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Supporting First-Year Experience Students' Academic Self-Efficacy with Intentional Instructional Design

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Title: Supporting First-Year Experience Students' Academic Self-Efficacy with Intentional Instructional Design
Language: English
Authors: Rosemarie Jagielo-Manion (ORCID 0000-0002-0641-9166), Jessica Tobin Nagle (ORCID 0000-0003-4095-7619)
Source: Innovative Higher Education. 2025 50(4):1115-1137.
Availability: Springer. Available from: Springer Nature. One New York Plaza, Suite 4600, New York, NY 10004. Tel: 800-777-4643; Tel: 212-460-1500; Fax: 212-460-1700; e-mail: customerservice@springernature.com; Web site: https://link.springer.com/
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 23
Publication Date: 2025
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Postsecondary Education
Descriptors: College Freshmen, First Year Seminars, Transitional Programs, Student Attitudes, Instructional Design, Self Efficacy, Academic Achievement, Experiential Learning, Cooperation, Student Motivation
DOI: 10.1007/s10755-024-09768-8
ISSN: 0742-5627
1573-1758
Abstract: First-Year Experience (FYE) courses are found in colleges across the United States to support students' transition to college (McBride et al., 2021, "Journal of the First-Year Experience & Students in Transition" 33:99-119, Young & Keup, 2016, "New Directions for Community Colleges" 2016:57-69). This study explored how bridging pedagogical and andragogical principles in an intentionally designed book study and experiential learning project influenced 89 first-year college students' perceptions of their self-efficacy. Pre- and post-surveys and classroom artifacts were used to collect data on participants' perceptions of their self-efficacy related to peer collaboration, institutional support, motivation/self-directed learning, and study strategies. Findings revealed that participants' comfort levels in study strategies, peer collaboration, use of university resources, and academic research increased from the start to the end of the book study and experiential learning project. Results of this study can be utilized as a guide for instructors/programs in the design and implementation of their courses to best support first-year students' perceptions of self-efficacy and their persistence to graduation.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2025
Accession Number: EJ1480406
Database: ERIC
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  Value: <anid>AN0187381762;ihe01aug.25;2025Aug20.02:30;v2.2.500</anid> <title id="AN0187381762-1">Supporting First-Year Experience Students' Academic Self-Efficacy with Intentional Instructional Design </title> <p>First-Year Experience (FYE) courses are found in colleges across the United States to support students' transition to college (McBride et al., 2021, Journal of the First-Year Experience & Students in Transition 33:99–119, Young & Keup, 2016, New Directions for Community Colleges 2016:57–69). This study explored how bridging pedagogical and andragogical principles in an intentionally designed book study and experiential learning project influenced 89 first-year college students' perceptions of their self-efficacy. Pre- and post-surveys and classroom artifacts were used to collect data on participants' perceptions of their self-efficacy related to peer collaboration, institutional support, motivation/self-directed learning, and study strategies. Findings revealed that participants' comfort levels in study strategies, peer collaboration, use of university resources, and academic research increased from the start to the end of the book study and experiential learning project. Results of this study can be utilized as a guide for instructors/programs in the design and implementation of their courses to best support first-year students' perceptions of self-efficacy and their persistence to graduation.</p> <p>Keywords: Self-efficacy; First-Year Experience; Andragogy; Book study; Experiential; Learning; Education Specialist Studies In Education</p> <p>Copyright comment Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.</p> <p>Transitioning from high school to college can be both exciting and challenging (Chemers et al., [<reflink idref="bib8" id="ref1">8</reflink>]). Currently, one in three first-year college students do not return for their sophomore year (Kahn et al., [<reflink idref="bib23" id="ref2">23</reflink>]; McMurray, [<reflink idref="bib37" id="ref3">37</reflink>]). This statistic disproportionately affects first-generation, low-income, and underrepresented minority (URM) students (Kitchen et al., [<reflink idref="bib26" id="ref4">26</reflink>]; Kuh et al., [<reflink idref="bib30" id="ref5">30</reflink>]). Thus, universities must support first-year students during this transition to improve retention (Chism Schmidt & Graziano, [<reflink idref="bib20" id="ref6">20</reflink>]; Veenstra, [<reflink idref="bib51" id="ref7">51</reflink>]), and commonly look to First-Year Experience (FYE) courses as an approach. These courses, in various formats, have become a staple in many U.S. colleges (Karp et al., [<reflink idref="bib24" id="ref8">24</reflink>]; McBride et al., [<reflink idref="bib36" id="ref9">36</reflink>]; Young & Keup, [<reflink idref="bib54" id="ref10">54</reflink>]) and depending on their design (Culver & Bowman, [<reflink idref="bib11" id="ref11">11</reflink>]), are linked to positive outcomes like academic performance, civic engagement, multicultural awareness, retention, and fostering positive relationships (Brownell & Swaner, [<reflink idref="bib6" id="ref12">6</reflink>]; Engberg & Mayhew, [<reflink idref="bib17" id="ref13">17</reflink>]; Tinto, [<reflink idref="bib49" id="ref14">49</reflink>]). In summary, well-designed First-Year Experience courses play a crucial role in easing the transition to college and promoting student success, particularly for those at greater risk of not persisting beyond their first year.</p> <p>FYE courses also improve students' self-efficacy, defined as "people's beliefs in their capabilities to produce given attainments" (Bandura, [<reflink idref="bib3" id="ref15">3</reflink>], p. 307). Self-efficacy is a strong predictor of college completion and academic success (Chemers et al., [<reflink idref="bib8" id="ref16">8</reflink>]; Kitchen et al., [<reflink idref="bib26" id="ref17">26</reflink>]; McBride et al., [<reflink idref="bib36" id="ref18">36</reflink>]; Richardson et al., [<reflink idref="bib45" id="ref19">45</reflink>]). While research has identified factors that contribute to first-year students' success and challenges, research on their perceptions of their experiences is limited (Cameron & Rideout, [<reflink idref="bib7" id="ref20">7</reflink>]). Thus, the researchers aimed to discover how bridging teacher-directed and student-directed principles in an intentionally designed book study "unit" influenced the perceptions of self-efficacy of 89 first-year students enrolled in an FYE course during the Fall 2022 semester. The book study unit consisted of two parts: (<reflink idref="bib1" id="ref21">1</reflink>) a book study, or an organized group discussion based on a select book (Lac et al., [<reflink idref="bib31" id="ref22">31</reflink>]), and (<reflink idref="bib2" id="ref23">2</reflink>) an experiential learning project (Kolb, [<reflink idref="bib28" id="ref24">28</reflink>]), a final assessment that required students to synthesize and apply the skills they have learned over the semester to a research project centered around one of the themes represented in the common text.</p> <p>Specifically, the entire class of FYE students read the same book intentionally chosen because of themes of diversity and equity, completed reading responses and reflections, and engaged in class discussions of the text and its relationship to their lives and the world. Students then completed an experiential learning project in groups where they chose a challenge related to diversity and equity in their community on which to take action and share with their peers. The researchers embedded purposeful activities and support throughout the book study and experiential learning project and investigated the following research questions: (<reflink idref="bib1" id="ref25">1</reflink>) What were students' perceptions of their self-efficacy following an intentional design in their FYE course? (<reflink idref="bib2" id="ref26">2</reflink>) How does instructional design influence factors related to self-efficacy, namely study strategies, motivation/self-directed learning, peer support/collaboration and institutional support?</p> <hd id="AN0187381762-2">Literature Review</hd> <p></p> <hd id="AN0187381762-3">First-Year Experience</hd> <p>First-Year Experience (FYE) courses, which for the purposes of this study are used to refer to any college course/seminar/experience that aims to support students during their first year of college, are prevalent in many colleges across the United States (Karp et al., [<reflink idref="bib24" id="ref27">24</reflink>]; McBride et al., [<reflink idref="bib36" id="ref28">36</reflink>]; Young & Keup, [<reflink idref="bib54" id="ref29">54</reflink>]). As higher education became accessible to a more diverse population and colleges began to report a large number of students leaving universities prematurely (Chism Schmidt & Graziano, [<reflink idref="bib20" id="ref30">20</reflink>]), FYE programs were introduced to help transition and support students, addressing academic and social demands. Currently, they can be found in some form in at least 85% of colleges, as they are considered "one of the most promising practices for supporting new student transition to college" (Young & Keup, [<reflink idref="bib54" id="ref31">54</reflink>], p. 59).</p> <p>Over the years, these first-year courses have been defined as courses that aim to "enhance the academic and/or social integration of first-year students by introducing them (a) to a variety of specific topics, which vary by seminar type, (b) to essential skills for college success, and (c) to selected processes the most common of which is the creation of a peer support group" (Barefoot, [<reflink idref="bib4" id="ref32">4</reflink>], p. 49). By addressing the above goals, FYE courses have consistently been found to be related to positive outcomes including overall academic performance, promoting retention, fostering positive relationships with faculty, staff and peers especially among first-generation and underrepresented students, and most relevant to the current study, increasing students' academic self-efficacy (Brownell & Swaner, [<reflink idref="bib6" id="ref33">6</reflink>]; Du, [<reflink idref="bib14" id="ref34">14</reflink>]; Engberg & Mayhew, [<reflink idref="bib17" id="ref35">17</reflink>]; Kuh et al., [<reflink idref="bib30" id="ref36">30</reflink>]; McBride et al., [<reflink idref="bib36" id="ref37">36</reflink>]).