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A new first-year experience: How the COVID-19 classroom fosters social integration and affects first-year students’ perceived persistence to degree completion

Morris, Grace A
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1628173240320351

Abstract Details

2021, MA, Kent State University, College of Communication and Information / School of Communication Studies.
The COVID-19 pandemic has affected first-year college students’ experiences at universities and colleges. First-year college students already deal with stressors when entering college or university, and now they must adapt to a collegiate environment in which the classroom is one of their main sources of interaction. With the aid of Tinto’s interactionalist theoretical framework (1975), this study explores how the classroom during COVID-19 fosters social integration. It also examines the ways social integration influences students’ perceived persistence to degree completion during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study utilizes a survey design to assess students’ perceptions of social integration, perceptions of connectedness (both in the classroom and in the university), and intentions to remain at the university for first-year college students. Results of this study indicate that one’s background characteristics and time spent with communicative actions in an asynchronous and synchronous classroom environment will impact first-year students’ persistence in college. Results also express that when first-year students communicatively interact in a face-to-face manner, they feel more connected with one another. The study helps contribute to understanding engagement, retention, and technology use during a pandemic.
Jeffrey Child (Advisor)
Jennifer McCullough (Committee Member)
Suzy D’Enbeau (Committee Member)
108 p.
Communication; Higher Education
Tinto’s interactionalist theoretical framework; social integration; persistence; interactions in the classroom

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Morris, G. A. (2021). A new first-year experience: How the COVID-19 classroom fosters social integration and affects first-year students’ perceived persistence to degree completion [Master's thesis, Kent State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1628173240320351

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Morris, Grace. A new first-year experience: How the COVID-19 classroom fosters social integration and affects first-year students’ perceived persistence to degree completion. 2021. Kent State University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1628173240320351.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Morris, Grace. "A new first-year experience: How the COVID-19 classroom fosters social integration and affects first-year students’ perceived persistence to degree completion." Master's thesis, Kent State University, 2021. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1628173240320351

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

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© 2021, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by Kent State University and OhioLINK.