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Academic and Social Adjustment to Post-Pandemic Hybrid Learning:
A Phenomenological Study of Filipino First-Year Engineering Students’
Experiences
Maria Cristina M. Firmante
De La Salle University, Philippines

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Abstract
The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic caused immense changes, particularly in education.
There has been a shift from mostly face-to-face to increased remote learning, and students have
tried to adapt to this change. Hybrid classes are now implemented as students adjust to the newnormal of the post-pandemic era. While the transition for some can be smooth and challenging
for others, literature shows that adjustment comes with a wide range of experiences. Thus, thisaction research aims to understand better first-year engineering students' academic and social
adjustment in a hybrid setting. A phenomenological approach was employed, involving thirty(30) first-year engineering students who participated in online focus group discussions.
Transcripts from the focus group discussions were coded, categorized, and thematicallyanalyzed. Observations during the interview were analyzed, and students' written essays were
examined. Findings of the academic adjustments toward hybrid learning indicated that theonline modality is integral to student learning, making it flexible and inclusive. Combining
online and in-person classes on the same day can add to the challenge of transitioning.
Moreover, the social adjustment of first-year students focused on the lack of social interaction
and social support that can significantly impact their success. Implications for program
development were discussed.
Keywords: academic adjustment, engineering, first-year students, hybrid learning, lived
experiences, social adjustment

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Scholars started investigating the idea of college student adjustment in the 1960s (Jones, 1966),
while researchers established a college student adjustment model focusing on academic, social,personal-emotional adjustment, and institutional attachment (Baker & Siryk, 1989). Research
conducted globally suggests that adjustment to the multiple transitions from higher education
experiences plays a significant role in students' success (Jindal-Snape & Rienties, 2016). For
many students, starting their first year of college includes significant changes in their levels of
independence and responsibility. While going to university is an exciting experience, somestudents have expectations before leaving home. Some are eager to experience more freedom
and adventure, while others may discover that the experience falls short of their expectations(Al-Qaisy, 2010). They must learn to work in a new environment, live independently, and workwith new people (Van Viet, 2021) and experience stressors related to their academic and social
adjustments (McCabe, 2016; Terenzini et al., 1994; Van Viet, 2021).
However, when the COVID-19 pandemic appeared in early 2020, it caused an immense change
in everyone's lives. The unprecedented effects of the pandemic challenged universities andstudents. In particular, schools adapted and shifted to new education methods surprisingly well
(Bubb & Jones, 2020). The unexpected turn of events led by the outbreak of the COVID-19
pandemic forced educators, regardless of their stance on online education, familiarity, and levelof preparedness, to transition into a completely online system of education with hardly any
time to make this transition (Dhawan, 2020). The abrupt switch to fully online learning wasparticularly stressful for many professors and students who prefer in-person instruction. Withor without a global pandemic, there is a significant jump in the academic workload first-year
students experience going from high school to college. At the same time, socially, first-year
students may have left some of their previous social networks and must establish a new support
system, which was made more difficult due to restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic(Ang et al., 2022). Hence, online education is frequently labeled as less desirable, offering alower-quality education than in-person, face-to-face instruction (Hodges et al., 2020).
The abrupt shift to online learning presents challenges for engineering students, as theireducation relies heavily on hands-on experiences in laboratory classes and direct interaction
with instructors and peers (Balta-Salvador et al., 2021). A significant portion of engineering
curricula is centered around applying theoretical knowledge in practical settings, particularly
in laboratory classes (Jacques et al., 2020). Despite these preferences and constraints, online
education has gradually become integral to higher education in engineering subfields such as
electrical and computer engineering, computer science, and information technology over the
past decade (Martinez et al., 2005). Notably, conducting laboratory classes presents a specificchallenge (Grodotzki et al., 2021). As highlighted by Park et al. (2020), the transition has beendifficult, especially in facilitating lab courses, which are essential for undergraduate
engineering programs and are a requirement for program accreditation by the Accreditation
Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET).
Within this context, the researcher of the present study, who is also a practicing school
counselor, hopes to provide information on the lived experiences of first-year engineering
students as they transition from face-to-face to hybrid classes. The study also hopes to129