</p> <hd id="AN0187381762-4">Factors to Consider in FYE Programs</hd> <p>FYE courses vary in format and focus. While the overall body of research on these courses finds them to positively impact student success, the design and implementation is influential on the impact of student outcomes (Culver & Bowman, [<reflink idref="bib11" id="ref38">11</reflink>]; Mayhew et al., [<reflink idref="bib35" id="ref39">35</reflink>]). For example, some courses are worth one credit, while others are worth three or four. Higher credit requirements are more strongly associated with outcomes like academic skills and student engagement (Jessup-Anger, [<reflink idref="bib22" id="ref40">22</reflink>]). Some FYE courses focus on general academic success, while others differentiate by major. Research has found major-based courses can be more engaging and motivating for students (Reynolds et al., [<reflink idref="bib43" id="ref41">43</reflink>]). While research exists on the effectiveness of different FYE models, studies often focus on institutional design. Recent comprehensive studies call for more research on specific instruction, such as "in-class activities, readings, discussions, and topics" (Culver & Bowman, [<reflink idref="bib11" id="ref42">11</reflink>], p. 190), to effectively meet student success goals.</p> <p>When designing and implementing FYE programs, Means and Pyne ([<reflink idref="bib39" id="ref43">39</reflink>]) assert that relationships with university mentors is vital. Likewise, Larose et al. ([<reflink idref="bib32" id="ref44">32</reflink>]) found that institutional support through experiences geared to students' specific needs, supported students' academic resilience and autonomy as learners.</p> <p>Students' perceptions of the relevance and purpose of FYE courses is another significant consideration in the design and implementation. Reynolds et al. ([<reflink idref="bib43" id="ref45">43</reflink>]) found that while FYE programs consistently impact student success positively some students view the coursework as "busy work" (p. 106). Faculty pedagogical decisions can influence students' responses to classes, activities, and majors (Means & Pyne, [<reflink idref="bib39" id="ref46">39</reflink>]). In Karp et al.'s ([<reflink idref="bib24" id="ref47">24</reflink>]) study on student and teacher perceptions of FYE programs, students expressed feeling overwhelmed by the amount of information that was given to them regarding university resources and academic skills. Keeping in line with prior research on FYE programs (Kuh et al., [<reflink idref="bib30" id="ref48">30</reflink>]; Tinto, [<reflink idref="bib49" id="ref49">49</reflink>]), Karp et al. ([<reflink idref="bib24" id="ref50">24</reflink>]) concluded that if professors designed instruction so application of content was encouraged, the FYE course would have a longer positive impact on students academically.</p> <p>Lastly, research shows that students who were in high school during the COVID-19 pandemic, such as this study's participants, may have experienced stress, anxiety, lack of motivation/self-directed learning, and/or peer interaction related to the pandemic (Krusemark & White, [<reflink idref="bib29" id="ref51">29</reflink>]; Leal Filho et al., [<reflink idref="bib33" id="ref52">33</reflink>]). Researchers were aware of the potential impact on students' transition to college and intentionally designed instruction and curriculum for their FYE course to support students' academic self-efficacy.</p> <hd id="AN0187381762-5">Self-Efficacy</hd> <p>Self-efficacy is an individual's perceived capacity for learning or action at specific levels of performance (Bandura, 1977, 1986, 1997; Schunk & DiBenedetto, [<reflink idref="bib47" id="ref53">47</reflink>]; McBride et al., [<reflink idref="bib36" id="ref54">36</reflink>]). Higher levels of perceived self-efficacy correlate with higher levels of performance (Bandura, [<reflink idref="bib3" id="ref55">3</reflink>]). One's belief of efficacy affects their thinking patterns that support or reduce performance (Bandura, [<reflink idref="bib2" id="ref56">2</reflink>]; Choi, [<reflink idref="bib10" id="ref57">10</reflink>]). Individuals with higher levels of perceived self-efficacy set higher goals and are more committed to them, increasing motivation and performance (Bandura, [<reflink idref="bib2" id="ref58">2</reflink>]). Conversely, those with lower levels of perceived self-efficacy may think tasks are more challenging than they are in reality, leading to stress, anxiety, limited problem-solving, and a self-fulfilling prophecy (Schunk & DiBenedetto, [<reflink idref="bib47" id="ref59">47</reflink>]). Success with positive prior experiences leads individuals to have expectations of success on similar tasks when approaching a new challenge (Richardson et al., [<reflink idref="bib45" id="ref60">45</reflink>]).</p> <hd id="AN0187381762-6">Self-Efficacy and First-Year College Students' Success</hd> <p>Research consistently finds self-efficacy to be a non-intellective predictor of achievement among college students (Chemers et al., [<reflink idref="bib8" id="ref61">8</reflink>]; DeClercq et al., [<reflink idref="bib13" id="ref62">13</reflink>]; Kahn et al., [<reflink idref="bib23" id="ref63">23</reflink>]; Kitchen et al., [<reflink idref="bib26" id="ref64">26</reflink>]; McBride et al., [<reflink idref="bib36" id="ref65">36</reflink>]; Richardson et al., [<reflink idref="bib45" id="ref66">45</reflink>]). For example, a meta- analysis that looked at the correlation between university students' grade point average (GPA) and 42 non-intellective antecedents of performance found academic self-efficacy to be one of the two strongest correlates of GPA (Richardson et al., [<reflink idref="bib45" id="ref67">45</reflink>]).</p> <p>Similarly, self-efficacy has also been found to be connected to positive academic performance for first-year college students (Chemers et al., [<reflink idref="bib8" id="ref68">8</reflink>]; Kitchen et al., [<reflink idref="bib26" id="ref69">26</reflink>]). DeClercq et al. ([<reflink idref="bib13" id="ref70">13</reflink>]) found self-efficacy beliefs to be a predictor of first-year students' academic success. DeClercq et al. ([<reflink idref="bib13" id="ref71">13</reflink>]) purport that, given the various social, emotional and academic challenges that first-year students encounter, a "multifactor, integrated conceptualization is needed to capture the dynamic of achievement among first-year university students" (p. 16). McBride et al. ([<reflink idref="bib36" id="ref72">36</reflink>]) also found a positive relationship between self-efficacy and academic achievement among first-year students. Analysis of beginning and end-of-semester surveys showed first-year seminar positively impacted participants' self-perception of academic ability, especially regarding belief in their writing skills and participation in class discussion.</p> <p>A student's first year of college is critical to their future success at a university by helping students to develop the "skills and habits of a self-directed learner and developing a sense of belonging in this new learning environment" (Cameron & Rideout, [<reflink idref="bib7" id="ref73">7</reflink>], p. 669). Research has shown that peer and/or social support, study strategies, and motivation may influence first-year and university students' academic achievement (Cameron & Rideout, [<reflink idref="bib7" id="ref74">7</reflink>]; DeClercq et al., [<reflink idref="bib13" id="ref75">13</reflink>]). Another influential factor identified by research is institutional support structures, such as the library, tutoring centers, and writing centers (Altermatt, [<reflink idref="bib1" id="ref76">1</reflink>]; Duda, [<reflink idref="bib15" id="ref77">15</reflink>]; Larose et al., [<reflink idref="bib32" id="ref78">32</reflink>]; Means & Pyne, [<reflink idref="bib39" id="ref79">39</reflink>]; Tinto, [<reflink idref="bib49" id="ref80">49</reflink>], [<reflink idref="bib50" id="ref81">50</reflink>]).</p> <p>After thorough analysis, the researchers determined four themes to be most prevalent in the research on fostering students' perceptions of self-efficacy: peer support/collaboration, institutional support, study strategies, and motivation/self-directed learning (Cameron & Rideout, [<reflink idref="bib7" id="ref82">7</reflink>]; DeClercq et al., [<reflink idref="bib13" id="ref83">13</reflink>]; McBride et al., [<reflink idref="bib36" id="ref84">36</reflink>]; Means & Pyne, [<reflink idref="bib39" id="ref85">39</reflink>]). These themes served as the foundation for the current study. While these themes are evident in the literature, Cameron and Rideout ([<reflink idref="bib7" id="ref86">7</reflink>]) purport that "less is known about students' perceptions of their experiences with respect to learning in their first year of higher education" (p. 669). Thus, this study attempted to address the gap identified (Cameron & Rideout, [<reflink idref="bib7" id="ref87">7</reflink>]) by focusing specifically on one group of first-year students' experiences in an FYE program.</p> <hd id="AN0187381762-7">Theoretical Framework</hd> <p>According to Whannell et al. ([<reflink idref="bib52" id="ref88">52</reflink>]), much self-efficacy research focuses on theory rather than practical application. To address how to develop students' self-efficacy, the researchers grounded this study in the intersection of pedagogy and andragogy, or adult learning theory. Pedagogy refers to teacher-directed learning, while andragogy refers to self-directed learning (Knowles, [<reflink idref="bib27" id="ref89">27</reflink>]; Loeng, [<reflink idref="bib34" id="ref90">34</reflink>]). In a pedagogic model, the teacher decides what, how, and when to learn (Pew, [<reflink idref="bib42" id="ref91">42</reflink>]). Andragogy, however, allows the student to be in control of learning (Pew, [<reflink idref="bib42" id="ref92">42</reflink>]). The andragogy framework is based on six principles of adult learning: (<reflink idref="bib1" id="ref93">1</reflink>) the learner's need to know; (<reflink idref="bib2" id="ref94">2</reflink>) the learner's self-concept; (<reflink idref="bib3" id="ref95">3</reflink>) the learner's previous knowledge and experience; (<reflink idref="bib4" id="ref96">4</reflink>) the learner's readiness; (<reflink idref="bib5" id="ref97">5</reflink>) real-life application of learning; and (<reflink idref="bib6" id="ref98">6</reflink>) the learner's motivation to learn (Mews, [<reflink idref="bib41" id="ref99">41</reflink>]). Adhering to these principles supports adult learners' success (Mews, [<reflink idref="bib41" id="ref100">41</reflink>]).