Blended New Student Orientations are Making a Difference
A Case-Study on Students’ Experience with the Online Learning Activities
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24059/olj.v30i1.4848Keywords:
blended learning, New Student Orientation, Sense of belonging, transitioningAbstract
Transitioning from high school to college is challenging for many students. The inability to make successful transitions can affect students’ abilities to integrate into and graduate from college, especially for marginalized students. New student orientations were created to help students navigate their new academic environments. However, with the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic, all in-person orientation activities defaulted to online formats. As institutions emerged from the pandemic, various blended new student orientation modalities were implemented. This case study focuses on how a university’s new student orientation blended modality (consisting of both online and in-person activities) affected social connectedness as perceived by first-year students. Twenty students were interviewed, leading to three main findings regarding the impact of blended modalities: (a) they motivated these students to transition to college, (b) they helped these students develop a sense of connection to the institution before even stepping foot on campus, and (c) they showed that the combination of online and in-person orientation activities provided a holistic experience for these students. We discuss how blended modalities help build and strengthen connections and a sense of belonging between students and institutions. We conclude with suggestions on how current technology trends in education might be used to adapt blended modalities from their current state to one that could result in more engaging and personalized orientation experiences for first-year students.
References
Abdous, M. H. (2019). Well begun is half done: Using online orientation to foster online students’ academic self-efficacy. Online Learning Journal, 23(3). https://doi.org/10.24059/olj.v23i3.1437
Astin, A. W. (1984). Student involvement: A developmental theory for higher education. Journal of College Student Development, 25(4), 297–308. https://www.middlesex.mass.edu/ace/downloads/astininv.pdf
Atteraya, M. S. (2021). Acculturation stressors and academic adjustment among Nepalese students in South Korean higher education institutions. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(12), 6529. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18126529
Beukes, B., Barac, K., & Nagel, L. (2019, June). Student preferences within a holistic blended learning environment. In EDEN Conference Proceedings (No. 1, pp. 276–290). https://www.researchgate.net/publication/349102626_Student_Preferences_within_a_Holistic_Blended_Learning_Environment
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77–101. https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa
Brooman, S., & Darwent, S. (2013). Measuring the beginning: A quantitative study of the transition to higher education. Studies in Higher Education, 39(9), 1523–1541. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2013.801428
Bruffaerts, R., Mortier, P., Kiekens, G., Auerbach, R. P., Cuijpers, P., Demyttenaere, K., Green, J.G., Nock, M. K., and Kessler, R. C. (2018). Mental health problems in college freshmen: Prevalence and academic functioning. Journal of Affective Disorders, 225(1), 97–103. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2017.07.044
Buchan, A., & Precey, R. (2023). Propelling student engagement in blended learning courses: A study of an English university. Journal of Perspectives in Applied Academic Practice, 11(3). https://doi.org/10.56433/jpaap.v11i3.578
Can, N., & Kalkan, B. (2021). Adaptation of the Turkish language version of the Inventory of New College Student Adjustment: The roles of resilience and social self-efficacy in college adjustment. International Journal of Contemporary Educational Research, 8(2), 1–12. https://doi.org/10.33200/ijcer.747467
Cashmore, A., Scott, J., & Cane, C. (2012). ‘Belonging’ and ‘intimacy’ factors in the retention of students—an investigation into the student perceptions of effective practice and how that practice can be replicated. What Works: Student Retention and Success, pp. 80–81. Paul Hamlyn Foundation.
