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Engineering Students’ Well-Being Experiences January, 2017
1 Transformative Dialogues: Teaching & Learning Journal Volume 9 Issue 3 January 2017
Engineering Students’ Well-Being Experiences:
A Freshman Year Experience Program
Tanju Deveci, Nader Ayish,
College of Arts and Sciences, The Petroleum Institute
Authors’ Contact Information
Tanju Deveci, Assistant Professor
The Communication Department, The College of Arts and Sciences
The Petroleum Institute, Abu Dhabi, UAE
Phone: +9710562831243
Email: tdeveci@pi.ac.ae
Nader Ayish, Assistant Professor
The Communication Department, The College of Arts and Sciences
The Petroleum Institute, Abu Dhabi, UAE
Phone: +9710526476851
Email: nayish@pi.ac.ae
Abstract:
Freshman university students often face challenges adjusting academically due to a
number of complex factors, including increased academic demands and changes to
their social environment. Universities, mindful of the financial and academic costs of
attrition, seek effective initiatives to increase retention rates. One such initiative, called
the Freshman Year Experience program (FYE), is taken by the Petroleum Institute (PI)
in the United Arab Emirates. This study, conducted with 80 second-semester students
with a mean age of 19, sought to identify the effect FYE had on students’ well-being.
Data were collected from written papers that required students to reflect on experiences
of well-being. Results showed that students experienced many types of well-being
during the FYE program; common factors included meetings with advisors, workshops,
and social and volunteer activities. Participants’ self-confidence, self-awareness, and
ability to communicate effectively were also affected. It is argued that an integrated,
structured intervention program linked to the needs of freshman students has the
potential to positively affect feelings of belonging, a desire to learn, and motivation for
overcoming barriers to success.
Key Words:
well-being; reflective writing; growth; freshman; positive psychology.
Engineering Students’ Well-Being Experiences January, 2017
2 Transformative Dialogues: Teaching & Learning Journal Volume 9 Issue 3 January 2017
Introduction
Entering university is a happy and exciting experience for many freshmen. Students
are eager to meet new people, explore new opportunities, and take steps towards a
professional life. These positive emotions, however, can be affected by challenges
encountered during the freshman year, including changes to the social environment and
increased academic expectations. Such challenges can lead to mental health issues as
well as physical health problems, reducing well-being and putting optimal functioning at-
risk. This is particularly relevant to freshman students who are also transitioning to early
adulthood (Sawyer, Miller-Lewis & Clark, 2007). Taking proactive measures may be
helpful in limiting the effects of these consequences. This paper examines the effects of
such an initiative taken by the Petroleum Institute (PI), an engineering and research
university located in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Background on the Petroleum Institute
The Petroleum Institute (PI) offers undergraduate degrees in Chemical Engineering,
Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science and Engineering, Petroleum Engineering
and Petroleum Geosciences. Its mission is to provide the oil, gas and energy sectors in
the UAE with talented and well-balanced engineers to contribute to the country’s social
and economic development. With this aim, the PI recruits nearly 500 students a year.
Currently, it has approximately 1,960 graduate and undergraduate students, all of whom
are on full scholarships. Students are guaranteed a job with the Abu Dhabi National Oil
Company (ADNOC) upon graduation which, along with a number of other international
oil companies, finances and governs the PI. In addition, a majority of the students,
Emirati nationals, also receive a monthly stipend if they maintain good academic
standing. The PI desires to reduce attrition among freshman students to ensure a
continuous supply of highly trained and talented engineers so they can positively
contribute to the work of ADNOC. Achieving this goal, however, can be particularly
difficult given the rigorous standards and challenging curriculum that freshman students
encounter as they embark on their engineering studies. This is partly due to the fact that
all but a handful of students at the PI are second-language learners of English at an
institute of higher education where English is the medium of instruction. The split nature
of the campus, where male and female students receive separate, but parallel
educational experiences, contributes to a unique and culturally sensitive study
environment.
Well-Being and Positive Psychology
Ensuring a degree of well-being for engineering students cannot be guaranteed by
developing technical skills alone; it is also important to focus on soft skills, such as
understanding how best to communicate with others, raising self-awareness, and
developing self-confidence. The implementation of these skills requires a commitment
to life-long learning which encourages individuals to continuously seek opportunities for
developing new knowledge. As a result, students’ academic and personal development
can be improved, and their feelings of well-being enhanced.
Seligman and Csikszentmihalyi (2000) point out that the main focus of psychology
as a discipline since World War II has been on the concept of healing. More recently,
Engineering Students’ Well-Being Experiences January, 2017
3 Transformative Dialogues: Teaching & Learning Journal Volume 9 Issue 3 January 2017
there has been a shift from solely repairing pathology to building positive qualities in
individuals (Seligman, 2011), exemplified by the field of positive psychology, “the study
of the conditions and processes that contribute to the flourishing or optimal functioning
of people, groups, and institutions” (Gable & Haidt, 2005, p. 104). Boniwell (2006)
identifies three levels of positive psychology: the subjective, the individual and the
group.
