The development of a student identity as it relates to the transition of commencing students to higher education has long been identified in the literature as essential to success. As importantly, the existence of a sense of belonging has been considered key to transition and success and the formation of a student identity. Less prominent in the…

Liberia faces many challenges in its rebuilding process, including building a pipeline of reliable and productive human capital. Though science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) careers have gained global popularity, the underrepresentation of women in STEM careers is a concerning trend that requires a data-driven explanation and prompt…

The purpose of this study was to explore the writing experiences of at-risk college freshmen. The term at-risk applies to students who entered college deemed under prepared for success with college level writing demands. An examination of previous high school writing courses was explored in hopes of understanding the experiences that shaped their…

This longitudinal study explores changes in self-efficacy and motivational beliefs for learners beginning to study via English-medium instruction (EMI) at a transnational university in China. Following first-year local Chinese students over their first semester of learning via EMI, the study focuses on changes in learner self-efficacy beliefs…

Declining enrollments in teacher preparation programs across the United States signal a critical need for institutions of higher education to consider innovative recruitment initiatives. This pilot study investigates a novel approach to recruiting undergraduates into a teacher preparation program. Nine participants, mostly first-year college…

Objective: To evaluate the relationship between high school sport participation among university students and whether previous sports participation was associated with current levels of exercise self-efficacy, resilience, and psychological need satisfaction physical activity behaviors. Participants: College freshmen (n = 152) in the United States…

Pre-college experiences both inside and outside of the classroom inform students' interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM)-related activities, help them evaluate their knowledge and skills in various tasks, and shape their perceptions of themselves as individuals who can participate in STEM. Yet little empirical…

College-bound students move from various high school environments to a collegiate setting; this transition requires acclimation. There is increased interest in the understanding of college student adjustment to decrease student attrition, thus adjustment to college has been studied in different contexts, including social and academic. The…

The aim of this study was to explore if there is a significant difference between preservice teachers' academic self-efficacy perceptions and their gender, fields of study in high school and departments at their university. The study was carried out through descriptive survey model, one of quantitative research models. The sample of the study…

This research paper examines the acceptance of technology for learning by senior secondary school students and university newcomers. The objectives of the study are to measure the computer competency, computer self-efficacy of selected student cohorts on the acceptance of technology for learning. The study uses the extended Technology Acceptance…

This study focused on how self-efficacy and self-apprehensiveness affected student perception and success in a first-year composition course at a community college. The purpose of this study was to uncover the factors that led to successful writers with a focus on self-efficacy and collegiate writing, namely introductory college composition.

Students experience great social and academic challenges during their first semester of college and for many, the completion of required mathematics courses is one of those challenges. This study investigated the relationship of first-time college freshmen's mathematics course enrollment, gender, and high school mathematics course experience to…

This study tests an integrative model, which delineates how students' academic motivation, academic self-efficacy and learning strategies (processing strategies and regulation strategies) at the end of secondary education impact academic adjustment in the first semester of the first year of higher education (FYHE) and subsequent academic…

The first year university experience is inherently linked to student retention and success. First year students are often unprepared for the academic requirements of university, which can result in stress, poor student outcomes and low student retention rates. Although there is considerable literature on the challenges students face when…

First-generation college students without broad support networks are more likely to leave STEM majors. In rural West Virginia, the First2 Network aims to improve STEM persistence by including students in creating solutions to STEM attrition. One solution, a research program for rising first-year students in STEM majors, is discussed here. The…