Castro, R. (2019). Blended learning in higher education: Trends and capabilities. Education and Information Technologies, 24(4), 2523–2546. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-019-09886-3
Castro, M. D. B., & Tumibay, G. M. (2021). A literature review: Efficacy of online learning courses for higher education institution using meta-analysis. Education and Information Technologies, 26(2), 1367–1385. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-019-10027-z
Cho, M.-H. (2012). Online student orientation in higher education: A developmental study. Educational Technology Research and Development, 60(6), 1051–1069. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11423-012-9271-4
Clark, C. R., Muzacz, A. K., and LaGue, A. (2024). Assessing impacts of a hybrid orientation on counseling students’ self-efficacy. Journal of Technology in Counselor Education and Supervision, 5(2), article 3. https://doi.org/10.61888/2692-4129.1057
Colucci, R. L., & Grebing, R. E. (2020). The impact of an online orientation program on student success at a community college. Journal of College Orientation, Transition, and Retention, 27(1), 1–27. https://doi.org/10.24926/jcotr.v27i1.2251
Credé, M., & Niehorster, S. (2012). Adjustment to college as measured by the student adaptation to college questionnaire: A quantitative review of its structure and relationships with correlates and consequences. Educational Psychology Review, 24(4), 133–165. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-011-9184-5
Crozier, N. (2021). Designing effective online orientation programs for first-year university students. Journal of College Orientation, Transition, and Retention, 28(2), 1–16. https://doi.org/10.24926/jcotr.v28i2.3739
Cutrona, C. E. (1982). Transition to college: Loneliness and the process of adjustment. In L. A. Peplau & D. Perlman (Eds.), Loneliness: A source book of current theory, research, and therapy (pp. 291–309). John Wiley.
Fernandes, J., Costa, R., & Peres, P. (2016). Putting order into our universe: The concept of blended learning—A methodology within the concept-based terminology framework. Education Sciences, 6(2), 15. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci6020015
Foster, E., Lawther, S., Keenan, C., Bates, N., Colley, B., and Lefever, R. (2012). The HERE project toolkit: a resource for programme teams interested in improving student engagement and retention. What Works? Student Retention and Success. https://www.improvingthestudentexperience.com/library/UG_documents/Toolkit_-_HERE_Project.pdf
Gao, T., & Lehman, J. D. (2003). The effects of different levels of interaction on the achievement and motivational perceptions of college students in a web-based learning environment. Journal of Interactive Learning Research, 14(4), 367–386. https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2004-12029-001
Garivaldis, F. J., Chung, J., Braganza, L. Arulkadacham, L., Sharma, R., Reupert, A., McKenzie, S., Rose, G., Gupta, T., Aziz, Z., Mowbray, T., Ilic, D., and Mundy, M. (2022). Out of sight, but not out of mind: A case study of the collaborative development of a university-wide orientation resource for online students. Educational Technology Research and Development, 70, 531–558. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11423-022-10090-3
Giblin, J., Stefaniak, J., Eckhoff, A., & Luo, T. (2021). An exploration of factors influencing the decision-making process and selection of academic help sources. Journal of Computing in Higher Education, 33, 1–18. https://doi-org.byu.idm.oclc.org/10.1007/s12528-020-09252-0
Graham, C. R. (2006). Blended learning systems: Definition, current trends, and future directions. In C. J. Bonk & C. R. Graham (Eds.), The handbook of blended learning: Global perspectives, local designs (pp. 3–21). Pfeiffer Publishing.
Graham, C. R. (2021). Exploring definitions, models, frameworks, and theory for blended learning research. In A. G. Picciano, C. D. Dziuban, C. R. Graham, & P. D. Moskal (Eds.), Blended learning: Research perspectives (vol. 3, pp. 10–30). Routledge.