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contribute to the existing literature on first-year engineering students' academic and social
adjustment experiences, particularly in a new learning modality. At present, there is no existing
program in the researcher's counseling office related to the transition to hybrid classes for firstyear engineering students. The result of the present study will provide the researcher withessential information in developing a program specific and unique to first-year engineering
students' needs.
Research Problem
The present study explored the academic and social adjustment experiences of first-yearengineering students as a basis for program development. It was the hope of the researcher,
who is also a practicing school counselor, to come up with a program specific and unique tothe needs of first-year engineering students.
Specifically, the study sought to address the question: What are the lived experiences of firstyear engineering students toward the hybrid learning in terms of: 1) academic adjustments and1.2 social adjustments?
Literature Review
Academic Adjustment
Academic adjustment is considered an individual ability to manage various academic
challenges. Baker and Siryk (1989) defined academic adjustment as the ability of students toadequately cope with the educational demands of the college experience. Students who succeedin academic adjustment will show success in academic lifestyle, academic achievement, andacademic motivation (Anderson et al., 2016). Academic adjustment is how students overcome
various academic challenges to attain better grades in the university (Clinciu & Cazan,2013). However, the adverse effects of academic non-adjustment of students may result inearly dropout, difficulty handling stress, less drive to study, and low academic performance(Reddy et al., 2018). Failure to adjust academically to first-year students could also lead tostress, anxiety, moodiness, depression, and even poor mental health (Clinciu, 2012).
Several factors influence students' academic adjustments. A study by Montgomery andcolleagues (2019) found that intrapersonal factors significantly influence associations withacademic adjustment even when controlling for academic motivation. Students' academic
motivation mattered, as did their orientation. External factors appear unaffected by academic
adjustment, but intrinsic motivation was linked with higher adjustment. At the same time,
perfectionism was shown to have a superlative and discriminative association with academic
adjustment, depending on whether it was an adaptive or maladaptive form of perfectionism. In
the Philippines, Alipio (2020) examined whether the senior high school (SHS) students’specific area of specialization mattered for Filipino first-year college students' academic
adjustment and performance. Results of the study found that a significant difference existed
among the students in different SHS strands, suggesting that the academic adjustment and130

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performance of the students varied based on the SHS strand taken. Moreover, the researcher
recommended that guidance counselors in higher-education institutions create guidance
programs specifically designed for first-year college students to facilitate their transition andadjustment to college.
Social Adjustment
Transitioning to university entails integration into a new social environment. Students get toknow and spend time with fellow students and participate in social activities organized by
student organizations (Stephens et al., 2015). Like academic adjustment, social adjustment is
as vital as any other dimension in students' transitions (Enochs & Rolland, 2006; Gerdes &Mallinckrodt, 1994). Social adjustment refers to how students maintain a sense of belonging
in their respective colleges and connection with other members by fostering positive
interpersonal relationships and participating in diverse activities in school (Ko & Lee, 2013).
The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (2017) posited that students'
feelings of belonging is a possible lever to support success, engagement, and well-being incollege. In addition, Sahin and colleagues (2016) found that students who cannot establish
positive relationships with friends, teachers, and school administrators do not like the school,
and have a higher tendency to be absent from school and to drop out. According to Shim andRyan (2019), when a student's goal is social development, college adjustment and social
competence were higher.
Hybrid and Blended Learning Approach
Dorn and colleagues (2020) posited that the academic year 2020–2021 was one of the mostchallenging times for faculty, students, and administrators. K-12 schools, universities, andother higher education institutions rapidly transitioned to online learning to continue education
during the COVID-19 pandemic (Singh et al., 2021). Some studies have reported that whiletransitioning to online teaching, teachers faced issues related to their classroom pedagogicalpractices; some even doubted their teaching abilities and questioned the learning outcomes ofstudents (Ulla & Perales, 2021a; Maatuk et al., 2022), while students encountered challenges
like lack of access to academic resources and distractions in the home learning environment(Clabaugh et al., 2021). In addition, students may have had experienced negative emotions dueto the hurried switch to an unfamiliar learning situation (Park et al., 2020).
Despite the challenges that arose in education due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the transition
to online learning caught the interest of some education scholars, practitioners, and researchersinterested in innovating within the traditional face-to-face learning practice (Ulla & Perales,2022). Online learning started gaining popularity in the 1990s when students could complete
their coursework without coming to campus and being physically present (Nortvig et al., 2018).
Previous evidence suggested hybrid or blended learning offers creative options to academic
leaders and faculty, making information available to students outside the classroom. Hybrid or131

