Switzerland, like other countries in Europe, has long depended on migration and mobility for its economy. Facilitating the integration of migrant children in school, primarily through the acquisition of the local language, has therefore been a priority for policymakers. In recent years, mobility has been on the increase and mobility trajectories…

This action research study followed a sample of first-generation, first-year college students through the summer 2021 orientation process at Towson University (TU), a large public institution in Maryland. Little recent research has been conducted to understand the student experience of the orientation process. First-generation college students are…

Retention for online learners is declining so much that higher education institutions are graduating more learners than they are enrolling. The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to find ways to improve retention for first-term non-traditional learners in an online undergraduate program. Fourteen non-traditional learners participated in the…

This qualitative case study examined Ph.D. students' perceptions of the impact of a full semester introductory course at a Tier-1 research institution. Results from multiple data sources including open-coded interviews and reflective entries yielded three overarching perceptions of the impact of the introductory class by its first-year students:…

The literature on international students predominantly emanates from the Western perspective and offers rich insights into international students' adaptation experiences. While university services improve these experiences, limited studies have investigated the role of pre-support assistance prior to students' arrival. This paper fills that gap…

This basic qualitative study investigated adult learners aged 35 and older and their experiences with situational, dispositional, and institutional barriers while enrolled in a Midwestern community college. Although numerous studies have examined adult learners in higher education, the purpose of this study was to investigate barriers adult…

Past research has shown that using an online student orientation can decrease anxiety for students taking online classes for the first time. This study focuses on the experience of first-time online students from a community college in South Texas using a multiple regression analysis to determine first-time online student readiness in the areas of…

This article traces the efforts made by Boise State's General Education program--University Foundations--and an undergraduate researcher to improve understanding of general education on campus. Undergraduate students often struggle to understand general education's goals. In order to improve this understanding, University Foundations committed…

Distance librarians working with an online doctoral program at Johns Hopkins University are asked by both students and faculty to provide a large amount of library support -- without being embedded into the curriculum or the individual courses. Program administrators and faculty were resistant to allow librarians into the course management system…

Orientations ease students' transition into institutions of higher learning. Most published literature focuses on orientations that occur on the physical campus, but online orientations are equally, if not more, important in engaging a geographically diverse student body. Via online orientations, academic libraries have an excellent opportunity to…

In this article we report on our exploration of academic advising practices at 19 community colleges in the Florida College System after the implementation of Senate Bill 1720. This bill made developmental education optional for many students and mandated that colleges provide academic advising for all new students. Descriptive statistics of…

This study focused on understanding female student persistence in a STEM community college program. The researcher conducted a mixed-methods study which utilized a student survey that asked both male and female students questions focused on encouragement received in school and perceived persistence level to complete their STEM program. Interviews…

Orienting and welcoming first-year students to campus and to honors programs are often key components of program development. At an institutional level, successful orientation programs can positively affect retention rates from the first to second year. The greater a student's involvement and integration into the life of the university, the less…

Purpose: The purpose of this directory was to identify, describe, and evaluate evidence that the education practices improve academic performance, close the achievement gap, and improve persistence towards graduation for low-income, first-generation, and historically-underrepresented 6th grade through college students. Method: The sample for the…

This article examines the current state of the transition process for students with developmental disabilities in New South Wales, Australia. Teachers from 75 schools were surveyed about current practices for students with developmental disabilities transitioning from primary to secondary school and from secondary school to post-school life.…