First Year Of Higher Education Research Articles

Academic Capital Formation Upon the Transition to Higher Education: First-Year Students’ Experiences After Participation in a Preacademic Program

The transition from secondary education to the first year of higher education is a phase in which students are faced with many challenges. First-year students may lack the academic capital that is needed to understand explicit and implicit rules of higher education. We investigated students’ participation in a preacademic program and the development of their academic capital. In a mixed method study, we showed that first-year students who participated in a preacademic program perceived peer mentors and teachers to be relevant sources of information, learned how to overcome educational barriers, and became more acquainted with explicit and implicit college requirements.

Navigating transitions: Vietnamese students’ experiences and challenges in the first year of higher education

ABSTRACT This qualitative research delves into the intricate transitional experiences of Vietnamese students during their first year in higher education (HE). Grounded in the dynamically shifting socio-cultural landscape of Vietnam, the study captures the narratives of 15 students, emphasising the unique challenges faced by those from the Mekong Delta region. Utilising a robust analytical blend of sociocultural theory, transition theory, and constructivist grounded theory, the research surfaces seven poignant themes. These are: (1) ‘Cultural Dislocation’, capturing the tension between traditional values and modern, global influences; (2) the ‘Struggle with Academic Independence’ highlighting the challenges of autonomous learning; (3) the intricacies of navigating ‘Interpersonal Dynamics in Diversity’ in a multicultural academic environment; (4) the evident ‘Digital Divide’ accentuating the disparities in technological access and proficiency; (5) the delicate act of ‘Balancing Commitments’ between academic pursuits and deeply rooted familial responsibilities; and (6) the profound ‘Quest for Autonomy and Identity Formation’, signifying the transformative nature of HE as a space for profound self-discovery and personal growth. While offering specific insights into the Vietnamese context, the study resonates with global academic transitions, underscoring the urgent need for holistic educational approaches that address the diverse challenges and aspirations of contemporary students.

Research Trends in Children's Literature and Learning Environments

Objective: The objective is to analyze research trends in children's literature and learning environments in order to identify advances and gaps in knowledge. Method: The method includes an exhaustive review of scientific literature using the PRISMA method. Using the Publish or Perish search engine, which analyzes academic sources and employs a range of citation metrics, it produced a large number of articles selected by high-impact academic sources and recognized research trends on a given topic. Results and Discussion: The results indicate that research on the topic has increased in the last 4 years. Spain is the country that publishes the most on children's literature and learning environments. On the other hand, the analysis of the main categories reveals keywords with higher co-occurrence, such as reading comprehension. However, the least used pedagogical strategies for the promotion of reading are related to computer media, but it turns out to be an innovative strategy. Research Implications: The hermeneutic analysis conducted indicates that Children's literature is a powerful tool that not only propitiates in developing reading-writing skills in early childhood, but also impacts positively on the cognitive, emotional, social and physical development of boys and girls. Originality/Value: Reading comprehension emerges as a central node of study in the research trends, this is aligned with the justification of the analysis, to deepen and mitigate the effects of low reading comprehension in students in their first year of higher education.

The effects of interim feedback on perceptions and outcomes of assessment in a first-year history course

ABSTRACT Research on the first year of higher education (FYHE) has shown that students benefit from scaffolding to ease the transition to university. Constructively aligned assessment and feedback are integral to a scaffolded approach. Low-stakes interim assessments and feedback can reduce uncertainties around higher-stakes assessments and help students meet key learning outcomes. This small-scale study investigated the effects of one-on-one interim feedback conversations (FCs) with students in a first-year modern history course. Two datasets were used and compared. First, the students were surveyed about their perspectives on FCs after they took place. Second, analytics data provided insights into engagement and assessment performance across the cohort. Considering these datasets alongside each other suggests that FCs, though a popular and beneficial feedback mode, are unlikely to override other known success factors. However, the positive reception and apparent benefits of FCs make them a viable option for implementing interim feedback in the FYHE.

Challenges Faced by First-Year Students Based on Individual Identities

This study examines the challenges faced by first-year students at the College of Basic Education, University of Duhok. The research focuses on the impact of individual identities on academic and social integration. A quantitative descriptive methodology was used, employing structured questionnaires. The study reveals a range of obstacles that extend beyond initial expectations and are consistent across gender and departmental lines. The analysis shows that there is a crucial requirement for a support framework that is universally accessible and inclusive, designed to aid students in their transition to higher education. The findings of the study recommend the creation of comprehensive feedback mechanisms and interdepartmental cooperation in the development of support programs. The research emphasizes the significance of acknowledging and addressing the distinct obstacles encountered by students with intersecting marginalized identities. Suggestions for future research involve a more thorough examination of the long-term impacts of these obstacles and the investigation of focused interventions to improve student achievement and well-being. This study adds to the discussion on improving student support services and creating an inclusive academic environment that promotes the growth and development of all students, especially those who are navigating their first year in higher education.

