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role of peer group in learning
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Social influence/peer groups were one of the dominant themes in my observations, survey, and literature. Social influence looks at how individual thoughts, actions and feelings are influenced by social groups (Aronson, 2010).The desire to be accepted and liked by others can lead to dangerous behavior. College life can be an overwhelming experience for first time college students and or transfer students as they struggle to manage class time and social activities in an attempt to fit-in in the new environment that they may not be used to. Students can experience too much anxiety and drop out of college or fall behind classes. Working at the Cambell Student Union information Center, I observed a great deal of students falling into this trap of social influence and peer pressure. A female student tripped as she was going up the stairs to Spot Coffee but did not fall. What appears to be a group of guys who are not popular (guys who are not very well known), were seating where popular students normally seat. The group of guys started laughing at the girl and stopped. One guy kept laughing, but it was obvious he was forcing the laughter as to purposely attract attention. He started making jokes about the girl and carrying on the laughter so he would appear to be funny. Another example, which portrays peer influence, involves parties over the weekend. Multiple students stated they were falling behind in classes on the grounds of their friends wanted to go out the night before and they did not want to seem/appear “lame” so they tagged along. The influence of a group is intensified by the person’s desire to be an accepted member of the peer group. To achieve this desire he tries to conform in everyday to the patterns approved by the grou...
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...t involvement and perceptions of integration in a casual model of student persistence. Research in Higher Education, 40, 641-664.
Light, J. R. (2001). Making the most of college: Students speak their minds. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
Milem, J., & Berger, J. (1997). A modified model of college student persistence: Exploring the relationship between Astin’s theory of involvement and Tinto’s theory of student departure. Journal of College Student Development, 38, 387- 400.
Rubin, A. & Babbie, E.R. (2008). Research Methods for Social Work. Belmont, CA: Thomson Brooks/cole
Terenzini, P.T., Pascarella, E.T.and Blimling, G.S.(1996) Students’ Out-of-ClassExperiences and Their Influence on Learning and Cognitive Development: ALiterature Review.Journal of College Student Development.37 (2), pp.149–162.
Trowler, V. (2010) "Student engagement literature review",
During my first few days of sophomore year at Stuyvesant High School, I saw how the ways of thinking were diverse in each of my classes. In my European Literature class, where, in our first reading assignment, we questioned the purpose of education itself. I always went with the flow in my learning, and never stopped to say to myself, “Why am I doing this to myself?”. However, once I read Live and Learn by Louis Menand, I started to think about Menand’s three theories of college and juxtapose each of them to my experience so far in high school. In the end, I concluded that many of my classes followed the main points of Theory 2, which was the theory that I mostly agreed with when I read the article for the first time.
Potter, Claire. "Should They Stay or Should They Go?: A Few Thoughts on Who is 'Supposed' To Be in College.". The Chronicle of Higher Education, 2011. Web. 16 November 2013.
Despite the initiatives used by universities to resolve the issue with retention amongst this group of students, there is a relatively high rate of first generation students not returning to college. The “combined portrait” facing first year students is one of students at academic risk, where a disproportionally low number succeed in college. They are more likely to leave at the end of the first year and less likely to stay enrolled or attain a bachelor’s degree after five years (Stuber, 2008). Dr. McKay ,a professor at the University of Oklahoma in a study found that approximately 43% of FGS leave college before finishing a degree where the drop-out rate of non-first generation student is 20% (McKay & Estrella, 2008)
“A human being is not attaining his full heights until he is educated” this anecdote written by Horace Mann, explains the significance education has in today’s society. In order to acquire a career and be successful, individuals need to be educated. Global competition for jobs is very common in today’s century, individuals are not only competing with local people, but also people worldwide. The prerequisites for jobs keep changing through time and the demands for jobs also keep increasing. It is the responsibility of the schools to motivate and retain its students on *the journey of acquiring an education in order to prepare them for future responsibilities. Universities, Community Colleges, along with High Schools are the main source of motivation for students to continue pursuing their career goals and retaining students in school. Furthermore, the importance for an education is immense, it shapes who you are as an individual and can gradually be a door opener to great opportunities in the future. Education is a human right in America, and should be taken advantage of when it is available. Unfortunately, other individuals in different countries are not blessed with this opportunity, due to their financial status, lifestyle, health etc. Therefore, it is very important to maintain the retention rate, which is the amount of students attending College to acquire their education. Although, there are various numbers of reasons that may prohibit retention rates from increasing, which induce the rise on drop out rates and prohibit students from attending school, it is the school’s responsibility to encourage the continuation of acquiring an education. The reason for Skyline College’s retention rate remaining constant is caused by variou...