Gravett, K., & Ajjawi, R. (2022). Belonging as situated practice. Studies in Higher Education, 47(7), 1386–1396. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2021.1894118
Hanna-Benson, C. (2019). Development and evaluation of an online university readiness course furthered by capturing the lived experience of students during this transition: A multi-perspective understanding of the transition to university [Doctoral dissertation, Western University]. https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/etd/6092
Harper, C. V., McCormick, L. M., & Marron, L. (2024). Face-to-face vs. blended learning in higher education: A quantitative analysis of biological science student outcomes. International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, 21, 2. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41239-023-00435-0
Hehir, E., Zeller, M., Luckhurst, J., & Chandler, T. (2021). Developing student connectedness under remote learning using digital resources: A systematic review. Education and Information Technologies, 26(5), 6531–6548. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-021-10577-1
Hill, J., & Smith, K. (2023). Visions of blended learning: identifying the challenges and opportunities in shaping institutional approaches to blended learning in higher education. Technology, Pedagogy and Education, 32(3), 289–303. https://doi.org/10.1080/1475939X.2023.2176916
Hodgson, P., Lam, P., & Chow, C. (2010). Assessment experience of first-year university students: Dealing with the unfamiliar. CETL. https://doi.org/10.13140/2.1.2656.0648
Jaggars, S., & Xu, D. (2016). How do online course design features influence student performance? Computers & Education, 95(4), 270–284. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2016.01.014
Johler, M. (2022, October). Collaboration and communication in blended learning environments. Frontiers in Education, 7, Article 980445. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2022.980445
Jones, K. R. (2013). Developing and implementing a mandatory online student orientation. Online Learning, 17(1), Article 1. https://doi.org/10.24059/olj.v17i1.312
Jorgenson, D. A., Farrell, L. C., Fudge, J. L., and Pritchard, A. (2018). College connectedness: The student perspective. Journal of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 18(1), 75–95. https://doi.org/10.14434/josotl.v18i1.22371
Lee, R. M., & Robbins, S. B. (1995). Measuring belongingness: The social connectedness and the social assurance scales. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 42(2), 232–241. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-0167.42.2.232
Leonard, J., Mylonas, A., Parker, P., and Wood, R. (2024). A caring approach to the first-year university student experience. Journal of University Teaching and Learning Practice, 21(1). https://doi.org/10.53761/q1k5wx84
Leslie, H. (2024). Onboarding students at scale: A new student orientation course that prepares students to succeed in their online degree programs. International Journal of Designs for Learning, 15(2), 41–53. https://doi.org/10.14434/ijdl.v15i2.35590
Li, X., Cai, T., Jimenez, V., & Tu, K. M. (2022). Youth coping and cardiac autonomic functioning: Implications for social and academic adjustment. Developmental Psychobiology, 64(8), e22338. https://doi.org/10.1002/dev.22338
Liu, J. C. (2019). Evaluating online learning orientation design with a readiness scale. Online Learning Journal, 23(4), Article 4. https://doi.org/10.24059/olj.v23i4.2078
Makara, K., & Karabenick, S. (2013). Characterizing sources of academic help in the age of expanding educational technology: A new conceptual framework. In S. Karabenick & M. Puustinen (Eds.), Advances in help-seeking research and applications: The role of emerging technologies (pp. 37–72). Information Age Publishing.
Marjanovic, O. (1999). Learning and teaching in a synchronous collaborative environment. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 15(2), 129–138. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2729.1999.152085.x
Marshall, L. (2017). Impact of online orientation for first-time online students on retention, academic success, and persistence. [Doctoral dissertation, Walden University] https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/4388
Mayhew, M. J., Rockenbach, A. N., Bowman, N. A., Seifert, T. A., Wolniak, G. C., and Terenzini, P. T. (2016). How college affects students: 21st century evidence that higher education works. Jossey-Bass.
McGee, P., Valdes, E., and Bullis, D. (2016). Blended/Online learner orientations: Recommendations for design. EdMedia + Innovate Learning Online 2022, 15(2), 215–241. https://www.learntechlib.org/primary/p/48048/
Merriam, S. B. (1998). Qualitative research and case study applications in education. Jossey Bass Publishers.
Merriam, S. B., & Tisdell, E. J. (2016). Qualitative research: A guide to design and implementation (4th ed.). Jossey-Bass.
Merriam-Webster. (n.d.). Holistic. In Merriam-Webster.com dictionary. Retrieved February 20, 2026, from https://www.merriamwebster.com/dictionary/holistic
Mikulecký, P. (2019). Blended learning in smart learning environments. In P. M. Oliveira, P. Novais, & L. P. Reis (Eds.), Progress in Artificial Intelligence: 19th EPIA Conference on Artificial Intelligence (pp. 63–74). Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-30244-3_6
Mohzana, M. (2024). The impact of the New Student Orientation Program on the adaptation process and academic performance. International Journal of Educational Narrative, 2(2), 169–178. https://doi.org/10.70177/ijen.v2i2.763
Morey, S., Robbins, S., O’Regan, M., Hall, K., Fleming, S., and Mumford, C. (2012). Comparing and evaluating the impacts on student retention of different approaches to supporting students through study advice and personal development at the Universities of Reading and Oxford Brookes. Paul Hamlyn Foundation.