</p> <p>Research finds that fostering andragogical principles can bolster an individual's self-efficacy (Meade, [<reflink idref="bib38" id="ref101">38</reflink>]; Wlodkowski, [<reflink idref="bib53" id="ref102">53</reflink>]). However, one criticism directed at andragogy is that it does not consider the social, cultural and political contexts of adult learning (Ekoto & Gaikwad, [<reflink idref="bib16" id="ref103">16</reflink>]). Additionally, Choi et al. ([<reflink idref="bib9" id="ref104">9</reflink>]) purport that first-year college students may not be ready for self-directed learning upon entry, depending on their high school autonomy. Thus, the researchers followed Ekoto and Gaikwad's ([<reflink idref="bib16" id="ref105">16</reflink>]) recommendation that "meaningful teaching and learning occurs best in a moderate combination of the pedagogy and andragogy models" (p. 1179) in their instructional design.</p> <p>Professors can design instruction that scaffolds self-directed learning to support students' success. Grow ([<reflink idref="bib21" id="ref106">21</reflink>]) proposes matching instruction to students' stage of self-direction to help them advance toward greater self-direction. For example, designing "inspiring lectures, plus guided discussion" would work for students comfortable with pedagogical methods (p. 129). However, assigning "group projects" would move students closer to andragogical methods (p. 129). In the present study, the researchers implemented an instructional design that bridged pedagogical and andragogical concepts to help participants become more self-directed learners while also acknowledging important contextual factors, including their experiences as high school students during the pandemic and the political/racial unrest in the United States at the time of the study.</p> <p>When designing the "unit" that included a book study and experiential learning project, the researchers embedded specific instructional practices, activities, materials, and groupings reflective of andragogical principles to address four self-efficacy factors: self-directed learning/motivation, institutional support, peer support/collaboration, and study strategies. The instructional design also included pedagogical elements, or instructor-directed supports, to bolster participants' success with the more learner-centered activities.</p> <p>According to Slavin ([<reflink idref="bib48" id="ref107">48</reflink>]), intentional teachers "constantly think about the outcomes they want for their students and how each decision they make moves students toward those outcomes" (p. vii). Because of its promotion of self-efficacy and/or components identified as leading to it (i.e. learner's self-concept, the learner's readiness, and the learner's motivation to learn) this framework was used to ground the current study. Essentially, the researchers considered andragogical principles as foundational for fostering students' perceptions of self-efficacy. To achieve this goal, the researchers' intentional instructional design incorporated scaffolded use of peer support, institutional support, study strategies and motivation/self-directed learning, themes evident in literature on perceived self-efficacy.</p> <hd id="AN0187381762-8">Methods</hd> <p></p> <hd id="AN0187381762-9">Participants</hd> <p>Participants were undergraduate students enrolled in one section of a required general education FYE course at a suburban public university in the northeastern United States in Fall 2022. Purposive sampling was used (Fraenkel et al., [<reflink idref="bib18" id="ref108">18</reflink>]). The researchers' section of FYE represented the population of first-year students at the institution. All 147 undergraduate students enrolled participated in the book study, experiential learning project, and related activities. However, only data from those who granted permission were used. There were 89 participants in the study (61% of the total class).</p> <p>Since participants were first-semester college students, only those who were 18 years old at the start of the study were allowed to participate. Participants indicated their permission and age on the pre-survey. Researchers only used data from those who granted permission and were 18 years old. Participants could withdraw from the study at any time without consequences. Most participants were education majors (80%), with 10% social work majors and 10% other majors. Gender of participants included 81% female, 18% male, and 1% non-binary. Participants reported their race/ethnicity as follows: 83% White, 7% Black, 3% Multi-racial, 2% Latinx, 1% Asian, 2% Other/Not listed, and 1% Prefer not to state.</p> <hd id="AN0187381762-10">Context</hd> <p>At the study site, FYE is a 4-credit general education course designed to help students grow and thrive at the university by providing opportunities to get to know their peers and university resources critical to success in their major. At the institution where this research was conducted, all first-year students are enrolled in a section of FYE that corresponds with their major or disciplinary interest. All FYE courses have required content and assignments, such as an experiential learning project and an overview of the science of learning, but are designed to be dynamic based on the team of instructors and their FYE students' major/disciplinary area.</p> <p>Beyond that, to the researchers' knowledge, other FYE courses at the time of this study did not engage in a unit that included a book study where all students read the same text related to their major and tied their experiential learning project to its themes. Review of various FYE syllabi showed that no other sections utilized a common text around which to anchor the study strategies, institutional supports, and experiential learning project all FYE sections must include. Furthermore, although the project is required, no other FYE courses' experiential learning project was structured like the one in the researchers' course, where students worked collaboratively to identify a challenge related to equity, research the challenge, come up with an action to address this challenge, and then share their project through poster presentations.</p> <p>An important consideration for researchers in the present study was that participants were first-year students whose high school years were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on the prior year's FYE course, researchers anticipated students' possible discomfort with peer discussions and collaborative work, as well as their potential need for additional resources at the university to support their academic success (Krusemark & White, [<reflink idref="bib29" id="ref109">29</reflink>]; Leal Filho et al., [<reflink idref="bib33" id="ref110">33</reflink>]). These considerations greatly figured into the unit's design.</p> <hd id="AN0187381762-11">Procedure</hd> <p>A convergent parallel mixed-methods design was used to explore how the implementation of a unit that included a book study and experiential learning project influenced participants' perceptions of their self-efficacy. Mixed-methods research allowed for a more in-depth understanding of the research topic than quantitative or qualitative alone (Fraenkel et al., [<reflink idref="bib18" id="ref111">18</reflink>]).</p> <p>Pre- and post-surveys and participants' written artifacts served as quantitative and qualitative data sources, providing a more complete understanding of how the intentional design of the unit influenced participants' perceived self-efficacy. Survey data provided broad objective data regarding participants' comfort levels related to self-efficacy, while artifacts provided more detailed, focused, and individual data related to participants' perceptions of self-efficacy, using their own voices (Dawadi et al., [<reflink idref="bib12" id="ref112">12</reflink>]).</p> <p>After Institutional Review Board approval, researchers explained the study to prospective participants verbally in class and with a written informational form posted on the course learning management system. Researchers informed prospective participants that participation was voluntary and would not impact their course grade.</p> <p>All students enrolled in the course completed pre- and post-surveys using Qualtrics during class as part of their typical learning activities. Surveys took approximately 10–15 minutes to complete. All students enrolled in the FYE course completed surveys and artifacts (i.e., library exit slips, portfolio reflections) related to the book study and project throughout the semester as part of typical course activities.</p> <hd id="AN0187381762-12">Implementation of Book Study and Experiential Learning Project</hd> <p>Following the typical institutional structure of FYE, the focus course was taught by a team of four instructors and met twice a week. One course session each week was a large lecture with all students (<reflink idref="bib147" id="ref113">147</reflink>) and all four instructors. For the second weekly session, each instructor taught a smaller breakout section of approximately 35–38 students. The book study unit and experiential learning project occurred over ten weeks of the Fall 2022 semester.</p> <p>Based on research on students' possible perceptions of FYE as "busy work" (Reynolds et al., [<reflink idref="bib43" id="ref114">43</reflink>], p. 106) and their own prior experience teaching FYE, the researchers aimed to make course content feel more connected, purposeful, and engaging for students. Instruction was designed around a book study of <emph>Stamped: Racism, Anti-racism and You</emph> by Reynolds and Kendi ([<reflink idref="bib44" id="ref115">44</reflink>]), a text that addressed critical current events related to diversity and equity. It also promoted critical thinking by challenging students to consider history from a less familiar perspective. A common text provided an anchor for teaching required components of all FYE courses related to active reading strategies and exposure to institutional resources. This approach also allowed the researchers to scaffold students' understanding and use of study strategies, such as note-taking, from teacher-directed to more student-directed.</p> <p>Before reading, the researchers and students defined terms critical to understanding the material and engaged in exercises to help students identify and respect the different perspectives and experiences of their peers. The book was read over a three-week period, utilizing active learning techniques such as structured group discussion, reading responses, and supplementary materials, to help students process the content and connect it to current events. The assigned reading responses, such as double-sided notes and guided reflection questions, were intentionally designed with pedagogical principles in mind to help students process the material while also scaffolding effective strategies for comprehension that they could use in other classes. On one occasion, the researchers had students annotate a downloaded section of the text using OneNote, a digital note-taking resource. Since this tool is free and accessible through the university's portal, the researchers decided to provide guided practice with it in class in case the students wanted to utilize it in other classes. Many of the instructional activities implemented during the book study were included to support participants' readiness and self-concept as learners by increasing their study strategies, a critical factor of self-efficacy.