The Analysis of the Factors That Weaken Engineering Students’ Engagement and Lead Them to Transfer to Other Universities

Year 2018, Volume: 47 Issue: 2, 384 - 410, 01.10.2018

Adnan Boyacı , Mehmet Fatih Karacabey Mustafa Özdere Yakup Öz

Abstract

Turkey has been
living a massive growth in higher education since 2006. This rapid acceleration
in the growth of higher education can be considered as a positive situation for
the participation and access to higher education. However, it also brings a
substantially growing concern in the higher education system related to college
satisfaction or engagement. The purpose of this study is to examine
the factors challenging student engagement in higher education in the Turkish
context, specifically focusing on the engagement of engineering students with a
qualitative approach. Participants in the study are all engineering students
who had been transferred from some other universities and enrolled in a state
university. Participants were determined by criterion and snowball
sampling methods.  The data were gathered by semi-structured interviews. A
descriptive design was adopted in the study and the thematic analysis was
employed during the analysis of the participants’ opinions. According to
the aim of the study, opinions of the participants are categorized into three main themes as
individual level, institutional level and environmental factors affecting the
college engagement and persistence among engineering students. At the end of
the study, there are a discussion how the engagement and persistence of
engineering students in Turkey differ from the context in the western countries
and some bits of advice for the policymakers, universities, and
researchers. 

 

Keywords

Engineering students, College engagement, College persistence, Transfer students, College retention

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