scholarly journals The Second-Year Retention Effect of Early Enrollment in a First-Year Seminar

2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tyrone E. McKoy
Keyword(s):  
Community College ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Average Treatment Effect ◽  
Retention Rates ◽  
First Year ◽  
First Semester ◽  
Percentage Point Increase ◽  
Second Year ◽  
New Community ◽  
First Year Seminar

Is early enrollment in a qualified first-year seminar (FYS) positively associated with second-year retention rates of new community college students? A large mid-Atlantic community college (MAC) believes that it is, and this belief is the basis for the hypothesis being tested in this research. Beginning in 2010, new first-time college and degree-seeking students were required to enroll in the newly developed FYS course in the first semester of attendance. Students who complied with this policy over the years 2010-2013 were matched on an array of observable and unobservable variables with similar students from the prior years 2006-2009 using the propensity-score matching (PSM) method. Using a logistic regression model, it was estimated that average treatment effect was a statistically significant positive impact of a 6.07 percentage-point increase in the likelihood of being retained into the second year. This result is in line with a common, but not universal, belief in the theory and other research that suggests that enrollment in a FYS would have such an effect. Although there are clear limitations to this result, the implications are positive for the community college that adopted this new policy and for the students it serves. 

scholarly journals Impact of first-year seminar on student engagement, awareness, and general attitudes toward higher education

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 15-30 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bothaina A. Al-Sheeb ◽  
Mahmoud Samir Abdulwahed ◽  
Abdel Magid Hamouda
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Student Engagement ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
First Year ◽  
Content Type ◽  
College Of Law ◽  
First Year Seminars ◽  
Campus Resources ◽  
The Impact ◽  
First Year Seminar

Purpose This study intends to add to the existing body of literature on the impact of a newly implemented first year seminar in the College of Law and Business. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the effects the course have on students in regard to three aspects: student awareness and utilization of resources, interaction patterns, as well as, general interests and attitudes toward higher education. Design/methodology/approach The methodology of the assessment included analysis of a survey that has been conducted by the end of Spring 2014 semester. A quasi-experimental design was implemented to measure the impact of the intervention on students’ awareness and utilization of resources, interactions, general interests, and attitudes toward higher education. Through the SPSS application, the Mann Whitney U Test, and χ2 tests were used to check for significant differences while comparing the means or frequencies for both groups. For the three questions, the authors have used the 90 percent confidence level and the standard significance level p-value of 0.05 or less for statistical analysis. Findings The results indicated that the course had a highly significant positive impact on student attitudes and awareness of campus resources but had less significant impact on student interactions and utilization of resources. The results in this study reveal a positive impact for the first-year seminar course on student satisfaction and attitudes toward higher education as well as their awareness of campus resources. However, in terms of the course impact on student interaction, results conveyed that students who have participated in the first-year seminar course show a slightly better interaction rate with instructors, academic advisors, and close friends than those in the control group. Research limitations/implications The main limitation of this study was that the sample was small. Nonetheless, it has provided valuable insights into the understanding of the social and academic impact of first-year seminars on student engagement; through the use of comparison groups, this study increased the validity of prior research. Practical implications The first-year seminar course evaluated in this study demonstrated the potential to support and enhance student social and academic engagement during the first year of college. Based on the results in this study, the study team recommended some revisions to the current first-year seminar model (UNIV P100 Skills for University Success). The team proposed three models for subsequent first-year seminars at this university. Originality/value This study adds to the existing literature by examining the impact of a newly implemented first-year seminar course at the College of Law and Business at this university on both academic and non-academic aspects from the students’ perspective. These aspects were selected as retention and GPA effects have been widely explored; therefore, the focus is on the less studied emotional and social factors associated with student success and retention. The results from this study can act as a guide for universities intending to introduce a first-year seminar course as it gives clear guidelines on design, content, and course implementation, which can be useful in enhancing general student motivation and attitudes toward academic study and higher education in general.

