A first-generation student is one who is the first in their family (however they define family) to attend higher education (college or university). This can also extend to graduate studies in that they are a first-generation student who has done a graduate degree in their family.  

To support first-generation students, it is important to reflect on assumptions made in course and assessment design. This can include things like terminology, technology students must use, and protocols around assessments and activities. This resource will provide some considerations on how to design more inclusively to support first-generation students. A foundational text on this topic is Lisa Nunn’s 33 Simple Strategies for Faculty (2018) which is available open source through Brock library.

Explain Terminology

Do not make assumptions about the terms that students may be aware of that are either discipline specific or commonly used in relation to higher education. Provide a glossary in Brightspace for terminology and make sure to spell out acronyms that are used often for clarity.

Notice Your Pace

We often do not notice how quickly we are speaking and how that can be a barrier to learners. In courses that are delivered online, you can use the captions to gauge your pace. If the captions can keep up with speech on Teams that means the speaking pace is at a recognizable speed. We often tend to speak more quickly when we are excited about a topic or know something well. Flagging at the beginning of the term that pace is something students can raise as part of inclusive pedagogy demonstrates an awareness of note taking and cognitive processing.

Explain Office Hours

Some students do not know what office hours are and their purpose in higher education. Clearly indicating how office hours work, the kinds of questions, or work that can be brought to office hours can be supportive of first-generation students. Also, you may want to modify office hour terminology to call them a “connection space” or “conversation café” to make them feel more inclusive to students (Fuentes, Zelaya & Madsen, 2021). It is also helpful to schedule office hours around the class time (before or after) so that there is a continuity of thought and topic for students and members of the teaching team.

Provide Examples Inclusive of Lived Experience

Examples and stories have been proven to help support learning for students (Hisey, Zhu & He, 2024). The more that the examples provided in lectures, seminars or labs explain concepts in a way students can relate to, the more likely they will be to remember the concept and ask clarifying questions.

Let Students Know About Choices

Transparency in pedagogical design choices also helps students know the “why” of the course. The more the students hear about how assessments or activities are aligned to the essential learning outcomes of the course, the more the reason for doing the work will connect more holistically to their learning in the program.

Provide Exemplars and Practice for Tests and Exams

If students are given the opportunity to do practice questions for tests or to see a mock layout of the test in terms of sections or question types, the less of a mystery the testing space will be. This is especially important for first-generation students who may not have the supports or resources to discuss how testing and exam procedures function in university settings.

Suggest Campus Resources

There are many resources available on campus to support students. However, first-generation students may not know where those resources are located. You can support this by posting links to resources such as Student Learning Services, Brock International, Brock Library, Student Accessibility Services, and Student Health and Wellbeing in the Brightspace or on appropriate slide decks and explaining in class what each of these areas can do to support.

These seven areas are a place to start in terms of inclusive pedagogical design that can be supportive of first-generation students. These design choices are in turn also supportive of all students as they add elements of clarity and avoids assumptions of the knowledge or awareness that the students are bringing to the classroom. The resources and articles below are also provided if you would like to read more on this topic. 

• Du Toit, G. E., & Du Preez, M. (2026). Understanding information seeking in transition: How uncertainty influences first-generation students’ information seeking behaviour. Journal of Librarianship and Information Science. https://doi.org/10.1177/09610006261434178 
• Fuentes, M., Zelaya, D., & Madsen, J. (2021). Rethinking the Course Syllabus: Considerations for Promoting Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion. Teaching of  Psychology, 48(1), 69–79. https://doi.org/10.1177/0098628320959979 
• Hisey, F., Zhu, T., & He, Y. (2024). Use of interactive storytelling trailers to engage students in an online learning environment. Active Learning in Higher Education, 25(1), 151–166. https://doi.org/10.1177/14697874221107574 
• LeMire, S., Anders, K., & Pantuso, T. (2024). Exploring First-Generation Student Experiences with OER Textbooks. College & Research Libraries, 85(7), 952–965. https://doi.org/10.5860/crl.85.7.952 
• Mehta, S., Newbold, J., & O’Rourke, M. (2011). Why do first-generation students fail? College Student Journal, 45(1). 
• Nunn, L. (2018). 33 Simple Strategies for Faculty: A Week-By-Week Resource for Teaching First-Year and First-Generation Students. Rutgers University Press. https://doi.org/10.36019/9780813599519