A Profile of Psychosocial, Learning Style, Family, and Academic Self-Efficacy Characteristics of the Transition Program Students at North Carolina State University

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to develop a profile of the University Transition Program (UTP) students who are categorized as being academically at-risk, and to make programming recommendations. Primary theorists of psychosocial factors (Arthur Chickering), student attrition (Vincent Tinto), and self-efficacy (Albert Bandura) were initially reviewed. The following are the proposed research questions: (a). What important characteristics need to be considered in putting together a profile of students who matriculated into the University Transition Program at North Carolina State University? (b) What value would the profiles to be programs like the University Transition Program at North Carolina State University? and (c) How can the University Transition Program at North Carolina State University better serve the students in the program?

The study included students (n=70) who were enrolled in the UTP and their parents (n=108). The students completed the Index of Learning Styles (ILS), College Academic Self-Efficacy Scale (CASES), and the Student Developmental Task and Lifestyle Assessment (SDTLA); and the parents completed the parents completed the Family Characteristics Survey (FCS). Seventy students responded to the ILS and the CASES and 31 responded to the SDTLA. Of the 70 parent and parents that were contacted, 62 responded to the FCS.

ILS reports information across four dimension: Active vs. Reflective, Sensing vs. Intuitive, Visual vs. Verbal, and Sequential vs. Global. The results are as follows: 53 (75.7%) were active learners and 17 (24.3%) reflective learners, 48(68.6%) were sensors and 22 (31.4%) intuitive learners, 55 (78.6%) were visual learners and 15 (21.45%) verbal learners, 47 (67.1%) were sequential learners and 23 (32.9%) global learners.

The results of the Family Characteristics scale indicated that a majority of the students were from two-parent families with 1 to 2 children. Other findings indicated that the vast majority of the female and male parents are between 41-50 years and most of the parents in the study were of African American decent. A majority of the female parents were college graduates while a majority of the male parents were either a graduate school graduate and had some college experience. Half of the parents had a salary of $50,000 or above and held professional positions. The parents rated spirituality as their principal value, and most of the families were nuclear in nature.

Regarding CASES, that the male respondents 19 (54%) had 'high' confidence regarding their ability to complete a college program and the female respondents had 18 (51.43%) 'high' confidence about their ability to complete a college program. Overall, the class had 37 (52.9%) 'high' confidence about being able to complete a college degree.

The SDTLA indicated that the male respondents averaged within or above the normative mean of 50 on all eleven domains and the female respondents averaged within the normative sample range in all domains.

It was concluded and recommended that the University Transition Program can assist the students by helping them determine their learning style preference at the onset of the academic year so that the best match between the student and teacher can be made. It was further concluded that if students do not feel integrated into their academic institutions, they may not do as well academically because they do not feel supported or acknowledged. The UTP can assist students with helping them feel more integrated by encouraging students to participate in social and sporting events and student organizations. The present study also concluded that a series of parent workshops should be offered to parents of the students in the UTP. This is recommended in an effort to increase positive parental involvement which will more than likely contribute to less students discontinuing their college education.