scholarly journals Student Response Systems (SRS) and the Performance of First-Generation Students Majoring in Business

2016 ◽  
Vol 1 (4) ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
Ricardo Cunningham

<p>Traditionally, first-generation college students (students whose parents didn’t attend college) are at a distinct disadvantage in regards to academic performance and outcomes at post-secondary institutions; and according to the literature, the most commonly declared major of first-generation students is business. Student response systems (SRS) are an in-class student polling technology that is designed to create an engaging and inviting learning environment that maximizes active learning. This study seeks to determine if SRS causes a significant improvement in the exam scores for first-generation college students majoring in business exposed to SRS compared to first-generation college students majoring in business not exposed to SRS.</p><div><div><div id="_com_3" class="msocomtxt"><!--[if !supportAnnotations]--></div><!--[endif]--></div></div>

Author(s):  
Elizabeth Buffy Stoll

First-generation students’ transitions are particularly important to their success in college. Though attention to and support for first-generation students on college campuses have increased in recent decades, these efforts remain campus-centric, encouraging first generation students to assimilate to the culture and values of post-secondary education. These efforts lack recognition of students’ ties to their homes and families. A holistic recognition of and support for first-generation students’ transitions and negotiations between the disparate worlds of home and school could further promote their success both inside and outside the classroom. This scholarly article asserts that practitioners and students will benefit from more purposefully recognizing the role that the world of home plays in first-generation students’ transitions and experiences. The author presents a review of the literature, a discussion of the importance of first-generation students’ connections to home, and recommendations for practice, specifically centered around first-generation student transitions.


2017 ◽  
Vol 61 (1) ◽  
pp. 164-185 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alma Nidia Garza ◽  
Andrew S. Fullerton

It is widely documented that first-generation college students attain bachelor’s degrees at lower rates than their peers. First-generation students also consistently prioritize distance to college in their school decision-making process. How distance impacts their educational performance, however, is an issue that has not received sufficient research attention. This study uses the Beginning Postsecondary Students Longitudinal Study (BPS:04/09) to investigate whether the distance between the permanent residence of first-generation students enrolled in four-year degree programs and their attending college impacts their educational attainment and grade point average (GPA). We find that first-generation students who attend colleges at a greater distance from home are more likely to graduate from college with a bachelor’s degree. We do not find strong support for the relationship between distance and a student’s GPA in most years of enrollment. We discuss the way college accessibility reinforces inequality within higher education along with the theoretical implications of our findings.


2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 5-24
Author(s):  
Josefine Smith ◽  
Stacy Brinkman

Objective – To determine whether information seeking anxieties and preferred information sources differ between first-generation college students and their continuing-generation peers. Methods – An online survey was disseminated at two public college campuses. A total of 490 respondents were included in the results. Independent variables included institution, year in college, and generational status. Instead of using a binary variable, this study used three groups for the independent variable of generational status, with two first-generation groups and one continuing-generation group based on parental experience with college. Dependent variables included 4 measures of information seeking anxiety and 22 measures of preferred information sources. Responses were analyzed using SPSS. One-way independent ANOVA tests were used to compare groups by generational status, and two- and three-way factorial ANOVA tests were conducted to explore interaction effects of generational status with institution and year in college. Results – No significant differences in overall information seeking anxiety were found between students whose parents had differing levels of experience with college. However, when exploring the specific variable of experiencing anxiety about “navigating the system in college,” a two-way interaction involving generational status and year in school was found, with first-generation students with the least direct experience with college reporting higher levels of anxiety at different years in college than their peers. Two categories of first-generation students were found to consult with their parents far less than continuing-generation peers. The study also found that institutional or generational differences may also influence whether students ask for information from their peers, librarians, tutoring centers, professors, or advisors. Conclusion – This study is one of the first to directly compare the information seeking preferences and anxieties of first-generation and continuing-generation students using a non-binary approach. While previous research suggests that first-generation students experience heightened anxiety about information seeking, this study found no significant overall differences between students based on their generational status. The study reinforced previous research about first-generation college students relying less on their parents than their continuing-generation peers. However, this study complicates previous research about first-generation students and their utilization of peers, librarians, tutoring centers, professors, or advisors as information sources, and suggests that institutional context plays an important role in shaping first-generation information seeking.


2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (12) ◽  
pp. 58 ◽  
Author(s):  
Margaret Costello ◽  
Amy Ballin ◽  
Miriam Rosalyn Diamond ◽  
Lan Gao

Background and objective: First generation college students (FGS), are emerging as an important demographic group for colleges and universities. Having a ‘sense of belonging’ or belonging is important to the success of all college students, especially for the retention of students who may be at risk of not completing their academic degree. The purpose of this study is to analyze differences between first generation and non-first-generation college students based on a mattering survey.Methods: Two hundred and thirty undergraduate students in one New England College participated in a study designed to uncover differences between FGS and non-first-generation college students based on responses to a mattering survey. The study utilized a questionnaire designed to capture students’ opinions on mattering. Open questions were included to inform and enrich the data.Results: First-generation student perceived a greater number of obstacles in their college experience than non-first-generation students. Obstacles to academic success for first generation students included lack of time to study due to work and family responsibilities, financial struggles, and unhelpful faculty relationships. Facilitators were helpful faculty and peer relationships. Lack of mental health support was cited as a barrier to both cohorts of students.Conclusions: Having a sense of belonging or mattering can help the student feel a connection to the college. This may aid the student in persisting towards graduation. Persistence toward graduation is important for all students including nursing students.


