The value of a semi-formal peer mentorship program for first-year students’ studies, socialization and adaptation

2020 ◽  
pp. 146978742094521
Author(s):  
Art Tsang
Keyword(s):  
First Year ◽  
Peer Mentors ◽  
First Year Students ◽  
Mentorship Program ◽  
Peer Mentorship ◽  
Mentor Relationships ◽  
University Life ◽  
Transitional Challenges ◽  
Group Interviews ◽  
Adaptation To College

Mentoring is a widespread practice in different sectors in society. It is particularly prevalent in higher education. Many have acknowledged the various transitional challenges encountered by first-year tertiary-level students. Greater support is therefore needed for this particular student group. This mixed-methods year-long case study examined the value of a semi-formal peer mentorship program for 10 first-year students who were low-achievers. It focused on the assistance provided by peer mentors for their studies, socialization, and adaptation to college/university life. The three mentors’ views of the program were also explored. Data were collected via questionnaires administered three times to the mentees and end-of-program group interviews for both the mentees and mentors. The overall findings show that the students perceived the assistance from the mentors to be useful for academic studies, socialization, and adaptation to college/university life. However, their perceptions varied across the entire year. The metaphors used by the mentees to describe their mentors—shepherds, torches and candlewax—depicted different facets of the mentee-mentor relationships and the value of the program. The study highlights the value of such semi-formal peer mentoring for low-achieving first-year students especially for institutions which lack resources.

scholarly journals Guiding and Gauging

2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Timothy Bono ◽  
Katherine E. Pei ◽  
Danielle F. Bristow
Keyword(s):  
First Year ◽  
Peer Leaders ◽  
Peer Mentors ◽  
Freshman Transition ◽  
First Year Students ◽  
Fall Semester ◽  
University Life ◽  
Psychological Experiences

The present study explores the extent to which peer leaders are able to accurately gauge first-year students’ transitions into university life. Over the 15 weeks of the fall semester, 93 freshmen reported on their actual academic, social, and psychological experiences during their transition; meanwhile, 63 peer leaders reported weekly on their perceptions of the freshman experiences, along with their own psychological and academic wellbeing during the semester. Overall, peer leaders were highly accurate in their perceptions of the freshman transition. Peer leaders had the lowest accuracy during weeks that were personally stressful. Recommendations are provided on how to best support and train peer mentors for optimal success.

Forging Connections: An Investigation of New Students' Perspectives of Their Transition to the University

2009 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 31-42 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adele Baruch-Runyon ◽  
Zark VanZandt ◽  
S. Auguste Elliott
Keyword(s):  
Minority Students ◽  
Practice Theory ◽  
First Year ◽  
Research Practice ◽  
First Year Students ◽  
Competing Demands ◽  
Transitional Experience ◽  
University Life ◽  
New Students ◽  
The University

We studied first-year students through an integrated group workshop and longitudinal interviews that focused on students' transitional experience at the university as well as the strategies they developed to adjust to university life. Four themes emerged: the challenges of forming connections to other students with similar interests during the first few weeks on campus, the need to balance competing demands, varied experiences of connection with faculty and staff, and the need for translation of university life for minority students. To address the issues and concerns that emerged from our findings, we offer a number of advisory recommendations and programmatic initiatives. Relative Emphasis: research, practice, theory

The Effect of a Peer Mentorship Program on Perceptions of Success in Choral Ensembles: Pairing Students With and Without Disabilities

2016 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
pp. 37-43 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kimberly VanWeelden ◽  
Julia Heath-Reynolds ◽  
Scott Leaman
Keyword(s):  
Students With Disabilities ◽  
Skill Acquisition ◽  
Individualized Education Program ◽  
Peer Mentors ◽  
Typically Developing ◽  
Mentorship Program ◽  
Peer Mentorship ◽  
Choral Ensemble ◽  
Choral Ensembles ◽  
Choral Classroom