Nalbone, D. P., Kovach, R. J., Fish, J. N., McCory, K. M., Jones, K. E., & Rawlings Wright, H. (2015). Social networking websites as a tool for student transitions: Purposive use of social networking web sites for the first-year experience. Journal of College Student Retention, 17(4), 489–512. https://doi.org/10.1177/1521025115579253
Ning, L., Kruchen, K., and Cyr, C. (2021). Belonging and mattering in the first-year welcome experience: A comparison study before and during COVID-19. Journal of College Orientation, Transition, and Retention, 28(2). https://doi.org/10.24926/jcotr.v28i2.3768
Owusu, G. A., Tawiah, M. A., Sena-Kpeglo, C., and Onyame, J. T. (2014). Orientation impact on performance of undergraduate students in University of Cape Coast (Ghana). International Journal of Educational Administration and Policy Studies, 6(7), 131–140. https://doi.org/10.5897/IJEAPS2014.0370
Pascarella, E., Terenzini, P., & Wolfle, L. (1986). Orientation to college and freshman year persistence or withdrawal decisions. The Journal of Higher Education, 57(2), 155–175. https://doi.org/10.2307/1981479
Pregowska, A., Masztalerz, K., Garlińska, M., & Osial, M. (2021). A worldwide journey through distance education: From the post office to virtual, augmented, and mixed realities, and education during the COVID 19 pandemic. Education Sciences, 11(3), 118. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci11030118
Robichaud, W. (2016). Student perceptions of a comprehensive orientation program for online courses. [Doctoral dissertation, Nova Southeastern University]. https://nsuworks.nova.edu/fse_etd/26
Rovai, A. (2002). Sense of community, perceived cognitive learning, and persistence in asynchronous learning networks. Internet and Higher Education, 5(4), 319–332. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1096-7516(02)00130-6
Rovai, A. P., & Jordan, M. (2004) Blended learning and sense of community: A comparative analysis with traditional and fully online graduate courses. The International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning, 5. https://doi.org/10.19173/irrodl.v5i2.192
Sadanala, G., Xu, X., He, H., Bueno-Vesga, J. A., & Li, S. (2023). ‘Transition into relatable reality’: Experience analysis in a 3D desktop virtual-reality-based new student online orientation. Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 56(6), 711–732. https://doi.org/10.1080/15391523.2023.2210321
Salcedo, M. D. C. N. (2022). Perception of blended learning in faculty and students of higher learning. International Journal of Education and Practice, 10(3), 227–236. https://doi.org/10.18488/journal.61.2022.103.227.236
Saldaña, J. (2013). The coding manual for qualitative researchers (2nd ed.). Sage.
