College Student Identity Research Articles

“It’s not a matter of choice”: the intersectional and systemic nature of college food insecurity

ABSTRACT This study investigated college food insecurity as a systemic health communication and public health issue and examined how college students’ unique intersecting identities relate to their experiences of college food insecurity. Phenomenological interviews were conducted with 22 students who self-identified as being food-insecure. Results from a thematic analysis yielded three themes directly related to intersectionality and college food insecurity being a systemic issue: (a) Identity’s Influence on College Food Insecurity, (b) College Student Identity as a Marginalizing Identity, and (c) Institutional Responsibility. These themes explain how micro-level identities and the macro-level power structure of higher education function together in sustaining college food insecurity as a systemic issue. By researching college food insecurity as a systemic issue and placing food-insecure student voices at the center, this study is a steppingstone to one day eradicating a public health epidemic that is negatively affecting the lives of many college students.

Narrative construction of vocational identity in university students: The role of influential experiences and significant others in the framework of cultural psychology

This study sought to understand the process of construction of the vocational identity of university students. Assuming cultural psychology as a theoretical reference, a qualitative methodology was adopted, with a narrative perspective. In-depth interviews were conducted with 20 participants, male and female engineering, and psychology students from two universities in Colombia about their exploration process, choice, commitment, and reconsideration to the career. In the findings the vocational identity emerges as a product of the negotiation of meanings between the personal dimension and the social dimension of individuals, which allows them to intentionally orient their actions towards the achievement of their life goals. In turn, the negotiation between these two dimensions occurs through psychosocial processes derived from the influential experiences and interactions with significant others. These processes facilitate the appropriation of the folk psychology of a socio-cultural context, a background of meanings about occupational and/or educational practices on which the vocational identity is configured. It is concluded that vocational identity is a process in constant formation shaped by a social scaffolding mechanism; namely, support structures that provided by the relational resource in the context of everyday interactions and that assist in the configuration of vocational identity of young people. It has an important organizing function of experiences, emotions, cognitions, and actions in the occupational and educational spheres. The conceptual model validated by the findings allows understanding the process of negotiation of identity meanings and the construction of possible vocational worlds.

Research on the Forming of Mainstream Ideology Among College Students in the Era of “Short Video”

Short videos, with their micro, fragmented, and diversified narrative methods, are profoundly changing the behavior and thinking patterns of users, and the mainstream ideological battlefield has been unprecedentedly impacted. The short video platform magnifies the characteristics of information dissemination in the Internet era. All users are both content publishers and content receivers, and the amount and speed of information dissemination are growing geometrically. Secondly, on the basis of producing a large number of short videos of the main theme, technological changes are utilized to fully improve the acceptance and interpretive power of the main theme ideology, providing a practical path for shaping the mainstream ideological identity of college students.

Career orientation and professional identity of vocational college students in China: Basis for career development plan

Career orientation and professional identity of vocational college students in China: Basis for career development plan

ICPE 2022 Special Edition - Editorial

This special issue, in multiple parts, celebrates The International Conference on Physics Education which was held online in late 2022. Its theme was Physics Education: Preparing for the future. In this first part of the special issue, international contributions include Brazil, Czech Republic, Germany, Mexico and U.S.A. This set of papers showcases diverse approaches to physics education studies, from varied perspectives. Investigations include local interventions and reflections, surveys involving hundreds of participants, nationwide audits, and statistically-assisted searching for causal links. A common theme of the papers is ‘thinking and feeling’. How a student engages with physics, and ultimately their success doing physics, is partly determined by whether they self-identify as a ‘physics person’, and by their beliefs about their capability to learn physics. Li and Singh explore relationships between factors that affect physics identity in university students; Goldhorn et al aim to train a physics-specific growth mindset in school students. Developing capability is also the focus of Salazar et al, who have designed a strategy to develop skills in critical thinking and problem-solving in engineering students. Such skills and a positive mindset are highly valuable when facing the inevitable challenges of study and careers. Multiple authors acknowledge perceptions of difficulty as problematic for physics students and instructors. Aiming to connect to the real world of learners, making physics more meaningful, is a strategy to engage students which is discussed in multiple papers. Holubova offers a learning module that relates thermal physics to the achievement of comfortable, energy-efficient buildings for the students’ local environment, after having identified high-school curriculum topics that are the most difficult to teach and learn. Fagerstrom argues for the inclusion of medical physics topics in introductory-to intermediate physics for a range of students, and discusses suitable examples. How humans relate to our universe is a basic spark of connection to physics in many societies. Dos Santos and Nardi contend that emerging research in cultural astronomy has implications for training teachers, in encouraging education that respects cultural differences. Collectively, this group of papers analyses the existing educational situation and contributes strategies to positively affect physics learning outcomes – helping individuals feel that physics is a place for them, and instilling beneficial ways of thinking within the physics space. Thank-you for the efforts of all the authors and reviewers, and the organisers of the conference that inspired these papers. I hope you find this collection of articles stimulates your own thinking about the future of physics education.

