A Comparative Study Assessing In-Person and Online Co-curricular FYE Courses in Business Classes

Abstract

This research expands on previous findings that co-curricular First-Year Experience (FYE) courses have significant positive impact on first-year business students’ academic performance and university transition. We adapted an existing co-curricular FYE course into an online course and assessed the academic performance, and university transition in comparison to our already successful in-person model. A multilevel modeling analysis shows that online students are experiencing increased university belongingness and successful time management abilities with the course relative to in-person students. In-person students faired better in terms of overall academic performance and transition. Importantly, online students are less likely to perceive their transition as successful, and students with more educational barriers (e.g., financial concerns, lack of social support, generational trauma, etc.) perceive less success regarding their transition. Further, when students have increased sense of belonging, higher self-efficacy, and time management abilities we see an increase in their perceived transition success in the co-curricular FYE courses. Our results suggest that we have been able to adapt these courses to an online learning environment, which is crucial given the realities of a post-pandemic circumstances.