The subjective level is about feeling good as compared to doing good or being a
good person. It focuses on well-being emanating from positive experiences that create
positive feelings such as satisfaction, optimism and flow.
The individual level, on the other hand, is related to what constitutes a good life and
a good person. The focus is on human strengths and virtues such as courage,
perseverance and interpersonal skills.
The group level centers around factors that help develop citizenship, such as civic
responsibilities, social responsibilities, and work ethics. These three levels of positive
psychology can be interdependent. For instance, engaging in community life through
civic involvement projects contributes to the well-being of the community.
To further describe the field, Boniwell (2006) adds that positive psychology adopts
the same scientific method as mainstream psychology, only with a focus on positive
experiences rather than negative ones. Among the questions it asks are ‘what works?’
instead of ‘what does not?’, and ‘what is right with this person?’ instead of ‘what is
wrong?’
Positive Education
Due to an increased awareness of mental illnesses among children and
adolescents, the traditional role of schools has expanded beyond the teaching of
academic skills. The need for a holistic approach with a greater focus on well-being has
been recognized (Green, Oades, & Robinson, 2011), and has given way to the concept
of positive education, which seeks to apply the principles of positive psychology to the
field of education (Seligman, Ernst, Gillham, Reivich, & Linkins, 2009). Thus, positive
education encompasses a number of concepts and strategies intended to develop
positive emotions, resilience, positive mindsets, and happiness in students (Seligman et
al., 2009). The concept of personal development, which seeks to enhance an
individual’s academic success and social/emotional well-being, fits as a strategy under
this umbrella term and involves the acquisition of knowledge, skills and aptitudes
(Turner & Thompson, 2014).
The emphasis on students’ social and emotional growth has contributed to the
creation of educational programs that focus on well-being as a core component of
student success. Seligman et al. (2009) provide examples of these programs. One is
the Penn Resiliency Program (PRP) which teaches students to evaluate thoughts,
confront emotions and solve problems in order to improve relationships with other
people in both academic and non-academic contexts. Another is the Strath Haven
Positive Psychology Program, which aims at increasing students’ identified strengths in
their daily lives. Among the target strengths are kindness, courage, wisdom and
perseverance. The program also promotes resilience, positive emotion, and students’
Engineering Students’ Well-Being Experiences January, 2017
4 Transformative Dialogues: Teaching & Learning Journal Volume 9 Issue 3 January 2017
sense of meaning and purpose. Finally, the Geelong Grammar School (GGS) in
Australia aims to equip students with skills such as the development of resilience,
gratitude, and positive emotion. These concepts are embedded in various courses; for
instance, geography teachers ask students to research how people’s well-being can be
enhanced by the physical geography of a place. Prompts given to students shift the
focus from negative situations to positive ones, as exemplified in the following: Instead
of using a prompt such as ‘Give a speech on a time you were embarrassed or made a
fool out of yourself’, students would be provided with a prompt like ‘Give a speech about
when you were of value to others’. Thus, students are encouraged to think and feel
positively and experience well-being across a variety of contexts. Integrating this
approach to learning has had positive effects on student academic achievement and
may well serve to promote creative thinking, increase life satisfaction, and reduce
incidents of depression.
University Students’ Well-being
Well-being among university students has also been investigated by a number of
researchers. For example, Adams, Berzonsky, and Keating (2006) found that parental
support and positive relationships with university staff and peers can increase students’
well-being by providing a foundation for psychosocial maturity and moral development.
Trotter and Roberts (2006) recommend a holistic approach to enhancing early student
experience at university, suggesting that all departments and senior management
should be incorporated in the implementation of coordinated policies that serve to
increase well-being, much like the case at the Geelong Grammar School (Seligman et
al., 2009). This holistic approach includes regular and structured personal tutor
meetings, attention to student-student and staff-student relationships, and opportunities
for involvement in part-time employment and other commitments.
In the case of international students, host universities can help increase their well-
being in variety of ways (Cho & Hongsik, 2015). For example, introductory orientation
programs intended to help students adjust to new educational environments can be
useful. Also, students with financial constraints may be helped through the provision of
financial support either in the form of scholarships or on-campus part-time jobs. Well-
being can also be enhanced if they are offered opportunities to join social clubs where
they can build new relationships with other students from their own or similar cultures.
While these measures can enhance the experience of individuals and help
ameliorate many of the challenges inherent in transitioning from one context to another,
university students face a growing amount of pressure caused by several factors,
including increased tuition costs, a reduction in financial aid, and more competitive
admission standards (Cooke, Bewick, Barkham, Bradley, & Audin, 2006). Students may
also face challenges adjusting to the changes in their lifestyles including study habits,
social relationships, eating habits, and sleeping patterns, all of which can negatively
affect their well-being. A study involving over 3,000 Egyptian undergraduate students
found that students often suffered from reduced well-being as a result of exams,
presentations, and lack of time for studies (Ansari, Labeeb, Moseley, Kotb, & El-Houfy,
2013). Social well-being was also studied in over 700 Turkish students (Ozdemir &
Tuncay, 2008), where 60% of students reported low levels of well-being as a result of
Engineering Students’ Well-Being Experiences January, 2017
5 Transformative Dialogues: Teaching & Learning Journal Volume 9 Issue 3 January 2017
feeling lonely, and many required economic, social and psychosocial support to help
enhance their well-being. Al-Darmaki (2011) noted that Emirati college students faced
similar personal, career, academic and social issues. Yet, many university students find
it difficult to seek support for personal and emotional issues (Douglass & Islam, 2009;
Trotter & Roberts, 2006). Indeed, some turn to family and friends rather than seek
professional help to address these issues (Al-Darmaki, 2011), which, for many, may be
ineffective.
