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Blended New Student Orientations Are Making a Difference: A Case-Study on Students' Experience with the Online Learning Activities

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Title: Blended New Student Orientations Are Making a Difference: A Case-Study on Students' Experience with the Online Learning Activities
Language: English
Authors: Pamela P. Smalley, Richard E. West
Source: Online Learning. 2026 30(1):423-455.
Availability: Online Learning Consortium, Inc. P.O. Box 1238, Newburyport, MA 01950. Tel: 888-898-6209; Fax: 888-898-6209; e-mail: olj@onlinelearning-c.org; Web site: https://olj.onlinelearningconsortium.org/index.php/olj/index
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 33
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Postsecondary Education
Descriptors: School Transition, Student Adjustment, Blended Learning, School Orientation, Student Attitudes, Learning Modalities, College Freshmen, COVID-19, Pandemics, Student Experience, Electronic Learning, Peer Relationship, Student College Relationship, Sense of Belonging
ISSN: 2472-5749
2472-5730
Abstract: 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.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1508144
Database: ERIC
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  Data: Blended New Student Orientations Are Making a Difference: A Case-Study on Students' Experience with the Online Learning Activities
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Pamela+P%2E+Smalley%22">Pamela P. Smalley</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Richard+E%2E+West%22">Richard E. West</searchLink>
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  Data: Online Learning Consortium, Inc. P.O. Box 1238, Newburyport, MA 01950. Tel: 888-898-6209; Fax: 888-898-6209; e-mail: olj@onlinelearning-c.org; Web site: https://olj.onlinelearningconsortium.org/index.php/olj/index
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22School+Transition%22">School Transition</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+Adjustment%22">Student Adjustment</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Blended+Learning%22">Blended Learning</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22School+Orientation%22">School Orientation</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+Attitudes%22">Student Attitudes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Learning+Modalities%22">Learning Modalities</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22College+Freshmen%22">College Freshmen</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22COVID-19%22">COVID-19</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Pandemics%22">Pandemics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+Experience%22">Student Experience</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Electronic+Learning%22">Electronic Learning</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Peer+Relationship%22">Peer Relationship</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+College+Relationship%22">Student College Relationship</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Sense+of+Belonging%22">Sense of Belonging</searchLink>
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  Data: 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.
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    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 33
        StartPage: 423
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: School Transition
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Student Adjustment
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Blended Learning
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: School Orientation
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Student Attitudes
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Learning Modalities
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: College Freshmen
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: COVID-19
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Pandemics
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Student Experience
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Electronic Learning
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Peer Relationship
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      – SubjectFull: Student College Relationship
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      – SubjectFull: Sense of Belonging
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      – TitleFull: Blended New Student Orientations Are Making a Difference: A Case-Study on Students' Experience with the Online Learning Activities
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            NameFull: Richard E. West
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              M: 01
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
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              Value: 2472-5749
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