scholarly journals Understanding the reacculturation experiences of first-generation, undecided students

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Tracey A. Glaessgen
Keyword(s):  
First Generation ◽  
Attrition Rate ◽  
First Year ◽  
Institutions Of Higher Education ◽  
Undecided Students ◽  
Exploratory Case Study ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Recommendations For Practice ◽  
First Year Seminar

When students enter institutions of higher education, they are typically leaving behind one culture to join another. First-generation students have a higher attrition rate as do undecided students, but little research has been conducted on students who have both characteristics. The researcher applied Bruffee's reacculturation process to understand the challenges and experiences that first-generation, undecided students have as they transition to a new academic environment. This qualitative, exploratory case study included 35 students utilizing interviews, focus groups, observations, and writings to triangulate the data collected. Findings revealed heightened feelings of stress, desire to become comfortable on campus, reliance upon continuing-generation friends, helpfulness of specialized first-year seminar course, and an uncertainty towards advisors' roles. Based upon research findings and framework, recommendations for practice are shared.

scholarly journals First-Generation Students With Undecided Majors: A Qualitative Study of University Reacculturation

2018 ◽  
Vol 38 (1) ◽  
pp. 22-35
Author(s):  
Tracey A. Glaessgen ◽  
Cynthia J. MacGregor ◽  
Jeffrey H. D. Cornelius-White ◽  
Robert S. Hornberger ◽  
Denise M. Baumann
Keyword(s):  
First Generation ◽  
First Year ◽  
First Generation Students ◽  
Institutions Of Higher Education ◽  
Education Students ◽  
Undecided Students ◽  
Group Interactions ◽  
Written Responses ◽  
First Year Seminar

When they enter institutions of higher education, students typically leave behind one culture to join another. Despite the higher rates of attrition for first-generation students over continuing-generation students and undecided students over declared students, little research has been focused on undeclared first-generation students. To understand the challenges and experiences of first-generation undecided students transitioning to a new and unfamiliar academic environment, we applied a reacculturation process to this qualitative exploratory case study of 35 students. Data came from interviews, focus group interactions, observations, and written responses to open-ended questions, which were subsequently triangulated. Findings revealed heightened feelings of stress, desire to become comfortable on campus, reliance upon continuing-generation friends, helpfulness of a specialized first-year seminar course, and uncertainty about advisors' roles.

Connecting First Year Students to Formal and Informal Learning Experiences

2013 ◽  
pp. 51-67 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melissa L. Johnson ◽  
Laura Pasquini ◽  
Michelle R. Rodems
Keyword(s):  
Learning Communities ◽  
First Year ◽  
First Year Students ◽  
University Of Florida ◽  
Online Learning Communities ◽  
Formal And Informal Learning ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
The University ◽  
First Year Seminar

This case study, an honors first year seminar from the University of Florida, USA, demonstrates the benefits and challenges of these developments in education. The case expands the definition of formal, informal, and online learning communities in the context of a first year seminar.

The Graduation Rate Myth and the Equity Gap

2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 94-114
Author(s):  
Mark H. Stohs ◽  
Jerald G. Schutte
Keyword(s):  
Student Success ◽  
Graduation Rates ◽  
First Generation ◽  
Underrepresented Students ◽  
Unintended Consequences ◽  
First Year ◽  
Causal Connection ◽  
Completion Rates ◽  
Attrition Rates

We demonstrate that improving graduation rates does not cause more students to graduate or increase student success. The underlying presumptions are spurious and misleading, as no causal connection exists between graduation rates and the ultimate number of students who graduate from college. Indeed, increasing graduation rates generate unintended consequences that may increase the equity gap. We use California State University’s (CSU) practices as a case study of the national obsession with graduation rates and include a crucial focus on the differential and adverse impact of those practices. We recommend other goals as better measures of student success, such as increased completion rates and lower attrition rates during the first year of college, especially for first-generation and underrepresented students. Our aim is to encourage those in higher education to refocus their attention on the true aims of a college degree.

scholarly journals Team Teaching an Interdisciplinary First-Year Seminar on Magic, Religion, and the Origins of Science: A ‘Pieces-to-Picture’ Approach