</p> <p>Reading responses were also utilized to guide in-class, student-centered discussions in both small and large group formats. Additionally, supplementary articles and videos of current events related to the text's themes were incorporated to encourage students to consider how they would respond to these issues as future professionals. These methods were integrated to create more self-directed and collaborative learning experiences for participants, and, consequently, promote their motivation and peer collaboration skills.</p> <p>The researchers embedded purposeful exposure to institutional support/resources with the aim of not only helping participants with the book study unit but also strengthening their readiness and self-concept as learners, and ideally their self-efficacy, to promote continued academic success. For example, one week the class met in the university library where staff gave students a tour of all their print and digital resources. A speaker from the university's writing center visited the class to talk to students about the writing support offered and to review APA formatting, the style students would use throughout their undergraduate program.</p> <p>The unit culminated with an experiential learning project designed to extend participants' comprehension of equity. This project was clearly linked to andragogical principles, specifically the learner's need to know, motivation, and real-life application, as the researchers allowed participants agency and control in determining a challenge related to equity in their community and in taking action to address that challenge. First, participants worked collaboratively with peers to research their chosen question/challenge related to equity. In many cases, their chosen topics related to something they learned in the book study, such as culturally relevant literature in classrooms, or in their own experience, such as disparities in mental health support in high school. Group work provided students the opportunity to interact and collaborate, practices that may have been impacted by social distancing, and asked them to further explore difficult material together. Challenging participants to take action empowered them (Boyd & Miller, [<reflink idref="bib5" id="ref116">5</reflink>]; Kernahan, [<reflink idref="bib25" id="ref117">25</reflink>]) and, in many cases, proved to be the most impactful piece of the unit. Participants created posters to represent their research and solutions in a poster session for the entire FYE class and invited guests from all over the university, including the president of the university.</p> <hd id="AN0187381762-13">Data Collection</hd> <p>Quantitative data were collected using pre- and post-surveys created on Qualtrics. Questions were included in the surveys to address participants' perceptions of self-efficacy based on the literature on perceived self-efficacy (Bandura, 1977, 1986, 1997; McBride et al., [<reflink idref="bib36" id="ref118">36</reflink>]; Schunk & DiBenedetto, [<reflink idref="bib47" id="ref119">47</reflink>]). Factors associated with self-efficacy perceptions addressed in the survey included: peer support/collaboration, institutional support, motivation/self-directed learning, and study strategies.</p> <p>Surveys consisted of demographic information, Likert-scale items, and open-ended questions. Pre- and post-surveys included multiple-choice questions and one open-ended question to gather demographic information including major, race, ethnicity, gender, and high school location (urban, suburban, rural). Participants had the option of not sharing certain demographic information such as race, ethnicity, gender by clicking "prefer not to state" and/or not responding to the question.</p> <p>On both the pre- and post-survey participants were asked to rate their comfort level on five questions that addressed peer collaboration, accessing university resources/support (i.e. institutional support), motivation/self-directed learning, and study strategies. Ratings included 1 for not comfortable at all, 2 for a little comfortable, 3 for pretty comfortable, and 4 for very comfortable. The researchers used comfortability as an indicator of participants' perceived self-efficacy. See Table 1 for Likert-scale survey items and alignment with self-efficacy factors.</p> <p>Table 1 Survey Questions and Matching Self-Efficacy Factors</p> <p> <ephtml> <table frame="hsides" rules="groups"><thead><tr><th align="left"><p>Survey Question</p></th><th align="left"><p>Self-Efficacy Factor(s)</p></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td align="left"><p>How comfortable are you with your learning strategies in</p><p>supporting your academic success at this university?</p></td><td align="left"><p>Study strategies</p></td></tr><tr><td align="left"><p>How comfortable are you with accessing resources available at this university to support your academic success?</p></td><td align="left"><p>Institutional support</p><p>Motivation/Self-directed learning</p></td></tr><tr><td align="left"><p>How comfortable are you when collaborating with peers for class work?</p></td><td align="left"><p>Peer collaboration</p></td></tr><tr><td align="left"><p>How comfortable are you with engaging in academic research?</p></td><td align="left"><p>Study strategies</p><p>Motivation/Self-directed learning</p></td></tr><tr><td align="left"><p>How comfortable are you with participating in project-based learning activities?</p></td><td align="left"><p>Study strategies</p><p>Motivation/Self-directed learning</p><p>Peer collaboration</p></td></tr></tbody></table> </ephtml> </p> <p>Open-ended questions were included to gather more specific and detailed information from participants. For example, on the post-survey, participants were asked to share active learning strategies (i.e. study strategies) that supported their success during the semester that they plan to continue using in an open-ended format. Another question on the post-survey asked participants to check which university supports, resources or presentations were beneficial to their success over the semester from a given list that included presentations before and during the book study and project, such as the library, writing center, etc. Participants were allowed to check as many responses as were appropriate and/or to check "other" to add in an idea not provided.</p> <p>In an effort to triangulate data and to delve more deeply into participants' perceptions of their self-efficacy, two artifacts were utilized for additional qualitative data – exit slip responses from a visit to the library and participants' portfolio reflections at the end of the semester. The library exit slip responses offered specific data on participants' take-aways following a visit to the library where they were given information on library services (poster printing, instructional materials, study areas, etc.), as well as tools and methods for conducting academic research. Participants' portfolios included artifacts and reflections on most meaningful assignments as well as what they learned throughout their FYE course.</p> <hd id="AN0187381762-14">Data Analysis</hd> <p>The research team used descriptive techniques to examine the quantitative data from the surveys. Mean scores for each of the Likert-scale items were calculated for pre- and post-surveys. Additionally, total percentages for ratings for each question were reviewed to identify any significant changes from pre- to post-survey collection. For analysis purposes, researchers determined that higher ratings of comfortability equated to higher levels of perceived self-efficacy.</p> <p>Qualitative responses to the open-ended questions on the post-survey and artifacts (library exit slip and portfolio reflections) were analyzed independently of quantitative data to determine patterns (Dawadi et al., [<reflink idref="bib12" id="ref120">12</reflink>]). First, open coding was used by each researcher independently. Then, researchers met to share codes that emerged from their individual open coding. After this process, the researchers engaged in deductive analysis (Merriam & Tisdell, [<reflink idref="bib40" id="ref121">40</reflink>]) using four factors related to self-efficacy found in the literature: (<reflink idref="bib1" id="ref122">1</reflink>) peer support/collaboration, (<reflink idref="bib2" id="ref123">2</reflink>) institutional support, or resources provided by the university to support student success (writing center, library, etc.), (<reflink idref="bib3" id="ref124">3</reflink>) student motivation/self-directed learning, and (<reflink idref="bib4" id="ref125">4</reflink>) study strategies. Data were analyzed again using these new a priori codes. Each researcher focused on each piece of data independently and then compared analyses to make sure there was consistency with coding (Merriam & Tisdell, [<reflink idref="bib40" id="ref126">40</reflink>]). Questionable data was highlighted by each researcher individually and a decision was made jointly about how to code these specific items. Several phases of individual researcher analysis and cross-checking analyses increased intercoder reliability and reliability of results. See Table 2 for codes aligned with sample participant responses on artifacts.</p> <p>Table 2 Codebook with Sample Participant Responses</p> <p> <ephtml> <table frame="hsides" rules="groups"><thead><tr><th align="left"><p>Code</p></th><th align="left"><p>Sample Participant Responses from Artifacts (Data Source)</p></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td align="left"><p>Peer support/ collaboration</p></td><td align="left"><p>• "I got to learn about a group project dynamic and presenting/showcasing the final product of your project. This project allowed for so much creative and personal freedom all while encouraging collaborating skills" (Portfolio Reflection, Participant 34).</p></td></tr><tr><td align="left"><p>Institutional support</p></td><td align="left"><p>• "It was really beneficial for me to learn where the writing help center was since I was thinking I wanted to get help there soon" (Library Exit Slip, Participant 54).</p></td></tr><tr><td align="left"><p>Student motivation/ self-directed learning</p></td><td align="left"><p>• "These posters let us express ourselves creatively while thinking about the impact we are going to be able to have on our future students" (Portfolio Reflection, Participant 41).</p></td></tr><tr><td align="left"><p>Study strategies</p></td><td align="left"><p>• "How to use Google and more scholarly search engines in tandem and the importance of improving the quality of my sources" (Library Exit Slip, Participant 82).