Time Perspective and Grade Expectations as Predictors of Student Achievement and Retention in the First Year of Community College

2020 ◽  
pp. 152102512096067
Author(s):  
Taylor W. Acee ◽  
Meagan A. Hoff ◽  
Darolyn A. Flaggs ◽  
Breana Sylvester
Keyword(s):  
Community College ◽  
Economically Disadvantaged ◽  
First Generation ◽  
Time Perspective ◽  
Motivational Factors ◽  
First Year ◽  
Student Background ◽  
First Semester ◽  
Orientation Course ◽  
Hispanic Serving

The authors examined three motivational factors (first-year grade expectations, present-focused time perspective, and future-focused time perspective) as predictors of achievement and retention outcomes for students ( N = 844) in their first semester at a predominately Hispanic-serving community college, accounting for student background characteristics. In this correlation research study, instructors administered surveys to students in a required first-year orientation course. Survey data was then merged with institutional data. The results of the multiple regression analysis suggested that first-year grade expectations, present-focused time perspective, age, ethnicity, first-generation status, and academically underprepared status were statistically significant predictors of first-semester GPA and explained 9.0% of the variation, whereas future-focused time perspective, sex, and economically disadvantaged status were not. First-year grade expectations and economically disadvantaged status significantly predicted second-semester retention; the other study predictors did not. This study expands research on malleable motivational factors educators could target to support students in their first year of community college.

scholarly journals Exploring Biology: A Vision and Change Disciplinary First-Year Seminar Improves Academic Performance in Introductory Biology

2018 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. ar22 ◽  
Author(s):  
Caroline J. Wienhold ◽  
Janet Branchaw
Keyword(s):  
Academic Performance ◽  
Academic Success ◽  
Research University ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
First Year ◽  
Academic Skill ◽  
Introductory Biology ◽  
Core Concepts ◽  
Introductory Biology Course ◽  
First Year Seminar

The transition to college is challenging for most students, especially those who aspire to major in the science, technology, engineering, or mathematics disciplines, in which introductory courses can be large and instruction less than optimal. This paper describes a novel, disciplinary first-year seminar (FYS) course, Exploring Biology, designed to address many of the challenges facing aspiring biology students beginning their academic careers at a large public research university. The course addresses typical FYS goals, such as community building, introduction to resources, and academic skill development, and introduces students to the core concepts of biology defined in the 2011 Vision and Change report. Relative to a matched comparison group of students, Exploring Biology alumni were retained at higher rates and had higher levels of academic performance in a subsequent introductory biology course, suggesting Exploring Biology has a positive impact on future academic performance in the discipline. Results from course evaluations and an alumni survey show that, overall, students valued both the FYS components and biology components of the course. These results provide evidence that the Exploring Biology disciplinary FYS model is an intervention that may increase academic success and retention in biology.

scholarly journals Pengembangan Program Usaha Ekonomis Produktif dalam Pemberdayaan Perempuan di Kabupaten Sumenep

2019 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 148
Author(s):  
Dwi Listia Rika Tini
Keyword(s):  
Rural Areas ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
First Year ◽  
Analysis Method ◽  
Business Programs ◽  
Business Program ◽  
Program Policy ◽  
Second Year ◽  
The Village

This study aims to explain the Development of Productive Economic Business Programs in Sumenep Regency in the context of empowering women and improving the quality of women as development resources.  The Development of Productive Economic Business Program is an effort of Sumenep Regency in order to build a better economy going forward related to the village economy.  The method used in this study is a qualitative analysis method in which references are the basis for analysis.  The Productive Economic Business Program Policy in Sumenep Regency is implemented under the auspices of the Community and Women's Empowerment Agency (BPMP) in the form of craftsmen business groups that utilize Natural Resources and Human Resources in each Village.  This phase of UEP development activities is carried out through an empowerment process carried out over a period of 3 (three) years and the phasing plans are 1) First Year (2013), namely the Growth Stage;  2) Second Year (2014) Development Phase and 3) Third Year (2015) Independence Phase.  From the UEP development activities that have a positive impact on women in rural areas, they can make money and help husbands without having to work far outside the home.

The Impact of Clustering First Year Seminars with English Composition Courses on New Students' Retention Rates

2001 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 137-152 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer L. Crissman
Keyword(s):  
Retention Rates ◽  
English Composition ◽  
Future Research ◽  
First Year ◽  
Independent College ◽  
Composition Course ◽  
New Students ◽  
First Year Seminars ◽  
The Impact ◽  
First Year Seminar

Research has shown that two effective programs that positively impact upon new students' retention are first year seminars and clustering two or more academic courses together. This article discusses the results of one institution's approach to increasing student retention. The study analyzed the impact of clustering a first year seminar with an English composition course on new students' retention rates at a small, independent college in the northeast. The study, using multivariate regression models, showed no statistical difference in retention rates between students taking a clustered first year seminar and students taking a nonclustered first year seminar. This article discusses reasons that may account for the inconsistency with the literature, and closes with implications of the study and future research ideas.

