There is rapidly growing research on the multiple benefits of nature-based experiences. Some institutions of higher education have incorporated these types of experiences in areas such as building design, travel offerings, residential programs, green spaces, field trips, wellness centers, and freshman orientation programs. Unfortunately, urban…

The purpose of this study was to determine if a difference existed in students' perceptions of teaching presence and social presence between the online and traditional face-to-face learning environments as defined by the Community of Inquiry (CoI) survey. A quantitative causal-comparative study design was used to survey students at a Midwest…

Cultivating interdisciplinary connections between freshman and capstone students epitomizes a novel pedagogical approach to deepen student understanding of the learning process in a Community College environment. Within such a context, this article focuses on the outcomes of a two-semester collaborative effort that aims to establish and strengthen…

While there has been research on the effects of utilizing Peer Mentors within Learning Communities with regards to retention data, little research has been done to show the effects that Peer Mentoring has on learning outcomes within a Learning Community. Using anecdotal evidence from peer mentors working within a Learning Community at an urban…

The definition and description of student success programs in the literature (e.g., orientation, first-year seminars, learning communities, etc.) suggest underlying programmatic similarities. Yet researchers to date typically depend on ambiguous labels to delimit studies, resulting in loosely related but separate research lines and few…

Objective: Beyond understanding whether first-year student success interventions in community colleges are effective--for which there is mixed evidence in the literature--this study's purpose was to uncover how they work to realize observed outcomes, including at times unanticipated undesirable outcomes. Method: This qualitative multiple case…

Transfer from one institution to another is increasingly common for students during the course of their higher education careers. The number of students moving from community colleges to four-year universities continues to rise. Transfer students report experiences of alienation, isolation, and other personal and academic challenges. To address…

The objective of this study was to examine the benefits of a learning community created for first-year students enrolled in a criminal justice degree program at an urban community college in the Northeast. Quantitative and qualitative survey data were collected from three cohorts of students in the program-based learning community. Survey…

A qualitative case study approach was used to examine Latino male students and First-Year Experience (FYE) programs aimed at promoting student transfer. Two FYE programs at two community colleges in California were studied: Bridgetown Community College and Portlake Community College (pseudonyms). Study participants included four groups: Latino…

This chapter draws from national data to explore unique attributes of first-year seminars in community college contexts as well as high-impact practices that are often connected to them. Findings point to areas of opportunity for practice and directions for future research to better understand how community colleges can be poised to meet the…

Writing, a critical pedagogical tool, cultivates student learning and fosters deeper understanding of the material. When frequent, low-stakes (informal) writing activities help students write more freely, engage with the material and thus become active learners. Looking at students who are at opposite ends of a community college spectrum, this…

This article explores the design and implementation of the curriculum for City Seminar, an integrated course in the first-year experience at a new community college. This interdisciplinary course focuses on a critical issue that provides content and context for quantitative reasoning (QR), reading, and writing (RW) to strengthen students'…

The purpose of this case study research aims to bridge gaps in the current research by exploring how both veteran and nonveteran adult and higher education (AHE) learners make sense of their educational journey and identity, in and out of the classroom, during their first-year experience (FYE) course at a community college (CC) in the Southwest…

Mass incarceration in America is a moral, economic, and societal crisis with serious implications for many men of color and high school non-completers who are incarcerated at proportionally higher rates than Whites or college graduates. For the formerly incarcerated, engagement in adult learning, whether high school equivalency (HSE) or college,…

The current study explored the impact of internal and external barriers (e.g., academic anxiety, employment) that place subgroups of college students at risk for academic failure in the first year. The mitigating potential of academic resource management strategies (e.g., time-study environment) was also examined. In a sample of 885 first-semester…