PrepYear2015

2015 Preparatory Year Experience Survey
Preparatory Year and Supporting Studies
Prepared by Ms. Melissa Lynn Doty
June 10, 2015

THE RESEARCH TEAM AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Throughoutthe entire researchprocess,Ihave hadthe supportof a highly skilledandinvaluable
team. Withoutthem,we wouldnothave the data, the incredible completionrate,orthe reportI
presenttoday.
First,I wishto thank DeanAbdulazizAlfaheid. He realizedthe necessityforsuchresearchand
arrangedfor the projectto be realized. Hisdedicationtothe Universityof Dammam’sPreparatory
Year’ssuccessis evident. DeanAbdulazizAlfaheidcreatedthe surveyquestionsthatwere used.
Next, IthankMr. AhmedYounis,forassistingme inthe pilotingprocessandcreatingthe
electronicversionof the survey. His helpwithtranslationisverymuchappreciated.
Many thanksto my US colleague andmentor, Dr.Stafford,forhisconsultingandalwaysbeing
available toanswerquestions. His expertise andpatience wasagreathelpinthe entire process.
I wishto thankSihmyAlgamedi forhelpingwiththe dataanalysis andtranslation/cultural
explanations.
Finally,IwishtothankGreta Underhill andHannahSeagrave forassistinginthe editingprocess.
Thisreportwouldnot be complete withoutthe synergy andcommitmentof the entire team.
I thank the Universityof Dammamforthe opportunitytoexplore the PreparatoryYearProgram
and wishthemthe bestforthe future.
My greatestthanksandappreciation,
Ms. MelissaLynnDoty, Principal Investiga

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This report provides an analysis and evaluation of the Preparatory Year Survey electronically
distributed to students enrolled in Preparatory Year 2014-2015. Overall, findings show that
students are pleased with the Preparatory Year and their academic experience. When asked if
they would choose the same program if they could make the Preparatory Year choice over
again, nearly 50% answered “definitely yes,” while nearly 25% answered, “probably yes.”
University of Dammam should consider this a success. Many strengths of the prep year were
revealed through data analysis--students feel strong faculty support; rate their facilities highly,
and enjoy a high quality of instruction. Researchers found that five themes emerged in which
the prep year could improve. These include:
 Research and Study Skills
 Time Management
 Student Health
 Student Involvement/Activities
 Student and Faculty Relationships/Interaction

Table of Contents
THE RESEARCH TEAM AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
INTRODUCTION
Introduction Preparatory Year
Preparatory Year in Saudi Arabia
PURPOSE
METHODOLOGY
Procedures
FINDINGS
Demographics
1 Research and Study Skills
2 Time Management
3 Student Health
4 Student Involvement/Activities
5 Student and Faculty Relationships/Interaction
RECOMMENDATIONS
CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS FOR THE FUTURE

INTRODUCTION PREPARATORY YEAR
At University of Dammam (UoD) the Preparatory Year exists in order to equip first year
students with the skills to succeed and thrive in their academic careers and personal lives. Staff
dedication and concern for student wellbeing extends far beyond the classroom. Regarding the
Preparatory Year, Dr. Abdullah M. Al Rubaish, President of UoD, states
The preparatory year plays a crucial part in a student's university life, since it helps make
the transition from high school to university easier. While the university gives the
students more flexibility compared to a high school, it also makes more demands on the
students and places greater responsibilities on them, which can be a difficult transition
to make. The preparatory year addresses these issues and enables the students to
succeed in this new environment, giving them the skills to adjust and flourish in this
challenging educational system with its unique atmosphere and methods of evaluation.
The importance of the preparatory year to institutions of higher education is significant;
it not only fills the gap between high school and university, but it makes the transition
easier for the students and they become adjusted to university life (Rubaish, 2015).
Preparatory Year, also known as First Year Experience (FYE), was conceptualized in the
USA circa 1970's in response to student unrest over the Vietnam War. It began as a college
course titled University 101 at the University of South Carolina with the following goals:
• build trust, understanding, and open lines of communication between students,
faculty and administrators
• encourage students to develop more positive attitudes and behaviors toward the
University
• increase student retention to the sophomore year and subsequently through the
senior year to graduation