Shoup, Rick. Kinzie, Julian. “Unmasking the Effects of Student Engagement on First-Year College Grades and Persistence.” Journal of Higher Education. Sep/Oct2008, Vol. 79 Issue 5, p540-563. Web. 29 April 2014.
In 1985, Edwin Anderson introduced the Force Field Analysis of College Persistence which assisted in highlighting significant reasons why students decide to stay or leave college. College is a huge transition that will help students reach personal growth. Throughout the course of my high school career, I had to deal with the internal and external factors of making an overall decision of pursuing a college education.
The greatest advantage in participating in freshman learning communities is the chance to interact and socialize with a group of students known as a cohort. Lichtenstein (2005) noted that these programs are based on the premise that the better the student’s social involvement in the life of the college, the greater chance for academic success. Not only does this cohort of students assist in reducing the anxiety of the transition, but also gives students the social support needed to successfully progress through college (Engberg, 2007). Because of the small size, students are given a greater chance of participating, discussion, and overall getting to know one another. Students in learning communities not only tend to form their own support groups that extend beyond the classroom, but also spend more time together outside of class (Tinto 2000). Discussions outside of class, social activities, and study groups are all encouraged to participate in as a cohort.
University of Houston, Graduate College of Social Work. (2008). Doctoral student handbook: Ph. D. program. Retrieved from www.uh.edu/socialwork/_docs/phdprogram/DoctoralHandbook.doc
Adult students' participation and persistence in educational activities ranging from adult literacy to doctoral programs is a complex phenomenon involving an array of factors. Adults are often affected by situational factors beyond their control—job, health problems, financial problems, legal problems, personal or family problems (Belzer 1998). Likewise, dispositional factors such as expectations, self-esteem, level of family support, and past educational experience, can be barriers to participation (Hubble 2000). Institutional factors such as red tape, program fees, scheduling, and procedures can either help or hinder participation (Quigley 1998). In fact, adult students who drop out are often actually "stopping out"—that is, interrupting their studies but planning to return (Frank and Gaye 1997)—or attending other institutions (Hoffman and Elias 1999).
Tagg, John. “Why Learn? What We May Really Be Teaching Students.” About Campus. 2004. Print.
Bye, D., Pushkar, D., & Conway, M. (2007). Motivation, interest, and positive affect in traditional and nontraditional undergraduate students. Adult Education Quarterly, 57, 141-158. doi: 10.1177/0741713606294235
... Social Work, 49(3), 506-13. Retrieved January 22, 2012, from Research Library. (Document ID: 671516321).
Tinto’s original theory involved five specific factors that contributed to student retention: (1) a student’s pre-entry attributes (prior schooling and family background); (2) goals and commitment (the student’s individual aspirations in the institution); (3) experience at the institution (academics and faculty and peer interactions); (4) external commitments while at the institution; (5) integration both academically and socially (Metz 4).
In college a student should question what it means to be part of a clique. Although they were popular in high school, many students do not belong to cliques in college. In fact, being involved in a clique simply portrays a student as being scared to make new contacts and expand his or her world. In sum, how a person socializes in college can lead to one’s development or downfall. Losing track of goals is the last thing a student wishes to do. How we socialize tells our classmates and future employers who we are. Socialization in college makes us open ourselves to the world, and in so doing, we must assume responsibility for all our choices.
As a young undergraduate, I attempted to prove myself as a hardworking student by attending my courses focused and well prepared, and conducting my assignments as required. Through my undergraduate studies, I was fortunate to participate in several student and voluntary activities. Furthermore, determinant to acquire relevant practical experience, I trained and worked at several establishments applying my theoretical ed...