Cultivating Equity through First-Year Seminar’s in Higher Education: A Qualitative Study
Location
PARB 128 (First Floor)
Proposal Track
Research Project
Session Format
Presentation
Abstract
This qualitative study investigated the value of a for-credit first-year seminar at a large university in a southern state and how it helped unmask the hidden curriculum and level the playing field for incoming freshman. Existing research and theory included in past studies on the first-year seminar experience, the hidden curriculum, and student persistence and retention were foundational to the work. Through the study we penned the stories and narrated experiences of four faculty and six students involved with the first-year seminar. Following Seidman’s (2013) three-phase interview style, the 10 participants became collaborators in unveiling the meaning and contributions of the seminar.
Transcripts were analyzed both with in vivo and emotion coding (Saldaña, 2016). Narrative profiles (Seidman, 2013) were created for each collaborator. Generated themes related to cultivating equity through the course demonstrated faculty hope that they were building the students’ foundation for success as they carefully structured and taught the first-year seminar. Students identified that foundation as developing a sense of belonging, finding support in difficult times, inspiring pride and happiness, and learning about academic rigor.
Keywords
Higher Education, First-year Experience, Hidden Curriculum, Retention
Professional Bio
Dr. Khoury is Program Manager for Student Activities and former part-time faculty of First-Year and Transition Studies at Kennesaw State University (KSU). Drs. Richard and Lorraine Schmertzing are professors at Valdosta State in the Department of Leadership, Technology, and Workforce Development: his focus is qualitative research and hers instructional technology. Dr. Jamie Workman, also at VSU, is Program Coordinator of the higher education graduate program. This study was part of Dr. Khoury’s dissertation. All four have an interest in improving higher education learning environments to increase the possibilities for all students’ success.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
Recommended Citation
Khoury, Matt; Schmertzing, Lorraine C.; Schmertzing, Richard; and Workman, Jamie, "Cultivating Equity through First-Year Seminar’s in Higher Education: A Qualitative Study" (2022). Georgia Educational Research Association Conference. 45.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/gera/2022/2022/45
Cultivating Equity through First-Year Seminar’s in Higher Education: A Qualitative Study
PARB 128 (First Floor)
This qualitative study investigated the value of a for-credit first-year seminar at a large university in a southern state and how it helped unmask the hidden curriculum and level the playing field for incoming freshman. Existing research and theory included in past studies on the first-year seminar experience, the hidden curriculum, and student persistence and retention were foundational to the work. Through the study we penned the stories and narrated experiences of four faculty and six students involved with the first-year seminar. Following Seidman’s (2013) three-phase interview style, the 10 participants became collaborators in unveiling the meaning and contributions of the seminar.
Transcripts were analyzed both with in vivo and emotion coding (Saldaña, 2016). Narrative profiles (Seidman, 2013) were created for each collaborator. Generated themes related to cultivating equity through the course demonstrated faculty hope that they were building the students’ foundation for success as they carefully structured and taught the first-year seminar. Students identified that foundation as developing a sense of belonging, finding support in difficult times, inspiring pride and happiness, and learning about academic rigor.