2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 255-266 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara Connolly

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of first generation peer mentoring experiences on retention, grade point average and students’ perception of their academic and leadership development. Design/methodology/approach This study utilized a mixed methods approach. Focus groups and interviews were utilized to determine the reported leadership experiences of the mentors. Descriptive statistics were used to compare grade point averages and retention rates. Findings The study found peer mentors in residential life perceived an increase in leadership skills; including role modeling, time management, personal confidence, and problem solving. The peers were challenged in their roles, and perceived these challenges to help them to grow as leaders. When compared to their peers, the peer mentors experienced increased retention and similar grade point averages. The results indicated that peer mentoring experiences can be beneficial for the mentors who are first generation college students, even experiences that are particularly challenging. Research limitations/implications The biggest limitation to this study is the fact that this was a small sample, without a control group. A further limitation is that it was difficult to get students to participate in the study. Future research might examine peer mentoring experiences of first generation students on larger campuses or on multiple campuses to allow for a control group of first generation peers without a peer mentoring experience. Practical implications The results indicated that peer mentoring experiences can be beneficial for the mentors who are first generation college students, even experiences that are particularly challenging. Social implications Due to the potential for their success, these types of experiences should be expanded for first generation students, a group that is at a higher risk for drop out. Special attention should be paid to ongoing training in peer mentoring experiences, given the level of commitment by the mentors. Originality/value While other studies have examined the impact of peer mentoring on those that have been mentored, and a few have examined the impact of the experience on the mentors themselves this study extends the research by looking at first generation college students. This is valuable because first generation students continue to lag in their success in college and practical research on what can improve the student experience for this group is necessary.


Author(s):  
Patton O. Garriott ◽  
Shao-Jung “Stella” Ko ◽  
Sandra Bertram Grant ◽  
Mackenzie Jessen ◽  
Blake A. Allan

Scholarship devoted to first-generation college students has increased rapidly over the past decade, with studies demonstrating first-generation students are systematically disadvantaged compared to their continuing-generation peers. Recently, scholars have critiqued the treatment of first-generation students as a monolith and encouraged complicating their experiences using intersectionality as an analytic tool. This study examined the association between institutional classism and students’ social-emotional experiences in higher education, and how these relations vary based on sociorace, first-generation college student status, and subjective social status. In a sample ( N = 742) of college students from two four-year public institutions, results showed that the strength of the association between institutional classism and social-emotional experiences varied at different intersections of first-generation status, sociorace, and subjective social status. These findings demonstrate the importance of contextualizing first-generation students’ experiences and have implications for efforts to retain first-generation students in higher education.


Author(s):  
Chynette Nealy

This article discusses how active learning can be used to develop soft skills required by managers of contemporary organizations. Findings from course materials developed in response to business and industry demand for increased focus on soft skills are examined using an emerging population, first generation college students in institutions of higher education.     


Author(s):  
Emily Acevedo ◽  
Alexandra J Lazar

Abstract Scholars have detailed the benefits of active learning, particularly the impact that simulations can have on promoting engagement and evaluative thinking. Scholars have discussed the positive effects of active learning on first-generation college students, but there is minimal research on how simulations contribute to developing interpersonal skills, especially among first-generation college students. Interpersonal skills, often referred to as soft skills, are challenging to quantify since they focus on how individuals relate and interact with others. These skills include oral and written communication, teamwork, confidence, and leadership skills. This article examines whether stimulations taught within an active learning environment contributed to developing interpersonal skills among first-generation college students. In a retrospective survey administered at a single campus, our findings suggest that active learning contributes to the building of cultural capital for first-generation college students and also contributes developing interpersonal skills for both first-generation and second-generation college students.


Author(s):  
Chia-chen Yang

Social adjustment to college can be challenging, and social networking sites (SNSs) may ease the process. SNSs as an adjustment tool may be particularly useful for those who have relatively limited social support in their proximal environments, such as first-generation college students. This study explored how first-generation and continuing students used Facebook and Instagram, and how their usage was related to college social adjustment. Survey data from 251 undergraduates ( Mage = 19.55; 33% first generation) showed that first-generation students engaged in less Facebook interaction with on-campus friends than continuing students. For both groups, SNS interaction with on-campus friends was related to better social adjustment. Continuing students’ Instagram interaction with family was also related to better adjustment. In contrast, first-generation students’ Instagram interaction with off-campus friends and Instagram broadcasting were both related to poor adjustment. In conclusion, the two groups used SNSs in similar manners, but the implications of SNS use for college adjustment varied by students’ first-generation status.


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