First Year Experience Programs (FYE)
In recent years, universities have instituted initiatives and programs to meet the
needs of incoming students. An overarching goal of many of these programs is to
reduce attrition and increase academic and social success (Howard & Jones, 2000;
Pitts, White, & Harrison, 1999; VanderStoep & Pintrich, 2008). This is accomplished in a
number of ways, including offering workshops and seminars to disseminate information
and to create purposeful experiences and activities to develop skills (Terenzini,
Pascarella, & Blimling, 1996; Ting, Grant & Plenert, 2000; Zhao & Kuh, 2004).
Collectively, these efforts are called First Year Experience programs (FYE).
Successful FYE initiatives share similar attributes. They are tailor-made to address a
specific institutional context (Barefoot & Gardner, 1993) and consider the specific needs
of students. Thus, in the case of the PI’s FYE program ensuring that the cultural and
religious traditions of students, the vast majority of whom are Arab and Muslim, is
honored and respected is ever present. For example, male and female students
maintain separate campuses both academically and socially. The kinds of experiences
and activities that can be offered outside of the classroom to both males and females
can also be affected by travel and curfew restrictions as well as societal norms. With
this context in mind, the PI’s FYE program aims to promote learner development
through purposeful structured activities in order to provide students with the essential
skills and knowledge required for a more fulfilling life at the university and beyond.
The FYE program is based on the three Ss: Success, Skill and Socialize
(Bielenberg, Moore, Seela, & Balfaqeeh, 2014). ‘Success’ aims at helping students
make a smooth transition to university life with the help of academic advisors,
counselors and peer mentors, while the ‘Skills’ component provides students with
opportunities to develop the skills necessary for academic success. Through weekly
workshops that include a range of topics such as managing one’s time, working
effectively in small groups, and overcoming test anxiety, students are encouraged to
apply new knowledge and skills to their particular context in order to become more
successful. Finally, ‘Socialize’ offers student experiences that promote further academic
success and personal growth through social activities designed specifically for male and
female students. While the PI’s male and female campuses are separate, similar
activities are often offered to both genders in line with the university’s policy of treating
all students equally. One such activity is a day camp where a range of team-building
activities are organized in a fun and engaging atmosphere. Other activities designed to
encourage students to integrate with the larger PI community include athletic
competitions such as football and paintball outings for males, museum visits, and an
original designer clothes competition for females. In addition, through various athletic,
Engineering Students’ Well-Being Experiences January, 2017
6 Transformative Dialogues: Teaching & Learning Journal Volume 9 Issue 3 January 2017
recreation and resident life programs, the ‘Socialize’ component offers the students the
chance to feel a part of the PI community. Finally, to provide a deeper learning
experience students engage in intensive readings and classroom discussions that are
tied to seminar topics and reflective writing tasks as well as meetings with advisors and
counselors.
Reflective Thinking and Writing for Greater Well-Being
In considering the tenets of positive psychology, positive education, and the
stressors faced by university students, we - as the researchers of this current study -
believe that the necessity for nurturing students’ well-being requires instruction to be
geared towards the development of personal reflection, i.e., “the purposeful thinking,
integration of information, and the development of concepts” that “facilitate the formation
of memories, thereby strengthening the integration of learning and experience”
(Dzubak, 2013, p. 1). This suggests that learning content matter alone is insufficient.
Students need to make sense of what they learn in relation to their previous
experiences, and increase their self-awareness in light of new learning. This reflective
thinking cycle provides for new perspectives on experiences, encourages behavioral
change and the application of knowledge, and helps increase one’s commitment to
future practice (Burns & Bulman, 2000).
Personal reflection and purposeful reflective writing was selected as the intervention
for the present study on the basis of its merits for promoting well-being. Writing
reflectively on experiences encourages individuals to construct meaning out of them
(Pennebaker & Seagal, 1999), which is particularly true if one expresses such emotion
in narrative form. Writing about life goals for example, has been found to increase levels
of happiness and decrease the number of the health center visits for physical ailments
(King, 2001). Indeed, undergraduate students who were asked to write about an
intensely positive experience reported greater physical health (Burton & King, 2004). As
such, reflective writing appears to allow individuals to “gain a feeling of control over
[their] emotional life or valued outcomes” (King, 2001, p. 806).