</p></td></tr></tbody></table> </ephtml> </p> <hd id="AN0187381762-15">Findings</hd> <p></p> <hd id="AN0187381762-16">Quantitative Results</hd> <p>On the pre- and post-survey, participants were asked to respond to questions related to how "comfortable" they were with specific items such as learning strategies, accessing resources, academic research, etc. on a scale of 1–4. Having participants rate their comfortability provided insight into their perceptions of factors related to their self-efficacy, including peer collaboration, motivation/self-directed learning, institutional support (university resources) and learning/study strategies.</p> <p>Quantitative survey results showed that participants' mean scores on all questions increased from the pre-survey to post-survey. Results revealed an increase in participants' perceptions of self-efficacy from pre- to post-survey administration as noted by their increased comfortability levels. Significant increases were demonstrated in peer collaboration and academic research, which reflect participants' increased perception of capability for self-directed learning and use of study strategies. For example, when asked how comfortable they were engaging in academic research, a necessary collegiate study strategy, 59.6% of participants reported feeling "very" or "pretty comfortable" and 40.4% of participants reported feeling "a little comfortable" or "not at all" comfortable on the pre-survey. However, on the post-survey, 86.5% of participants reported feeling "very" or "pretty comfortable" for a 26.9% increase in this area, and only 13.5% of participants reported feeling "a little comfortable" or "not at all" comfortable, demonstrating a 26.9% decrease in uncomfortability in this area. See Tables 3 and 4 for pre- and post-survey mean scores and comfortability levels for each survey question.</p> <p>Table 3 Pre- and Post-Survey Means for Questions</p> <p> <ephtml> <table frame="hsides" rules="groups"><thead><tr><th align="left"><p>Survey Question</p></th><th align="left"><p>Pre-Survey Mean</p></th><th align="left"><p>Post-Survey Mean</p></th><th align="left"><p>Difference</p></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td align="left"><p>How comfortable are you with your learning strategies in supporting your academic success at this university?</p></td><td char="." align="char"><p>3.033</p></td><td char="." align="char"><p>3.169</p></td><td align="left"><p> + 0.136</p></td></tr><tr><td align="left"><p>How comfortable are you with accessing resources available at this university to support your academic success?</p></td><td char="." align="char"><p>2.798</p></td><td char="." align="char"><p>2.978</p></td><td align="left"><p> + 0.18</p></td></tr><tr><td align="left"><p>How comfortable are you when collaborating with peers for class work?</p></td><td char="." align="char"><p>2.876</p></td><td char="." align="char"><p>3.28</p></td><td align="left"><p> + 0.404</p></td></tr><tr><td align="left"><p>How comfortable are you with engaging in academic research?</p></td><td char="." align="char"><p>2.707</p></td><td char="." align="char"><p>3.191</p></td><td align="left"><p> + 0.484</p></td></tr><tr><td align="left"><p>How comfortable are you with participating in project-based learning activities?</p></td><td char="." align="char"><p>3.011</p></td><td char="." align="char"><p>3.28</p></td><td align="left"><p> + 0.269</p></td></tr></tbody></table> </ephtml> </p> <p>Table 4 Pre- and Post-Survey Comfortability Levels</p> <p> <ephtml> <table frame="hsides" rules="groups"><thead><tr><th align="left" /><th align="left"><p>Pre-Survey Very or Pretty Comfortable</p></th><th align="left"><p>Post-Survey Very or Pretty Comfortable</p></th><th align="left"><p>Pre-Survey Little or Not Comfortable</p></th><th align="left"><p>Post-Survey Little or Not Comfortable</p></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td align="left"><p>Learning strategies</p></td><td align="left"><p>80.70%</p></td><td align="left"><p>88.60%</p></td><td align="left"><p>18.30%</p></td><td align="left"><p>11.40%</p></td></tr><tr><td align="left"><p>Accessing university resources</p></td><td align="left"><p>65.20%</p></td><td align="left"><p>76.40%</p></td><td align="left"><p>34.80%</p></td><td align="left"><p>23.60%</p></td></tr><tr><td align="left"><p>Peer collaboration</p></td><td align="left"><p>71.90%</p></td><td align="left"><p>88.80%</p></td><td align="left"><p>28.10%</p></td><td align="left"><p>11.20%</p></td></tr><tr><td align="left"><p>Engaging in academic research</p></td><td align="left"><p>59.60%</p></td><td align="left"><p>86.50%</p></td><td align="left"><p>40.40%</p></td><td align="left"><p>13.50%</p></td></tr><tr><td align="left"><p>Participating in project-based learning</p></td><td align="left"><p>77.60%</p></td><td align="left"><p>92.20%</p></td><td align="left"><p>22.50%</p></td><td align="left"><p>7.80%</p></td></tr></tbody></table> </ephtml> </p> <hd id="AN0187381762-17">Qualitative Results</hd> <p>The post-survey open-ended responses and artifacts (library exit slips and portfolio reflections) provided more detailed and individual information regarding participants' perceptions of self-efficacy and/or how the instructional design of the unit supported them on their way to becoming adult learners. In the following section, qualitative results from post-survey open ended responses and artifacts are presented through four factors of self-efficacy: (<reflink idref="bib1" id="ref127">1</reflink>) peer support/collaboration, (<reflink idref="bib2" id="ref128">2</reflink>) institutional support, or ways the university commits to student success, (<reflink idref="bib3" id="ref129">3</reflink>) student motivation defined as self-directed learning, and (<reflink idref="bib4" id="ref130">4</reflink>) study strategies.</p> <hd id="AN0187381762-18">Peer Support/Collaboration</hd> <p>One open-ended question on the post-survey asked participants to name one thing they enjoyed from the book study and/or experiential learning project. Participants stated they enjoyed the group aspect of the project, learning from their peers, meeting new people, and making new friendships. One participant stated, "I liked the group study project, because it allowed me to gain friendships and work with other people from our class" (Post-Survey, Participant 50).</p> <p>Participant portfolio reflections also demonstrated the impact the unit had on peer support/collaboration. For example, one participant said, "Making friends in my classes was one of the most important things I learned...It allows [me] to have a support system in the classroom with [my] peers, and professors. (Portfolio Reflection, Participant 26). Participant 39 said, "My favorite project is the 'CBL'. It was a great experience to do, especially presenting. It was scary at first but I had my partner next to me" (Portfolio Reflection). These responses show that peer support helps them feel more comfortable with some of the new elements and challenges related to college.</p> <p>Participant responses to the open-ended questions on the pre- and post-survey and on course artifacts demonstrate the positive impact the unit had on peer support/collaboration. The intentional pedagogical design asked students to discuss and work together throughout the book study and project. Data analysis showed that as a result participants created bonds with peers and gained confidence with academic tasks/skills. These gains can be connected to participants' readiness, knowledge, self-concept, and motivation to learn, critical factors of adult learning theory.</p> <hd id="AN0187381762-19">Institutional Support</hd> <p>A broad view of institutional support was applied when analyzing the pre- and post-surveys and artifacts/written responses. The researchers defined institutional support as ways that the university was committed to student success. This commitment could be reflected as people, places or resources, such as the writing center, library, tutoring center, student success coordinators, etc. During one class period in the beginning stage of their experiential learning project, participants received a tour of the library and rotated through different sessions related to different aspects of the library, including the Instructional Materials Center, the Helpdesk, and conducting scholarly research using library databases. Not only was the library an important resource for the project students would be working on in their FYE course, but also for future academic work at the university. Responses to an exit slip after this library visit revealed participants' perceptions of the value of this tour and of the library as a whole. In their responses, participants noted, "Librarians want to help you and you are not an inconvenience to them!" (Library Exit Slip, Participant 66) and "there are specialized librarians for every major" (Library Exit Slip, Participant 34). Participants also commented on the materials/resources found in the library to support their success, such as the Instructional Materials Center (IMC), podcasting equipment, the children's library, color printers, and the different floors with sound levels. The library's online chat room for assistance and the fact that it was open 24 hours a day for five days of the week were also features that participants noted as beneficial features.</p> <p>Participants' portfolio reflections also demonstrated appreciation for exposure to institutional resources such as the library and the writing center. For example, one participant reported that "[meeting] people from the writing center, counseling center" (Portfolio Reflection, Participant 26) helped with different projects.</p> <p>One question on the post-survey asked participants to choose any resources or presentations that supported their success during the semester from a provided list. Participants could choose as many options as appropriate and were able to choose "other" to identify ideas not listed. All resources and supports listed were explicitly shared with participants during a class presentation or visit/tour of the site (e.g., library). Most presentations were provided by faculty or staff from specific departments to explain their services and support. Options included the university library, counseling center, writing center, and presentations related to advising/scheduling, professional dispositions, and clinical experiences. All presentations were intentionally situated at certain times during the semester, with several occurring during the book study/experiential learning project. A presentation by the university's Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion took place at the start of the book study, while presentations by the writing center and a library tour occurred during the early stages of the experiential learning project.