551. Developmental Ecology of First-Generation College Students: Exploring the Relationship Between Environmental Support and Academic Performance
- Author
-
Eveland, Thomas J.
- Subjects
- Education, Education Policy, Educational Leadership, Educational Psychology, Educational Sociology, Educational Theory, Educational Tests and Measurements, Higher Education, Higher Education Administration, First-generation college students, developmental ecology, academic outcomes, social support, college student retention, academic success
- Abstract
First-generation college students account for a significant portion of college students in the United States. While the growing attendance of this population attests to higher education’s commitment to access and social mobility, first-generation college students are not as successful as their later- generation peers by many measures. The growing number of first-generation students and the social, economic, and civil ramifications of their inequitable struggles in higher education require research to move beyond measuring outcomes and to explore influences on student success in new ways. Bronfenbrenner’s ecological model of development and Kuh’s work on student engagement are combined to create a theoretical perspective through which relationships among academic and social support and academic performance of first-generation college students are explored. Quantitative methods were used to analyze survey data from sophomore students who are enrolled in the Spring 2015-2016 semester at Ohio University. The findings are presented in a manner that informs advocates, researchers, and policymakers who hope to support first-generation college students at universities in the United States.
- Published
- 2016