The First-Generation Student's Journey: Navigation-Centered Process Map
Core Principle: Building academic cultural competence while honoring existing knowledge
Key Components:
Academic Culture Translation
Explicit decoding of academic expectations and implicit norms
Terminology mapping between academic and everyday language
Institutional navigation guides with contextualized explanations
Knowledge Bridging
Frameworks for connecting lived experience to theoretical concepts
Community wisdom integration methods
Validity recognition for non-academic forms of knowledge
Strategic Resource Allocation
Time and energy investment guidance tools
Priority identification systems for managing competing demands
Just-in-time skill acquisition pathways (when to learn what)
Network Cultivation
Relationship mapping for academic and personal support
Mentor connection protocols with transparency about expectations
Community building across shared experiences and differences