For many students, college is a confusing place with a lot of unfamiliar systems and norms that pose unseen barriers to success. These barriers are especially problematic for students who are the first in their family to attend college. First generation students are those whose parents do not have a college degree. Such students often experience a “cultural mismatch” between their familiar home culture and the culture they encounter in college. When the culture of an academic institution differs significantly from a student’s family or home culture, the student experiences tension or conflict that impacts their academic performance, and mental and physical health. As instructors, we may not be able to control the college environment, but we can design and deliver courses in which all students can succeed and feel that they belong in college.
What can we do to help first generation students overcome some of the cultural barriers to success in college? Some ways are:
- If you are a first-generation student yourself, Identify yourself as such on the first day of classes.
- Invite students who would like to learn more about your academic journey to attend office hours.
- Make a positive statement about the high percentage of ‘first gen’ students and express interest in supporting their success.
- Learn about issues confronting first generation students by reading the research.
- Familiarize yourself with support services available on campus and encourage first-generation students to make use of those services.
- Design assignments transparently to substantially reduce barriers to success.
Another way to support success for first generation students in your courses is to provide opportunities for interdependent learning, which requires connecting with others and cannot be achieved alone. This approach is in contrast to independent learning, where the student works individually and is independently recognized, which is typically heavily rewarded in college.
Finally, think broadly about the assessments you use in your course (assignments, exams, etc.), and whether or not they are “transparent” (you can check out these examples of more and less transparently designed assignments in the Transparency in Learning and Teaching (TILT) project website). Research has shown that many students, including first generation students, benefit from the use of transparent assignments.
If you need assistance with any of the suggested strategies, feel free to request a CTL consultation. We are here to help!
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