The psychological effects of reflective thinking are also supported by research
showing that those who engaged in reflective writing experienced more happiness and
less depression as a result of their engagement in reflection on positive events
(Seligman, Steen, Park, & Peterson, 2005). Writing reflectively about difficult times can
help individuals confront their challenges by putting to paper thoughts and feelings that
help them move forward (Lyubormirsky, Sousa & Dickerhoof, 2006). This applies not
only to individuals reflecting on traumatic events, but also to those who write on
seemingly less important experiences. Articulation of life experiences through writing
promotes self-construction by helping the writer to raise awareness of one’s emotions,
needs and priorities (Burton & King, 2004), and consequently, helps the writer acquire
more self-regulation skills. Narrative writing is thus a recognized positive psychology
intervention that has been shown to improve well-being (Burg et al., 2010; Pennebaker,
1989; Walsh, 2012).
Engineering Students’ Well-Being Experiences January, 2017
7 Transformative Dialogues: Teaching & Learning Journal Volume 9 Issue 3 January 2017
The Present Study
UAE college students, like many around the world, suffer from issues that may
negatively affect their well-being. Al-Khatib (2013) identified depressive symptoms
among more than 500 students at a UAE university. These students experienced lower
levels of life satisfaction and self-esteem, reducing their well-being. Unhealthy eating
habits have also been identified as a factor decreasing UAE students’ well-being
(Oyelere, 2011). Yet, not all students are aware of what enriches their lives and often
lack fundamental reflective thinking skills. A documented low level of preparedness for
such skills is often found among freshman university students. For instance, Khelifa
(2009) reports that professors at a local UAE university felt challenged by their students’
low academic maturity levels, which they believe was caused in part by poor
preparation in high school. Professors argued that students’ limited English language
abilities, lack of literacy skills in general, and deficiencies in global awareness hampered
their critical thinking skills and ability for abstraction. Critical thinking does not appear to
receive recognition by the majority of the national high schools in the UAE (Freimuth,
2014). This is further supported by Nazzal’s (2013) findings that students mainly learn
rote grammar in their high school Arabic classes with little emphasis placed on writing.
High school students’ lack of interest in reading can also translate into poor writing skills
at the university level (Swan, 2013), which can prove to be a challenge when they are
required to think and write critically. Among more than 3,650 mostly Emirati students at
Zayed University, Thomas, Raynor, and Al-Marzooqi (2012) found that male and female
married students often experience different challenges. Married males, for example,
reported that studying, working full-time, and managing the workplace was particularly
difficult, while married females indicated that as a parent, meeting the time demands of
a child was challenging to manage. Both male and female married students also
acknowledged that managing their relationships with their spouses was challenging.
Well-being, thus, among UAE college students, is affected by a number of factors, and
understanding these can assist in identifying appropriate interventions.
As such, this study aims to answer two questions:
1. What factors affect students’ well-being during their engagement in FYE and
2. What does student well-being consist of?
Method
Participants
Out of 1,960 graduate and undergraduate students at the PI, 80 freshman male
engineering students enrolled in the two researchers’ classes participated in the study.
This qualitative study, therefore, relied on a purposive sample. The majority of the
participants (82.5%) were UAE citizens, while 17.5% came from Australia (1.25%),
Egypt (2.5%), Ireland (1.25%), Jordan (3.75%), Palestine (3.75%), Sudan (2.5%), and
the USA (2.5%). Ages ranged from 18 to 23 with a mean age of 19.
Engineering Students’ Well-Being Experiences January, 2017
8 Transformative Dialogues: Teaching & Learning Journal Volume 9 Issue 3 January 2017
Design and Procedure
In this small-scale exploratory study, a descriptive research design was adopted with
the aim of investigating the participants’ well-being as a result of their engagement in
the FYE program at PI. The descriptive research design is particularly useful when
exploring the characteristics of a target population (Shields & Rangarajan, 2013) such
as the students at PI. Trying to understand “the meaning people have constructed, that
is, how people make sense of their world and the experience they have in the world”
(Merriam, 2009, p. 13) is an important aspect of this qualitative study. Although
descriptive statistics tend to be limited in a qualitative study, it is nonetheless important
to identify frequencies in order to discover patterns (Boundless, 2013). In this way, data
from qualitative analyses can be turned into numbers such as frequencies by studying
emerging patterns (Green, 2001).
The researchers chose a required second-semester communication course
(COMM151) to serve as the venue through which student experiences in the FYE
program could be examined. As part of the curriculum, students in COMM151 were
required to conduct projects related to their FYE experiences. They were also given
assignments aimed at helping them to reflect on those experiences. The current study
focused on one of the assignments administered toward the end of the FYE program.
The assignment included a seminar topic addressing interpersonal and intrapersonal
communication, at the end of which the students were given a written examination that
required them to reflect on their seminar readings and class discussions in relation to
their FYE experiences. The writing task for the exam was designed by the researchers
to help students reflect on their experiences of interpersonal and intrapersonal
communication in the ‘Skills’, ‘Success’ and/or ‘Social’ components of the FYE program,
and to discuss how their engagement in the program contributed to their well-being. The
wording of the prompt reflected the philosophy of positive education by focusing on
positive experiences, as suggested by Seligman et al. (2009).
