UNDERSTANDING THE FIRST YEAR EXPERIENCE

Manresa 2014Blast Off To Your Future!

Millennial Generation◦ Age: 18-33 (1980s-early 2000s)◦ Relatively unattached to politics and religion◦ Linked by social media◦ Burdened by debt◦ Distrustful of people◦ In no rush to marry◦ Most racially diverse generation◦ Optimistic about the future!

WHO ARE THE FIRST YEARS?

Special

Sheltered

Confident

Team-Oriented

Conventional

Pressured

Achieving

MILLENNIALS’ NEEDS

IDENTITY DEVELOPMENT

Arthur Chickering attends the 2014 Dalton Institute at Florida State University

Developing Competence Managing Emotions Moving Through Autonomy

Toward Interdependence Developing Mature

Interpersonal Relationships Establishing Identity Developing Purpose Developing Integrity

EXPECTATIONS!

the act of retaining; to keep possession of something.

RETENTION-

In the U.S., approximately 1/3 of each year’s full-time entering first years are not at the same institution one year later. ◦ Attrition (drop out rates) decrease almost 50 percent after the first year.

During the first weeks of school, students face a number of challenges, including developing a new social network, keeping up with school work in an environment of much greater autonomy than high school, and negotiating the “temptations” of a college environment.

The first-year’s most critical transition period is during the first two to six weeks. ◦ Of the 1/3 of students who leave an institution, half of those students drop out

during the first six weeks.

First years who can name a campus-affiliated person (or friend) they can turn to with a problem are two times more likely to return for the sophomore year than those who cannot.

Additionally, a caring attitude of faculty and staff is the most potent retention force on campus.

RETENTION

WHAT IS A TRANSITION?

Goodman et al. (2006) defines transition as “any event, or non-event, that results in changed relationships, routines, assumptions, and roles.”

SCHLOSSBERG’S TRANSITION THEORY

Situation Self Support Strategies

TINTO’S RETENTION THEORY

Key factors to student attrition: ◦ Feeling of isolation◦ Difficulty adjusting to a new

environment◦ Inability to integrate new

information and knowledge with previous information and knowledge

“Social integration with the university is a critical component of a new student’s development and their decision to persist to graduation.”

CROSS THE LINE

IMPORTANCE OF ORIENTATION

Purpose: Any effort to help first year students make the transition from their previous environment to the collegiate environment and enhance their success.

Transition space◦ Meet new friends◦ Overcome separation anxiety◦ Prevent homesickness and feelings of loneliness

Assist with stress management Orient student support networks (parents, families, etc.) Learn resources available on/off campus Allows the institution to get to know its first years

◦ Provides meeting opportunities with faculty, staff, current, and new students Helps first years succeed academically

“Engagement is positively related to objective and subjective measures of gains in general abilities and critical thinking.”

-Pace, Kuh, et al. (1985)

“For growth and learning to occur, students must be engaged in their environment.”

“The amount of student learning and personal development is directly proportional to the quality and quantity of student involvement.”

-Astin’s Theory of Involvement (1985)

“Student involvement in co-curricular activities such as student organizations, leadership positions, and activity in campus residence halls has a positive correlation with retention and academics.”

-Kuh and Pike (2005)

MANRESA!!

ACTIVITY