Redefining Student Learning Identities

This paper presents a focused examination of a practitioner research case study, honing in on twelve college students in a class of thirty-seven, enrolled in a chemistry course within a blended learning framework. Over the course of two years, the research aimed to delve deeply into the impact of networked learning experiences on the learning identities of these students. Through meticulous exploration using in-depth interviews, significant positive transformations in the learning identities of these twelve students were unearthed. The research question guiding this work was to understand how the blended learning approach, which included an online networked learning component supplementing face-to-face learning, brought about a change in student learning. The study investigated the impact of online participation on the learning identities of the students and how, in turn, the class was generally affected by the transformation of student identities. By examining the interplay between online and face-to-face learning modalities, this research sheds light on the complex dynamics shaping the learning experiences and identities of college students in blended learning environments. Distinctly, the investigation identified two main components of the student learning identity. These are the academic and positional sub-identities. The academic identity transformation was particularly noteworthy, revealing an emergent sense of control, agency, empowerment, and competence as a result of the students embracing online collaborative learning. Simultaneously, the research brought to light changes in the positional identity, encompassing persona-related, acted, and relational identities. The interplay of these identities within the class fostered a profound sense of belonging, of being valued, and connectedness among the students, extending its influence into the face-to-face learning contexts.The findings emphasize that networked learning collaborative skills not only enhance traditional educational practices but also play a key role in effecting positive changes in students' learning identities. The integration of online collaborative learning within traditional educational settings emerged as a catalyst for fundamental transformations in how students perceive and engage with their learning processes. The research contributes to knowledge on the impact of digital pedagogies on learning identities and suggests that educators can use online collaborative learning experiences to cultivate a more profound impact on students' learning identities and engagement, thereby enriching both theory and practice in education. It offers valuable insights on fostering dynamic and empowered learning environments to educators.

DIGITAL HISTORICAL MEMORY AND CIVIC IDENTITY OF STUDENTS IN THE REGION

The article poses the problem of the need to study the influence of digitalization on the formation of the historical memory of young people. Based on data from an online questionnaire (multi-stage combined sample, n = 700), the main vectors of constructing digital historical memory and its influence on the formation of civic identity of college and university students are presented using the example of the Republic of Mordovia. The calculation of the “digital historical memory” index made it possible to determine the directions of digital memory influence on the young people self-identity and on the assessment of the main factors of civic identity. A statistically significant relationship was revealed between the choice of “new media” as a source of historical memory formation and such indicators as age, level of education received. The objectives of the study also included the study of memory nodes (selection of the most significant events from the history of the country), digital practices (activities related to historical Internet resources and portals). The article makes an attempt to sociologically comprehend the production of digital historical memory in modern conditions, which, on the one hand, is hyperconnective, i.e. accessible to a large number of users and hyper-meditated - formed on the basis of various and many sources, and on the other hand, there is a great risk of producing a fake story and its different versions, far from scientific character and objectivity, The authors make the assumption, based on the data obtained, that in the new geopolitical conditions the influence of the “digital memory” index on the formation of Russian identity among young people can be described as positive, although this issue requires further research.

Exploring the Personal Identity of College Students With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

Emerging adulthood is a period of human development ripe for personal identity exploration and a college campus can be a conducive environment for this to take place. Historically, many transition-age adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) have been denied access to college, but with the rise in inclusive postsecondary education (IPSE) programs across the country, that is changing. This study uses a combination of semi-structured interviews and photo elicitation discussions with 11 emerging adults enrolled in a southeastern IPSE program to better understand how these individuals understand and express their personal identity as well as the contextual factors contributing to their experiences with personal identity. Using thematic analysis, we uncovered seven salient themes across the data, including a theme related to the complicated nature of the participants’ disability identity.

Identity in university students: The semiotic work of making sense of yourself

The development of a deepened sense of self in young adults is a complex process. In this paper, we report on an interdisciplinary research project on identity formation among students at the University of the Free State from the perspective of semiotic work. Based on work in psychology and semiotics, we interviewed fifty-seven students about their identity. In particular, we asked students to bring along ‘something’ that they thought represents their identity, and we asked them to explain their choice. We first performed a semiotic analysis on the representations the students brought and then coded their motivations for themes. We found identity formation along the lines suggested by existing literature, with themes related to the importance of finding both an authentic and relational sense of self in a growth process that contains elements of hardship and strength. The study did, however, find two points of interests, namely the fact that very few students brought a material representation with them as well as the fact that students oscillated between resilience and succumbing to pressure.