Students also completed two writing exams that mirrored, in format, the one
examined in this study. Although this was not a part of the current research, it was
expected that completing the additional writing tasks would help students become more
familiar with the structure and format of the exam used in the current study. The
students’ reflective writing exam papers were analyzed independently by the two
researchers to establish inter-rater reliability. The researchers then compared notes to
determine similar themes for analysis. Next, coding was compared to validate the
accuracy. This was done with the belief in the value of inter-rater reliability to enhance
the analysis of qualitative data (Mays & Pope, 1995). Finally, the frequencies and
proportions of emerging themes were determined.
Results
The first research question aimed at determining the factors that influenced students’
well-being. For this purpose, the reflective writing task required students to discuss the
factors that had an effect on their well-being. A summary of results for this question can
be found in Table 1.
Engineering Students’ Well-Being Experiences January, 2017
9 Transformative Dialogues: Teaching & Learning Journal Volume 9 Issue 3 January 2017
Table 1: Factors contributing to FYE students’ well-being*
Factors
f
%
Meetings with advisors
24
30
Social activities
19
27
Workshops
19
27
Voluntary activities
5
7
Seminars
5
7
*Percentages were calculated from the total number of papers (80) as individuals stated
more than one factor.
Table 1 shows that the most frequently reported factor that contributed to the
students’ well-being was the meetings with their advisors. This was a part of the
‘Success’ component of the FYE program. A total of 24 students (30%) referred to this
as a source for their well-being. This factor was followed by social activities, which were
a part of the ‘Socialize’ component of the FYE program. Activities for ‘Socialize’ included
a day-out at Yas Marina Circuit (the venue for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix), a football
championship and a paintball game. This factor was noted by 24% of the students as a
contributor to well-being. The same number of students (24%) thought that workshops
offered as a part of the ‘Skills’ component of the FYE program played a role in their
increased well-being. Voluntary activities such as helping to arrange furniture at a
special needs school, hospital and a kindergarten were mentioned by 5 students (6%)
as a trigger for enhanced well-being. A similar number of students (6%) identified
seminars on a several subjects, like selecting a major, as an area of personal growth.
The second research question asked students to identify what their well-being
consisted of. Table 2 shows the five overarching themes that emerged from analyzing
data for this question. The most frequently reported type of well-being was self-
confidence, which was identified in 44 student papers (55%). Many students, for
example, stated that meeting with their advisors, in particular, encouraged them to build
trust in their abilities to make decisions and reach out for help when needed. As one
student said, “My advisor made me believe that I can make good decisions if I know
myself.” Some also stated that their confidence was boosted as a result of their
engagement in seminars, workshops, and social activities. This was reflected by two
students’ remarks that by participating in workshops designed to promote self-regulation
skills, they were able to realize their potential to make a difference in their own lives as
well as the lives of others
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10 Transformative Dialogues: Teaching & Learning Journal Volume 9 Issue 3 January 2017
Table 2: Components of well-being experienced by FYE students*
Components of
well-being
f
%
Sample responses
Self-confidence
44
55
-I was shy to speak to my advisor. I thought he might think I
was not smart. But he was very welcoming and helped me
increase my confidence.
-I’m happy I visited my advisor that day and didn’t do anything
I would have later regretted…My advisor was very helpful, he
told me that the best way to overcome this problem (between
the student and his instructor) is facing the instructor,
because interpersonal communication is the way to
understand each other.
Self-awareness
26
33
-In the workshop I saw where I was wrong, and improved my
study skills.
-When it was my turn to speak (in front of an unfamiliar group
of peers), I was nervous and confused, so someone told me
have confidence in yourself and you will do good, so I was
saying in myself, I will do good, I am better than anyone, so
when I came to speak I wasn’t nervous, and I did good.
Communication
competence
14
18
-The workshop about conflict resolution helped me see how I
talked to my team members was not good. Now I try to
empathize with people before I react to what they say.
-Everyone was involved in intrapersonal communication first
to brainstorm a solution to the problem during a voluntary
activity. This was not a usual thing we did before FYE.
Awareness of
planning
7 9
-Time management workshop taught me to prioritize tasks.
-After my workshop, I started to keep better track of my time
and assignments. I wrote things down on a schedule I made.
Control over
emotions
3
4
-When someone did not listen to me carefully I felt irritated,
but instead of getting angry at them I controlled myself then I
tried to speak with them again in a different way.
-I had a bad experience with a classmate. I didn’t get angry
like I usually do because I tried to see through his eyes why
he did what he did. I felt in more control because I didn’t just
start arguing.
*Percentages were calculated from the total number of papers (80) as individuals stated
more than one factor.
While self-confidence was one of the components of students’ well-being expressed
by 44% of them, four of these students (9%) appeared to be positively affected by their
improved image in the eyes of their peers. Some said that their engagement in the FYE
program overall led them to behave differently, helping them to conduct themselves in a
more mature and responsible manner. One student noted that his parents thought he
acted more responsibly since the start of his studies as a freshman student. The student
attributed this to his eagerness to participate in as many FYE activities as possible.
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11 Transformative Dialogues: Teaching & Learning Journal Volume 9 Issue 3 January 2017
This, in turn, appeared to build his self-confidence and improved his interaction with
peers, instructors and advisors.
