Views of a Biology-Focused First-Year Seminar Across Stakeholder Perspectives

• In Event: Fairmont Roundtable Session Sixteen
  In Roundtable Session: Science Within Community Contexts (Table 2)

Abstract

First-year seminars are prevalent in higher education as tools to increase retention and success. We highlight a unique first-year seminar program that incorporates authentic research experiences with general skills for academic success. Using Jones’ (2017) conceptual framework of the undergraduate experience, we identified the desired outcomes and perspectives of faculty, peer mentors, and students to determine how first-year seminars may lead to alienation or a sense of belonging for undergraduate students. In this paper, we explore the perspectives of these three key stakeholders and consider how their different perspectives affected the realization of their desired outcomes. Our findings highlight the possibility of research-based first year seminars, while also critically considering barriers that universities must overcome for successful implementation.

Authors

• Alexandria Muller, University of California - Santa Barbara
  Presenting Author

• Krista L. Lucas, Pepperdine University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Liliana Garcia, University of California - Santa Barbara
  Non-Presenting Author