Engagement and persistence of first-generation college students : a quantitative study

Access restricted to the OSU CommunityThis study explored the persistence and engagement of first-generation college students at a four-year institution with relation to engagement variables in order to determine the engagement behaviors that support first-generation college student success. Specifically, Astin's (1984) input-environment-output (I-E-O) model was used to investigate the differences between first-generation and non first-generation college students' behaviors of engagement. Recent literature suggests that first-generation college students and non first-generation college students have similar educational experiences when independent variables are controlled (Kuh & Pike, 2005; Tinto, 2002; Hurtado & Carter, 1996). The null hypothesis stated that first-generation college students and non first-generation college students would have similar educational experiences. The inputs for this study consist of the independent variables of sex, student of color status, income level, standardized test scores, high school GPA, and generation status. The environment was compromised of the five benchmarks from the National Survey for Student Engagement (NSSE). The outputs consist of the dependent variables of persistence to the next semester or graduation. The college students included in the sample data are from a mid-sized regional, religiously affiliated institution located in the Pacific Northwest. The sample was 1,280 first year and senior students, of which 232 were first-generation students and 1,048 were non first-generation students, who had completed the NSSE instrument in 2005, 2007, and 2009. Research questions were analyzed using t-tests, frequencies, and one-way repeated ANOVAs. The research rejected the null hypothesis for two NSSE benchmarks, and accepted the alternative hypothesis, that first-generation and non first-generation college students who persist have statistically significant different experiences. The results indicated that first-generation college students reported higher levels of engagement in behaviors associated with experiencing a supportive campus environment and active and collaborative learning. This study also suggests that first-generation and non first-generation college students have similar patterns of engagement in three NSSE benchmarks: academic challenge, student-faculty interaction, and enriching educational environments. This research does not support previous literature findings that indicated first-generation college students struggle with academic success