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blended learning can help in optimizing and maximizing students’ productivity during inperson sessions (Powell et al., 2015).
In engineering education, online education has become a viable component of higher educationin engineering subfields like electrical and computer engineering, computer science, andinformation technology, particularly at the master’s or postgraduate level (Martinez et al.,2005). However, online, hybrid or blended learning programs can be successful or unsuccessful
if not appropriately planned and executed in terms of their structure, objectives, learning
outcomes, taxonomy, and specific to students’ needs (McGee & Reis, 2012). One study by
Alfiras and colleagues (2021) explored students’ perceptions of hybrid classes at the Collegeof Interior Design Engineering, Gulf University. The study results identified that hybrid classes
are practical, and to make them even better, specified parameters such as teachers’ efficiency,
the importance of advanced learning management system and communication over the internet
should be regularized and enhanced. The study also reiterated that the emotional connection ateacher establishes, and the constructive feedback that a teacher provides, make studying morepositive and welcoming for students.
Conceptual Framework
The current study’s conceptual framework provides a proposition for understanding the lived
experiences of first-year engineering students as they transition from face-to-face to hybridclasses. This framework is guided by Tinto’s (1975) attrition model, which explores various
educational experiences, competencies, and skills of students. The model also considers
students’ values and family and community backgrounds before they enter higher education.
As a result, academic and social adaptation are shown to influence students’ integration intohigher education, increase school cohesion, and lead to student perseverance and graduation.
Tinto emphasized the importance of academic and social integration, arguing that it is essential
for sustaining institutional and goal commitments and, consequently, college retention. He
contends that in order to succeed in college, students must adequately integrate into both theacademic and social facets of college life.
Figure 1
Academic and Social Adjustment Experiences of First-year Engineering Students

Lived ExperiencesofFirst-year
Engineering College
Students

Academic
Adjustment

SocialAdjustment

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Figure 1 shows the conceptual framework of the present study. The framework was summed
up based on previous literature. Guided by this framework, the lived experiences of first-yearengineering students were explored in terms of their academic and social adjustments. Results
will be the basis for program development.
Methodology
Research Design
The method used in the present study is action research employing a phenomenologicalqualitative approach. Mills (2000) posited that action research is any systematic investigation
carried out by teacher researchers, principals, school counselors, or other individuals in alearning environment to know more about how specific schools operate, how teachers teach,and how well students learn. Employing a phenomenological qualitative approach to action
research was selected for this study because the aims was to explore the experiences of firstyear students in depth. In a qualitative approach, researchers aim to comprehend theparticipants' unique world by listening carefully and attempting to capture the significance theyplace on their lives and experiences (Ponterotto, 2005).
Research Participants
The present study's participants comprised thirty (30) first-year engineering students enrolled
in hybrid classes. Since this paper utilized the action research design, the participants who
experienced the action to be investigated (i.e., the transition to hybrid classes) were chosen andwere composed of five (5) participants per academic program within the engineering
department. Specifically, the participants were selected purposively as they were the ones who
experienced the action under investigation. The programs included chemical engineering, civilengineering, electronics and computer engineering, industrial and systems engineering,
manufacturing engineering and management, and mechanical engineering. Purposefulsampling seeks cases with as much in-depth information that can be investigated (Patton,2002). It is also interesting to note that the participants were the first batch experiencing thefull implementation of the hybrid class.
Table 1 shows the demographic profile of the participants. Their ages ranged between 17 years
old and 22 years old. Minor participants were required to complete consent and assent forms
before participating. Of the 30 participants, 16 (53.0%) were male, 11 (37.0%) were female,and 3 (10.0%) chose not to provide their gender.

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Table 1
Demographic Profile of First-Year Engineering Students
Variable
Age

Characteristics
17-18 years old
19-20 years old
21-22 years old

n
18
8
4

%
60.0%
27.0%
13.0%

GenderMale
FemalePrefer not to respond

16
11
3

53.0%
37.0%
10.0%

Major/Program Civil Engineering
Chemical Engineering
Electronics and Computer Engineering
Industrial Engineering
Manufacturing Engineering
Mechanical Engineering
Note. N=30

5
5
5
5
5
5

16.6%
16.6%
16.6%
16.6%
16.6%
16.6%

Research Instruments
Three research instruments were used in the present study: (1) the researcher-made focus group
discussion protocol, (2) the researcher’s observations during the interviews (field notes), and(3) students’ essays about their academic and social adjustment.
Focus Group Discussion Protocol
Three school counselors handling college students validated the researcher-made focus group(FGD) protocol. Focus groups are group interviews that communicate with study participants
to gather information. They enable interactive and in-depth exploration of respondents'
experiences, and the group process can help clarify each view that might not emerge from a
one-on-one interview that the present study's author believes best fits its purpose (Kitzinger,
1995). The focus group technique allows for spontaneous information exchange and theexpression of participants' knowledge and ideas. Participants can think aloud in a focus group
discussion and are free to say what they believe or think. Moreover, information obtained fromfocus group discussions can be deeper than from face-to-face interviews because of the social
interaction among the participants (Thomas et al., 1995).
Researcher’s Field Notes (Observations)Field notes were an additional data source that included detailed information on observations
before, during, and after the focus group interview. The researcher's field notes included thedate, time, and details of the observation period. The researcher established rapport and trust134

