Assessing the Needs and Experiences of First-Generation Students’ Transition to Remote Learning Due to COVID - 19 Pandemic at a Hispanic Serving Institution

Abstract

Due to the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic in the Spring of 2020, college students’, including first-generation students, were forced to transition to remote learning. First-gen students traditionally face many challenges in their academic and personal lives. The purpose of this evaluation research project is to understand the impact this major shift has had on first- generation college students’ learning and challenges they faced in this process. Initially, a first- gen committee decided to conduct an assessment to evaluate how our undergraduate first-gen students were experiencing an unanticipated and rapid move to remote learning including their college experiences. 1,318 students participated in the survey measuring students’ attitudes, perceptions, experiences, and their demographic background information and included feedback from one open-ended qualitative question. The results of the survey showed significant findings pertaining to first-gen students’ in three areas: 1) Academic Learning Environment; 2) Financial Challenges; and 3) Psychological Well-Being. In response to the assessment, the First-Gen Proud committee suggested recommendations to faculty and staff to assist in supporting first- gen students at Texas State University.