Voices of twice-exceptional students in their first year of higher education

ABSTRACT This study analyzed the trajectories of five twice-exceptional students during their first year of higher education. The aim was to identify the personal and contextual barriers they faced and the enabling factors available to them. Based on a qualitative approach and a multiple-case design, narrative interviews were conducted with the participants. Three main themes emerged from the thematic analysis: (1) higher education learning; (2) twice-exceptional student identity; and (3) educational trajectory. Results revealed that, despite the challenges of higher education transition, participants view the experience positively for its diversity and pluralism, which enable them to access a broad knowledge base, achieve greater self-knowledge, and construct an identity as twice-exceptional students. It also gives them the opportunity to analyze their educational trajectory and the turning points that have shaped it. The results serve to guide twice-exceptional students through their university experience, to ease their transition to higher education, and to promote their academic and socio-emotional well-being. Furthermore, they support the formulation of educational strategies and policies that address the specific needs of twice-exceptional students and promote their academic success in higher education.

Riscos & Desafios (Risk & Challenges) Program in pandemic times: the students’ voice

Background: Preventive interventions are important to delay the onset of high-risk behaviors for young people's health. Regarding emerging adulthood, successful preventive programs are important to avoid high-risk alcohol consumption among university students. Riscos & Desafios (Risk & Challenges) Program is an extracurricular, comprehensive, and multi-component competence enhancement-based preventive intervention designed for students attending the first year of higher education. Goals: This paper aims to give voice to the procedural assessment made by students and to describe the implementation of the Program at the Faculty of Sport of the University of Porto in the second semester of the 2019/2020 school year. This implementation of a previous validated program was innovative twofold, since it has a curriculum infusion format through an optional curricular unit, and because it was developed during the period of lockdown due to COVID-19 pandemic.Methods: This is a mixed-method study that focus on the implementation of the Riscos & Desafios Program during the second semester of 2019/20 academic year. This evaluation of the Riscos & Desafios Program was done with a post-program survey, followed by univariate analysis of frequency. Complementary, an inductive analysis of qualitative data of student’s reflexive reports was carried out, using the QSR-NVIVO 12®.Results: Twenty-three first-year students who participated in the Riscos & Desafios Program constituted the target group of the intervention. Most of the participants were male (n=16) aging between 17 to 21 years. Most attended all the eight sessions and 96% of them participated in seven or more sessions. At the end of the implementation, 23 post-program filled-in questionnaires, and 18 structured reflection reports, were obtained. Most of the students rated the program as very good. Several categories emerged from the thematic analysis of the 18 reports, namely (1) perceived competencies, developed in the program, including the promotion of the social support network, interpersonal and communication skills, problem-solving skills, and their importance, as factors to protect against the development of risk behaviors, (2) personal positive impacts of the program attendance and (3) gains and losses with the transition to online learning format.Discussion: Students’ considerations about the experience with the Riscos & Desafios Program not only reinforced the importance and pertinence of this experience in their life trajectory, but also brought to light its relevance at this pandemic moment.

“Literally I Grew Up” Secondary–Tertiary Transition in Mathematics for Engineering Students beyond the Purely Cognitive Aspects

AbstractHigh dropout rates in the first year of undergraduate studies are an expression of the secondary–tertiary transition problem and they seem to be particularly high in those degree programs where specialized mathematics courses are taught in the first year of study. Research shows that students’ difficulties during the transition period cannot be reduced to purely cognitive factors. In this article, we address the secondary–tertiary transition problem in mathematics for engineering students. Based on a questionnaire with focus beyond the purely cognitive aspects, a comparison of the transition problem at three European mid-sized universities is carried out, to identify common challenges and difficulties, as well as differences. The questionnaire concentrates on the four dimensions (personal, organizational, content related, and social) and corresponding critical requirements for a successful transition described in Trautwein, C., & Bosse, E. (2017). The first year in higher education – critical requirements from the student perspective.Higher Education,73, 371–387. A group of 308 first-year engineering students partook in the study. In the presentation, we highlight students’ perceptions regarding the transition, changes, and challenges they experienced under the above-mentioned four dimensions and discuss similarities and differences between countries.