Autism and sexual and gender minority identity in college students: Examination of self-reported rates, functional outcomes, and treatment engagement.

Autistic individuals and those who identify with a sexual and/or gender minority are both at risk for various mental health concerns and related impairments. However, the connection between autism and sexual and/or gender minorities and mental health and functional outcomes is not clear. Here, we provide evidence of these connections by analyzing data from a large nationally representative dataset from the American College Health Association-National College Health Assessment III. We found that autistic college students who identify with both sexual and gender minorities reported the highest rates of stress, academic, and mental health concerns including suicidality when compared with autistic college students with or without a sexual and/or gender minority. In addition, college students with at least two identities, such as autism and a sexual minority identity or both a sexual and gender minority identity, reported the next highest rates of concern. These findings affirm the need for mental healthcare providers to consider the intersections of a sexual and gender minority identities in non-autistic and, especially, in autistic college students to develop and provide better support and resources.

Autism, gender, and identity in college students

PurposeThis study aims to investigate how assigned female at birth (AFAB) autistic individuals view their autism and gender identities and their relationships.MethodsThis is a qualitative, interview-based study of 10 college students who identify as autistic and were assigned female at birth. Participants shared their experiences with autism diagnosis, gender identity, and navigating their sense of self.ResultsThe study found four themes: (i) Many types of diagnosis obstacles exist, as do mitigating factors for some of these obstacles; (ii) Various motives led participants to camouflage, but negative effects motivated many to reduce camouflaging behavior; (iii) Autism is related to both perceptions and enactions of gender; and (iv) Autism impacts identity in multiple ways outside of gender.ConclusionThis study makes observations and raises questions about autism’s relationships with gender and transgender identities. This study largely agrees with and builds on patterns found in the existing literature while adding the voices of autistic individuals to the literature.

Christian privilege and American higher education: A historical framing

AbstractThis introductory chapter provides a framing of non‐Christian students in higher education. It begins by providing data on the current contexts on the religious identities of college students. Additionally, the chapter examines the concept of Christian privilege and how religious discrimination is institutionalized in the organizational structures of higher education. Primarily, this chapter is a historical overview of the marginalization of non‐Christian students on colleges and universities. From the time the colleges and universities were founded, Christianity has been embedded in the function and mission of higher education. This has led to the continual marginalization of non‐Christian students throughout history. The chapter concludes with an overview of the volume.Practical Takeaways Non‐Christian students are increasing in numbers on campuses. Because of this, campus leaders must understand their unique needs and religious identities to create positive campus climates. Christianity is embedded in the organizational structures of higher education. The academic calendar, curriculum, and dining options are tangible manifestations of Christian privilege. This system of Chistian privilege can force non‐Christian students to experience feelings of powerlessness, exploitation, and marginalization that are similar to what other marginalized groups endure. The current system that favors Christianity in higher education has a long history in American higher education and non‐Christian students have encountered outright discrimination and oppression since the beginning of the first colleges and universities.

Research on the Influence Mechanism of New Mainstream Films on the Cultural Identity of College Students in Western Universities

The role of new mainstream films in the dissemination of mainstream values has become more and more prominent in the context of new media, and college students, as one of the audiences of new mainstream films, also play an important role as the disseminators of mainstream culture. Using the grounded theory as a guide, 20 students from a university in the western region were selected as samples, and semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted. Nvivo12 Plus software was used to sort out and integrate the interview data, to refine the relevant concepts and categories, and to construct a model of the influence mechanism of new mainstream films on the cultural identities of students in western universities. The study finds that the evolution of new mainstream films on the cultural identity of college students in western universities can be divided into four stages: In terms of film dissemination: technological empowerment, promoting cultural waves; In terms of plot setting: rooted in reality, shaping positive cognition; In terms of cultural expression: subtle influence, enhance character cultivation; In terms of far-reaching impact: innovative expression, planting the seeds of culture. Grasping the internal logic of the mechanism is not only conducive to the dissemination of the mainstream value kernel of the film, but also to the cultivation of the socialist core values of young college students as well as the deeper cultural identity of the country.

Examining the Nexus Between Local Governance Structures and College Students’ Cultural Identity and Confidence-Take Zhejiang as an Example

In order to give full play to the advantages of local governance structure, it is necessary to explore the influence of governance structure on college students' cultural identity and self-confidence. In this paper, a questionnaire survey was conducted on four college students in Zhejiang Province, and the regression analysis method was used to analyze the survey data. Based on the results, from the perspective of local governance structure, the relationship between local governance structure and college students' cultural identity and self-confidence is demonstrated. This paper puts forward the following hypotheses: first, whether the structure of local autonomy has an impact on the cultural identity of college students; second, whether the relationship between college students' identity and self-confidence is independent; thirdly, whether the local self-control structure can improve the self-confidence of college students; Finally, the influence and degree of local self-government structure and cultural identity of college students on college students' self-confidence. The results show that the local structure can improve the cultural level of college students, with an increase of about 10.5%, and the impact on the cultural self-confidence of college students is relatively small, indicating that there is a correlation between cultural identity and local governance structure, and the correlation between cultural self-confidence is small, and the relationship between cultural identity and self-confidence is independent. The reason for this is that the short-term effect of the local governance structure is significant, and the long-term effect is not good, so it is necessary to cooperate with social participation measures, university system and other measures to enhance students' cultural self-confidence.