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Volume 12 – Issue 2 – 2024with the virtual research participants by delivering non-verbal cues and engaging themthroughout the interview. Direct quotations from the participants that were significant or
representative of common themes, including non-verbal cues, were written down to ensure
accurate capture of what was said and how it was communicated. Additionally, the researcher'sinterpretations of and reflections on the observations and gathered data were also documented.
Students’ Essay
The researcher initially reached out to a professor who teaches first-year engineering students
to discuss the research they were conducting. The use of the essay in the study was thoroughly
discussed with the professor. Upon the professor's confirmation of participation, informed
consent was obtained from the students. They were provided with detailed information and theobjectives of the research. The essay focused on students' academic and social adjustment in a
hybrid setting. The students were asked to write a one to two-page essay about their experiences
as first-year engineering students, focusing on their academic and social adjustment. This waspart of their class requirements and was done in collaboration with the professor. The professor
provided the criteria for the essay, which included focus and details, organization, choice ofwords, and sentence structure. All thirty (30) participants completed the essay.
Data Gathering Procedure
The researcher followed the three phases of action research: pre-implementation,
implementation, and post-implementation. In the pre-implementation phase, the researcher
obtained ethical approval from the research ethics office of the participating private university
in Manila, Philippines. Upon the approval, an invitation to participate in the study wasannounced to the engineering student council. The researcher sought assistance from thestudent council to share and disseminate the invitation letter to participate in research intended
for first-year engineering students per program through a focus group discussion. Along with
this, the researcher also connected with the professors handling first-year engineering students
for the essay part of data collection. The essay was part of the requirements of students in theclass. The researcher of the present study prepared semi-structured questions during the focus
group discussion that focused on the lived experiences of first-year engineering students'
academic and social adjustment in the hybrid setting. Similar questions were also asked of thestudents who answered the essay. Students were also provided with informed consent.
During the implementation phase, students who opted to participate in the study received email
instructions about the online focus group discussion and were informed that the meeting
platform was Zoom. They were instructed to use their university-assigned email addresses tojoin the online discussion. Participants consented to allowing the researcher to use the gathereddata for research and program development. Consent was obtained via Google Forms, which
reiterated that no identifiable information would be shared if the collected data was to be used
for research presentation or publication. The study conducted during the academic year 2023–
2024.

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Moreover, after acquiring the result of the focus group discussion, program development will
follow for the post-implementation phase.
Data Analysis
Thematic analysis was performed on the focus group, observation, and student essays data. The
analysis followed Braun and Clark's (2006) guidelines. First, the participants’ audio-recordedinterviews were transcribed verbatim. The researcher familiarized herself with the data by
carefully listening to the recorded interviews, reading the transcripts, going through the wholedata.. The second step was generating initial codes and categories by labeling data segments or
the gathered answers. The researcher listed all the codes, combined similar codes into broader
categories, and counted the number of respondents who responded the same. Third, theresearcher searched for themes and then reviewed them as the fourth step. The fifth step was
to define and name the themes accordingly, and the last step was generating the final report.
Furthermore, to increase the present study's accuracy and objectivity, two college professors,
licensed teachers completing their doctoral degrees, were invited to review the findings andprovide suggestions. Their input was incorporated into the final results. One of the professors
is a registered guidance counselor, and the other is a registered psychologist. Consensus coding
and a review of the themes and subthemes were conducted. Additionally, the researcher's
observations and textual descriptions from the students' essays were included to finalize thethemes and subthemes for each research question.
Trustworthiness of the Research
Various strategies were implemented to ensure the research's validity and reliability. The
researcher followed the four criteria Lincoln and Guba (1985) outlined to guarantee thetrustworthiness of qualitative investigations. These criteria are explained in detail below.
Credibility
Patton (2002) identified three critical elements of credibility in qualitative research: rigorous
methods, a credible researcher, and a belief in qualitative inquiry. Achieving rigor in research
can be ensured through various methods, such as extended engagement with participants,
researcher reflexivity, member checks, triangulation, and peer debriefing. All five were usedin the current study and are described below.
The researcher of the present study spent additional time with participants to validate theinformation gathered during interviews. The increased time built trust in the data. It allowed
both the researcher and participants to clear up any misunderstandings and add any informationthat may have been overlooked during the initial interview.
Reflexivity allows the researcher to detect ethical concerns throughout the research(Kleinsasser, 2000). Qualitative researchers understand that bias can play a part in their studies,but they need to acknowledge this bias early on. Reflexivity was utilized in this study by

