Research Blog Post #10: Final Abstract, Bibliography, and Link To Your Paper

Abstract

Higher education is something that many people today say is essential in being successful this day and age. Over the years, accessibility to higher education has improved greatly but once group of people tare still struggling in light of these great strides - first-generation students. Poverty, absence of parental figures, and many other factors largely out of their control impede them from going to college or succeeding if they do make it there. In this paper, these factors are categorized and examined in order to pin-point how these problem areas come about and what can potentially be done to remedy them.

Bibliography

Engle, Jennifer, and Vincent Tinto. Moving Beyond Access: College Success for Low-Income, First-Generation Students. St. Paul, Minnesota: 3M, 2008. 1-38. eBook.

Rosanna A. Reyes. Proving Them Wrong. MA/MS Thesis. Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, 2012. 

Schwartz, Seth;  Weisskirch, Robert S.; Zamboanga, Byron L.; Castillo, Linda G.; Ham, Lindsay S.; Huynh, Que-Lam; Park, Irene J. K.; Donovan, Roxanne; Kim, Su Yeong; Vernon, Michael; Davis, Matthew J.; Cano, Miguel A. "Dimensions of Acculturation: Associations With Health Risk Behaviors Among College Students From Immigrant Families."Journal of Counseling Psychology. 58.1 (2011): 27-41. Web. 24 Mar. 2014. 

Wohn, Donghee Yvette, Nicole B. Ellison, M. Laeeq Khan, Ryan Fewins-Bliss, and Rebecca Gray. "The role of social media in shaping first-generation high school students’ college aspirations: A social capital lens." Computers and Education 63 (): 424-436. Print.

Woosley, Sherry, and Dustin Shepler. "UNDERSTANDING THE EARLY INTEGRATION EXPERIENCES OF FIRST-GENERATION COLLEGE STUDENTS." College Student Journal 45 (): 700-714. Print.

Paper Link

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1KlAxsBOG7IPIpilXgDnEoSdt1HsVGKgYuRm4I0GOk9k/edit?usp=sharing

Literature Review Blog #5

Visual

Citation

Rosanna A. Reyes. Proving Them Wrong. MA/MS Thesis. Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, 2012. 

Summary

This dissertation follows the stories of 5 first generation Latino women who despite the disadvantages they faced, were able to succeed in college. It outlines in each case what factors may have contributed to their individual successes.

Author

Rosanna A. Reyes - Associate Dean and Dean of First Generation Initiatives at Williams College.

Key Terms

Quotes

"Risk factors are the issues for which the participants have no control over much like the environment (i.e. inferior schools, culture of violence and or lack of parental involvement)."(Reyes 21)

"Also, the teachers [in Peru] cared more about your grades and they knew you on like a personal basis. So if they knew if you were doing badly, they would call your house right away. Whereas here, your grade is this and your parents are coming to pick up your report card this that, and that’s when they are going to find out."(Reyes 70)

"While in college I have had many emotional breakdowns. I’ve felt the pressure of being an adult and having no help or directions but I’m so proud of myself because I’ve worked so hard for what I have."(Reyes 92)

"Samantha spoke about education not being an option but an obligation in her home."(Reyes 133)

Value

This dissertation provides insight into the lives of first-generation students who actually defy the odds and succeed in college. By observing the journeys of these students, you can see what common factors helped them along their journey. This information can be used to help many other first generation students.