The Influence Mechanism of Curriculum Ideology Politics on College Students' National Identity: The Role of Cultural Confidence and School Climate

Based on a questionnaire survey of 560 college students, this paper examined the relationship between the curriculum ideology politics function and college students' national identity, as well as the mediating and moderating effects of cultural confidence and school climate. The results showed that there was a significant positive correlation between the curriculum ideology politics function and the national identity of college students, and that cultural confidence could significantly mediated the relationship between the curriculum ideology politics function and the national identity of college students, that is, the curriculum ideology politics could enhance college students' cultural confidence, thereby enhancing college students' national identity; This mediating path was moderated by school climate, that is, the curriculum ideology politics mainly played an indirect effect through cultural confidence, especially when the perceived school climate was low. These results showed that cultural confidence was an important intermediary process of the curriculum ideology politics affecting college students' national identity, and the high school climate was conducive to promoting the ideological and political function of the curriculum.

Knowing, Being, and Doing Gender and Leadership: A Critical Feminist Exploration of College Students’ Gender and Leadership Identity Development

Through an instrumental case study from a critical feminist lens, we explored college student gender and leadership identity development in a gender and leadership focused course. We examined FemCrit perspectives on knowing (exploration of socialization), being (reflection on identity development), and doing (recognition of gender performance and action of disruption) gender and leadership. We found indications that higher education professionals need to integrate gender and leadership socialization reflection. They should also create developmentally appropriate spaces for students from differing racial/gender identities to explore their gender and leadership understanding. Finally, educators should support students in capacity-building for recognizing performative gendered structures in leadership and encourage students to take action to disrupt and reconstruct leadership from a gender expansive frame.

A Study on the Stylistic Transformation and Identity of College Students

A Study on the Stylistic Transformation and Identity of College Students

Research on Strategies to Enhance Professional Identity of Undergraduate Preschool Education Normal College Students

Research on Strategies to Enhance Professional Identity of Undergraduate Preschool Education Normal College Students

Research on the Path of Integrating Chinese Traditional Culture in Civic and Political Education in Colleges and Universities Toward the Implicit Logic Construction of Emotional Identity Enhancement

Abstract Chinese traditional culture, as an important part of enhancing cultural self-confidence, needs to be further integrated into the existing ideological education of colleges and universities in order to improve students’ cultural self-confidence. This paper centers on the research of the excellent Chinese traditional cultural identity of contemporary college students, supported by multidisciplinary theoretical knowledge. It constructs a Chinese outstanding conventional culture identity system through the entropy power method and hierarchical analysis method. After that, the questionnaire survey method is used to collect data to statistically analyze the content, the mathematical statistics method is used to verify the results, and the logical analysis method is used to construct the specific framework of the article, which demonstrates the influence of the integration of Chinese traditional culture into the teaching of ideology and politics in colleges and universities on students’ cultural self-confidence and emotional identity. The empirical analysis shows that in the 1087 sample Chinese traditional culture Civics courses, the average score of cultural self-confidence of the sample college students is 3.8406, and the average score of cultural identity is 3.6766. Through learning and experiencing Chinese traditional culture, college students deepen their recognition of the integration of Chinese traditional culture into ideological and political courses and enhance their cultural self-confidence and emotional identity.

Research on the Influence of College Ideological and Political Education on Students’ Mental Health Based on Deep Learning

Abstract Psychological health education is the main battlefield for promoting the mental health of college students. This article studies the impact of ideological and political education in universities on the mental health of college students. Research on Student Mental Health Based on DL. A student emotion recognition model based on DL (deep learning) has been established. The separable CNN (Convolutional neural network) is used to detect the face in the image, and the face is located and tracked through the tracker. After normalizing the facial image, it is input into a deep separable CNN for classification. The results indicate that the regression equation can explain 74.106% of the total variation. The political characteristics of Demographics characteristics have a significant impact on college students’ political entity identity, while gender, grade, and major have no significant impact on college students’ Party identification. Social practice and campus culture have a significant positive impact on the political entity identity of college students. Compared with traditional machine learning-based emotion recognition methods, the classification accuracy of the proposed method in this paper has been improved by 8.036%, and research based on DL technology has significant advantages in accuracy.