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The Use of Social Media for Navigating the Transitions Into and Through the First Year of College

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Although the use of technology is at an all-time high among college students, research about how social media facilitates the transition to college is limited. This paper presents findings from two qualitative studies about the role of social media in fostering a sense of belonging. Narratives from 66 students offer insight into the distinct functions of social media as participants attempted to develop a sense of belonging during their transition into and through their first year of college. They differentiated the use of social media as instrumental and relationship resources prior to and after campus arrival. Implications are provided for higher education professionals as they consider how to maximize belonging in first-year students with the use of social media.

Document Type: Research Article

Publication date: 01 September 2015

More about this publication?
  • The Journal of The First-Year Experience and Students in Transition is a semiannual refereed journal providing current research on the first college year and other significant student transitions. The primary purpose of the Journal is to disseminate empirical research findings on student transition issues that inform practice in all sectors of postsecondary education, such as explorations into the academic, personal, and social experiences (including outcomes related to success, learning, and development) of students at a range of transition points throughout the college years; transition issues unique to specific populations (e.g., non-traditional, traditional, historically underrepresented students, transfer students, commuters, part-time students); and explorations of faculty development, curriculum, and pedagogical innovations connected to college transitions.
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