EMPOWERING YOUTH: ASSESSING WELL-BEING FOR HOLISTIC DEVELOPMENT
1 Institute for the Future of Education, Tecnologico de Monterrey. (MEXICO)
2 Comisión Nacional para la Mejora Continua de la Educación (MEXICO)
3 Universidad de Salamanca (SPAIN)
About this paper:
Conference name: 17th annual International Conference of Education, Research and Innovation
Dates: 11-13 November, 2024
Location: Seville, Spain
Abstract:
Well-being is essential for the healthy development of adolescents and young people. In recent years, this topic has gained interest among educational researchers. According to the World Health Organization, health is a state of physical, mental, and social well-being, not merely the absence of disease (World Health Organization, 2022). Health is a fundamental right that everyone should enjoy, regardless of race, political ideology, religion, socioeconomic status, or social status.
At the university that frames this study, Well-being is defined as the state of individuals and communities that promotes their conscious, constant, and balanced development in the physical, emotional, intellectual, spiritual, social, occupational, and financial dimensions, in harmony with their environment (TQueremos, 2021). To assess the level of Well-being in these seven dimensions, a questionnaire was designed and validated. The information from the Well-being(Wb) questionnaire is presented through a detailed report called Radar 7D, which allows students to identify their level of development as one of the following: to be developed, developing, or developed. The 7D Radar also shows the development level of each aspect within each dimension. Each aspect comprises several indicators. For example, one aspect of the emotional dimension is emotional intelligence, which is evaluated through the following indicators:
1) Level of identification of one's own emotions,
2) Level of self-regulation of emotions,
3) Level of competence in using one's own emotions, and
4) Level of empathy.
Thus, the report accurately highlights the students' strengths and areas for improvement in each dimension and aspect. Additionally, it enables mentors to provide follow-up and recommendations, or, if necessary, refer students to a specialist.
This study presents the usability and user experience results of the 7D Radar report from the perspectives of mentors and students. The approach was a concurrent mixed-methods type (Quant-Qual), as the purpose was to compare the responses provided by the students with those provided by the mentors. Once the 7D Radar reports were provided to the students and the mentors conducted interviews with them, a continuous Likert scale instrument was launched to evaluate the student's experience, and focus groups were conducted with the mentors. The instrument was completed by 452 students, and 11 mentors participated in the focus groups.
Among the results, it stands out that both students and mentors found the Wb questionnaire questions to be relevant as they are aligned with the seven dimensions established by the institution. Students reported that mentors provided recommendations based on the 7D Radar information. Some quotes were: "My mentor suggested I don't bottle up my emotions, to talk to someone I trust," and "My mentor suggested that I take care of my sleep habits by avoiding the use of my phone before bed". Mentors, on the other hand, found the 7D Radar to be intuitive and easy to understand. They also noted that the results provided students with a solid foundation for their personal and academic development.
The study revealed that both students and mentors valued the accuracy of the Radar 7D report in identifying their strengths and areas for improvement. Furthermore, it enabled mentors to effectively guide mentoring sessions by offering personalized advice.Keywords:
Higher education, Educative Innovation, Well-being, Mentoring.