Another factor found to contribute to their self-confidence was reduced-levels of
shyness or their willingness to engage with others, which appeared in 9 out of these 44
students’ papers (20%). Although being shy is not necessarily undesirable, students
seemed to have increased their chances of academic achievement by being able to
take more initiative when they needed assistance. Initially, some of these students
avoided any confrontation with their peers, instructors or advisors if it meant that they
had to speak their minds openly about a controversial issue. It appeared that their
interaction with their advisors in particular helped them feel more relaxed when they
needed their assistance or when they needed to express their feelings regarding
problems with their instructors. The welcoming attitude of their advisors was a
contributing factor. One student captured this sentiment well by stating that “My advisor
often invited us to his office, and he was not very formal with me.” As this quote
suggests, students became less intimidated when advisors actively engaged with
advisees in a more informal and personal manner.
The confidence level of some students appeared to have been boosted by the sense
of inclusion they experienced. Three students in this category (7%) were found to
exhibit growth. These students focused on the feeling of being a part of a larger group,
something that was apparently missing during their first semester. Although this number
is relatively small, it is also telling in that some students find being accepted by peers,
especially outside of class, is something that is important to them. As one student
stated, “I joined a football team. I knew I wasn’t that good at football, but instead I was
so excited to play on a team, this excitement made me play very good such that we
reached the finals.” The student went on to say how this experience helped him become
more confident in his engagement with others.
The second most frequent theme was self-awareness. A total of 26 students (33%)
indicated that they had become more aware of themselves as a result of their FYE
experience. These students seemed to have enjoyed the opportunities to confront their
feelings and were able to realize how their personality was affected by their interaction
with others. Some also expressed an increase in awareness of the effect of their study
habits on their academic success. Apparently, they did not realize that a lack of self-
confidence and poor study habits could inhibit their academic progress. This realization
seemed to have helped them adopt a positive attitude towards exerting more control
over their lives.
Similarly, 14 students (18%) mentioned that their communication skills were
enhanced as a result of their participation in seminars, social activities and workshops.
Some stated that their interaction with other students in social activities was enhanced
by the theoretical knowledge they gained through different seminars which helped them
improve their ways of dealing with problems that arose between themselves and their
peers. For example, they noted that they could now express their disagreements with
their teammates more effectively and without hurting each other. This was mainly due to
their willingness to engage in intrapersonal communication more before they reacted to
what they perceived as wrong. Consequently, this improved their communication skills.
Further analysis of these students’ papers revealed that half of them enhanced their
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12 Transformative Dialogues: Teaching & Learning Journal Volume 9 Issue 3 January 2017
communication skills by increasing their knowledge of the paralinguistic features of
communication. For example, they managed to practice what they had learned in the
seminar and workshop about body language, facial expressions and posture. As a
result, they expressed greater awareness of these communication features and seemed
to be able to avoid subsequent errors of this nature. As one student noted, “I did not
know that [a particular] gesture was rude in my advisor’s culture, so I avoided it next
time I visited him.”
Another theme that emerged in the data analysis was awareness of planning (9%).
Students seemed to raise their awareness of planning through their meetings with their
advisors. They generally seemed to have learned that they could communicate with
their advisors more successfully if they prepared what they wanted to say to them by
engaging in effective intrapersonal communication. Some also said that a workshop on
time-management helped them realize the importance of planning. “I learned I should
not leave things to the last minute. This is not a good excuse when I go to my advisor to
talk about heavy workload.”
Control over emotions emerged as the last theme. While a relatively low number of
students (3; 4%) apparently took control of their emotions, the potential impact of this
finding is important. Indeed, it appears that seminar experiences in intrapersonal
communication and a workshop on conflict management strategies helped some
students develop their social intelligence and the necessary skills to recognize and
acknowledge the feelings of others as well as the possible reasons that individuals
behave in certain ways. When necessary, they tried modifying their behaviors in order
to be more effective. The following quote captures this idea: “When I talked to people
about a certain thing, they misunderstood me and got the wrong impression about me
because they were not paying enough attention…so I felt irritated but instead of getting
mad at them I controlled myself then I tried to speak with them again in a different way.”
Such an approach to self-control appears to have helped this student avoid reacting in a
confrontational manner by creating a mutual understanding between himself and others.
Discussion
This study aimed to identify how university students’ engagement in a Freshman
Year Experience (FYE) at the Petroleum Institute in the UAE affected their well-being.
The students’ responses in the reflective writing examination showed that their well-
being was influenced by their satisfaction with their studies as well as their social lives
at the university. This finding supports the arguments in favor of initiatives taken to
increase students’ academic and social success (Howard & Jones, 2000; VanderStoep
& Pintrich, 2008).
