Students' Perceptions of Skills Transfer in a First-Year Seminar
Author(s): Evans-Tokaryk, T., Burazin, A., deBraga, M., & Goodman, J., Kaler, M., & Klubi, T.
Citation: Evans-Tokaryk, T., Burazin, A., deBraga, M., & Goodman, J., Kaler, M., & Klubi, T. (2023). Students' Perceptions of Skills Transfer in a First-Year Seminar. Journal of The First-Year Experience & Students in Transition, 35(1), 69-90.
Abstract
First-year seminars that teach foundational academic skills are common in universities around the world, but few studies have been conducted to determine whether the specific skills students develop in these courses transfer to other academic contexts. Our research presents a case study that addresses this gap by measuring students' perceptions of the impact of a first-year seminar on the development of their test-preparation and test-taking skills. Interviews were conducted with 12 students who participated in a 90-minute module focusing on test-wiseness, retrieval practice, and strategies for studying for high-stakes multiple-choice question tests. We describe the module and summarize students' perceptions of this intervention. Students perceived the test-preparation and test-taking module to be effective and reported improved academic performance as well as enhanced self-efficacy. Students also reported transferring their test-preparation and test-taking skills to other contexts.
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