The interplay of time management and academic self-efficacy and their influence on pre-service teachers’ commitment in the first year in higher education

The first academic year involves a variety of challenges students must overcome to maintain their commitment to enter the teaching profession. Students can build on their initial experience in the second semester, while everything is new in the first semester. This longitudinal study investigates the interplay of academic self-efficacy and time management, which are seen as crucial in the first year, and their effects on pre-service teachers’ commitment to their studies in the first year. By considering three measurement points in a random intercept-cross lagged panel model (RI-CLPM) to data from 579 students, we distinguish for the first time between-person and within-person effects and compare the students’ experiences in the first and second semester. As expected, students with higher self-efficacy were more committed to their studies and reported better time management. We found considerable differences in the relationships between the first and second semesters at the within-person level, revealing that students’ prior time management was not significantly connected with subsequent commitment in the first semester, but in the second semester. Surprisingly, students’ self-efficacy showed a small negative relationship with commitment in both semesters. Theoretical and practical implications for students, lecturers, and higher education institutions are discussed.

Development of digital literacy of a future teacher during the first year of university studies

Introduction. During the last few years, technology and the possibilities of the digital world have been actively entering our lives. It is especially important for a student to master the skills of working in the digital environment during the first year of study at university. During this period students get acquainted with the electronic information environment of the university, develop skills of information retrieval and presentation in various forms; create the basis for creating educational content for students and the ability to work with the already created educational resources. Materials and methods. The method of analyzing the products of activity was used in the practical part of the work to assess the components of students' digital literacy on the basis of their practical work. A total of 230 students of the South Ural State Humanitarian and Pedagogical University (Russia, Chelyabinsk) took part in the approbation of the developed model and practice program. Results. The model of students' digital literacy development during the first year of higher education has been developed, which includes three stages: introductory (immersing the student in the digital educational system of the university, gaining access to internal resources and electronic libraries necessary for obtaining information in the process of further education), propaedeutic (assisting the future teacher in practicing the skills of working with text and table editors, information visualization tools and online services) and action (technological support for the future teacher in mastering the tools for developing his/her own educational content). The program of training practice for students, the content of 16 classes aimed at the development of digital literacy. The average value of the coefficient of formation of digital literacy among first-year students is 0.81. This indicates that most of them are generally ready to work in the digital educational environment. Conclusion. The important points of the development of digital literacy of students – future teachers include: 1) determination of the stages of development of digital literacy of students during the educational practice in the first year of study at the university (introductory, propaedeutic, activity); 2) determination of the content of practical lessons, reflecting the specifics of the selected stages; 3) development and implementation of practice-oriented educational products that promote immersion in future professional activity.

Psychometric Properties of a Short Measure for South African First-Year Students’ Perceptions of Fit with their Courses of Study

The first year of higher education is one of the most critical and challenging times in a student’s lifeand choosing a specific course of study can be very difficult. Often, first-year students realize theyhave different expectations from the courses of study they chose and perceive that their abilities,skills, interests, and ambitions for a future career do not match their chosen courses of study. Whenthe wrong choice has been made, and there is no intervention to choose a course with a moreappropriate fit, students may decide to leave university prematurely, which may have a major impacton a student’s life. Identifying students who do not experience alignment with their choice of studycourse, and offering these students assistance and guidance, is imperative for universities to retainas many students as possible. Unfortunately, there is a paucity of research on a short scale thatmeasures student-course fit validly and reliably, and which can be fairly applied to different groupsin an unbiased manner. This study analyses the psychometric properties of a measure of students’perceptions of fit with their course of study, adapted from a widely used person-job fit scale. Statisticaltechniques used to determine the validity and reliability of this scale were structural validity,differential item functioning to determine item bias, measurement invariance, and reliability.A quantitative, cross-sectional design was used. A sample (N = 1,211) of South African first-yearuniversity students studying at a university with three different campuses was used. As expected,confirmatory factor analysis provided evidence of a one-factor structure. No item bias was presentfor language and gender groups. Although item bias was present for item 2 between campuses,the post hoc analysis indicated that the impact was practically negligible. Measurement invariancewas established, as well as good reliability of the scale. The findings of this study can contribute toknowledge concerning the valid, reliable and fair measurement of first-year students’ perceived fitwith their courses of study. In addition, insights could assist universities in identifying students whoneed proper career guidance to better match with their chosen courses of study.

Student transition into higher education: Time for a rethink within the subject of sport and exercise science?

