THE ROLE OF PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT IN STUDENTS ADAPTING TO THE ACADEMIC LIFE

Abstract

In this article we describe the results obtained in an activity of evaluation of a personal development program addressed to students in the first year of study. It was carried out within a project financed by the Scholarship Scheme for Universities, concluded between the Ministry of National Education through the Management Unit of Externally Funded Projects and the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Energy and Applied Informatics, “Gheorghe Asachi” Technical University of Iasi. The specific objectives of the project pursued three intervention components: motivation (M), networking (R) and workload (V). These have been directly correlated with other identified aspects (individual failure, academic failure) that lead to school dropouts and low academic performance. In order to achieve the objectives, the project presented a proposed activity plan for a target group of 80 students for one year of implementation). The activities proposed within the project represent punctual educational interventions on the factors that influence school dropout and academic performance. The evaluated program, the results of which we present here, was subordinated to the objectives related to the motivation of the students and their relationship skills and pursued personal development through creativity and socio-emotional education in students. This dimension of the programme was chosen because a major need existing on the labour market is the need to educate young people to have the attitude of a winner and to find solutions to problems .The behavioural acquisitions of the students, within the personal development programme through creativity and social-emotional education were: flexible, generative thinking in solving problems; acquiring coping strategies; optimisation of personal and academic life.