2017 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 24-36 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melati Nungsari ◽  
Maia Christine Dedrick ◽  
Shaily Patel
Keyword(s):  
Case Studies ◽  
Team Teaching ◽  
Interdisciplinary Team ◽  
First Year ◽  
Interdisciplinary Teaching ◽  
First Year Seminar ◽  
Analyze Case

Interdisciplinary teaching has been advocated as a means to foster cooperation between traditionally separate fields and broaden students’ perspectives in the classroom. We explored the pedagogical difficulties of interdisciplinary team teaching through a first-year seminar in magic, religion, and the origins of science. Although many accounts in the literature suggest a more cohesive approach to interdisciplinary teaching, we first introduced the separate fields, their methodologies, and limitations before combining the insights from all three fields to analyze case studies relating to the main themes of the course. In this case study, we reflect on how this ‘pieces-to-picture’ method reduced student confusion when confronted with several disciplines in our classroom.

scholarly journals Student Experiences in an Online First-Year Seminar Paired with Remedial Mathematics

2020 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Max Walling
Keyword(s):  
Developmental Mathematics ◽  
Remedial Mathematics ◽  
Course Delivery ◽  
Student Experiences ◽  
First Year ◽  
Motivating Factors ◽  
Collective Case Study ◽  
Study Approach ◽  
First Year Seminar

Educational research has explored the influence of first-year seminars, online course delivery, and developmental coursework on first-year student success, yet there is limited research on how these educational components intersect. A collective case study approach was used to explore the experiences of students enrolled in an online first-year seminar that was paired with a developmental mathematics course. Students reported different motivating factors and expectations for enrolling in the course, yet all expressed a desire to improve their academic performance and confidence. These results help to inform how delivery of an online FYS can support the goals of students and institutions.

Worldbuilding, Gaming, and Multiliteracies in an Online First-Year Seminar

2022 ◽  
pp. 220-247
Author(s):  
Brian Angus McKenzie
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Online Learning ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Role Playing ◽  
First Year ◽  
Practical Advice ◽  
Role Playing Games ◽  
Irish Context ◽  
First Year Seminar

This chapter provides a case study of the use of worldbuilding for role-playing games as the foundation for a first year multiliteracies seminar. The author provides an overview of teaching and learning during the pandemic in the Irish context. The chapter provides practical advice on using a MediaWiki installation as the infrastructure for worldbuilding projects. The author shows how this imparts important digital literacies and allows for a critical apprehension of Wikipedia itself. The author argues that online learning and professional development benefit from a multiliteracies approach and, furthermore, that worldbuilding is a useful strategy for overcoming the limitations of online learning while at the same time achieving rigorous learning outcomes.

Employing Mean-End-Chains theory to explore students’ values from school’s image characteristics - A case study of a business school in Ho Chi Minh City

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 156-171
Author(s):  
Le Hoai Kieu Giang ◽  
Dau Xuan Truong ◽  
Le Thi Quynh ◽  
Le Thi Thanh Xuan
Keyword(s):  
Educational Institutions ◽  
First Year ◽  
First Year Students ◽  
Image Characteristics ◽  
Psychosocial Consequences ◽  
Perceived Values ◽  
Functional Consequences ◽  
Research Findings

The literature shows that there are studies on students’ choices when enrolling in an institution. The findings from these studies help High Educational Institutions (HEIs) to improve their enrollment. However, not much literature explains how students (as consumers) explain the values they can get from HEIs’ image attributes. The present study employs Mean-End Chain (MEC) theory to explore students’ values by identifying attributes of HEIs images attributes from their perceptions with the following objectives: (1) to explore attributes of the selected school’s image from students’ perspectives, (2) to explore the connections between these attributes and values of individual students through consequences from these attributes. The soft-laddering interview is the method to collect data, and participants are first-year students who have just enrolled in the selected school in the last national enrollment in 2020. The research findings show that there are 12 attributes, which drive to eight values through 23 consequences (13 functional consequences and 10 psychosocial consequences), making students enroll in the selected school. The result from HVM states that there are five significant A-C-V linkages to explain which attributes have the most influence on students’ choice, and how these attributes affect their perceived values. Finally, the study also proposes suggestions for institutions to promote their enrollment practices and increase the quality of their enrolments.

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