First-Generation Student Success: The Role of Faculty Interaction in Service Learning Courses

Abstract

Do service learning courses offer the opportunity for first-generation students to experience academic and social integration and ultimately, academic success? Our study answered this question by exploring the quality of interaction between first-generation students and faculty that characterizes service learning pedagogy, and by revealing ways in which service learning courses academically engage first-generation students in community service projects. Combining quantitative and qualitative methods, results confirm the vital role of communication between faculty and first-generation students and the potential for service learning courses to facilitate the process of integration. Implications for continued research in this area of instructional communication are also explored.

Keywords:

• First-Generation Students
• Service Learning
• Social Integration
• Academic Integration
• Faculty Interaction

Notes

1. Campus Compact is a national coalition of more than 1,100 college and university presidents—representing some 6 million students—dedicated to promoting community service, civic engagement, and service-learning in higher education (http://www.campuscompact.org)

2. Results for maximum-likelihood factor analyses on all measures used are available from the first author.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Valerie C. McKay

Valerie McKay (Ph.D., University of Oklahoma) is a Professor in the Department of Communication Studies at the California State University, Long Beach

Jeremy Estrella

Jeremy Estrella (M.A., California State University, Long Beach) is currently a Lecturer in the Department of Communication Studies at CSU, Long Beach