Intended and Actual Involvement of Commencing First-Year Undergraduate Students in University Activities

Abstract

Students’ involvement in both curricular and extracurricular activities at university can foster a sense of belonging, and support academic persistence and achievement, particularly during the first year. For over a decade, universities have observed diminishing student engagement patterns. These include declining attendance at face-to-face classes and reduced participation in extracurricular activities. We examined first-year undergraduate students’ perceptions of university expectations, their initial intentions for involvement, and their engagement after one semester of study at a campus-based university. A questionnaire was administered to 720 students in their first semester and readmin..