Sax, L. J., & Weintraub, D. S. (2014). Exploring the parental role in first-year students’ emotional well-being: Consideration by gender. Journal of Student Affairs Research and Practice, 51(2), 113–127. http://dx.doi.org/10.1515/jsarp-2014-0013
Scagnoli, N. I. (2001). Student orientations for online programs. Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 34(1), 19–27. https://doi.org/10.1080/15391523.2001.10782330
Schlossberg, N. K. (1981). A model for analyzing human adaptation to transition. The Counseling Psychologist, 9(2), 2–18. https://doi.org/10.1177/001100008100900202
Schuster, M. T. (2019). Learning culture: First-year student transition, institutional culture, and the bubble of trial adulthood. Journal of College Orientation, Transition, and Retention, 26(2), 1–26. https://doi.org/10.24926/jcotr.v26i2.2400
Sidelinger, R. J., & Booth-Butterfield, M. (2010). Co-constructing student involvement: An examination of teacher confirmation and student-to-student connectedness in the college classroom. Communication Education, 59(2), 165–184. https://doi.org/10.1080/03634520903390867
Starke, M., Harth, M., and Sirianni, F. (2001). Retention, bonding, and academic achievement: Success of a first-year seminar. Journal of the First-Year Experience & Students in Transition, 13(2), 7–36. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/268823460_Retention_Bonding_and_Academic_Achievement_Success_of_a_First-Year_Seminar
Stoebe, A., & Grebing, R. (2020). The effect of new student orientations on the retention of online students. Online Journal of Distance Learning Administration, 23(2), 1–8. https://ojdla.com/assets/pdf/stoebe232.pdf
Suson, R. L. (2024). Factors influencing student satisfaction in blended learning: A structural equation modelling approach. International Journal of Learning, Teaching and Educational Research, 23(7), 207–227. https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.23.7.11
Taylor, J. M. (2015). Innovative orientation leads to improved success in online courses. Online Learning, 19(4), Article 4. https://doi.org/10.24059/olj.v19i4.570
Thomas, L. (2012). Building student engagement and belonging in higher education at a time of change. Paul Hamlyn Foundation Final Report. Retrieved from https://www.heacademy.ac.uk/system/files/what_works_final_report_0.pdf
Thongsawat, S., Davidson-Shivers, G., & Chatphoomiphong, B. (2019). Designing an interactive student orientation to build social connectedness. Journal of Educational Multimedia and Hypermedia, 28(1), 99–112. https://www.learntechlib.org/primary/p/178537/
Tinto, V. (1993). Leaving college: Rethinking the causes and cures of student attrition (2nd ed.). University of Chicago Press. https://doi.org/10.7208/chicago/9780226922461.001.0001
Tinto, V. (2003). Learning better together: The impact of learning communities on student success. Higher Education Monograph Series 2003, 1(8), 1–8. https://www.yc.edu/v6/student-services/docs/successdocs/drtinto/LearningBetterTogether.pdf
Wang, S. K., & Hsu, H. Y. (2008). Use of the webinar tool (Elluminate) to support training: The effects of webinar-learning implementation from student-trainers’ perspective. Journal of Interactive Online Learning, 7(3), 175–194. http://www.sciepub.com/reference/129938
Ware, K., & Strickland, K. (2019). A blended approach to course orientation. Nurse Educator, 44(4), 221. https://doi.org/10.1097/NNE.0000000000000628
Watts, J. (2019). Assessing an online student orientation: Impacts on retention, satisfaction, and student learning. Technical Communication Quarterly, 28(3), 254–270. https://doi.org/10.1080/10572252.2019.1607905
Wilson, M. J., & Minhas-Taneja, V. (2016). Online orientation–a blended learning approach to student transition. JANZSSA-Journal of the Australian and New Zealand Student Services Association, 24(1), 61–68. https://janzssa.scholasticahq.com/article/73096-online-orientation-a-blended-learning-approach-to-student-transition
Xu, L., & Brown, S. (2024). A sense of belonging in online post-traditional students: What matters? Online Learning Journal, 28(3), 326–352. https://doi.org/10.24059/olj.v28i3.4
Yu, Q., Yu, K., Li, B., and Wang, Q. (2023). Effectiveness of blended learning on students’ learning performance: A meta-analysis. Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 1–22. https://doi.org/10.1080/15391523.2023.2264984
Zhou, M., & Chua, B. L. (2016). Using blended learning design to enhance learning experience in teacher education. International Journal on E-Learning, 15(1), 121–140. https://www.learntechlib.org/primary/p/41984/
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Pamela P. Smalley, Richard E. West
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
As a condition of publication, the author agrees to apply the Creative Commons – Attribution International 4.0 (CC-BY) License to OLJ articles. See: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.
This licence allows anyone to reproduce OLJ articles at no cost and without further permission as long as they attribute the author and the journal. This permission includes printing, sharing and other forms of distribution.
Author(s) hold copyright in their work, and retain publishing rights without restrictions
