Transitioning from high school to college can be a formidable challenge, especially for students who are the first in their family to attend college (first-generation) and/or are from low-income backgrounds. The authors' qualitative investigation of a college mentoring program illuminates the potential value of relatable peer mentors in helping…

Transitioning to and from post-compulsory education often poses problems on students, especially students with disabilities. The fourth Ed-ICT symposium at the FernUniversität in Hagen aimed at discussing new practices, identifying problems and challenges during transition processes, and developing innovative solutions for both individuals and…

This paper discusses a student-centred learning and teaching approach, "Marketing Downloads", designed to support students in transition into Higher Education. The move from secondary to tertiary education can be stressful for students and it impacts on their academic performance, their social life and general sense of well-being.…

In the United States, our children face a number of factors that influence their behavior. Children's peers, parents and even the media, especially television, heavily influence students. Because of these influences, it can be difficult to motivate students in the classroom to strive for and achieve success. The purpose of this article is to…

Although there is a growing body of research on the effects of peer mentoring in higher education, the individual learning of mentors themselves is largely unexplored. In this narrative inquiry study, peer mentors working with a first-year learning communities program shared and analyzed stories about their experiences. The resulting narrative…

One of the fastest growing sub-groups of students of color at today's colleges and universities is the bi-racial/multiracial population. How one identifies themselves and is identified by others can impact biracial students' college experience and the groups to which biracial students interact. Some biracial students come to college from families…

Students with learning disabilities (LD) are particularly vulnerable in making the school-to-college transition where they negotiate a complex constellation of challenges that include academic demands, social expectations, and emotional/personal growth. Although a substantial body of knowledge exists about college students with LD, it is largely…

This study uses a mixed methods approach to examine a new type of curriculum configuration that supports students' transitions to college: career technical programs of study (POS). Interview and survey data were collected from a college and its feeder high schools in each of three well-established ("mature") sites in geographically…

In this paper I summarize some key findings from a three-year study of the high school-university transition for students attending a large arts and science faculty, within the context of their first university chemistry course. I then discuss these results within the broader context of research on success in higher education. Final conclusions…

This paper addresses the retention issues presented when large numbers of students from low socio-economic backgrounds and associated disadvantaged educational histories live together on-campus. It reports research in progress on a new approach taken at the University of New England (UNE), Australia, aimed at encouraging the growth of learning…

How may an individual who is deaf or hard of hearing focus on success? How can we as professionals best promote environments that will facilitate achievement and positive outcomes for these individuals? "Planning for Success: Initiatives for Positive Outcomes," the PEPNet conference held in April 2004, was a conference dedicated to…