Adaptation Of First-Year Students And Possibilities For Ensuring It

Abstract

The article analyses the factors influencing adaptation in the study process from a theoretical point of view and justifies the prerequisites for ensuring successful adaptation. The aim of the research is to investigate the problem areas of adaptation of first-year students in the study process and to provide ways of solving them. Analytical descriptive, quantitative and statistical research methods were applied. Using a quantitative research strategy (questionnaire survey), the researcher found out the factors influencing the adaptation of the first-year students of Lithuanian higher education institutions (n=144) in the study process, identified the causes of adaptation difficulties and, on the basis of the research participants' assessments, envisaged the possibilities of management of the processes of ensuring the successful adaptation of first-year students. As the results of the study showed, almost a third of the participants had difficulties adapting to the study arrangements at the beginning of their studies. The highest mean scores indicate that the lack of precise instructions for assignments, the large number of assignments, studying too intensively in a modular system, and the excessive study load in lectures and preparation for exams are some of the external difficulties that first-year students encountered at the beginning of their studies. Meanwhile, the lack of the ability to rationalise the allocation of time for lectures, homework and leisure, as well as the inability to concentrate during lectures and the lack of motivation to study, were identified as some of the most important personal difficulties that first-year students encountered at the start of their higher education studies. According to the research participants, providing precise and clear instructions and consistent requirements for tasks, implementing and ensuring feedback on the tasks completed, organising reports with precise deadlines and proper workload distribution are some of the possible ways to ensure the successful adaptation of first year students to the study process. The results of the study will have a lasting value in the scientific debate in providing guidelines for the management of the successful adaptation of students in the first year of study at higher education institutions.