The purpose of this research was to investigate the effects of a peer mentorship program on students’ perceptions of comfort, skills obtained, and feelings of success while working with a peer with dissimilar abilities. The participants ( N = 14), enrolled in choral ensemble classes, were divided into two groups: the peer mentors ( n = 7), who were typically developing students, and the peer mentees ( n = 7), who were students with disabilities who had an individualized education program. The researchers created a pretest–posttest survey, and all questions were measured using a 5-point Likert-type scale. Peer mentee self-perceptions of success in the choral classroom revealed slight negative changes from the beginning to the end of the program. However, while some did not want to continue in the program for music skill acquisition, they all indicated a desire to remain in their peer pair for social reasons.

scholarly journals Measuring Student’s Adjustment to University: A Study at Nong Lam University, Viet Nam

2018 ◽  
Vol 34 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Vo Van Viet
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Educational Psychology ◽  
Student Attrition ◽  
First Year ◽  
University Of Chicago ◽  
First Year Students ◽  
Student Adaptation ◽  
The University ◽  
Adaptation To College ◽  
University Of Chicago Press

This study armed to assess the degree of adjustaptability of freshmen to the university environment. Quantitative approach was employed. Data were collected by using survey method from a random sample of 801 first-year students studying at Nong Lam University. The results of this study showed that the first-year students had a moderate level of adjustment despite some difficulties. Keywords First-year student, adjustment, university, school environment References V. Tinto, Leaving College: Rethinking the Causes and Cures of Student Attrition., Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1987. [2] Christie, N. G. & Dinham, S. M., “Institutional and External Influences on Social Integration in the Freshman Year,” Journal of Higher Education, tập 62, số 4, pp. 412-436, 1991. [3] Credé, M. & Niehorster, S., “Adjustment to College as Measured by the Student Adaptation to College Questionnaire: A Quantitative Review of its Structure and Relationships with Correlates and Consequences,” Educational Psychology Review, tập 24, pp. 133-165, 2012. [4] W. Spady, “Dropouts from higher education: An interdisciplinary review and synthesis,” Interchange, tập 1, pp. 64-65, 1970. [5] Bryant, B., & Trower, P. E, “Social difficulty in a student sample,” British Journal of Educational Psychology, tập 44, pp. 13-21, 1974. [6] Martin, W. E., Swartz-Kulstad, J. L. and Madson, M. , “ Psychosocial Factors That Predict the College Adjustment of First-Year Undergraduate Students: Implications for College Counselors,” Journal of College Counseling, tập 2, p. 121–133, 1999. [7] Wintre, M.G., & Yaffe, M, “First-year Students’ Adjustment to University Life as a Function of Relationships with Parents,” Journal of Adolescent Research, tập 15, pp. 9-37, 2000. [8] Baker, R. W., & Siryk B, SACQ: Student adaptation to college questionnaire manual (2nd. ed.), Los Angeles: Western Psychological Services, 1999. [9] Hoàng Trọng - Chu Nguyễn Mộng Ngọc, Phân tích dữ liệu nghiên cứu với SPSS, Tp. Hồ Chí Minh: Nhà xuất bản Thống kê, 2005. [10] Abdullah M. C., Elias H., Uli J., Mahyuddin R., “Relationship between Coping and University Adjustment and Academic Achievement amongst First Year Undergraduates in a Malaysian Public University,” International Journal of Arts and Sciences, tập 3(11), pp. 379 - 392, 2010. [11] Pascarella, E. T., & Terenzini, P, “ Predicting freshman persistence and voluntary dropout decisions from a theoretical model,” Journal of Higher Education, tập 51, số 1, pp. 60-75, 1980. [12] Parker, J. D. A., Summerfeldt, L. J., Hogan, M. J., & Majeski, S., “Emotional intelligence and academic success: Examining the transition from high school to university,” Personality and Individual Differences, tập 36, p. 163–172, 2004. [13] V. Tinto, Leaving college: Rethinking the causes and cures of student attrition. (2nd ed.), Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1993. [14] A. C. Jones, “ The effects of out-of-class support on student satisfaction and motivation to learn,” Communication Education, tập 57, số 4, pp. 373-388, 2008.

scholarly journals Psychological Well-being of First-year Psychology Students Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Getrude C. AH Gang ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Real Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Psychology Students ◽  
First Year ◽  
Online Classes ◽  
First Year Students ◽  
First Semester ◽  
University Life ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Social Media Platforms