Research Blog #9: Your Argument and Counter-Argument

My general argument is that first generation college students have many disadvantages when it relates to post-secondary education. Whether it be in the application process, to navigating the collegiate landscape, they are weighed down by a variety of factors. One of these disparities is the value of the social capital that they have access to. In fact, one of these categories of social capital, extended network in terms of social networking and the like, can potentially hurt these students in some cases. However, in the article The Role of Social Media in Shaping First-Generation High School Students' College Aspirations: A Social Capital Lens, it is viewed as an invaluable resource for first-generation students when it comes to electing and applying to colleges. Although it may be helpful in this aspect, I believe that it has the potential to also hurt them as they move on.
For most first generation college students, the culture that is instilled in them by their parents or the places they themselves are from tend to be different from what is seen on college. As a result, they have to work harder to adapt and be accepted into this new culture they do not know too much about. One of the few examples they have of the college culture is from what they observe on social networking sites which often times are filled with pictures of weekend escapades and partying. So, in order to fit in, they might emulate what they see and because it is something new to them, they might not know exactly how to handle it.  This issue of adapting is touched upon in the article "Dimensions of Acculturation: Associations With Health Risk Behaviors Among College Students From Immigrant Families". The issues faced by these students are almost identical to the issues faced by first generation students. "The immigrant paradox (in which more acculturated young immigrants and children of immigrants are more likely to take risks compared with their less acculturated counterparts) can be explained in terms of losing the protective effects that accompany heritage practices and values."(11) In trying to be accepted, some of their values and aspects of their culture are sometimes compromised. If not careful, accessing this form of social capital can impede their progress as a college student.

Research Blog #6: Visual

In this picture, you see a man dressed up ready to go somewhere or do something but doesn't know where or how to begin. This applies to the situation of many first generation students. For those who choose to go to college, they often go in hopes of obtaining a degree to get a job that would put them in a better position than them or their parents. Unfortunately, guidance in this period of many of their lives is usually limited due to lack of information directly available to them or lack of knowledge where information that can be available to them can be found. This leads to a period of trial and error that many do not make it out of.

Literature Review #4

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Citation

Woosley, Sherry, and Dustin Shepler. "UNDERSTANDING THE EARLY INTEGRATION EXPERIENCES OF FIRST-GENERATION COLLEGE STUDENTS." College Student Journal 45 (): 700-714. Print.

Summary

This study looks at the earliest experiences first generation college students have upon entering college in comparison to the experience of a regular college student.

Authors

Sherry Woosley - Director of Analytics and Research at EBI-MAP Works. She is also nationally recognized for her work in assessment and predictive analytics related to student retention

Dr. Dustin Shepler - professor at Michigan School of Professional Psychology. He also provides therapeutic services as well. While he specializes in working with teenagers and young adults, Dr. Shepler has provided therapy and assessment services to a wide range of clients from a variety of backgrounds and currently sees clients in private practice.

Key Terms

Attrition - the action or process of gradually reducing the strength or effectiveness of someone or something through sustained attack or pressure.

Quotes

"Even the earliest experiences, those six weeks into the first semester or earlier, have been linked with persistence, academic performance, and likelihood of graduation (Levitz & Noel, 1989; Woosley, 2003; Woosley & Miller 2009)."(706)

"...first-generation students typically do not have the same sources of support as non-first-generation students, such as parents who understand the process of adjusting to college life (Bradbury & Mather, 2009; Terenzini et al., 1996), limited availability of college role models (York-Anderson & Bowman, 1991), and limited experience with and knowledge of college activities (York-Anderson & Bowman, 1991)."(707)

"...first-generation students find their high school curriculum was less than rigorous and that the academic expectations inherent in baccalaureate programs can be somewhat overwhelming, resulting in self-doubt."(708)

Value

This study provides me with insight into the very first moments when a first generation student steps on campus. It is here we see the most immediate effects of pre-college preparation or lack thereof. It is also one of the areas in which normal college students and first generation college students differ - which is ease of integration into the college culture. Using this information, I can observe the main reasons for this initial culture shock upon entering college.

Literature Review #3

Visual

Citation

Wohn, Donghee Yvette, Nicole B. Ellison, M. Laeeq Khan, Ryan Fewins-Bliss, and Rebecca Gray. "The role of social media in shaping first-generation high school students’ college aspirations: A social capital lens." Computers and Education 63 (): 424-436. Print.

Summary

This article explores the social capital available to students and how it may be able to influence the pre-collegiate experience for many adolescents - both first generation college students and non first generation college students.

Authors

Dr. Donghee Yvette Wohn - a postdoctoral research fellow at Northwestern University’s Social Media Lab. She researches the antecedents and social and psychological consequences of  usage of socio-technical systems, such as social media and online multiplayer games.