Using Student Drawings to Understand the First-Year Experience

2017 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 202-220 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michele C. Everett
Keyword(s):  
Exploratory Study ◽  
Research Method ◽  
Study Data ◽  
First Year Experience ◽  
First Year ◽  
First Semester ◽  
Visual Research ◽  
Students First ◽  
Undeclared Students ◽  
First Year Seminar

This article reports on an exploratory study that investigated the use of student drawings as a visual research method to understand the first-year experience. A total of 31 undeclared students enrolled in a first-year seminar participated in the study. Data generated from pre- and postdrawings of students’ first semester paths were analyzed to identify emergent themes and understand experience at the group and individual levels. Findings provide novel insights about the first-year experience from the student’s perspective. These new understandings have important implications that may help institutions shape and strengthen retention efforts at the student, classroom, and program levels.

scholarly journals Integrating scientific with histologic and embryologic competencies

2021 ◽  
Vol 106 (106(813)) ◽  
pp. 152-156
Author(s):  
A.E. D’Ottavio-Cattani
Keyword(s):  
Professional Practice ◽  
Medical Curriculum ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
First Year ◽  
Scientific Training ◽  
Elapsed Time ◽  
Second Year ◽  
Trained Teachers ◽  
Curricular Transformation ◽  
Scientific Competencies

Objective: Given the relevance of scientific training in undergraduates whatever their future professional practice and viewing that consistent bibliographic usually limit scientific training to a component of the medical curriculum, this approach intends to go a step further seizing each discipline of the medical curriculum for developing progressively scientific competencies. In this context, a strategy, integrating scientific and disciplinary competencies (in this case, Histology and Embryology), is presented Material and Method: The strategy was applied for fifteen years to 2000 ± 500 students per year while they were studying Histology and Embryology, one of the first-year disciplines. It included planning steps carried out by Ph.D. professors as well as the implementing and evaluating ones in charge of these professors and properly trained teachers Results: Averages of percentages of enrolled students who did not start the course, who dropped out before being able to take the final disciplinary evaluation, who could take it and who were promoted to the second year during fifteen years are registered. Likewise, an average of 80% of them satisfied with this strategy and the positive impact on the corresponding competencies of Biology, another first-year discipline, are also recorded. Conclusions: This strategy, implemented between 1986 and 2001, proved viable and fruitfully relevant until a curricular transformation limited its continuation without generating its equivalent replacement. Beyond the elapsed time since then and the reasons hindering its full accomplishment, this long-standing approach is rescued so that it may eventually be considered and improved by those who may value it profitably for their curricula.

The First-Year Seminar: A Program Evaluation of Students’ Public-Affairs Awareness

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Competence ◽  
Community Engagement ◽  
Ethical Leadership ◽  
Public Affairs ◽  
First Year ◽  
State University ◽  
First Semester ◽  
The Public ◽  
The University ◽  
First Year Seminar

Similar to the public-welfare aim of many universities, Missouri State University (MSU) was granted a specific statewide public affairs mission in 1995 comprising three pillars: community engagement, cultural competence, and ethical leadership. Since the implementation of this mission, the university has engaged in various efforts to promote and foster public-affairs awareness among students, including through its first-year seminar (FYS). This article details a study conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the FYS in enhancing students’ public-affairs awareness. The researchers solicited input from students in the first and last weeks of their first semester at MSU using the Public Affairs Scale–Short Survey (PAS-SS) as well as other questions. The study sample consisted of 540 students who completed both the pre- and post-surveys. The researchers found that students’ public-affairs awareness in the cultural competence domain increased during the FYS program, but not in community engagement or ethical leadership. Additionally, there were significant differences in public-affairs awareness over time between first-generation students enrolled in specialized sections and those who were not. No significant differences were found in public-affairs awareness between faculty- and staff-taught sections or between sections with a peer leader and those without. The article concludes with a brief discussion of the study findings and a consideration of implications for future practice.

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