The first year of higher education (HE) marks one of the most significant transitions in a student’s life. Within the U.K., the subject area of Sport and Exercise Science (SES) has a problem with effectively supporting and retaining students as they transition into HE. If students’ capabilities to successfully transition are to be fully understood and resourced, it is necessary for research to foreground students’ lived realities. Utilising letter to self-methodology, 58 s- and third-year undergraduate SES students wrote to their younger self, providing guidance on how to successfully transition into HE. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Six themes and four sub-themes were identified. Following the development of a single composite version of an “Older, wiser self letter” to represent the identified themes, this resource was integrated into the institution’s pastoral care resources and sessions where personal tutors connected with their tutees. Student member reflections were completed to gather feedback regarding the resource’s effectiveness. The composite letter provides an authentic account of how to face obstacles encountered as students transition into HE. Students’ member reflections highlighted that the letter was a valuable resource as a prompt for discussion regarding their experiences of transitioning into HE. When in the student journey the letter was read was particularly important. The value of this composite letter lies in the implementation of tutor-tutee and student peer-peer conversations at key “moments” throughout their journey in HE, helping students understand the challenges and opportunities for success during transition.

How students use the space provided by broad and specialised programmes to develop their interests in higher education

ABSTRACT There is an ongoing debate in higher education about the value of broad programmes versus specialised programmes. Educational professionals argue that students use the space provided by broad programmes to develop interests in diverse domains, while the scope of specialised programmes allows students to converge in interests. The present study investigates whether students enrolled in broad and specialised programmes indeed differ in how their interests develop. To do so, we traced the interest development of 124 Dutch students from their final year in secondary education until the end of their first year in higher education. We used an experience sampling method to measure students’ momentary interests over a week and repeated this every three months. For each data collection week, we coded in how many different domains students were interested, and subsequently ran a multigroup, sequential, latent growth curve model. We found that students in broad programmes develop more divergent interests, while students in specialised programmes develop more convergent interests. This shows how students use the space provided by programmes to shape their interests. Our results can help higher education institutes in discussing whether a more diverse or focused curriculum is desirable from a societal and student perspective.

First-Year Experience in the COVID-19 Situation and the Association between Students’ Approaches to Learning, Study-Related Burnout and Experiences of Online Studying

The aim of this study was to explore the association between students’ approaches to learning and their experiences of study-related burnout in their first year of higher education. The objective was also to explore these association with a person-oriented approach by examining various learning profiles and their relation to experiences of study-related burnout and experiences of studying during the COVID 19-situation. The participants in this study were 384 first-year life sciences students who answered a questionnaire at the end of first year with Likert-type and open-ended questions. K-means clustering and ANOVA analyses were used to examine the profiles and differences in their perceptions of burnout. Students’ experiences of studying were analysed qualitatively and differences between profiles were examined with Chi Square analysis. The results of this study show that an unreflective approach to learning is most strongly related to experiences of burnout and that experiences of online studying differed between profiles.

Transition to higher education and assessment: a one year longitudinal study

Higher education students need to be more autonomous when they change to this new learning environment. This is one of the reasons why many students find the transition to higher education a challenging experience, also shown by the high dropout rate in the first year of higher education. Researchers in this area have pointed out different academic, sociodemographic, psychological, and sociocultural variables that may explain students’ adaptation to higher education. In this line of investigation, there have been calls for more longitudinal research to understand how students adapt to their arrival at the university. In this longitudinal study, 148 participants filled out a learning diary/survey on a weekly and bi-weekly basis during their first university year, reporting their satisfaction, challenges, emotions, motivation, and learning strategies. Three main conclusions can be extracted from the data. First, satisfaction levels and challenges fluctuated throughout the year, showing that students experience their transition through different phases and that there are variations within the year. Second, assessment activities (e.g., exams) are the major emotional and motivational triggers decreasing positive emotions and increasing negative emotions. And third, participants reported the use of strategies mostly for processing or memorizing the content in contrast to an extremely low number of more advanced self-regulatory strategies. We recommend some actions to improve students’ transition to higher education, such as reconsidering assessment practices and designing intervention programs to help students in this new environment.

Social Capital and Lifestyle Impacts on Mental Health in University Students in Colombia: An Observational Study.

