📖 Student-Centered Orientation Courses. College Transition and Successful Foundations.

Historically, colleges and universities have implemented programs and courses that assist first-year students in developing academic and social skills. Developing these types of skills allow first-year students the opportunity to make a transition to college life. It is important for a college to provide a support system to students through effective advising, and courses that are concentrated on first-year success. Orientation courses have been a part of the overall first-year experience for students in large numbers of colleges and universities. This study investigated the perceptions of first-year students, enrolled in an eight-week orientation course at the University of Toledo. Considering the effectiveness of the course in achieving first-year objectives the orientation instructors perceptions were also investigated. Course objectives that were ranked high included the first-year objectives of academic advising, balancing campus life, resource discovery, and having a learning community present in every class meeting. This book is intended to assist academic and student affairs administrators interested in establishing a student-centered foundation for first-year success.