First-year programs and freshman learning communities (FLCs) have become an institutionalized feature of the higher-education landscape. Although a vast amount of literature asserts the positive consequences of these programs, less attention has been devoted to the unintended, and occasionally negative, consequences of FLCs. The author identifies…

Students enrolled in a first-year seminar were paired with a matched comparison group, and retention of the 1,853 students in the two groups was compared over a period of 4 years. Results indicated significantly greater retention over a period of 4 years for students enrolled in the seminar. (EV)

Surveyed instructors in the freshman seminar program at the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs about effects of teaching in the program. Found several recurring themes of opportunity and challenge within three categories: professional, personal, and political. For example, faculty reported an increased sense of connection to students and…

Examined the effects on teaching techniques of faculty (n=68) at the University of South Carolina who taught a freshman seminar after completing a training workshop. Many faculty reported that they had transferred the new teaching techniques learned in preparation for the freshman seminar to their discipline-based courses. These included lecturing…

Faculty and administrators at many research-intensive institutions are concerned about effectively introducing students to the research culture that sets research institutions apart from technical and junior colleges. The first-year seminar with academic content might accomplish this objective because it can be focused on students' own research…

This paper examines several models of freshman seminar programs, reviews the assessment and research literature showing the efficacy of these programs, and discusses research emphases of the new National Center for the Study of the Freshman Year Experience at the University of South Carolina. (Author/MLW)

A North Dakota State University study found that during a required first-year seminar, students whose course instructors served as their academic advisors voluntarily attended advising sessions significantly more often than did students whose advisors were not their course teachers. Areas for further research and implications for advising programs…

The purpose of this qualitative study was to consider "friendsickness" as experienced by 96 entering college students. As defined here, "friendsickness" is a challenge new students experience when they leave their established network of friends and begin college. Journal entries written by new students in first-year seminars were examined and…

Suggests stressing the humanistic dimensions of science as a way to bridge the gap between sciences and the humanities. Provides a rationale for focusing on the humanistic side of science and briefly describes a freshman seminar at Macalester College (St. Paul, Minn.) conducted by science, social science, and humanities faculty. (JN)

Bowling Green State University, Ohio, carried out a study of learning communities and first-year programs to determine their success in facilitating student success, increasing engagement, and promoting connections. Findings from 10 learning communities show the overall success of these programs and provide favorable cost estimates. (SLD)

California Lutheran University's seven-week freshman seminar focuses on building relationships and helping students make decisions about their college and occupational careers. Issues arising in the course's evolution include the role of peer advisors, major vs. non-major advising, maintaining institution-wide support, and credit and academic…

This paper suggests areas that need to be made implicit in developing the successful freshman seminar course including knowledge domains, acculturation, and metacognition. Literature on critical thinking, metacognition, and freshman seminars is brought together. (Author/MLW)

Attention to the origins, history, and evolution of the First-Year Experience (FYE) movement in American higher education can inform institutional practices aimed at enhancing transition experiences of students.

A longitudinal study of the retention and academic performance of college freshmen taking freshman seminars found that participating students with higher Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) scores were significantly less likely to leave college than nonparticipating controls, and participating students with lower SAT scores showed slightly better…

Although the case teaching method is most prominent in graduate schools, the technique is well suited to freshman seminar courses that seek to promote student development and self-discovery. Discusses how cases have been developed and integrated into Freshman Seminar 101, a required one-credit course at a private liberal arts college. (JPS)