IntroductionFor young adults, the first year of higher education represents a transition period into adulthood associated with an increased risk of developing depression, anxiety, and stress, contributing to deteriorating physical and mental health. The present study aimed to analyze the relationship between depressive symptoms and social capital and lifestyles among Colombian university students.MethodsIn 2020, a longitudinal repeated measures study was conducted on first year students at Universidad de los Andes in Bogota, Colombia. The study was conceptualized and approved by the university before the COVID-19 pandemic appeared. Each student completed a self-administered questionnaire including questions on sociodemographic characteristics, depressive symptoms, perceived stress, social capital, and lifestyles. The study's pilot was conducted in November 2019, and the two measurement points were in January 2020 (wave 1, before the COVID-19 pandemic was declared) and in August 2020 (wave 2, during the COVID-19 pandemic). A binary logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the relationship between depressive symptoms, perceived stress, social capital, and lifestyles.FindingsA total of 609 first year students (response rate = 58.11%) participated in wave 1, and 42% of the participants showed signs of clinically relevant depressive symptoms. In wave 2, despite the difficulties encountered in collecting data due to the COVID-19 pandemic, 216 students from wave 1 participated (35.47%). An increase in a sedentary lifestyle was observed (31.49%). We found that cognitive and behavioral social capital levels decreased by 12.03 and 24.54%, respectively. In addition, we observed a 6.5% increase in students with clinically relevant depressive symptoms compared to wave 1. A low level of behavioral [OR: 1.88; 95% CI (1.16, 3.04)] social capital was associated with clinically relevant depressive symptoms.ConclusionThe health of university students continues to be a public health concern. The study suggests that social capital may play an important role in preventing depressive symptoms. Therefore, universities should put effort into programs that bring students together and promote the creation of social capital.

Adjustment to higher education among students with mental health disorders

ABSTRACT The current study examined the adjustment to higher education among students with mental health disorders, focusing on adjustment to post-secondary education, emotional and metacognitive variables. The participants were 123 students who had already completed at least one year at an institution of higher education: 63 students who self-identified themselves with mental health disorders and 60 students who did not identify with any mental health disorders or disability. Students with mental health disorders reported on lower levels of adjustment (social, emotional, institutional, and academic) to post-secondary education than students with no mental health disorders. In addition, students with mental health disorders reported lower satisfaction with life, academic self-efficacy, and higher levels of test anxiety than students without mental health disorders. Furthermore, significant between-group differences were found in three meta-cognition subscales. Lastly, satisfaction with life, test anxiety, academic self-efficacy, and disability status and five metacognition subscales predicted 75% of the variability in adjustment to higher education in the entire sample. These findings suggest that following their first year in higher education, students with mental health disorders continue to experience difficulties in social, emotional, institutional, and academic adjustment. Implications of the results are discussed.

Use of digital educational equipment experiment as a current problem of environmental education

Already today, the spread of the IoT network is gaining momentum. The obvious benefits of connecting IP in the daily life of society are monetized in a significant reduction in costs, and therefore relevant. In addition, the use of such technologies leads to the actualization of certain skills of IoT users, the emergence / development of new competencies, the formation of which, in our opinion, can be done at the first year of higher education or even secondary education. The article gives examples of the use of digital measuring computer systems Einstein, LabDisc, Pasco, Relab, L-micro, FourierEdu – NOVA Link, NOVA 5000, COBRA 4. The advantages of working with digital equipment for teachers and students are identified. The ways of IoT development, as well as the implementation of his ideas in the educational process are outlined.

An Investigation of the Impact on Promoting Entrepreneurship Education for the Development of Entrepreneurial Skills

In this study, the researcher has discussed the concept of entrepreneurship education and its impact on the entrepreneurial development skills. The study has shown the problems of failure of start-ups globally due to lack of entrepreneurial education and skills. The controlling factors of promoting entrepreneurship education for entrepreneurial skills has shown here. The researcher has surveyed and also interviewed the first year of higher education students. In this study, it has shown that the survey and interview process both are important to understanding the importance of promoting entrepreneurship education for the development of entrepreneurial skills. Keyword :Entrepreneurial education, First year of higher education, Entrepreneur skills.

Personalising the student first year experience – an evaluation of a Staff Student Buddy System

A student’s transition into higher education or a new learning environment can set the foundation for the remainder of their study, both in perception and academic ability. Mentoring is a transition intervention strategy and most types of these interventions are student peer to peer. However, there is a growing interest in academic involvement in mentoring and consequently this paper is an investigation into the effective implementation of assigning students with an academic staff buddy or mentor in the transition period of their first year of higher education i.e. the Staff Student Buddy System (SSBS). The analysis focusses on using two measures to inform the results by qualitatively analysing the feedback from the students, and quantitatively measuring the difference in academic performance of both student participants and non-participants. The sample of the students come from the University of South Australia, and the qualitative analysis indicated that students enjoyed SSBS, particularly with the ability to ask questions to those that would be teaching them. The quantitative statistical evidence indicated that SSBS could be a positive factor on a student’s Grade Point Average. Overall, the conclusion was that that the combination of the SSBS and these students produced improved academic performance while providing a positive student experience.