• assist student efforts to understand the multiple, essential purposes of higher
education
• facilitate a major development initiative, which would improve teaching in all
undergraduate courses not just the first-year seminar
University 101 would become an inspiration for growth, illuminating students and
faculty, and creating a student-centered movement. In 1966, under the guidance of First Year
seminar pioneer, John N. Gardner, University of South Carolina opened the National Resource
Center, which became the National Resource Center for the First-Year Experience and Students
in Transition. The center would dedicate itself to furthering the scholarship surrounding the
first-year experience and its effect on the student. The recognition of the role of importance of
the first year spread domestically and internationally.
PREPARATORY YEAR IN SAUDI ARABIA
The Preparatory Year was introduced in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 2005. Upon
establishment, its popularity spread and it was instilled in most major universities. In 2014,
Dean Abdulaziz Alfaheid of University of Dammam had already been involved in creating
questions for a student survey to collect data regarding student behavior and attitude as well as
perceptions of faculty comportment. The contents of this report detail the survey and its
findings.
In May of 2015 a team of researchers led by Ms. Melissa Doty collected data regarding
student behavior and attitude as well as perceptions of faculty comportment in University of
Dammam using the questions already established. Issues measured include:

a. Class participation
b. Study habits
c. Use of campus resources
d. Self-efficacy/esteem
e. Time management
f. Mental health
g. Social health
h. Physical health
i. Relationship with staff
j. Perception of campus diversity
j. Campus involvement
k. Command of studies
l. Student satisfaction with preparatory year

PURPOSE
The purpose of this report is to assess the results of a survey in which participants were
asked to reflect on their Preparatory Year Experience at University of Dammam. Thorough data
analysis has enabled the team to identify certain trends and consider them through the lens of
different variables. The goal is to use the information gleaned to take data-driven action, as
well as encourage actions positively impacting the student population. Results will be used to
influence curriculum, hiring decisions, decisions taken by staff, and overall university
procedure. It is our objective to paint a representative portrait of the Prep Year and respond
accordingly to ensure continuous improvement. It is suggested that for the next several years,
the research be conducted annually to build upon the strength of the program as part of the
efforts to improve the experience.
The beneficiaries of this project are primarily the future preparatory students of the
University of Dammam.

METHODOLOGY
The entire Preparatory Year student population (Al Rakkah, Dammam Community
College, and Al Qatif) was sent an electronic survey via the Question Pro Website. Through
piloting, it was determined that Arabic language was the best language for students to
complete the survey. Students had the option to leave out identifying information (name and
identification number) if they wished to remain anonymous. As an incentive to complete the
survey, an Ipad was offered for a randomly selected participant. Several reminders about the
survey were sent to the students electronically.
The survey was open to students during the month of May; at this time 1,938 of 2,458
completed the survey for an excellent completion rate of approximately 80%. This high return
rate is an indication of students’ dedication to the program and the ability of the deanship to
communicate to the student population. Most students completed the survey using a personal
Smartphone.
Limitations
Empirically, the survey provided very good data, however, it would have been helpful to
know student’s reasoning for some of their choices and responses. There were no places for
open-ended comments. In the future, this would help in the analysis.

This report should be considered a preliminary analysis; the PDF file of survey results
provides much greater detail with approximately 170 pages of raw data that can be analyzed in
more detail.

FINDINGS
Demographics
Survey participants are 41.68% male and 58.32% female.
The majority (95.41%) of students are Saudi citizens, with fewer than 3% of survey
takers from Yemen and Syria.
At this time 1,938 of 2,458 completed the survey for an excellent completion rate of
approximately 80%.
42%
58%
Figure A1: Gender
Male
Female

Figure A2 shows the tracks in which students who took the survey are currently
enrolled. Health, Engineering, and Science are tracks offered at the Al Rakkah campus, while
Dammam and Al Qatif campuses are community colleges run by University of Dammam. It
should be noted that fewer than 25% of total participants are students from Dammam
Community College and Al Qatif Community College. This may suggest that the community
college population feel less commitment to the institution.
37%
17%
24%
12%
10%
Figure A2: College Tracks
Health
Engineering
Science
Dammam Community College
Al Qatif Community College