University life is always colorful, filled with a plethora of memorable moments, both academic and non-academic. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, however, first-year university students’ academic experiences might be slightly different from their expectations due to being fully conducted in online learning. The COVID-19 pandemic denied first year students the opportunity to join the face-to-face classes and become involved in university’s activities in the real setting. All activities were replaced with virtual setting and they could only contact their course mates and lecturers via social media platforms. This derailment of their expectation to experience real-life university settings may dampen their enthusiasm and impact their motivational and happiness levels. To explore the phenomenon, a study was conducted with 143 first-year psychology students to examine their self-reported motivational and happiness levels before and after seven-week of online classes. This study included 113 females (79%) and 30 males (21%) with a mean age of 20.68 (SD=1.88). Data collected revealed that students’ motivation and happiness levels declined significantly after their online classes. According to their extent of agreement with the single statement ‘Overall, I am happy with my university life’, 48 (33.60%) students agreed, 76 (53.10%) were neutral, and 19 (13.30%) indicated dissatisfaction. This study may assist the university and relevant authorities in understanding students’ perceptions of dealing with academic and life challenges through online classes amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, psychological strategies should be considered to enhance first-year students’ motivation and happiness levels when faced with online classes in their new first semester.

scholarly journals First-year student’s work and rest balance as an enabler to transition to adult learning

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
pp. 20-29
Author(s):  
Živilė Nemickienė ◽  
Emilija Nemickaite
Keyword(s):  
Time Management ◽  
Health Science ◽  
Psychological State ◽  
First Year ◽  
Science Study ◽  
First Year Students ◽  
Hours Of Work ◽  
University Life ◽  
Study Programs ◽  
Multiple Challenges

The present research analyses one out of multiple challenges the first-year students face during their transition to academic life, namely, the first-year students’ work and rest balance. The balance, if managed wisely, might become a strong enabler to a successful transition to university life. The study analyses a series of factors, such as the balance of work and rest of the first-year students, skills of time management and the psychological state during the first months at university. The study employs a comparative analysis to evaluate the average hours of work and rest per week of a first-year student comparing with the planned time. The data of students’ work and rest balance was collected from the diary they were asked to record for two months. A focus group was comprised of twenty-five respondents of finance, twelve students of language and three of health science study programs at Lithuanian universities.

scholarly journals Exploring the first-year experience in a diverse population: Using participatory action research to explore strategies to support student transition into fast-track undergraduate degree programs

2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 41-51
Author(s):  
Greg Rickard ◽  
Marguerite Bramble ◽  
Hazel Maxwell ◽  
Rochelle Einboden ◽  
Sally Farrington ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fast Track ◽  
Tertiary Education ◽  
Transition Process ◽  
First Year Experience ◽  
First Year ◽  
Participatory Action ◽  
First Year Students ◽  
Student Transition ◽  
Learning And Teaching ◽  
University Life

As the cohort of students in Australian universities become increasingly diverse, attention to ensuring their success is an emerging issue of social justice in tertiary education. Navigating transitions through the student journey is crucial to their success. Exploring and responding to the needs of a cohort of first-year students is the focus of this research. Using a participatory action approach, this project aimed to discover what is meaningful for first-year students, by exploring how students experienced the processes of admission, enrolment, commencement, and learning and teaching in two fast-track and one online health degrees. Nine students were partnered with nine academics for a six-month period. The analysis offers insights into equity issues in relation to the institution’s admission processes, the quality of support and engagement from academics to students when transitioning to university life, and how students find their ‘place’. Strategies to support the transition process for first-year students are identified and discussed.

scholarly journals Student Support and Transition Through a Buddy Programme to Foster Social Integration

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 47-63
Author(s):  
Ana Naidoo ◽  
Hestie Byles ◽  
Sindi Kwenaite
Keyword(s):  
Social Integration ◽  
Contact Point ◽  
Student Support ◽  
First Year ◽  
First Year Students ◽  
University Of Pretoria ◽  
University Life ◽  
Student Advisor ◽  
Peer Advisors ◽  
The University