The factors we identified to influence students’ well-being are noteworthy and can be
considered as one of the contributions of this study to the literature. Green et al. (2011)
highlight the need for students’ holistic development with a focus on well-being. This
goal seems to be satisfied partly by the FYE program’s attempt to change the traditional
role of PI faculty by asking them to take on a more holistic role of academic advising in
additional to their teaching responsibilities. Students often expressed that their self-
esteem was positively affected by their conversations with their advisors. Overall,
students seemed to be satisfied with the advising system and felt a sense of belonging
Engineering Students’ Well-Being Experiences January, 2017
13 Transformative Dialogues: Teaching & Learning Journal Volume 9 Issue 3 January 2017
at the PI as a result of these interactions. This has likely contributed to the development
of positive emotions among many PI students toward the university (Hazari, 2013) and
may increase the retention rate targeted by the institution, as was found to be the case
at the Center for Studies of Higher Education at the University of California-Berkeley
(Soria, 2012). The findings of the current study also support earlier research (Al-Asmi &
Thumiki, 2014) on the positive influence of engagement with advisors on students’
problem solving skills.
Another notable factor that had an effect on students’ well-being stemmed from the
activities connected to the ‘Socialize’ component of the program. Students participated
in various extracurricular activities organized to encourage them to expand their circle of
friends, develop interpersonal skills, and engage in new experiences. In doing so,
students were compelled to interact with others in meaningful and memorable ways.
This helped them feel accepted and valued. As a result, many developed a deeper
relationship with their peers and instructors, which is expected to have a positive impact
their well-being (Boniwell, 2006).
Their engagement in the workshops was also commonly expressed as a contributing
factor to their personal well-being. By focusing on students’ apparent lack of skills in
areas such as time-management, the workshops encouraged their confrontation with a
disorienting dilemma (Mezirow, 2000) so that students were forced to question their
habits and the influence of those habits on their academic success. For some, an
awareness of their lack of skills encouraged them to engage in deeper thinking and
promote positive changes. This is reflected in the words of a student who noted, “Now I
know why it was difficult for me to meet deadlines. In [the time-management] workshop,
I learned I can do better.” This finding echoes the results of earlier research (Howard &
Jones, 2000; Seligman et al., 2009) indicating students’ enhanced awareness of bad
study habits encourages behavioral modifications and has a positive effect on their self-
confidence as successful learners.
The analysis of the data in response to the second research question revealed that
the components of their well-being fell within five main domains: self-confidence, self-
awareness, communication competence, planning and control over emotions. Some of
these were discussed above in relation to the factors that contributed to their well-being.
Given that self-awareness and self-confidence were the two most common themes that
emerged from the data, it is possible that FYE has the potential of bringing about long-
term change in the way students perceive themselves. This is important to the well-
being of freshman students as well as their self-concept, as it offers those new to an
environment of higher education the chance to see themselves as capable of adjusting
to an otherwise unfamiliar context. Pasha and Munaf (2013) found that students’ global
self-esteem was positively correlated with their overall adjustment to university life and
academic performance. As positive self-worth, positive attitudes, and peer relations
have been linked to a more positive self-concept and greater academic achievement
(Seyfried, 2014; Tattao, 2014), the FYE program may be a key contributor to PI
students’ social and academic well-being. Nurturing a growth mindset (rather than a
fixed mindset) has far-reaching positive consequences for academic success (Dweck,
1999; 2006). When individuals see intelligence as malleable and fluid, they are better
Engineering Students’ Well-Being Experiences January, 2017
14 Transformative Dialogues: Teaching & Learning Journal Volume 9 Issue 3 January 2017
able to envision their performance improving through hard work and appropriate
feedback.
Additionally, some students gained awareness of how certain behaviors such as
poor study habits, lack of goal setting or time management skills can inhibit their
personal development. Indeed, raising awareness about such issues has been shown
to directly impact student self-confidence and success (DeBerard, Spielmans, & Julka,
2004; Howard & Jones, 2000; VanderStoep & Pintrich, 2008). Being cognizant of these
issues encourages students to increase their self-regulation skills by not only setting
meaningful goals (Bandura, 1997), but by adjusting those goals when necessary
(Wrosch et al., 2003).
The findings also lend support to the importance of student engagement with the
larger campus and community. As Seligman (2011) states, engagement is a large
component of well-being, as well as a pathway towards it. Furthermore, well-being is
directly linked to students exploring new and often unfamiliar areas of engagement,
including social and volunteer activities (Sternberg, 2006; Weiner, 2000). This is
consistent with other studies suggesting that such engagement can lead to meaningful
growth and change over time (DeBerard et al., 2004; Terrion & Daoust, 2011). As noted
by participants in the present study, PI’s FYE program encouraged students to meet
individuals outside of their regular circle of friends (e.g., by joining a football team) and
to participate in activities outside of their comfort zone (e.g., by volunteering at a school
for disabled children), which in turn had a positive impact on their sense of well-being.
Helping students widen their network of friends may be of particular interest as it can
contribute to their well-being in ways that might not appear important to the casual
observer (Bruch, Higbee & Siaka, 2007; Jackman, 2005). However, given the important
role collectivism (Lambert, Pasha-Zaidi, Passmore, & York Al-Karam, 2015; Oyserman,
Coon & Kemmelmeier, 2002; Wright & Bennett, 2008) plays among students in the
UAE, the need to belong is strong. Thus, it is not surprising that forming relationships
contributes to one’s well-being (Diener, Emmons, Larsen & Griffin, 1985). Although this
may be an indirect benefit of the FYE program, encouraging acceptance of peers
through purposeful activities can have a positive effect on students’ well-being. This is
an aspect of FYE that deserves to be expanded in order to take advantage of the
positive implications of collectivism inherent in the cultural background of PI students.
