SOCIAL EFFECTS OF RESIDENTIAL LEARNING
COMMUNITIES: FIRST-YEAR ENGINEERING STUDENTS
School of Education
Introduction
• Tinto (1975, 1993) and Braxton, Sullivan, and Johnson
(1997) find compelling correlation between academic
and social integration and degree attainment. Thus,
interpersonal relationships, involvement, and sense of
belonging have an inherent influence on student
persistence and completion.
• As one means of promoting academic and social
prosperity, residential learning communities typically
involve students residing in an on-campus residence
hall, whom have a shared academic program.
• Often curricular components, such as class and
supplemental instruction, and co-curricular
components, such as social or transformative
programming and governing bodies, are integrated
within the residential learning community.
Objectives
This study examined the effectiveness of a residential
learning community for first-year engineering students.
Specifically, the study:
• Identifies and examines issues related to sense of
belonging and social connectedness for first-year
engineering students.
• Assesses the overall effects of residential learning
community on students’ social integration and
community.
• Considers the impact of specific qualities of the
residential learning community model (living in
proximity, cohort-model courses, supplemental
instruction sessions, community programming, etc.)
• Identifies and discusses improvements to further
enhance social integration and community
development within residential learning
communities.
Geaux
Nicholas J. Aniol
HIGHER
Louisiana State University
Methodology Conclusions
DESIGN:
• Residential learning communities prove to be
The methodology for this study is a qualitative survey. Employing this survey will: first, verify
effective in furthering students sense of belonging
the effectiveness of residential learning communities; and second, provide further insight
and connectedness.
into which elements are contributory.
Individuals completed the census via Qualtrics, an online survey instrument.. The survey • Students found the residential learning community to
consisted of 12 questions, aimed at best understanding the experience within the residential
be most effective in providing connections to peers,
learning community:
rather than offering academic resources, faculty
• Seven Likert-scale questions
interaction, or career/internship opportunities.
• One rank order question
• Four questions regarding demographics (i.e., race, gender, major, etc.)
• While respondents reported satisfaction with the
SAMPLE: residential learning community, many stated that they
A convenience sample, 10 participants of an engineering-based, residential learning
would have had similar levels of social comfort if not a
community completed the survey. All participants involved in this study are students at a
member of the community.
large, four-year, public university.
Findings Selected References
TABLE 1
Q1: Rainsford, J. & Naylor-Ticknell, J. (2016). Beyond the
traditional retention data: A qualitative study of the
Q3: social benefits of living learning communities. Learning
Communities Research and Practice, 4(1).
Q5:
Braxton, J.M., Sullivan, A.S., and Johnson, R. (1997).
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% Appraising Tinto’s theory of college student departure.
Higher Education: Handbook of Theory and Research
12.
Strongly Agree Agree Somewhat Agree Neither Somewhat Disagree Disagree Strongly Disagree
Schroeder, C. C. (2013). Reframing retention strategy: A
TABLE 2
focus on process. New Directions for Higher Education,
2013(161), 39-47. doi:10.1002/he.20044
Tinto, V. (1987, 1993). Leaving College: Rethinking the
Causes and Cures of Student Attrition (2nd Edition).
Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press.
Turner, P., & Thompson, E. (2014). College retention
initiatives meeting the needs of millennial freshman
students. College Student Journal, 48(1), 94-104.
Veenstra, C. P., Dey, E. L., & Herrin, G. D. (2009). A model
for freshman engineering retention. Advances in
Table 1 shows responses for the following Likert-scale questions: Engineering Education.
• Q1: The ERC has provided me with opportunities to connect with other students.
Zhao, C. & Kuh, G. D. (2004). Adding value: Learning
• Q3: I have positive, meaningful interactions with others within the ERC.
• Q5: If not for the ERC, I would have made less personal connections with peers. communities and student engagement. Research in
Table 2 shows responses show an average of valuableness. Higher Education, 45(2).