The University of Pretoria (UP) began offering formal academic student support in 2011 when the first faculty student advisor (FSA) was appointed. Although many more FSAs were subsequently appointed, assistance to all the students in need of support remained insufficient. However, financial assistance through the collaboration grant received from the Department of Higher Education and Training in 2018 made it possible to explore new areas of support. The UP was able to pilot four innovations due to the availability of additional funds. These included generic workshops across faculties; the creation of a hub in the library, which served as a common contact point for students requiring assistance; the appointment of peer advisors; and a Buddy Programme for first-year students. This article explains the Buddy Programme as perceived by the senior students who mentored the first-year students. The mentors are known as “big buddies”. Our work on this programme is based on Tinto’s (1975) ideas about social integration. The Buddy Programme was introduced to assist first-year students in their transition from school to university life. This paper highlights the challenges that first-year students faced and it explains how the concepts could become institutionalised once university activities have been normalised in the post-pandemic future.

scholarly journals Students and Tutors’ Perceptions of the Use and Functioning of University Tutoring

2018 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nadia Soledad Peralta ◽  
María Antonella Klug
Keyword(s):  
Theoretical Orientation ◽  
Private University ◽  
First Year ◽  
Listening Skills ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
First Year Students ◽  
Perceptions Of Students ◽  
University Life ◽  
The University

This article aims to study the functioning and perceptions of students and tutors of the university tutoring system in a private university institute in the city of Rosario. An exploratory-descriptive study was used, wich included a case study design. The university tutoring functioning was analized from the tutors’ perspective (with semi-structured interviews) and the first-year students’ perceptions (with the application of a questionnaire). The results indicate that, for tutors, the listening skills, the need for training, and the teamwork capacity are important. With regard to the students, it was found that more than half do not know about the tutoring, and that those who know about it manifest to have received the information from teachers and peers. Some of them consider that this space relates to the theoretical orientation and manifest preference toward the academic tutoring function, while others consider that tutoring enables them to carry out a comprehensive vision of university life.

scholarly journals The Role of Digital Technologies in Learning: Expectations of First Year University Students / Le rôle des technologies numériques dans l’apprentissage : les attentes des étudiants de première année universitaire

2012 ◽  
Vol 38 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Martha Gabriel ◽  
Barbara Campbell ◽  
Sean Wiebe ◽  
Ronald J MacDonald ◽  
Alexander McAuley
Keyword(s):  
Focus Group ◽  
Digital Technologies ◽  
First Year ◽  
Focus Group Interviews ◽  
Student Body ◽  
First Year Students ◽  
Construction Of Knowledge ◽  
Premier Cycle ◽  
Group Interviews ◽  
First Year University

A growing literature suggests that there is a disjuncture between the instructional practices of the education system and the student body it is expected to serve, particularly with respect to the roles of digital technologies. Based on surveys and focus group interviews of first-year students at a primarily undergraduate Canadian university and focus group interviews of professors at the same institution, this study explores the gaps and intersections between students’ uses and expectations for digital technologies while learning inside the classroom and socializing outside the classroom, and the instructional uses, expectations and concerns of their professors. It concludes with recommendations for uses of digital technologies that go beyond information transmission, the need for extended pedagogical discussions to harness the learning potentials of digital technologies, and for pedagogies that embrace the social construction of knowledge as well as individual acquisition. Des études de plus en plus nombreuses suggèrent qu’il existe un écart entre les pratiques d’enseignement dans le système de l’éducation et la population étudiante desservie, notamment en ce qui concerne le rôle des technologies numériques. La présente étude, fondée sur les résultats de sondages et d’entrevues de groupe auprès des étudiants de première année inscrits à une université canadienne principalement axée sur les études de premier cycle, ainsi que sur des entrevues de groupe auprès de professeurs du même établissement, explore les écarts et les concordances entre, d’une part, l’utilisation et les attentes des étudiants relativement aux technologies numériques dans l’apprentissage en classe et dans les relations sociales en dehors des classes, et, d’autre part, l’utilisation de ces technologies dans les pratiques d’enseignement, les préoccupation et les attentes des professeurs. L’étude se conclut par des recommandations concernant une utilisation des technologies numériques dépassant la transmission de l’information, et la nécessité de discussions pédagogiques poussées permettant d’exploiter le potentiel des technologies numériques dans le cadre de l’apprentissage ainsi que de méthodes pédagogiques adaptées à la construction sociale des connaissances et au mode individuel d’acquisition des connaissances.

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