What About Joe? A Reflection on the First-Year Seminar

Abstract

This article is the author’s reflection on pedagogical factors relating to student success in a three-credit first-year seminar course (FYS) at a land-grant university in the northeast United States. The narrative reflection focuses on an undergraduate male student, “Joe,” who represents a composite of students. Multiple layers of meaning and insight about the student and the instructor inform considerations for responsive and co-created course design.