Help Me Else I Might Fail! Solutions for Academically Challenged Engineering Students. (November 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Maharaj, Chris; Sirjoosingh, Vashish; Ali, Aadil; Primus, Simone J.; Arjoon, Surendra
• Is Part Of: Journal of college student retention. Volume 23:Number 3(2021)
• Page Start: 607
• Page End: 635
• Publication Date: 2021-11
• Subjects: educational policy -- counseling -- student success; College dropouts -- Periodicals; College dropouts -- Prevention -- Periodicals; College attendance -- Periodicals; 378.16913
• DOI: 10.1177/1521025119865747
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1521-0251

Abstract

This study concerns students in an internationally accredited undergraduate mechanical engineering program who due to consistent poor grades are academically dismissed and, by existing policy, required to take a 1-year leave of absence. The purpose was to determine whether the policy could be improved to offer more proactive solutions to address performance issues of academically challenged students. A review of studies, intervention mechanisms, and policies related to academically challenged students was undertaken. Using the Golden Circle framework, improvements to the existing policy are recommended to incorporate a more proactive approach to minimize the likelihood of a student becoming academically challenged. The proposed revised policy could include assessing psychological well-being, motivation, or "grit" for new students and following up with subsequent attendance, behavior, and course performance data to determine potentially at-risk students. With the at-risk students, a group intervention could be conducted followed by individual intervention if student performance continues to deteriorate.