AM I PREPARED?COLLEGE NAVIGATION SELF-

EFFICACY IN FIRST- AND CONTINUING-GENERATION

STUDENTS

Amanda Campbell, Brianna Weidner, Natalie Malone,

and Dr. Ellen Usher

University of Kentucky

Spring Research Conference, 2017

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COLLEGE: THE NEW FRONTIER

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WHAT IS FIRST-GENERATION?

First-generation students are those whose parents have not earned Bachelors degrees

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RELEVANCE 32% of

undergraduates in the U.S. are first-generation students

Higher risk for attrition

More likely to workwhile at school and live at home

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SOCIAL COGNITIVE THEORY

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PersonalFactors

BehaviorEnvironment

SELF-EFFICACY

I can do

this!

Affects: Performance

Persistence

Response to failure

What classes students take

What careers students pursue

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study is to examine the differences in self-beliefs between incoming first-generation and continuing-generation students that might influence their success at college.

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DEFINITIONS

College-Navigation Self-Efficacy:

Students’ beliefs in their ability to successfully navigate college

Academic Capital:

Knowledge that parents possess about how college and professional systems work

that is passed down to their child

College Orientation Course:

A course designed by the university that is designed to help students better understand

the university environment

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RESEARCH QUESTIONS

1. Do first-generation students report different levels of college navigation self-efficacy than continuing-generation students?

2. How are academic capital and college navigation self-efficacy related?

3. How does academic achievement of students having taken College 101 compare to those who have not?

4. How does academic achievement of first-generation students who have taken a College 101 course compare to continuing-generation students who have also taken the course?

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RESEARCH QUESTIONS

1. Do first-generation students report different levels of college navigation self-efficacy than continuing-generation students?

2. How are academic capital and college navigation self-efficacy related?

3. How does academic achievement of students having taken College 101 compare to those who have not?

4. How does academic achievement of first-generation students who have taken a College 101 course compare to continuing-generation students who have also taken the course?

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RESEARCH QUESTIONS

1. Do first-generation students report different levels of college navigation self-efficacy than continuing-generation students?

2. How are academic capital and college navigation self-efficacy related?

3. How does academic achievement of students having taken College 101 compare to those who have not?

4. How does academic achievement of first-generation students who have taken a College 101 course compare to continuing-generation students who have also taken the course?

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RESEARCH QUESTIONS

1. Do first-generation students report different levels of college navigation self-efficacy than continuing-generation students?

2. How are academic capital and college navigation self-efficacy related?

3. How does academic achievement of students having taken College 101 compare to those who have not?

4. How does academic achievement of first-generation students who have taken a College 101 course compare to continuing-generation students who have also taken the course?

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METHOD

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PROCEDURE

First-time students received a general invitation via e-mail to participate in a survey

Students were invited to help the university better understand its students

Reminder methods: follow-up e-mail and advertisement on university dashboard 14

PARTICIPANTS

N = 1,822 students

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12%

88%First-generation

(n = 230)

Continuing-generation

(n = 1,592)

MEASURES16

COLLEGE-NAVIGATION SELF-

EFFICACY SCALE

In regards to navigating college life, how confident are you that you can…

…choose a college major that is right for me

…overcome hardships that I may experience in college

17Not Confident Confident

1 4

ACADEMIC CAPITAL SCALEFor each statement below, select the answer that best represents your beliefs and experiences

I have people in my life who encourage me to succeed in college

I have family members who attend or have attended college

18Disagree Agree

1 4

RESULTS

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RESULTS: RQ 1

3.1

2.7

3.16 3.21

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

4

College Nav Self-Efficacy GPA

Mean Differences in First-and Continuing-Generation Students

First-generation Continuing-generation

d = .47

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RESULTS: RQ 2

Academic Capital College Navigation Self-Efficacy

I want to get a better education than previous

generations of my family

.125**

My parents want me to achieve more in school

than they did

.131**

I have family members who attend or have

attended college

.145**

I have role models in my community who attended

college

.270**

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RESULTS: RQ 3 & 4

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3.12 3.17

2.71 2.69

3.18 3.24

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

4

College 101 No College 101

GPA for College 101 Course Enrollment

All students First-Generation Continuing-Generation

DISCUSSION: IMPLICATIONS

College 101 courses may not be helping

Exposing first-generation students to people who have attended college could increase their self-efficacy

First-generation students are still not receiving the help they need

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DISCUSSION: NEXT STEPS

Pre- and Post-testing for self-efficacy

Continued exploration of the college-navigation self-efficacy scale

Focus on academic capital and first-generation students

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THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME!

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Presentation available:

p20motivationlab.org/research