Online graduate degree program offerings are increasing in popularity, and online graduate students need support to acclimate to their degree programs. Online orientations have been effective in undergraduate programs; however, there is limited research on the effectiveness of online orientations in online graduate degree programs. The problem…

University orientation plays a crucial role in fostering student engagement, social integration, and retention. This practice report describes the development and refinement of a game-based orientation activity: a digital scavenger hunt designed to enhance engagement, social connectedness, and campus familiarisation. The activity was guided by the…

This researcher's interaction with first-year college students over the past seven years through a required, face-to-face college orientation course has been a rewarding and a thought-provoking experience for one whose regular course load involves graduate students only, in an online setting. This interaction has resulted in an interest in…

The article presents the results of an action research study in which 4th-grade students (aged 10-11) were taught to independently set short-term learning goals and reflect on their implementation by reflecting on their educational experiences. The aim of the study is to investigate and describe the experiences of primary school students in…

This action research study followed a sample of first-generation, first-year college students through the summer 2021 orientation process at Towson University (TU), a large public institution in Maryland. Little recent research has been conducted to understand the student experience of the orientation process. First-generation college students are…

With the increasing use of virtual reality (VR) technology in education, it is crucial to understand the factors that affect its effectiveness. One area where VR has been utilized is in online orientation, which can be especially beneficial for distant students to start their university programs. This study examines the impact of the learner…

Background: Undergraduate outdoor orientation programs facilitate students' transition into college. Research has yet to be conducted on the few programs at medical schools, which may have unique benefits given the specific challenges of transitioning to medical school and high rates of burnout among medical students. Purpose: This mixed methods…

The effects of an affective intervention to resolve a gifted, Black seventh grade girl's academic underachievement were investigated. The 12-year-old participant received the intervention 1 hour a week for six weeks. An explanatory mixed methods design, combining a single-case A-B design, an interrupted time series simulation, and inductive…

Successful retention of STEM majors that then successfully transition into the U.S. STEM workforce is a major challenge for institutions of higher education. The present work represents a quality improvement study of a custom-designed professional development course for undergraduate students characterized by an innovative integration of workforce…

This study aimed to identify baseline data on University of Guyana students' demographics, success indicators, and the usefulness of the existing orientation program from students' perspectives. This action research study employed multiple data collection methods, including an online questionnaire with six sections totaling 23 questions,…

To assess the self-reported professional identity of healthcare majors at a large public university, and to understand the degree to which the students perceive their healthcare programs support the development of this identity. An online, modified version of the Professional Identity Five-Factor Scale (Tan, Van der Molen, and Schmidt [2017]. 'A…

Of the increasing number of initiatives setting out to challenge heteronormativity in education, the "No Outsiders" project has arguably been one of the most influential. Conducted across 15 primary schools in England, "No Outsiders" sought to disrupt heteronormativity through critical pedagogy, gaining widespread academic and…

Students often experience psychological barriers that negatively impact their academic performance. For example, students may experience motivated disengagement and limited access to manageable and actionable strategies when needed. Past research has shown that scientifically informed interventions can mitigate such barriers and improve success…

This paper shares evidence of how four programs enhanced students' pathways from high school through bachelor's degrees. Each program expanded students' networks, fostered a sense of belonging, and developed critical thinking skills. Ten years after participation, we looked back to gain insights into key elements that impacted students' learning…

The purpose of this mixed methods study was to explore how students experience the New Student Orientation Experience (NSOE) and how they perceived it prepared them for their 1st semester of college at a large public university in the United States, Arizona State University (ASU). Institutions of higher education are under pressure to operate more…