By the Numbers and From Their Own Voices: Identifying and Explaining Pathways to Students' Thriving at a Public University in Benin

• In Event: AERA Graduate Student Research in Progress Roundtable Session Two
  In Roundtable Session: Connection and Belonging in Education Contexts: Homophily, Engagement, and Student-Faculty Relationships (Table 1)

Abstract

The African Union and various researchers have emphasized higher education as an opportunity for Africa to train its youthful population to contribute to the continent economic and social transformative growth. Yet, African public universities generally struggle to maintain students who access them; and despite the increase in access to public higher education, little is done and known about how to meaningfully help students thrive and succeed. Centering the experiences of Beninese college students and drawing from the thriving framework (a strength-based approach to student success), this study examines students' academic, social, and psychological engagement and well-being (thriving) at a university in southern Benin. This region is a critical site for understanding student thriving experiences/challenges because it is home for the largest public university in Benin, which enrolls multiethnic students from all 12 regions of the country. This mixed methods study will include an online survey, students' responses to an open-ended question in the survey, and in-depth student interviews. Research questions will (a) assess students' ability to thrive, (b) explore the relationship between thriving as a dependent variable and psychological sense of community, student involvement, student-faculty interaction, and spirituality as predictors, and (c) students' perception of experiences contributing to their thriving. The findings of my study are intended (a) to inform the development of strength-based and student-centered initiatives to help students thrive and succeed and b) to facilitate the conceptualization of a policy agenda for re-envisioning and supporting student holistic success and well-being at public higher education institutions in Benin.

Author

• Oumarou Abdoulaye Balarabe, Ohio University
  Presenting Author