Faculty Resources: Supporting First-Gen Students

A landscape analysis of programs and services at four-year institutions

To increase persistence, many universities provide first-year seminars (FYS) for entering students. Although there have been consistent positive outcomes for FYS participants, many times, the research is based on short-term outcomes, or less rigorous analysis. This study assessed short- and long-term outcomes for Hispanic (n = 456) and Hispanic first-generation students (n = 350) who participated in a research-based academic FYS. FYS participants had significantly higher outcomes in first-term GPA, 1-year persistence and graduation rates.

This report examines successful strategies minority-serving institutions (MSIs) use to support first-generation college students (FGCS).

This dissertation examined the teaching strategies that were most beneficial to first-generation college students (FGCS), with an emphasis on classroom-level interventions. The data specifically examined student perceptions of the efficacy of teaching strategies, not actual data on course completion or other success metrics. The study was confined to accounting courses at a private, four-year Midwestern university, and relied on survey results. FGCS reported that required (as opposed to optional) class participation and personal interaction had a positive effect on self-regulation skills and help-seeking skills, which in turn was positively associated with higher GPA. Instructor-prepared help, such as examples, class notes, and other materials, was also considered to be highly beneficial.

The presence of first-generation students in the college classroom poses specific challenges for instructors, across disciplines. Being cognizant of the unique characteristics and tendencies of first-generation students is a first step in better reaching this population. Also, implementing strategies geared specifically toward first-generation students will help these students in efforts to bridge the gap between a high school education and a baccalaureate degree.

Low-income, first-generation (LIFG) student college enrollment has been steadily increasing over the last decade. This group of marginalized students is typically overlooked as needing additional support as they often lack any visual indicators of their LIFG status. LIFG students arrive on campus with unique goals, stories, and challenges but often lack college-going knowledge and capital.

First-generation (FG) college students (i.e., those for whom neither parent/guardian obtained a bachelor's degree) experience more barriers in college, compared with continuing-generation students. These barriers are compounded by subtle messages from instructors that convey the idea that natural talent is necessary for success in scientific fields. In contrast, growth mindset messages communicate that ability can improve with effort, help-seeking, and using productive study strategies. In a large enrollment introductory biology course, students were randomly assigned to receive email messages from their instructor after the first two exams containing either a growth mindset or control message. The intervention improved grades in the course for everyone, on average, compared with control messages, and were especially beneficial for FG students. This increase in performance was partially mediated by increased activity accessing course materials on the course website. This study provides preliminary evidence that instructors communicating growth mindset messages can support FG students' performance.

First-generation college students (FGCS) experience high rates of attrition compared to continuing generation college students. FGCS frequently identify with several other historically marginalized identities on college campuses. The development of a sense of belonging on-campus is one of the main drivers of retention. The current study examines how sense of belonging on-campus develops during the first-year of college for different FGCS and how attitudes about on-campus relationships evolve over time. Thirteen participants were interviewed at three time points during their first year of college. Grounded theory analysis revealed four themes: 1) higher education provides a cultural learning environment; 2) multiple factors create challenges to relationship building; 3) extreme value differences create hard limits around friendships; and 4) within group friendships provide social and psychological value. Findings extend the current literature on the importance of social belonging for retention of diverse FGCS and highlight the importance of intersectionality in this work.

Student success is increasingly tied to equity-minded policies and practices that ameliorate postsecondary achievement gaps. Educational disruptions over the past few years continue to reshape the education landscape and have continued to illuminate racial and socioeconomic inequities at higher education institutions, deepening the digital divide and diminishing persistence rates. As calls for "success for all" echo across college and university campuses nationally, many institutions are focused on increasing student completion through improved onboarding, credentialling and degree pathways, and advising, all of which is grounded in student-focused teaching, learning, support, and assessment.

Encyclopedia entry from Salem Press Encyclopedia, 2021