Abstract

First-generation students are frequently underrepresented minoritized (URM), low-income students (Douglas, 2019; Postsecondary National Policy Institute [PNPI], 2021). They are often highly motivated (Haney, 2020) but frequently experience unique or exacerbated challenges in post-secondary education (Moore et al., 2018; Soria et al., 2020). These challenges may continue into online spaces. In the first paper of this dissertation, we performed a scoping literature review and uniquely identified and categorized the challenges of these students in the online environment. We placed these challenges within the model of student engagement by Borup et al. (2020) to offer theoretical perspective for potentially better student support. In the second paper of this dissertation, we captured the experience of a partnership between a university and nonprofit organization, formed to improve the support of first-generation and URM undergraduate student success. Through semistructured interviews of eight university and nonprofit representatives, we found a reflection of best practices and student needs, as well as perspectives on how partnerships can collaboratively support student success. In the third paper of this dissertation, through semistructured interviews, we explored the perspectives of 12 first-generation and URM undergraduate students experiencing a unique set of supportive interventions. These student perspectives are essential to ensure not only that student support programs are optimal, but also to make certain that institutions avoid no-impact, low-impact, or even negative-impact interventions.

Degree

PhD

College and Department

David O. McKay School of Education; Instructional Psychology and Technology

Rights

https://lib.byu.edu/about/copyright/

Date Submitted

2023-06-22

Document Type

Dissertation

Handle

http://hdl.lib.byu.edu/1877/etd12867

Keywords

first-generation students, underrepresented minoritized (URM) students, minorities, online learning, undergraduate students, student engagement

Language

english

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