</p> <p>Results showed that the intentional inclusion of some of these institutional supports/resources may have influenced participants' perceptions of their self-efficacy and which institutional resources seemed most beneficial. A library tour at the start of the project was clearly a favorite and was mentioned in other survey responses as well. Presentations by the writing center and the learning assistance center also coincided with the project. Rather than just randomly presenting the institutional resources and supports available to participants, the qualitative data reveal that purposefully exposing students to and encouraging students to utilize these resources through their experiential learning project may have helped to bridge pedagogical and andragogical practices and, in turn, promote their self-concept and readiness as college learners.</p> <hd id="AN0187381762-20">Motivation/Self-Directed Learning</hd> <p>In response to the open-ended questions on the post-survey, participants most frequently expressed an appreciation for the agency they were given to choose the topic of the project as their favorite element of the unit, indicating the significance of self-directed learning for participants. For example, one participant wrote "I enjoyed the freedom of picking our subject" (Post-Survey, Participant 21). Another participant responded that choosing a topic they found motivating "makes the research easier since they will actually have interest" (Post-Survey, Participant 38). Several participants reported that they enjoyed "learning about the world" (Post-Survey, Participant 43) through the book study and experiential learning project, showing their appreciation for real-life application.</p> <p>Portfolio reflections reiterated participants' appreciation for choice embedded in the project. For example, one participant said that their favorite part of the project was that it "allowed for so much creative and personal freedom all while encouraging collaborating skills" (Portfolio Reflection, Participant 34). These responses demonstrate how the design of the project might have linked participants' knowledge and experiences to their self-concept and motivation as learners.</p> <p>On their exit slips after a tour of the library, participants' responses revealed ideas associated with motivation/self-directed learning. For instance, one participant learned "how to find my way around the library's resources" (Library Exit Slip, Participant 58).</p> <p>Overall, post-survey and artifact responses demonstrate participants' awareness of ways to motivate themselves and/or engage in self-directed learning, an important factor in self-efficacy. Participants' increased comfortability levels in accessing university resources, engaging in academic research and participating in project-based learning led the researchers to conclude that participants' perceptions of self-efficacy and in motivation/self-directed learning did, in fact, improve.</p> <hd id="AN0187381762-21">Study Strategies</hd> <p>In response to the open-ended post-survey question that asked participants to name their favorite aspect of the book study/project, a few mentioned learning a specific study strategy. For example, in response one participant said, "I learned how to research better" (Post-Survey, Participant 40). Another participant said, "I enjoyed how we had a section on learning how to take proper notes; it really helped me" (Post-Survey, Participant 54).</p> <p>Participants' exit slips also identified several research skills and strategies acquired through their sessions on academic research during the library tour. One participant learned "how to format what you are searching into the research engine" (Library Exit Slip, Participant 21) and another commented on discovering "how to use Google and more scholarly search engines in tandem and the importance of improving the quality of my sources" (Library Exit Slip, Participant 82) as a result of this experience. Several participants commented on helpful tips and tools such as citation generation, emailing themselves their research articles, and filtering their search.</p> <p>On the post-survey, participants were asked to check any learning/study strategies that supported their success during the semester and that they planned to continue using in future semesters. Time management and organization/planning were mentioned most frequently. Specific study strategies, such as flashcards, spaced repetition, storage/retrieval, in addition to individual study habits such as face-to-face learning and learning to use the learning management system, were noted as well. Note-taking strategies and utilizing specific learning spaces/environments such as the library were also revealed to support participants' success. These responses demonstrate how explicit instruction and guided practice related to learning/study strategies fostered participants' perceptions of their self-efficacy. Intentional application of specific andragogical principles, such as improving participants' readiness and self-concept and building on their previous knowledge, seemed to contribute to increases in their self-efficacy.</p> <hd id="AN0187381762-22">Participants' Feedback and Suggestions for Improvement</hd> <p>Although there were many positive outcomes of this study, there were also areas that could be improved based on participants' open-ended responses on the post-survey. Regarding the design and implementation of the book study and experiential learning project, a few participants suggested that a different book be used and/or that there be more choice in project topics and groups. Several participants also commented on the need for more time for the project. On a broader scale, participants noted continued struggles with time management and managing the workload of college courses at the culmination of the study. Participant feedback also revealed that they may have needed even more teacher-directed scaffolding throughout the experiential learning project. Participants noted the need for more in-class time to work on the project in the presence of their instructors as well as clearer, more explicit instructions with a more gradual release of student responsibility.</p> <hd id="AN0187381762-23">Limitations</hd> <p>The data for this study were collected and analyzed by two of the instructors of the FYE course on which the study was focused. As instructors, they were invested in the positive outcome of the study as it would demonstrate the effectiveness of the course, including curricular and pedagogical design and implementation, pointing to potential researcher bias. Additionally, participants self-reported their comfort levels on the pre- and post-surveys. To mitigate these biases, the researchers cross-checked their data analyses to increase accuracy and eliminate any subjectivity and triangulated data from both quantitative and qualitative sources, allowing for a more in-depth and, ideally, accurate exploration of participants' perceptions of self-efficacy. One way to address potential researcher bias in the future would be to have an external evaluator validate the credibility of coding.</p> <p>Another potential limitation of the current study is attrition as 24 participants who initially agreed to participate and responded to the pre-survey did not answer the post-survey, precluding use of these participants' pre- and post-survey responses. Exclusion of these responses may have impacted the final results as those participants may not have felt as positively about their growth over the semester as their peers who did respond to both surveys.</p> <p>Lastly, the generalizability of the results of this study to first-year students in other majors is limited. Also, more than 80% of participants were female and white. Future research could expand beyond one section to other sections of FYE with different majors, broader participant demographics, and/or to other institutions to measure the impact more broadly. Additionally, future research could comparatively evaluate participants' self-efficacy across different FYE sections that do not include a book study to identify variables in instructional design that best correlate with participants' perceptions of self-efficacy.</p> <hd id="AN0187381762-24">Discussion</hd> <p>Research has shown various factors contribute to undergraduate students' perceived self-efficacy (Cameron & Rideout, [<reflink idref="bib7" id="ref131">7</reflink>]; DeClercq et al., [<reflink idref="bib13" id="ref132">13</reflink>]). This study focused on four specific themes related to fostering students' self-efficacy beliefs: (<reflink idref="bib1" id="ref133">1</reflink>) peer support/collaboration, (<reflink idref="bib2" id="ref134">2</reflink>) institutional support, (<reflink idref="bib3" id="ref135">3</reflink>) motivation/self-directed learning, and (<reflink idref="bib4" id="ref136">4</reflink>) study strategies. Additionally, research contends that intentional instructional planning and academic support can help first-year college students with their transition to college and with fostering their independence and self-efficacy as learners (McBride et al., [<reflink idref="bib36" id="ref137">36</reflink>]; Means & Pyne, [<reflink idref="bib39" id="ref138">39</reflink>]; Whannell et al., [<reflink idref="bib52" id="ref139">52</reflink>]). Whannell et al. ([<reflink idref="bib52" id="ref140">52</reflink>]) warn that "educators must distinguish between the teaching of these study behaviours [related to self-efficacy] and the students' actual understanding and demonstration of them" (p. 43). Therefore, the researchers embedded opportunities and experiences connected to all four factors of self-efficacy in the instructional design of a book study and experiential learning project in their FYE course.</p> <p>Findings showed that bridging pedagogical and andragogical principles throughout the book study and experiential learning project, as recommended by Ekoto and Gaikwad ([<reflink idref="bib16" id="ref141">16</reflink>]), helped to increase participants' comfort levels in learning strategies, accessing university resources, peer collaboration, engaging in academic research, and participating in project-based learning. The researchers made intentional pedagogical decisions to support participants' use of peer support, institutional resources, and self-directed learning. Intentional andragogical decisions focused on helping students become more independent learners by teaching them study, discussion, and research strategies to improve their readiness and self-concept while building on their previous knowledge and experiences. The experiential learning project allowed participants agency and choice in finding an issue related to diversity and equity in their community and taking action (Boyd & Miller, [<reflink idref="bib5" id="ref142">5</reflink>]; Kernahan, [<reflink idref="bib25" id="ref143">25</reflink>]). This encouraged participants to be motivated and self-directed learners through authentic application of content (Loeng, [<reflink idref="bib34" id="ref144">34</reflink>]). Throughout the unit, the researchers discovered that participants required more support than initially anticipated and made adjustments as appropriate, including more specific support in the experiential learning project with a detailed, step-by-step template to complete as they worked which was then used to design the poster and presentation.