Adult, First-Generation College Students' Perceptions of Belonging

Adult, First-Generation College Students' Perceptions of Belonging PDF Author: Tammy Shannon
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
Adult, first-generation college students' perceived sense of belonging is the subject of this dissertation. Academic literature supports that sense of belonging plays a key role in persistence to graduation amongst traditional-age college students. Tinto, in his book, Completing College: Rethinking Institutional Action (2012), is quoted in his section on involvement, meaning and the sense of belonging: "Involvements, academic or social, do not occur in a vacuum. They take place within specific social and cultural settings and among individuals whose values give them meaning" (p. 66). The need to better understand sense of belonging in adult, first generation undergraduates was first revealed in my role as academic adviser through direct contact and dialogue with these students. This, along with my own history as a non-traditional, first-generation college graduate led to insights, researching of the literature, a pilot study, and the completion of this dissertation. The results are particularly poignant because they look at sense of belonging during a worldwide pandemic with interviews done in the summer of 2021. The adult, first-generation college student perceptions of belonging generated a view slightly different from that of their traditional aged peers. Data analysis produced a grounded theory model: Sense of Belonging: Connections through Communities of Practice. The grounded theory produced a snapshot of a population of students as they navigated the university. Studying during the pandemic created an opportunity to discuss nuances of belonging in different environments and what that might look like for students moving forward. It is the goal and objective of this dissertation to better understand sense of belonging in adult, first-generation undergraduates and how that contributes to academic persistence. One value of this study is learning how adult first-generation undergraduates connect, find community, and develop a sense of belonging. The second value is an historical glimpse of this population's views during a worldwide pandemic. The third is the study's model which frames the data into an understanding of how participants communicated their sense of belonging and connection. The model provides administrators, faculty, and those interested in first-generation student success a useful set of implications and recommendations for policy and practice. Opportunity for further discussion, and future research is also present. Adult, first-generation undergraduate students are trailblazers; reading their perspectives on sense of belonging, and proposed ways for support and connection at the university, may offer insights and fresh ideas to the general reader and researcher alike.

Adult, First-Generation College Students' Perceptions of Belonging

Adult, First-Generation College Students' Perceptions of Belonging PDF Author: Tammy Shannon
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 0

Get Book Here

Book Description
Adult, first-generation college students' perceived sense of belonging is the subject of this dissertation. Academic literature supports that sense of belonging plays a key role in persistence to graduation amongst traditional-age college students. Tinto, in his book, Completing College: Rethinking Institutional Action (2012), is quoted in his section on involvement, meaning and the sense of belonging: "Involvements, academic or social, do not occur in a vacuum. They take place within specific social and cultural settings and among individuals whose values give them meaning" (p. 66). The need to better understand sense of belonging in adult, first generation undergraduates was first revealed in my role as academic adviser through direct contact and dialogue with these students. This, along with my own history as a non-traditional, first-generation college graduate led to insights, researching of the literature, a pilot study, and the completion of this dissertation. The results are particularly poignant because they look at sense of belonging during a worldwide pandemic with interviews done in the summer of 2021. The adult, first-generation college student perceptions of belonging generated a view slightly different from that of their traditional aged peers. Data analysis produced a grounded theory model: Sense of Belonging: Connections through Communities of Practice. The grounded theory produced a snapshot of a population of students as they navigated the university. Studying during the pandemic created an opportunity to discuss nuances of belonging in different environments and what that might look like for students moving forward. It is the goal and objective of this dissertation to better understand sense of belonging in adult, first-generation undergraduates and how that contributes to academic persistence. One value of this study is learning how adult first-generation undergraduates connect, find community, and develop a sense of belonging. The second value is an historical glimpse of this population's views during a worldwide pandemic. The third is the study's model which frames the data into an understanding of how participants communicated their sense of belonging and connection. The model provides administrators, faculty, and those interested in first-generation student success a useful set of implications and recommendations for policy and practice. Opportunity for further discussion, and future research is also present. Adult, first-generation undergraduate students are trailblazers; reading their perspectives on sense of belonging, and proposed ways for support and connection at the university, may offer insights and fresh ideas to the general reader and researcher alike.

The Impact of a Sense of Belonging in College

The Impact of a Sense of Belonging in College PDF Author: Erin Bentrim
Publisher: Taylor & Francis
ISBN: 1000980375
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 311

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Book Description
Sense of belonging refers to the extent a student feels included, accepted, valued, and supported on their campus. The developmental process of belonging is interwoven with the social identity development of diverse college students. Moreover, belonging is influenced by the campus environment, relationships, and involvement opportunities as well as a need to master the student role and achieve academic success. Although the construct of sense of belonging is complex and multilayered, a consistent theme across the chapters in this book is that the relationship between sense of belonging and intersectionality of identity cannot be ignored, and must be integrated into any approach to fostering belonging.Over the last 10 years, colleges and universities have started grappling with the notion that their approaches to maintaining and increasing student retention, persistence, and graduation rates were no longer working. As focus shifted to uncovering barriers to student success while concurrently recognizing student success as more than solely academic factors, the term “student sense of belonging” gained traction in both academic and co-curricular settings. The editors noticed the lack of a consistent definition, or an overarching theoretical approach, as well as a struggle to connect disparate research. A compendium of research, applications, and approaches to sense of belonging did not exist, so they brought this book into being to serve as a single point of reference in an emerging and promising field of study.

