ZTC Degree Discoverability and Feasibility Study�Are your ZTC Pathways Student Ready? 

Spark Grant: ZTC Degree Feasibility Study: May 1, 2026

Who is talking? 

1. IVC Student Researchers
• Ofelia (Lia) Veisalov
• Elina Balalina
2. Librarian Researcher
• Heather Evans, Coalinga College OER Librarian
3. Leader Researcher
• Rachel Fleming, IVC, OER Librarian  

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Michelson 20MM Foundation awarded IVC $25k to run a mixed-methods ZTC Degree Feasibility Study investigating the gap between institutional implementation and student experience ��= students get to do empirical data collection through to final paper and presentations! �

What are we talking about?

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Start with the Findings

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Walk away with: 

1. Making ZTC Pathways Student-Ready: A Practical Checklist (ideal)
2. ZTC Pathway Student-Ready Scoring Maturity Model Rubric Sheet so you can check where you are and have something to advocate to admin with!  
3. Single Question to ask your institution
4. Recommendations for building Ambient Discoverability into student registration interfaces

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Let's dive into the research! ���Why? �What?�Lots of data!  �

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Why build this study? 

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OER Librarian Framing the original question: ��California has built AMAZING ZTC infrastructure, but a critical question remains: ��Can students actually find and complete the ZTC pathways institutions say they offer?

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LIS Principles:

Disconnect in Retrievability & Discoverability 

(essential for equitable access)

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1. Existence of ZTC Pathway is not the same as student access to that pathway
2. Reported disaggregated data is not the same as navigability
3. Student choice for ALL students requires ambient discoverability

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Key Findings (Preliminary) 

ZTC Degree Feasibility Study: Mixed Methods Empirical Evidence Gathered Research Study. 

Study Scope

This is a big picture data overview

Expect Cognitive Overload!

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What categories emerged? 

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Survey Results

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If you didn't have to spend money on textbooks what would you spend that money on?

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1512  Student  Survey  Responses

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OVERWHELMINGLY

BASIC NEEDS

Demand is high:

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91.7% of students would choose a 

 ZTC Pathway if it was a clear option

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1512  Student  Survey  Responses

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Awareness & Navigation is low:

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"Have you ever tried to complete an entire degree using only ZTC courses?"

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Only

07.9%

said yes. 

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1512  Student  Survey  Responses

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Quickest Support Element �Ambient Discoverability with Plain Language 

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Student trust is low:

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"Have you ever taken a class labeled ZTC that had hidden costs?"

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28.4%

said yes. 

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1512  Student  Survey  Responses

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Focus: 

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Pathway Fragility/Stability 

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ZTC Pathway Mapping is Confusing for Students �(Course vs. Section level never clear it is not a guarantee ZTC if it's in the ZTC columns)

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Student Trust

&

Transparency

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How do we build stable, trustworthy, student-ready pathways?

1. Trust & Label Integrity – ZTC means truly no hidden costs
2. Section-Level Accuracy – Correct labels on actual sections students enroll in
3. Systems Integration – SIS, bookstore, scheduling, and advising aligned
4. Pathway Stability – Reliable multi-term course coverage, not one-off sections= ZTC Section Saturation
5. Ambient Discoverability – Easy to find in registration with plain-language filters
6. Student-Ready Navigation – Students can find, trust, and complete the pathway independently

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6 Tiered Maturity Model

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End Result

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Why does it matter if not all students can find and navigate the ZTC Pathways? 

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Equity Risk

Who Gets to Benefit?

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What happens when only students who already know how to “work the system” can find ZTC/OER courses?

Students with insider knowledge save money, plan better, and move ahead.

Students without that knowledge may never know the option exists.

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That is not equitable access. That is selective access.

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Students who would most benefit from a ZTC Pathway are often the least likely to have this "insider" institutional knowledge on how to navigate and find these terms. 

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Thoughts for Institutions  

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Are your ZTC pathways only on paper, or can students actually find and follow them?

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When promoting a ZTC pathway, ask:

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1. Is it visible to students in the systems they already use?
2. Is it navigable at registration?
3. Are ZTC labels verified and trustworthy?
4. Is there a hard stop before inaccurate ZTC labels go live?
5. Are hidden costs checked: homework systems, access codes, printing, novels, kits?
6. Do departments have enough ZTC sections to make the pathway stable?
7. Is the pathway supported by a readiness checklist or rubric?

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Final Thoughts

1. Accurate ZTC Labeling is super important to build student trust. 
• ZTC Classes are different than a ZTC Pathway 
2. Generalizability? 
• Ask your students! 
3. One Question to ask your institution: Do all students at your college have equitable access to truly choose and navigate your ZTC Pathways?
4. Explore Ambient Discoverable Options at your college
• Just because a college claims a pathway- doesn't mean students have access to choose it and navigate it. 

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Takeaways

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Q&A and Sharing Maturity Model & Checklist (final KPIs all available with paper end of Summer 2026)

Want to participate? �QR code for ASCCC OERI survey �LIVE through May 20th! �

Thank you!�

Contact us: ​�rfleming@ivc.edu​�heatherevans3655@whccd.edu

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