</p> <p>Results showed that participants' comfortability engaging in academic research increased the most from beginning to end of the study. These results for engaging in academic research are particularly noteworthy as this is the area where participants rated themselves as least comfortable on the pre-survey with 40.4% "little" or "not comfortable" and 59.6% "very" or "pretty comfortable." These ratings changed to 86.5% "very" or "pretty comfortable" and 13.5% "little" or "not comfortable" on the post-survey. Participant responses on the library exit ticket and many participants choosing the library as the support/resource most beneficial to their success on the post-survey substantiate these results. Although implications of these findings cannot be definitively extrapolated from the scope of this study, the researchers' intentional support with academic research and exposure to various services offered at the library during the experiential learning project may have supported participants' perceived self-efficacy with academic research. While this study cannot confirm students' continued use of the library or other resources applied during the semester over the remainder of their college years, future research on the long-term use of institutional resources introduced during programs such as FYE would be beneficial.</p> <p>Although findings showed participants found the library visit most beneficial, when asked to rate their comfortability in accessing university resources, findings revealed only an 11.2% increase of "very" or "pretty comfortable" ratings from pre- to post-survey, with 23.6% still rating themselves as "little" or "not comfortable" on the post-survey. While the data cannot identify exact reasons why they still felt uncomfortable, future design could more strategically embed university resources to guide students in when and how to use these resources to support their success.</p> <p>Participants' self-efficacy may have been impacted by their academic experiences during the pandemic (Krusemark & White, [<reflink idref="bib29" id="ref145">29</reflink>]; Leal Filho et al., [<reflink idref="bib33" id="ref146">33</reflink>]). Researchers attempted to address this potential impact by intentionally providing access to resources and requiring participants to try some of these institutional supports, like the library, firsthand. However, findings suggested more scaffolding and explicit use of a variety of institutional resources could have been provided for participants. Perhaps suggestions from prior studies that participants' contextual factors, such as a lack of autonomy due to COVID instruction (Choi et al., [<reflink idref="bib9" id="ref147">9</reflink>]; Ekoto & Gaikwad, [<reflink idref="bib16" id="ref148">16</reflink>]), pointed to a need to more gradually scaffold participants into self-directed use of institutional supports.</p> <p>As Schreiner ([<reflink idref="bib46" id="ref149">46</reflink>]) advocates, college campuses where students thrive must "normalize help-seeking and ... create an expectation that everyone will access campus resources for assistance, then introduce students to their major point of contact for the primary support systems they will experience" (p. 13). A more purposeful approach to campus resources during the experiential learning project or even other unit activities might normalize use of institutional supports/resources and, in turn, foster first-year students' self-efficacy. For example, the researchers could integrate more strategic and explicit instruction in FYE students' use of university resources during the experiential learning project. Each group member could be assigned a specific role connected with a university resource and be held accountable for using this resource. While these supports were recommended during the current study, they were not required. Moreover, as time management and managing course work were identified as areas of concern by participants at the conclusion of the study, instructor-directed connections to institutional resources to help with these challenges would be beneficial in the future.</p> <p>Peer support/collaboration and social connections have been found to promote students' first-year self-efficacy, persistence, and retention (Altermatt, [<reflink idref="bib1" id="ref150">1</reflink>]; Cameron & Rideout, [<reflink idref="bib7" id="ref151">7</reflink>]; DeClercq et al., [<reflink idref="bib13" id="ref152">13</reflink>]; Tinto, [<reflink idref="bib49" id="ref153">49</reflink>], [<reflink idref="bib50" id="ref154">50</reflink>]). Findings in the current study showed that participants' comfortability with peer collaboration increased by 16.9% from pre- to post-survey. Peer collaboration occurred during book study discussions in class and throughout the experiential learning project. The results of this study add to the growing body of research on the positive impacts peers can have on self-efficacy (Altermatt, [<reflink idref="bib1" id="ref155">1</reflink>]).</p> <p>While findings from this study revealed an increase in participants' perception of self-efficacy shown by their higher comfortability ratings in the measured areas, a small number of participants reported feeling as though the course was not purposeful, which is consistent with prior findings (Reynolds et al., [<reflink idref="bib43" id="ref156">43</reflink>]). Research shows that success in FYE programs is largely tied to purposeful and engaging activities (Karp et al., [<reflink idref="bib24" id="ref157">24</reflink>]; Mayhew et al., [<reflink idref="bib35" id="ref158">35</reflink>]). Thus, one recommendation going forward would be to continue to try to make FYE content feel meaningful to students with intentional planning and design, such as a book study unit like the one modeled in this study. It is essential that books, assignments, etc. are aligned to students' professions, interests, or current events, and, wherever possible, that choice be provided.</p> <hd id="AN0187381762-25">Implications for Research and Practice</hd> <p>Retention rates remain a concern for higher education institutions in the United States. Since self-efficacy is a strong predictor of college success, especially when fostered early on (Richardson et al., [<reflink idref="bib45" id="ref159">45</reflink>]), the results of this study can be valuable in disrupting these retention and dropout trends. The study's findings offer insights into how programs like FYE can design instruction to improve perceptions of self-efficacy among first-year students. Its intentionally designed unit can be replicated in similar programs to support students' needs and increase retention rates.</p> <p>Research has determined various factors that contribute to the success of FYE programs in supporting students (Graham et al., [<reflink idref="bib19" id="ref160">19</reflink>]). The instructional approach detailed in this study could serve as a model for instructors, with training on both "what" self-efficacy is and "how" to foster it in FYE instruction (Whannell et al., [<reflink idref="bib52" id="ref161">52</reflink>]). This roadmap would ideally address criticisms of FYE courses as "busywork" (Reynolds et al., [<reflink idref="bib43" id="ref162">43</reflink>]) and answer the call for more specific instructional outlines.</p> <p>To make FYE more meaningful and better scaffold students' self-efficacy, students could be surveyed about their specific needs related to self-efficacy, such as which institutional supports and study strategies would be most beneficial. Instruction could then be tailored to these individual needs, rather than broadly addressing these factors.</p> <p>Lastly, Zhao and Watterson ([<reflink idref="bib55" id="ref163">55</reflink>]) argue that education must evolve in a post-COVID world, including more personalized learning based on students' strengths and passions that provides them with autonomy and agency. Additionally, 21st-century skills, including creativity, curiosity, critical thinking, collaboration, and communication, must be fostered "to help students thrive in the age of smart machines and a globalized world" (Zhao & Watterson, [<reflink idref="bib55" id="ref164">55</reflink>], p. 5). By incorporating these elements, FYE programs can not only improve students' self-efficacy but also prepare them for success in a rapidly changing world.</p> <hd id="AN0187381762-26">Conclusion</hd> <p>In conclusion, this study demonstrated the positive impact of one FYE course's intentional instructional design on factors that have been found to influence self-efficacy, i.e. peer support/collaboration, institutional support, student motivation/self-directed learning, and study strategies. As research has shown, a person's self-efficacy impacts their thinking patterns which then directly affects their performance, either positively or negatively. Consequently, fostering first-year students' self-efficacy can be beneficial not just for their first semester, or first year, but can also help them to persist throughout their undergraduate years, and ideally support success in their professional journeys and beyond.</p> <hd id="AN0187381762-27">Authors Contribution</hd> <p>All authors contributed to the study conception, design. Material preparation, data collection and analysis were performed by all authors. All authors wrote all versions of the manuscript and read and approved the final manuscript. All authors agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work in ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved.</p> <hd id="AN0187381762-28">Funding</hd> <p>No funding was received for conducting this study.</p> <hd id="AN0187381762-29">Data Availability</hd> <p>This study was approved by the West Chester University Institutional Review Board. Research data are not shared.</p> <hd id="AN0187381762-30">Declarations</hd> <p></p> <hd id="AN0187381762-31">Informed Consent</hd> <p>Informed consent was obtained from participants in accordance with West Chester University Institutional Review Board requirements.</p> <hd id="AN0187381762-32">Conflict of Interest</hd> <p>The authors have no relevant financial or non-financial interests to disclose.</p> <hd id="AN0187381762-33">Publisher's Note</hd> <p>Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.</p> <ref id="AN0187381762-34"> <title> References </title> <blist> <bibl id="bib1" idref="ref21" type="bt">1</bibl> <bibtext> Altermatt ER. Academic support from peers as a predictor of academic self-efficacy among college students. 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Journal of Educational Change. 2021; 22; 1: 3-12. 