The Impact of Transfer Shock in a Dental Hygiene Program at a Four-Year Health-Sciences University

Health-sciences medical universities that host dental hygiene programs typically work on the model of offering upper division coursework, meaning that they enroll only students who complete their first two years at a different institution. The current study investigated the impact of ‘transfer shock’ on students who transferred into a dental hygiene program from community colleges compared to those transferring from four-year universities. This included testing for differences between student grade point average and NBDHE pass rates for the two groups of transfer students. A total of 166 students who graduated from a dental hygiene program at a mid-southern health-sciences university from 2014-2018 were included in the study. The subjects were placed into two groups by the location of their lower division courses: community college or four-year university. Paired t-tests suggested the presence of transfer shock for both groups. First-attempt pass rates: 95.5%, with a program GPA of 3.12 for the community college group and 98%, with a program GPA of 3.27 for the four-year university group. Transfer shock did occur in the program in the study, so program administrators in dental hygiene academic units should be aware of the impact of transfer and help build bridges that support students to aid in their success.

Transfer Shock

Transfer students have gained the attention of higher education administrators and policy-makers because of the high level of transfer activity (National Center for Educational Statistics, 2011). The phenomenon known as transfer shock is the overall integration difficulty transfer students face (Hills, 1965). This study examined Ball State University (BSU) transfer students in their first year and how to predict posttransfer GPA and 6-year graduation based on previous institution cumulative GPA, age, sex, previous institution type, and BSU college. Regression analyses were used to make predictive models for posttransfer GPA and 6-year graduation. The sample consisted of 1,857 entering transfer students. Previous institution cumulative GPA averaged 2.994, while the average posttransfer GPA was 1.681. Nearly 60% of the sample achieved 6-year graduation. Each model found most of the observed variables to be statistically significant predictors. When applied to the data, the 6-year graduation prediction model correctly predicted 6-year graduation 79.6% of the time.

