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Dissertation
The Languishing Social-Emotional Experiences of First Year College Students During COVID-19
University of West Florida Libraries
Doctor of Education (EDD), University of West Florida
2026
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted higher education globally, reshaping the academic and social-emotional (SE) experiences of 1st-year college students (FYCSs). In this qualitative study, I explored how FYCSs navigated their 1st year of college during the height of the pandemic through the community of inquiry (CoI) framework. Using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA), I examined the lived experiences of three participants enrolled at a southeastern public university in the United States through semistructured interviews conducted in 2025. Analysis revealed six interconnected themes: teaching presence, social presence, SE well-being, platforms, learning environment, and cognitive presence. Participants described teaching presence—particularly instructor accessibility and feedback—as a stabilizing force amid uncertainty and noted isolation and transactional interactions constrained social presence. SE well-being was strained by monotony and stress yet supported by student resilience and instructor empathy. Based on the results, I developed three major conclusions: (a) presence is both academic and emotional, functioning as a foundation for belonging and persistence; (b) SE well-being and learning are mutually reinforcing processes in the CoI framework; and (c) physical and institutional environments are integral to sustaining engagement and motivation. With these findings, I extended the CoI framework by emphasizing the contextual and emotional dimensions of presence and affirmed the importance of centering student voice in understanding and supporting the 1st-year experience during times of disruption.
Details
- Title
- The Languishing Social-Emotional Experiences of First Year College Students During COVID-19
- Resource Type
- Dissertation
- Contributors
- Aneta Walker (Committee Member)Chad Hodge (Committee Member)Hongwei Yang (Committee Chair)
- Publisher
- University of West Florida Libraries
- Format
- pdf
- Number of pages
- 228
- Copyright
- Unpublished work © Jessica Maria Maley
- Identifiers
- 99381761451706600
- Academic Unit
- School of Education
- Language
- English
- Awarding Institution
- University of West Florida; Doctor of Education (EDD)
- Theses and Dissertations
- Doctor of Education (EDD), University of West Florida