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Enabler Factors for the Successful Adjustment of First-Year Students

Enabler Factors for the Successful Adjustment of First-Year Students

Pamela Awuor Onyango (University of Nairobi, Kenya)
Copyright: © 2023 |Pages: 20
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-6684-6961-3.ch007
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Abstract

This chapter presents a synopsis of enabler factors for successful adjustment of first-year students. Reviewed literature addresses the main enabler factors, which include positive and helpful interaction of students with lecturers, orientation, family environment, student experience during transition into the university and information literacy. While other students have been living in rural areas, others come from urban areas. Consequently, the two categories of learners do not adjust to institutions of higher learning in the same way. This fact has been taken into account in the course of literature review. Study findings recommend the need for the university administration and other stakeholders to acknowledge the significance of enabler factors for the successful adjustment of first-year students.
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Background

As demonstrated in the introduction, there is a considerable body of evidence which suggests that going to the university for the first time involves transformation in young peoples’ lives that brings with it a lot of stress. Hassel and Ridout (2018) maintain that passage from school to university is a concern for most learners; more importantly the gap between learners’ prior expectations and the actual university life, which may lead to substantial distress, substandard academic performance and high rates of dropout if not handled effectively. Research findings from national and international perspective reveal that the transition of a student to higher education is a complicated and inconsistent adventure (Gravett & Winstone, 2019). According to Parker et al. (2017), smooth transition to higher education is necessary for undergraduate learners to acquire academic success. Douglas et al. (2018) also believe that effective learner transition to the university is of great importance to their victory.

Enabler Factors for Successful Adjustment of First Year Students

Joining tertiary institution comes with scores of remarkable life obstacles and learners have to handle the new environment and the obstacles of stressors caused by being separated from their previous environment (Dlamini & Zogli, 2020). First year learners who are granted social support more possibly adapt to the transition to higher education (Maymon et al., 2019). This implies that all learners need enablers for successful adjustment to institutions of learning. Cele (2018) also believes that learners need a lot of support from families, schools and institutions of higher learning in order to negotiate transition smoothly. Comparatively, there are quite a number of enabler factors for successful adjustment of students. The factors discussed in this chapter include positive and helpful interaction of students with lecturers, orientation, family environment, student experience during transition into the university and information literacy.

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