Key Themes
Upon thorough data analysis, six key themes were identified. The purpose of this
section is to recognize themes and then provide corresponding recommendations in the next
section. Themes are addressed and then supported by sub points extracted from survey data.
Research and Study Skills
The first and most prevalent theme is that of research and study skills. These skills are
foundational in the preparatory year curriculum as they create a base from which students
expand and grow. The research shows that this is the strongest theme that emerged from the
data; students are neither confident nor efficient in their study and research skills. Survey
responses indicate that 28% disagree that the Preparatory Year has helped them develop
effective study skills.
When asked how much they had looked up scientific articles or resources, nearly a
fourth of respondents answered “not at all”. An overwhelming 58% answered that they did this
research “occasionally.”

In a similar question asking students how often they integrated skills and knowledge
from different sources and experiences, only 32% of students responded with “frequently.”
Having established that students are not actively researching, the following question
asked is if students are electronically accessing the library resources. Students’ answers reveal
that this service is not being utilized to its maximum potential. Answers are shown in figure A2,
below:
413
1023
467
Frequently Occasionally Not at all
0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
Figure A1: Look up Scientific Research
Articles
Look up Scientific Research
Articles

Moving forward, we find that even fewer students have visited the central library in
person.
348
1027
421
0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
Figure A2: Electronically accessed library
resources
Electronically aceccesed
library resources
279
830
701
Frenqently Occasionally Not at all
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
900
Figure A3: How often have you utilized
Central Library?
How often have you utilized
Central Library?

Similarly, students are not frequently visiting the Resource Center or Study Skills Advising. This
data is shown below in Figure A4
Apart from not using facilities and resources designed to help students with study skills
and research, students are also not taking advantage of tutoring services. The survey revealed
that 77% of students have not received tutoring.
Another fact that emerged in the data regarding students and their academic lives is
that the communication between students and teachers is not sufficient. The survey reports
that 54% of students do not have regular communication with teachers.
Continuing with the theme of study skills we find that many students are not actively
seeking feedback from instructors after turning in assignments. Of the total number of
participants, 30% report “never” seeking feedback while 47% do so “sometimes.” These
276
845
683
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
900
Frequently Ocasionally Not at all
Fig A4: Visiting ResourceCenter/Study
Skills
Resource Center
Study Skills Advising

numbers reveal not only a lack of communication between faculty and students, but also an
attitude towards learning that should be addressed.
The fact that students cannot or do not know how to look up scientific and research
articles may explain why they are not backing up their assertions with logical lines of reasoning.
If a student has access to resources that back their claims, they are able to use them in
defending their position. In the absence of these resources and a firm understanding of critical
thinking, a student will be left without the basic foundation to a well-formed argument. When
asked how often they back their arguments with a logical argument, the majority (58%) said
that they did so “occasionally”, while 15% said they never do so.
Time Management
The second emerging theme is that of time management. As preparatory year students
are in a transitional period between high school and university, it is expected that they would
struggle with balancing all of their duties. The survey showed us that UoD Preparatory Year
Students would benefit from better time management and goal setting skills.
The majority of survey participants report “feeling overwhelmed by all they [have] to
do.” It should be noted that only 10% of students hold a full-time job outside of school,
however, 31% of students report that family responsibilities frequently interfere with
schoolwork.

