Factors Associated with University Students’ Development and Success - Insights from Senior Undergraduates

Oct 15, 2026

To effectively support university students’ learning and development, this study examines factors related to undergraduate thriving. Survey data from 204 senior undergraduate students at a western Canadian research-intensive university measure sense of belonging, task value, and academic achievement for students’ current year and recollections of first year. Belonging and task value increased over time; belonging was consistently linked to achievement. Qualitative responses revealed key contributors: personal development, social support, course design, and university resources and opportunities.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages22

Reading Time55 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Study design and measures

Longitudinal and predictive findings

Qualitative themes and implications

The Canadian Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning | Volume 13 | Issue 1 | Article 3 | | --- | --- | | Winter 02-15-2022
Factors Associated with University Students’Development and Success: Insights from Senior Undergraduates
Brenna Han
University of British Columbia & Queen's University, [bhan@qmed.ca](bhan@qmed.ca)[ ](bhan@qmed.ca)Candice Rideout
University of British Columbia, candice.rideout@ubc.ca
Follow this and additional works at: [https://www.cjsotl-rcacea.ca](https://www.cjsotl-rcacea.ca)
[https://doi.org/10.5206/cjsotlrcacea.2022.1.10801](https://doi.org/10.5206/cjsotlrcacea.2022.1.10801) | | Recommended Citation Han, B., & Rideout, C. (2022) . Factors associated with university students’ development and success: Insights from senior undergraduates. The Canadian Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 13(1) . [https://doi.org/10.5206/cjsotlrcacea.2022.1.10801](https://doi.org/10.5206/cjsotlrcacea.2022.1.10801) Factors Associated with University Students’ Development and Success: Insights from Senior Undergraduates Abstract In order to effectively support students’ learning and development at university, we need a better understanding of what helps undergraduate students thrive in the university environment. In this study, we surveyed 204 senior undergraduate students at a large research-intensive university in western Canada to explore factors related to thriving as a university student. We measured sense of belonging (including perceived faculty understanding, peer support, and classroom comfort), task value (students’ perceptions of the value of their course content), and academic achievement (selfreported grade point average) for students’ current year and their recollections of their first year at university. We also asked students to identify factors they considered integral to becoming a successful university learner. Both sense of belonging and perceived task value increased from first to senior year. Sense of belonging was consistently associated with academic achievement, whereas task value was associated with academic achievement in first year only. Two components of belonging (faculty understanding, classroom comfort) predicted academic achievement in first year; only one (classroom comfort) predicted academic achievement in the current year. Qualitative analysis of responses to open-ended questions identified themes in four categories as key contributors to students’development and success: personal development, social support, course design, and university resources and opportunities. Factors related to personal development (e.g., learning to prioritize health, improving time management skills, and developing self-regulated learning skills) were identified most frequently as key components in students’ adaptation to university learning environments. Insights from this study can inform development of curricular and co-curricular strategies to better support undergraduate students’ learning and development at university. Afin de soutenir efficacement l’apprentissage et le développement des étudiants et des étudiantesd’université, nous devons mieux comprendre ce qui aide les étudiants et les étudiantes de premier cycle à s’épanouir dans l’environnement universitaire. Dans cette étude, nous avons interrogé 204 étudiants et étudiantes en fin de premier cycle inscrits dans une université axée sur la recherche situéedans l’ouest du Canada dans le but d’explorer les facteurs liés à l’épanouissement en tant qu’étudiantet étudiante universitaire. Nous avons mesuré le sentiment d’appartenance (y compris la perception de la compréhension des professeurs et des professeures, le soutien des pairs et le confort en classe), lavaleur des tâches (les perceptions des étudiants de la valeur du contenu de leurs cours) et la réussite académique (la moyenne générale des notes auto-déclarée) pour l’année en cours et leur souvenir deleur première année à l’univer

FAQs

What was the study’s main goal regarding university learning and development?

To understand what helps undergraduate students thrive in the university environment, focusing on factors tied to development and success.

How were sense of belonging and task value measured in the study?

Sense of belonging was assessed through perceived faculty understanding, peer support, and classroom comfort, while task value captured students’ perceptions of the value of their course content.

Which factors did students identify as key contributors to their development and success?

Qualitative analysis found themes in four categories: personal development, social support, course design, and university resources and opportunities.

Oct 15, 2026

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