Finally, our focus on critical thinking and the use of reflective writing to bring about
meaningful change in the way our students perceive themselves and others is worth
understanding within the context of PI’s FYE program. The focus on positive
experiences in the reflective writing task generated positive thoughts and emotion, as
suggested by Seligman et al. (2009). It was an important approach to helping students
make sense of their new experiences.
Limitations and Directions for Future Research
The main limitation of this study stems from its design which excluded a control
group to compare the effects of the FYE program on the participants’ well-being. While
the researchers were able to interpret the data with this limitation in mind, they
acknowledge the possibility that the positive effects identified may have been due to
Engineering Students’ Well-Being Experiences January, 2017
15 Transformative Dialogues: Teaching & Learning Journal Volume 9 Issue 3 January 2017
maturation and other positive experiences college students are likely to experience.
Another limitation related to the design of the study stemmed from the data-gathering
instrument. First, the writing assignment used to collect data was a course-requirement.
Consequently, some students may have felt stressed to comply with the course
expectations. Their responses, therefore, may have been unduly influenced. Also, the
writing assignment encouraged students to write about only positive experiences; thus,
it is possible that some students may have embellished their essays in order to improve
their chances of earning a satisfactory mark. Another limitation of this research study
was the composition of the sample. The researchers chose to include only those
freshman male students they were teaching at the time because accessing female
student examination papers was not possible due to institutional regulations. Data were
also collected from students who were required to complete the assignment. This
prevented voluntary participation, with a possible effect on student responses as noted
above.
PI’s FYE program offers the potential for meaningful student well-being. As this
study suggests, purposeful, deliberate, and planned opportunities for students to
engage with peers, faculty, and the community can lead to positive encounters that
have a direct impact on well-being. Yet, it is also important to note that unintentional
consequences also invariably arise during such encounters. Anticipating these potential
benefits of student engagement in PI’s FYE is worth considering. For example,
providing more opportunities for students to build upon initial encounters with those with
whom they normally do not associate may encourage more meaningful relationship-
building and a sense of community among individuals. This can be done by offering
follow-up social activities and events where initial contact among students can be
nurtured in a supportive and engaging atmosphere. Expanding PI’s Student Life
program, for example, may be one way of accomplishing this objective.
Future research can increase our understanding of how FYE initiatives influence
students’ well-being by including a control group to assess the possible effects. This
could offer more insights into causal relationships. Our understanding of these can by
enhanced if future researchers also consider collecting data through triangulation to
improve the accuracy of the evaluations made about FYE’s effects on college students’
well-being. For this purpose, qualitative data from written responses can be supported
with data from interviews and/or observations. The control and treatment groups can
also be administered a different modality of data collection, which would help identify
the effects of FYE on students’ well-being more accurately.
Additional research could also consider how best to meet the needs of students that
do not necessarily identify with a program like PI’s FYE. While providing opportunities
for the majority of students to experience well-being is important, equally important is to
identify those students who do not feel that structured, prescribed programs fit their
needs. Also, the effects of well-being on a student’s physical health as well as
psychological and emotional state are other areas in need of further study. Changes in
PI freshman students’ visits to the health center for physical consultation could be
examined along with the number of times students access counseling services. Doing
so might offer some insight into the effectiveness of FYE in encouraging students to
take better care of their physical and psychological needs.
Engineering Students’ Well-Being Experiences January, 2017
16 Transformative Dialogues: Teaching & Learning Journal Volume 9 Issue 3 January 2017
Conducting a longitudinal study of cohorts involved in PI’s FYE, from intake to
graduation and beyond can offer important insight into the long-term benefits of this type
of program as well. This can be particularly beneficial if a control group that does not
participate in FYE can be tracked. Finally, conducting a similar study involving both
male and female students offers potentially important information about a number of
factors affecting FYE participants, including gender differences and identity formation.
Indeed, comparing the experiences of students in segregated campuses may offer
insights into how best to meet the needs of both males and females. This is especially
important in the Middle East and North Africa where segregated campuses are
commonly found.
Conclusion
The results of this study indicate that PI’s FYE program appears to have a positive
effect on the well-being of male freshman engineering students. Purposeful interactions
between students, faculty, and the larger community contributed to the well-being of the
individuals involved in this study. This study also offered some insight into the notion
that many students compelled to actively participate in a program designed to
encourage personal growth are likely to experience positive outcomes. This finding is
important for many universities struggling to meet the needs of their students. There are
benefits to incorporating the principles of positive psychology into programs designed to
help students transition from high school to college and ensure their integration into the
larger campus community. While each institutional context is unique, creating
purposeful encounters among students, faculty, and the larger community has been
shown to make a meaningful difference in the lives of many students with an overall
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