Understanding Freshmen’s Persistence in A Chinese Private Higher Education
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Abstract
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine self-efficacy, goal-setting and belongingness impact freshmen’s persistence in Heilongjiang International University, one of Chinese private universities.
Research design, data and methodology: Based on the preliminary assessment of freshmen’s current challenges and situations, questionnaire, interview and participatory observation were used in both qualitative and quantitative research. Item-Objective Congruence was adopted before questionnaire implement in order to test the content validity; Cronbach's Alpha reliability was examined in this study by using a pilot test of 30 students to determine the reliability of each item in the construct. Meanwhile, the questionnaire conducted to a cohort of 200 students, date was analyzed in SPSS by using descriptive statistics and Multiple Linear Regression to test the impact related on independent variables to dependent variable.
Result: The study found that self-efficacy, goal-setting and belongingness have significant impact on freshmen’s persistence, additionally, goal-setting has most influential ability.
Conclusions: Self-efficacy, goal-setting and belongingness enhance freshmen’s persistence, thus, the First Year Experience practitioners were recommended to succeed freshmen in the aspects of those factors, which the suggestions are develop employing more peers, creating model students, setting SMART goals and closing the relationship between staff and freshman students.
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