An Experimental Study of the Impact of Co-Curricular First-Year Experience Programming

The paper uses an experimental approach to investigate whether co-curricular first-year experience programming can have a positive impact on student success related attitudes, skills, and behaviors for first-year university students. We argue that co-curricular first-year experience training in first-year seminars are comparable to stand-alone first year seminars. Using an experimental study design, we found that students who receive a co-curricular first year feel they have more success in understanding the course material, academic performance, managing time, working in groups, and relating to their professors, compared to their counterparts in the control group. Interestingly, we also found that these students achieved a higher level of academic performance during the semester when learning transitioned from in person to online learning. These results suggest that co-curricular training not only helps students develop attitudes, skills, and behaviors associated with student success, but also helps students to work more effectively in online learning environments.