10.1007/s10833-021-09417-3</bibtext> </blist> </ref> <aug> <p>By Rosemarie Jagielo-Manion and Jessica Tobin Nagle</p> <p>Reported by Author; Author</p> <p></p> <p>Dr. Rosemarie Jagielo-Manion Rosemarie Jagielo-Manion is an Assistant Professor in the Early and Middle Grades Education Department at West Chester University of Pennsylvania, where she teaches undergraduate and graduate teacher education courses and supervises K-8 student teachers. Her research focuses on mentoring and support of pre-service and in-service teachers, learning environments and instructional practices to foster students' success, and promoting teacher candidates' cultural competence. She has published articles in The Elementary School Journal, Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence and Journal of Language and Literacy Education and has presented at numerous international and national conferences.</p> <p>Dr. Jessica Tobin Nagle Jessica Tobin Nagle is a Clinical Assistant Professor and the Graduate Program Director for Teacher Education at Saint Joseph's University in Pennsylvania. She teaches undergraduate and graduate courses for education majors on literacy, social studies, adolescent development, and supervises student teachers. Dr. Nagle's research centers on differentiation, best practices in literacy instruction and collaborations between preservice and K-12 teachers and students. Her work has been featured in Literacy Today and published with SITE, and shared at conferences, including NCTE, LRA, and AERA. Passionate about advancing literacy education, she is committed to supporting teachers in fostering inclusive and effective learning environments.</p> </aug> <nolink nlid="nl1" bibid="bib23" firstref="ref2"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl2" bibid="bib37" firstref="ref3"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl3" bibid="bib26" firstref="ref4"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl4" bibid="bib30" firstref="ref5"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl5" bibid="bib20" firstref="ref6"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl6" bibid="bib51" firstref="ref7"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl7" bibid="bib24" firstref="ref8"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl8" bibid="bib36" firstref="ref9"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl9" bibid="bib54" firstref="ref10"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl10" bibid="bib11" firstref="ref11"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl11" bibid="bib17" firstref="ref13"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl12" bibid="bib49" firstref="ref14"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl13" bibid="bib45" firstref="ref19"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl14" bibid="bib31" firstref="ref22"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl15" bibid="bib28" firstref="ref24"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl16" bibid="bib14" firstref="ref34"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl17" bibid="bib35" firstref="ref39"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl18" bibid="bib22" firstref="ref40"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl19" bibid="bib43" firstref="ref41"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl20" bibid="bib39" firstref="ref43"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl21" bibid="bib32" firstref="ref44"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl22" bibid="bib29" firstref="ref51"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl23" bibid="bib33" firstref="ref52"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl24" bibid="bib47" firstref="ref53"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl25" bibid="bib10" firstref="ref57"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl26" bibid="bib13" firstref="ref62"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl27" bibid="bib15" firstref="ref77"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl28" bibid="bib50" firstref="ref81"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl29" bibid="bib52" firstref="ref88"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl30" bibid="bib27" firstref="ref89"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl31" bibid="bib34" firstref="ref90"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl32" bibid="bib42" firstref="ref91"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl33" bibid="bib41" firstref="ref99"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl34" bibid="bib38" firstref="ref101"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl35" bibid="bib53" firstref="ref102"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl36" bibid="bib16" firstref="ref103"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl37" bibid="bib21" firstref="ref106"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl38" bibid="bib48" firstref="ref107"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl39" bibid="bib18" firstref="ref108"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl40" bibid="bib12" firstref="ref112"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl41" bibid="bib147" firstref="ref113"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl42" bibid="bib44" firstref="ref115"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl43" bibid="bib25" firstref="ref117"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl44" bibid="bib40" firstref="ref121"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl45" bibid="bib46" firstref="ref149"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl46" bibid="bib19" firstref="ref160"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl47" bibid="bib55" firstref="ref163"></nolink>
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  Data: Supporting First-Year Experience Students' Academic Self-Efficacy with Intentional Instructional Design
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  Label: Language
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  Data: English
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Rosemarie+Jagielo-Manion%22">Rosemarie Jagielo-Manion</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0641-9166">0000-0002-0641-9166</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Jessica+Tobin+Nagle%22">Jessica Tobin Nagle</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4095-7619">0000-0003-4095-7619</externalLink>)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Innovative+Higher+Education%22"><i>Innovative Higher Education</i></searchLink>. 2025 50(4):1115-1137.
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  Data: Springer. Available from: Springer Nature. One New York Plaza, Suite 4600, New York, NY 10004. Tel: 800-777-4643; Tel: 212-460-1500; Fax: 212-460-1700; e-mail: customerservice@springernature.com; Web site: https://link.springer.com/
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  Data: Y
– Name: Pages
  Label: Page Count
  Group: Src
  Data: 23
– Name: DatePubCY
  Label: Publication Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2025
– Name: TypeDocument
  Label: Document Type
  Group: TypDoc
  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
– Name: Audience
  Label: Education Level
  Group: Audnce
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Higher+Education%22">Higher Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Postsecondary+Education%22">Postsecondary Education</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Descriptors
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22College+Freshmen%22">College Freshmen</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22First+Year+Seminars%22">First Year Seminars</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Transitional+Programs%22">Transitional Programs</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+Attitudes%22">Student Attitudes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Instructional+Design%22">Instructional Design</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Self+Efficacy%22">Self Efficacy</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Academic+Achievement%22">Academic Achievement</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Experiential+Learning%22">Experiential Learning</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Cooperation%22">Cooperation</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+Motivation%22">Student Motivation</searchLink>
– Name: DOI
  Label: DOI
  Group: ID
  Data: 10.1007/s10755-024-09768-8
– Name: ISSN
  Label: ISSN
  Group: ISSN
  Data: 0742-5627<br />1573-1758
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: First-Year Experience (FYE) courses are found in colleges across the United States to support students' transition to college (McBride et al., 2021, "Journal of the First-Year Experience & Students in Transition" 33:99-119, Young & Keup, 2016, "New Directions for Community Colleges" 2016:57-69). This study explored how bridging pedagogical and andragogical principles in an intentionally designed book study and experiential learning project influenced 89 first-year college students' perceptions of their self-efficacy. Pre- and post-surveys and classroom artifacts were used to collect data on participants' perceptions of their self-efficacy related to peer collaboration, institutional support, motivation/self-directed learning, and study strategies. Findings revealed that participants' comfort levels in study strategies, peer collaboration, use of university resources, and academic research increased from the start to the end of the book study and experiential learning project. Results of this study can be utilized as a guide for instructors/programs in the design and implementation of their courses to best support first-year students' perceptions of self-efficacy and their persistence to graduation.
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  Data: 2025
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  Data: EJ1480406
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        Value: 10.1007/s10755-024-09768-8
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      – Text: English
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      Pagination:
        PageCount: 23
        StartPage: 1115
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      – SubjectFull: College Freshmen
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: First Year Seminars
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      – SubjectFull: Transitional Programs
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      – SubjectFull: Student Attitudes
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      – SubjectFull: Academic Achievement
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      – SubjectFull: Experiential Learning
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      – TitleFull: Supporting First-Year Experience Students' Academic Self-Efficacy with Intentional Instructional Design
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