targeting specific SDOL™ domains for student success.

Main Results:

• The SDOL™ framework provides a structured approach to understanding and addressing factors influencing student learning.
• Initial case study interventions showed promise in targeting specific domains to support student success.
• The framework is designed to be adaptable and applicable to various educational contexts.

Conclusions:

• Equitable education is essential for nursing and higher education broadly.
• The SDOL™ framework has significant implications for promoting educational equity.
• Further development and empirical testing of the SDOL™ framework are recommended to validate its effectiveness.