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Experiences With General Education: How Sense of Community Shapes Students’ Perceptions

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  • Michael R. Cope
  • Kayci M. Muirbrook
  • Jorden E. Jackson
  • Paige N. Park
  • Carol Ward
  • Curtis Child
  • Jonathan A. Jarvis

Abstract

General education (GE) classes are designed to reflect the mission and goals of the university and to help students become more well-rounded, career-ready, and civically-minded post-graduation. Students’ perceptions of these courses have a significant influence on their capacity to succeed, and ultimately to get the most out of their college experience. Using results from an email questionnaire sent to students at a private university in the western United States, we analyze the relationships between perceptions of the GE experience, sense of community, and academic year, and we find that sense of community is positively associated with perceptions of GEs. These results also show freshmen having a higher sense of community than juniors or seniors, and that scholastic class in school is negatively associated with satisfaction with GEs. Furthermore, we find that seniors generally have a lower perception of the importance of GEs in their lives when compared to freshmen.

Suggested Citation

  • Michael R. Cope & Kayci M. Muirbrook & Jorden E. Jackson & Paige N. Park & Carol Ward & Curtis Child & Jonathan A. Jarvis, 2021. "Experiences With General Education: How Sense of Community Shapes Students’ Perceptions," SAGE Open, , vol. 11(4), pages 21582440211, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:sagope:v:11:y:2021:i:4:p:21582440211050399
    DOI: 10.1177/21582440211050399
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Elvira Cicognani & Claudia Pirini & Corey Keyes & Mohsen Joshanloo & Reza Rostami & Masoud Nosratabadi, 2008. "Social Participation, Sense of Community and Social Well Being: A Study on American, Italian and Iranian University Students," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 89(1), pages 97-112, October.
    2. Cosimo Talò & Terri Mannarini & Alessia Rochira, 2014. "Sense of Community and Community Participation: A Meta-Analytic Review," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 117(1), pages 1-28, May.
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    1. Abdel-Salam G. Abdel-Salam & Radwa Ismail & Mohamed Rhouma & Amal Elatawneh & Khalifa Al Hazaa & Michael H. Romanowski, 2023. "Using Grades in Core Curriculum Chain Courses as Predictors of Academic Performance in Subsequent Courses: A Study at Qatar University," SAGE Open, , vol. 13(4), pages 21582440231, November.

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