Natural regeneration of conifers on the area of forest plantations

Создание лесных культур – важная часть лесовосстановительных мероприятий в лесохозяйственном производстве. Не всегда и не везде искусственное лесовосcтановление оказывается эффективным. Основными причинами этого являются некачественная обработка почвы и несоблюдение схемы посадки (расстояние между бороздами и между растениями в борозде), несоблюдение сроков посадки и отсутствие предусмотренных уходов, т. е. в целом, нарушается технология создания лесных культур. Следствием этого часто является низкая приживаемость и невысокая сохранность лесных культур. С другой стороны, обработка почвы под лесные культуры – это так же и эффективная мера содействия естественному возобновлению не только для лиственных, но и для хвойных пород. Самосев не испытывает пересадочного шока, как сеянцы и саженцы, и поэтому рост и развитие подроста происходит естественным образом, более динамично. На богатых почвах наиболее успешно идет возобновление ели и лиственных пород. Сосна в этих условиях вытесняется мощным травостоем и густым подростом лиственных пород. Главная причина этого – гелиофильность сосны. По динамике роста самосев хвойных пород нередко опережает лесные культуры. Особенно отчетливо это проявляется в первые годы после создания лесных культур, когда высаженные сеянцы или саженцы испытывают пересадочный шок и адаптируются к новым условиям места произрастания, а самосев наоборот, не испытывая никакой конкуренции со стороны травостоя в первые годы после обработки почвы успешно растет. Если подготовка почвы была проведена в год обильного урожая семян хвойных, то количество самосева по численности во много раз превосходит лесные культуры любой густоты. Кроме самосева, на любой вырубке присутствует определенное количество подроста, сохранившегося после проведения рубки. В отдельных случаях доля подроста предварительного возобновления в составе молодняков достигает по численности 25–30%. Появление самосева и подроста на площадях лесных культур связано со множеством сопутствующих факторов. В первую очередь – это количество семян поступающих на обработанную почву. Второй фактор по важности – качество обработки почвы, а именно – степень ее минерализации. Третий, не менее важный фактор – условия произрастания, тип лесорастительных условий. Четвертый – конкуренция со стороны травостоя и молодняка лиственных пород. Creation of forest plantations is an important part of reforestation activities in forestry production. Not always and everywhere an artificial forest plantations is effective. The main reasons for this are not high quality soil preparation and failure to comply with the scheme of planting (distance between furrows and between plants in the furrow), the non-observance of timing of planting and the lack of prescribed treatments, i.e., in General, violated the technology of creation of forest plantations. The result is low survival rate and low safety of forest plantations. On the other hand soil preparation for plantations is an effective measure to promote natural regeneration, not only for hardwood, but also softwood. Self-seeding is not experiencing transfer shock and therefore his growth and development naturally occurs more rapidly. On rich soils the most successful being natural regeneration ate. Pine under these conditions is displaced by a powerful grass and dense hardwood undergrowth. The main reason for this is heliophitos pine. The growing number of self-seeding conifers in all conditions ahead of forest plantations. Especially clearly manifested in the first years after the establishment of forest plantations, planted when the seedlings or saplings are experiencing transfer shock and to adapt to new conditions of growth and self-seeding on the contrary, without competition from the grass in the first years after soil preparation is successfully growing. If soil preparation was carried out in the year an abundant harvest of seeds of conifers, the number of self-seeding in numbers many times greater than forest culture of any density. In addition to the self-seeding on any clearing there is a certain amount of undergrowth is preserved after the cutting. In some cases, the proportion of the undergrowth preliminary renewal in the composition of the young population reaches 25–30%. The appearance of self-sown young growth and undergrowth in the area of forest cultures is due to the many confounding factors. First and foremost is the number of incoming seeds on the prepared soil. The second factor in importance is the quality of the preparation of the soil, namely, the degree of mineralization. The third, equally important factor is the growing conditions, type of site and stand conditions. Fourth – competition from grass and young hardwoods.

Adult transitional theory and transfer shock in higher education: practices from the literature

Purpose This paper aims to outline foundational research on adult transition theory and transfer shock in higher education to provide the reader with a theoretical and practical framework for the library-focused articles in this special issue. Design/methodology/approach This paper is a review of relevant higher education literature related to transfer shock and core research related to adult transitional theory. Findings Transition is a period in-between moments of stability. The state of confusion and disorientation caused by the transition of transfer students from one academic culture to another is a form of culture shock known as transfer shock. “Transfer shock” refers to the decline in academic performance by transfer students immediately following transition to an institution of higher education and the corresponding recovery prevalent for most students in succeeding semesters. Recent studies have expanded the definition of transfer shock to include the academic and social factors that contribute to attrition and lack of degree persistence. Key factors that correlate to transfer students’ success or failure include gender, race, time of transfer, GPA, prior academic success, faculty collaboration, level of engagement with degree program and campus support. Originality/value Although most literature on transfer students published by librarians includes literature reviews citing relevant articles, it lacks an extensive literature review collecting research from social science and education literature.

Transfer Learning Community: Overcoming Transfer Shock and Increasing Retention of Mathematics and Science Majors

The College of Science at Texas A&M University developed a transfer student learning community with one 2-year institution after receiving National Science Foundation funds for scholarships to support students majoring in engineering and science. To date, 89% of the students that matriculated to Texas A&M University under this grant have completed their degrees or are on target to do so. Eighty-three percent of historically underrepresented students supported through the grant have completed their degrees. Lessons learned from success of the grant have been implemented to create a mandatory learning community for every incoming transfer student. Hallmarks of the program include an Academic Boot Camp prior to the start of the semester and monthly meetings. Monthly meetings include intentional advising, campus resources, academic policies, access to peer mentors, and introduction to undergraduate research opportunities. Overall retention rates to the university have risen through this expanded learning community, as have overall grade point averages.