Time management proves to be a challenge for students. This is an essential skill
important to learn and incorporate in the first year of college in order to succeed throughout
one’s academic career. Figure B2 shows responses to the question “Since entering the prep
year, how has it been to manage your time effectively?”
960
835
94
0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
Frequently Occasionally Not at All
Figure B1: Felt overwhelmed by all you had
to do
Felt overwhelmed by all you
had to do
105
478
806
446
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
900
Very Easy Somewhat
Easy
Somewhat
Difficult
Very Difficult
Figure B2: Manage time effectively
Manage time effectively

Students report that they have difficulty finding a balance between their academic life
and extracurricular activities with nearly 58% of participants claiming that it is somewhat to
very difficult to balance.
One reason that time management is a challenge with students may be that they are
not utilizing available resources, for example, academic advising. The survey reveals that 50%
of students had never utilized this service, which would undoubtedly help with management of
schedule and time.
Student Health
This section focuses on the part of the survey related to student health including
physical, social, and mental.
Not only is the university concerned for student health, but so are the students. The
data shows that a 34% of students are frequently worried about their health while studying in
the Preparatory Year Program, while 41% are occasionally worried.
When it comes to Student Health Services provided by the University, students are not
content. Comparably, they are also dissatisfied with Student Psychological Services. Figure C1
show responses to the question asking survey participants to rate their satisfaction with
Student Health Services and Psychological Services.

The fact that students are disillusioned with Student Psychological Services is alarming
when we take into account that 61% of students report feeling depressed occasionally.
Related to physical, social, and mental health is exercising and sports. When asked how
often they played sports or exercised during a typical week, the majority of students replied
that they spent no time doing so. Below, Figure C2 depicts their answers.
71 195
260 285
403
626
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
Figure C1: Student Satisfaction with Health
Services and PsychologicalServices
Student Health Services
Student Psychological Services

Though not an absolute measure of the social health of students on campus, we wish to
recognize that students are not spending time in students’ clubs and groups. 74% of students’
surveys reported that they do not spend any time in these activities.
Regarding dining options on campus, we find that students are not satisfied with current
offerings.
543
356
412
257
97
46
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
None Less than
one hour
1-2
hours
3-5
hours
6-10
hours
11-15
hours
Figure C2 : Time spent exercising weekly
Time spent exercising weekly

Student Involvement
From students’ answers pertaining to their involvement in clubs and groups on campus
we have compiled a list of areas in which they are not involved.
The first area in which students have nearly no involvement is student government. It is
not clear whether they do not know of its existence or if they are not interested.
121
225
451
365
630
62
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
Very
satisfied
Satisfied Neutral Dissatisfied Very
Dissatisfied
Can't
Rate/Don't
Know
Figure C3: Satisfaction with
Restaurant/Café
Satisfaction with
Restaurant/Café

Next, we explore the area of student leadership. The survey data reveals that students
are neither participating in leadership training provided by the university, nor being active
leaders in different venues in the university.
207
1573
0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
1400
1600
1800
Yes No
Figure D1: Participated in student
Government
Fig. D1: Participated in student
Government
498
1298
0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
1400
1600
1800
yes no
Figure D2: Leadership
Participated in leadership
training
Have been a leader in the
university

The amount of participation in community service is low to non-existent. If University of
Dammam wishes for students to be involved in this kind of activity, then we suggest that it be
addressed. 58% of students report that they do not spend any time engaging in community
service, while 46% claimthat they have never participated in community service as part of a
class
Student and Faculty Relationship/Interaction
There are several pieces of data that provided seemingly conflicting portions of
information regarding faculty. Overall, the survey showed that students feel a strong sense of
support from faculty. They report that faculty empowers them to learn, shows concern for their
progress, believes in their potential to succeed, and recognizes their achievements. Yetthey
claimto receive little to no guidance from professors regarding their educational programs.
It seems, however, that students are not asking for advice from their professors either.
When asked how often they asked professors for advice after class, 43% of survey participants
152
822 822
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
900
Figure E1: Received guidance or advice
from professorabout educational program
Received guidance or advice
from professor about
educational program

reported that they never did so; only 10% reported asking for advice frequently. It is unclear as
to why students are not seeking advice from professors. As previously stated in the Research
and Study Skills section, 54% of students state that they do not have regular communication
with teachers.
A great aspect about UoD is that nearly half of the students surveyed agree that they
feel valued at the institution. This reflects positively on faculty and student interaction. 25%
disagree with the statement that they feel valued at UoD. The researchers feel that by taking
the recommendations of this survey into account, students will feel more valued by the
institution as well as the faculty members.

