Why it matters
A great college experience starts with a great first year.
The first-year of college is a big deal. A positive transition to university-level learning and the college experience in general can set students on the path to academic success, degree attainment, as well as satisfaction and achievement in their careers and personal lives. The first-year is also the place where students are most likely to encounter a whole range of obstacles that might deter them from the degree and the learning they want.
We are here to help.Research and Assessment
K-State First is dedicated to finding out what works best to help students to learn and to succeed in college. From its origins in a 2007 Task Force Report and the pilot studies of the first-year seminar concept in 2008 and 2009, K-State First has been committed not only to excellent teaching but also to research on and assessment of our courses and programs.
For more detailed information, please check out some of the additional links below, which will take you to some examples of the research and assessment produced by our K-State First efforts.
- Gregory Eiselein, Emily Lehning, and Steven J. Hawks, "Building a Comprehensive First-Year Program," 31st Annual Conference on The First-Year Experience [Conference Presentation, February 2012]
- Gregory Eiselein, Don Saucier, and Sue Williams, "Using Multiple Measures for Assessment of Student Learning: K-State First and the Assessment of First-Year Programs," Fall 2011 Assessment Showcase: Featuring Best Practices in Assessment at Kansas State University [University Assessment Presentation, November 2011]
- Gregory Eiselein, Steven J. Hawks, Emily Lehning, and Donald A. Saucier, "Connecting Students and Connecting Disciplines: K-State's CAT Communities," Eighth Annual K-State Teaching Retreat: Leading a Community of Learners, [Conference Presentation, January 2011]
View additional K-State First research projects
Opportunities to Get Involved
If you are interested in research related to student learning, assessment, or the first year of college and would like to discuss the possibility of a research partnership, please contact Greg at eiselei@k-state.edu or Emily at lehning@k-state.edu. If you are interested in joining our research and assessment team, please contact the Chair of our Research and Assessment Committee, Steven J. Hawks, the Assistant Director of the Office of Assessment, at sjhawks2@ksu.edu.