College Students' Sense of Belonging

College Students' Sense of Belonging PDF Author: Terrell L. Strayhorn
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1315297272
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 224

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Book Description
This book explores how belonging differs based on students’ social identities, such as race, gender, sexual orientation, or the conditions they encounter on campus. Belonging—with peers, in the classroom, or on campus—is a critical dimension of success at college. It can affect a student’s degree of academic adjustment, achievement, aspirations, or even whether a student stays in school. The 2nd Edition of College Students’ Sense of Belonging explores student sub-populations and campus environments, offering readers updated information about sense of belonging, how it develops for students, and a conceptual model for helping students belong and thrive. Underpinned by theory and research and offering practical guidelines for improving educational environments and policies, this book is an important resource for higher education and student affairs professionals, scholars, and graduate students interested in students’ success. New to this second edition: A refined theory of college students’ sense of belonging and review of current literature in light of new and emerging theories; Expanded best practices related to fostering sense of belonging in classrooms, clubs, residence halls, and other contexts; Updated research and insights for new student populations such as youth formerly in foster care, formerly incarcerated adults, and homeless students; Coverage on a broad range of topics since the first edition of this book, including cultural navigation, academic spotting, and the "shared faith" element of belonging.

College Students' Sense of Belonging and Instructor Messages about Student Success

College Students' Sense of Belonging and Instructor Messages about Student Success PDF Author: Leah D. Hoops
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Belonging (Social psychology)
Languages : en
Pages :

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Book Description
This mixed model study used student surveys (N = 153) and interviews (N = 16) from undergraduate students enrolled in 10 sections of a Student Success Course at a large Midwestern research institution to investigate relationships between students’ perceptions of instructor messages about student success and their sense of belonging in college and a particular classroom. Using an equal status sequential mixed model design guided by the pragmatist research paradigm, this study provides a number of findings that add to the literature on how institutional experiences influence college students’ sense of belonging. First, findings from the current study indicate that instructor expectancy messages about student success are positively related to students’ sense of belonging at both the University- and classroom-level. Second, the meaning that each student makes of instructor messages deferentially contributes to their sense of belonging. Third, students’ race/ethnicity does not play a substantial role in either of these relationships. In addition to findings, implications for practice, research, and theory are explored.

Minorities in Higher Education

Minorities in Higher Education PDF Author: Manuel J. Justiz
Publisher: Praeger
ISBN:
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 424

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Book Description
This volume contains 22 essays which aim to provide analysis, insight and information on such topics as: minority grants and fellowships; equity in higher education; financial aid strategies for improving minority student participation; and minorities and the new technologies.

College Belonging

College Belonging PDF Author: Lisa M. Nunn
Publisher: Rutgers University Press
ISBN: 1978807678
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 150

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Book Description
College Belonging reveals how colleges’ and universities’ efforts to foster a sense of belonging in their students are misguided. Colleges bombard new students with the message to “get out there!” and “find your place” by joining student organizations, sports teams, clubs and the like. Nunn shows that this reflects a flawed understanding of what belonging is and how it works. Drawing on the sociological theories of Emile Durkheim, College Belonging shows that belonging is something that members of a community offer to each other. It is something that must be given, like a gift. Individuals cannot simply walk up to a group or community and demand belonging. That’s not how it works. The group must extend a sense of belonging to each and every member. It happens by making a person feel welcome, to feel that their presence matters to the group, that they would be missed if they were gone. This critical insight helps us understand why colleges' push for students simply to “get out there!” does not always work.

Examining Involvement as a Critical Factor

Examining Involvement as a Critical Factor PDF Author: Mona Yvette Davenport
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : African American college students
Languages : en
Pages : 312

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Book Description


The Good High School

The Good High School PDF Author: Sara Lawrence-Lightfoot
Publisher:
ISBN: 0465026966
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 414

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Book Description
An award winning book by the noted Harvard educator which examines six schools that have earned reputations for excellence.

College Students' Sense of Belonging

College Students' Sense of Belonging PDF Author: Terrell L. Strayhorn
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1136312390
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 157

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Book Description
Belonging – with peers, in the classroom, or on campus – is a crucial part of the college experience. It can affect a student’s degree of academic achievement, or even whether they stay in school. Although much is known about the causes and impact of sense of belonging in students, little is known about how belonging differs based on students’ social identities, such as race, gender, or sexual orientation, or the conditions they encounter on campus. College Students’ Sense of Belonging addresses these student sub-populations and campus environments. It offers readers practical guidelines, underpinned by theory and research, for helping students belong and thrive. Sense of belonging can come from peers, teachers or faculty, family members, social and academic groups, and living and learning environments. The book offers: a review and critique of current literature on sense of belonging in light of new and emerging theory a new conceptual model of belonging which helps the reader expand an understanding of sense of belonging new and recent research findings from quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods studies conducted by the author practical recommendations for improving educational environments, practices, policies, and programs to facilitate students’ sense of belonging on campus.

First-generation Students

First-generation Students PDF Author: Anne-Marie Nuñez
Publisher: DIANE Publishing
ISBN: 142892728X
Category : College attendance
Languages : en
Pages : 100

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Book Description