RECOMMENDATIONS
Based on the findings there are many positive practices and services that the first year
program offers. They are as follows:
• Quality of instruction is excellent
• Faculty support is acknowledged and appreciated by students
• Classroomfacilities are satisfactory
• Computer/technology resources and facilities are great
• Students are pleased with library resources
• Overall academic experience is wonderful
• Class sizes are favorable for learning
At the same time, there is significant room for improvement. The following
recommendations are the primary ones to consider implementing first. After initial
implementation a follow up survey should be conducted in order to measure progress.
Campus Resources
It is evident that students would benefit greatly from broader knowledge of campus
resources; this includes purpose, usage, location and importance. We suggest the Deanship
create a strategy to familiarize students with these resources. Examples would be tours of the
library, workshops on how to electronically access online databases, and in class discussions of
critical thinking and importance of research. Teachers should be actively encouraging students
to take advantage of resources outside of the classroom in order to enhance their educational
experience and maximize their academic career. For example, when a teacher does not have

sufficient time to counsel a student they should be instructed to refer the student to tutoring
services. In order for this to happen, teachers must be aware of campus resources as well.
Time Management
Next, as time management has been identified as a difficult task for Preparatory Year
Students, we suggest that it be more highly incorporated as a skill in the Prep Year Program.
What is unclear is if the time management issues are skill related or connected to a deeper level
of understanding or attitude. An example of the latter is a student who knows they have 100
pages of reading to do in three days, but procrastinates until the last night to do so.
Student Health
Regarding student health, we suggest further research with respect to Student Health
Services and Psychological Services. It is unclear as to why the students are dissatisfied with
services, and only in exploring the topic deeper can the deanship improve the issue. Because
loneliness, homesickness, and depression are all realities for a considerable amount of
students, it is crucial that students have both Health Services and Psychological Services they
can go to for counsel and assistance.
Leadership and Engagement
Due to a very low number of students in student groups/clubs, sports/exercise, student
government, community service, and leadership training, researchers suggest informing
students of opportunities available on campus and in the community. A “get involved,”
campaign in which all social activities are promoted and explained is an appropriate example.

The university must show that they highly value student involvement as an organization and
communicate this to students accordingly.
Restaurant/Café
With reference to dining options, we encourage the Deanship to distribute a
questionnaire and/or perform focus groups. This will disclose what the students are seeking in
food options and pinpoint which current aspects they find inadequate.
Faculty/Institution
We recommend further investigation of incongruencies between perception of
teachers, perception of institution, and educational advising. Students report great support
from teachers, but a quarter say they do not feel valued by the institution as a whole. We need
to ask the question, “Why do students view their faculty separate from the institution?”
Additionally, it’s imperative to delve into the communication problem that exists
between faculty and students. Why do students claim there isn’t regular communication
between them and their teachers? Why do they feel that teachers don’t give them feedback?
Limitations of this survey prevent us from answering these questions, but further qualitative
research with students and faculty would help investigate these questions and possible
solutions.

CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE FUTURE
The Deanship of Preparatory Year and Supporting Studies should feel positive about the
results of this study. There is overwhelming evidence that the program is going well and the
administration, faculty, and students should be commended for this. While there are areas for
improvement, all of these are very manageable and with a comprehensive strategy for
improvement each of the issues can be addressed and solutions developed. One area that
would assist in planning for the future is to recognize the expertise and knowledge of the
faculty who are on the frontline and are interacting daily with the students. They should be
involved in the development as well as the implementation of the strategic improvement plan.
The primary area of concern is the significant difference between high school and the
university; this requires not only skill development but also a change in mindset for the
students. This process will take several years, as cultural change is difficult. However, the place
to start is with the five primary recommendations of this survey and treating this survey as a
major benchmark that can be built upon in the future. This suggests future research that both
replicates this study and adds qualitative data, such as open-ended comments in data and focus
groups. It will also be helpful to further explore the statistical data.

PrepYear2015

Recommandé

Recommandé

Contenu connexe

Tendances

Tendances (20)

En vedette

En vedette (15)

Similaire à PrepYear2015

Similaire à PrepYear2015 (20)

PrepYear2015