Nicole B. Ellison - an associate professor in the School of Information at the University of Michigan.

M. Laeeq Khan - a doctoral candidate in the Media & Information Studies (MIS) program in the School of Journalism at Michigan State University.

Ryan Fewins-Bliss - attended Michigan State University, Department of Telecommunication, Information Studies and Media.

Rebecca Gray - a doctoral candidate in the Department of Media and Information (formerly known as Telecommunication, Information Studies, and Media) at Michigan State University. 

Key Terms

Social Capital - the extent to which individuals are able to access and mobilize resources in their social network. These resources can be tangible resources, such as financial aid or information, or more psychological in nature, such as emotional support.

Social Support - an individual’s perception of general support or specific supportive behaviors (available or acted upon) from people in their social network, which enhances their functioning or may buffer them from adverse outcomes.

Quotes

"Past research has found that first-generation students do not receive the same levels or kinds of support from their parents around college access processes in comparison with non first-generation students (Hertel, 2002; Stephens, Fryberg, Markus, Johnson, & Covarrubias, 2012; York-Anderson & Bowman, 1991). This makes intuitive sense, as parents who had not experienced a particular task would be less able to help others achieve it."(424)

"...parental involvement is not only about the dyadic relation between student and parent, but also includes the parents’ interactions with teachers or other parents (Dika & Singh, 2002; Israel, Beaulieu, & Hartless, 2001; McNeal, 1999; Perna & Titus, 2005). When parents have high levels of involvement with teachers and other parents, they are likely to be better informed about their children’s schooling experience, future ambitions, course selections, and hobbies, which gives them more opportunities to assist their children and provide financial and social support."(426) 

"The influence of close friends is markedly stronger for students from disadvantaged educational backgrounds."(426)

"Social support can also prove vital for the overall well-being of stu- dents and when coping with college transition issues, because those who have a sense of belonging within the institution and experience overall well-being have a better chance of graduating with a degree (Baum & Payea, 2004; Tinto, 1993)."(427)

"Moreover, parents who did not attend college have little knowledge of the college environment and values of higher education; students who did not learn about this from their parents are more likely to experience a “culture shock” when they attend college (Inman & Mayes, 1999) and can also experience a constant dissonance between their family background and the environment at higher education institutions because they are on the margins of two different cultures (see Thayer, 2000)."(428)

Value

This article provides one of the main areas in which first generation college students and regular college students greatly differ. I can also deduce from this information how these differences are even greater when it comes to first generation college students whose parents are immigrants. By observing these areas, I can also come up with ways to target and eliminate these problem areas for first generation college students.

Research Blog #5: Bibliography with Five Scholarly Sources

Work Cited

Engle, Jennifer, and Vincent Tinto. Moving Beyond Access: College Success for Low-Income, First-Generation Students. St. Paul, Minnesota: 3M, 2008. 1-38. eBook.

Rosanna A. Reyes. Proving Them Wrong. MA/MS Thesis. Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, 2012. 

Schwartz, Seth;  Weisskirch, Robert S.; Zamboanga, Byron L.; Castillo, Linda G.; Ham, Lindsay S.; Huynh, Que-Lam; Park, Irene J. K.; Donovan, Roxanne; Kim, Su Yeong; Vernon, Michael; Davis, Matthew J.; Cano, Miguel A. "Dimensions of Acculturation: Associations With Health Risk Behaviors Among College Students From Immigrant Families."Journal of Counseling Psychology. 58.1 (2011): 27-41. Web. 24 Mar. 2014. 

Wohn, Donghee Yvette, Nicole B. Ellison, M. Laeeq Khan, Ryan Fewins-Bliss, and Rebecca Gray. "The role of social media in shaping first-generation high school students’ college aspirations: A social capital lens." Computers and Education 63 (): 424-436. Print.

Woosley, Sherry, and Dustin Shepler. "UNDERSTANDING THE EARLY INTEGRATION EXPERIENCES OF FIRST-GENERATION COLLEGE STUDENTS." College Student Journal 45 (): 700-714. Print.