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Fostering Social Connectedness in First Year Seminar Students: A Pilot Study

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Title: Fostering Social Connectedness in First Year Seminar Students: A Pilot Study
Language: English
Authors: Rebecca Kudrna, Suzanne Tiemann, Michael Swoboda, Timothy Hanrahan
Source: InSight: A Journal of Scholarly Teaching. 2024 19.
Availability: Park University, Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning. 8700 NW River Park Drive, Parkville, MO 64152. Tel: 816-584-6770; Fax: 308-224-3493; e-mail: cetl@park.edu; Web site: https://insightjournal.net/
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 13
Publication Date: 2024
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Postsecondary Education
Descriptors: College Faculty, First Year Seminars, School Orientation, College Freshmen, Social Adjustment, Social Attitudes, Interpersonal Relationship, Friendship, Social Life, Homogeneous Grouping, Heterogeneous Grouping, Comparative Testing, Student Attitudes, Teacher Attitudes, Private Colleges
ISSN: 1933-4850
1933-4869
Abstract: University First Year Seminar (FYS) programs are diverse in their content and pedagogy. Yet all seek to assist first-year students in the difficult college transition. The purpose of this pilot study was to evaluate if grouping similar academic majors into the existing First Year Seminar (FYS) courses would improve social connectedness, use of academic resources, and engagement on campus. A subset of first year students were assigned to either the control group (CON) of normal mixed major sections, or to the experimental course (EXP) with only related majors. Thirteen EXP and 36 CON students completed the data collection, including an 18-question social support survey administered at the beginning and end of the course. Additionally, two open-ended qualitative analysis questions were asked related to student expectations and perceived course outcomes. Lastly, the three instructors of the EXP and CON courses studied were interviewed using phenomenological methods approximately one week after the end of the semester. Between-groups analysis of the 18 quantitative survey questions identified that the CON group reported more personal conversations with peers and attendance of campus activities while the EXP group reported more faculty interactions. At the beginning of the course, 77% of the EXP group expected to create social connections as a primary course outcome, while only 19% of the CON group did. Academic skills were a higher expectation among the CON group than the EXP group. When asked more directly, both groups expected to make social connections in the class (86%). However, by the end of the study, the reported outcomes were equivocal. Interviews with FYS professors uncovered their own valuable perceptions of connectedness to the university and recommendations for instructor support were made.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2024
Accession Number: EJ1443772
Database: ERIC
FullText Links:
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  Data: Fostering Social Connectedness in First Year Seminar Students: A Pilot Study
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Rebecca+Kudrna%22">Rebecca Kudrna</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Suzanne+Tiemann%22">Suzanne Tiemann</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Michael+Swoboda%22">Michael Swoboda</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Timothy+Hanrahan%22">Timothy Hanrahan</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22InSight%3A+A+Journal+of+Scholarly+Teaching%22"><i>InSight: A Journal of Scholarly Teaching</i></searchLink>. 2024 19.
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  Data: Park University, Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning. 8700 NW River Park Drive, Parkville, MO 64152. Tel: 816-584-6770; Fax: 308-224-3493; e-mail: cetl@park.edu; Web site: https://insightjournal.net/
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22College+Faculty%22">College Faculty</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22First+Year+Seminars%22">First Year Seminars</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22School+Orientation%22">School Orientation</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22College+Freshmen%22">College Freshmen</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Social+Adjustment%22">Social Adjustment</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Social+Attitudes%22">Social Attitudes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Interpersonal+Relationship%22">Interpersonal Relationship</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Friendship%22">Friendship</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Social+Life%22">Social Life</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Homogeneous+Grouping%22">Homogeneous Grouping</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Heterogeneous+Grouping%22">Heterogeneous Grouping</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Comparative+Testing%22">Comparative Testing</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+Attitudes%22">Student Attitudes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Teacher+Attitudes%22">Teacher Attitudes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Private+Colleges%22">Private Colleges</searchLink>
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  Data: 1933-4850<br />1933-4869
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
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  Data: University First Year Seminar (FYS) programs are diverse in their content and pedagogy. Yet all seek to assist first-year students in the difficult college transition. The purpose of this pilot study was to evaluate if grouping similar academic majors into the existing First Year Seminar (FYS) courses would improve social connectedness, use of academic resources, and engagement on campus. A subset of first year students were assigned to either the control group (CON) of normal mixed major sections, or to the experimental course (EXP) with only related majors. Thirteen EXP and 36 CON students completed the data collection, including an 18-question social support survey administered at the beginning and end of the course. Additionally, two open-ended qualitative analysis questions were asked related to student expectations and perceived course outcomes. Lastly, the three instructors of the EXP and CON courses studied were interviewed using phenomenological methods approximately one week after the end of the semester. Between-groups analysis of the 18 quantitative survey questions identified that the CON group reported more personal conversations with peers and attendance of campus activities while the EXP group reported more faculty interactions. At the beginning of the course, 77% of the EXP group expected to create social connections as a primary course outcome, while only 19% of the CON group did. Academic skills were a higher expectation among the CON group than the EXP group. When asked more directly, both groups expected to make social connections in the class (86%). However, by the end of the study, the reported outcomes were equivocal. Interviews with FYS professors uncovered their own valuable perceptions of connectedness to the university and recommendations for instructor support were made.
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RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 13
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: College Faculty
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: First Year Seminars
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: School Orientation
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: College Freshmen
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Social Adjustment
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Social Attitudes
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      – SubjectFull: Interpersonal Relationship
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      – SubjectFull: Friendship
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      – SubjectFull: Social Life
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      – SubjectFull: Homogeneous Grouping
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      – SubjectFull: Heterogeneous Grouping
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      – SubjectFull: Comparative Testing
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      – SubjectFull: Student Attitudes
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      – SubjectFull: Teacher Attitudes
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      – SubjectFull: Private Colleges
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    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Fostering Social Connectedness in First Year Seminar Students: A Pilot Study
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