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detailing the researcher's role and maintaining researcher field notes (observation) to capture
any thoughts and emotions that might influence the data throughout the study.
It is also crucial to check with members in order to increase the credibility of research, as statedby Lincoln and Guba (1985). Therefore, the researcher shared the present study's findings withthe participants and let them suggest changes if they wanted more from her interpretation.
Moreover, direct excerpts were given to participants to enable them to understand the findings.
The point of triangulation is to test for consistency between multiple sources of data eventhough it may not lead to a single answer (Patton, 2002). Triangulation was accomplished inthis study through the use of multiple sources of data collection, including interview transcripts,
essay, and the researcher field notes (observation).
Lastly, the researcher considered that some participants might feel distressed during or after
the study. Participants were informed that they could withdraw or discontinue the interview ifthey experienced any discomfort without impacting their relationship with the researcher. The
researcher provided a debriefing to the participants after the interview.
Transferability
According to Morrow (2005), transferability can be achieved through detailed information
about the researcher, context, processes, and participants. The researcher focused on
observations before, during, and after the focus group interviews that added richness to thedata. The participants selected for this study were chosen through a purposeful sample. The
specific type of purposeful sample was criterion sampling. Anfara and colleagues (2002)
mentioned using purposeful sampling and thick descriptions to help ensure transferability.
Dependability
The dependability of a qualitative study is achieved through consistency and by developing anaudit trail (Morrow, 2005). The audit trail for this study was documented carefully in the
researcher's field notes throughout the research. Triangulation was also used withdependability, as mentioned under credibility. Data are more dependable when gathered froma variety of sources.
Confirmability
Confirmability describes the ability of the researcher to bring all data gathered and to be able
to trust their findings. The overall findings of the study must reflect the actual information
learned. To have confirmable results, researchers must reduce bias in their results (Morrow,2005). This was accomplished in this study through triangulation, as mentioned previously, ofthree primary data sources. Combining the focus group interview data, field notes, and areflexive journal, the data was continually examined to be trustworthy and confirmable.

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Ethical Considerations
Since a qualitative study is an in-depth examination of the personal experiences of theparticipants, the following precautions were taken into consideration to protect the participant’s
rights: 1) acquiring approval from the research ethics office of the participating university, 2)communicating the purpose of the research to the participants in writing, as well as collecting
informed consent and assent forms from minors, 3) ensuring participant anonymity through theuse of pseudonyms, and 4) maintaining strict confidentiality of all personal information shared.
The researcher acknowledged that some participants might feel distressed during or after thefocus group discussion. Participants were told they could withdraw or discontinue at any time
if they felt uncomfortable without affecting their relationship with the researcher. After theinterview, the researcher provided a debriefing to the participants. Data privacy was ensured
through anonymization and aggregate presentation of results.
Results
Analysis of data revealed the lived experiences of first-year engineering students in terms of
their academic and social adjustments in a hybrid setting. The initial phase of thephenomenological analysis of the statements is found in the transcripts (student’s essay), which
offer details about the participants' actual experiences.
Table 2 presents significant statements gathered from first-year engineering students about
their academic and social adjustments toward hybrid learning. Participants expressed thathybrid classes were better rather than pure online classes during the pandemic. As seen in thetable above, one participant stated,“I could say that the hybrid classes are actually far better than having full online
classes like during the pandemic. And having full face to face classes since it makes
the students' time flexible and not having to bother going back and forth in the campus,
which increases efficiency”.
Most participants expressed that there were still pros and cons of hybrid classes. For example,
one participant shared,“I think one of the biggest disadvantages now…based on my personal experiences andwhat I hear from other froshies as well is that there are days where f2f classes are rightafter online classes. As a result, students like me who commute would still have to go
to school early despite the online class, even if their f2f classes are later on. Though
this may seem like a minor inconvenience, it can be really draining”.
Overall, students' essays about their academic and social adjustment stressed both theadvantages and disadvantages of the hybrid setting. Students were trying their best to adapt

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and take advantage of the opportunity hybrid classes were offering them while also recognizing
the challenges they had to deal with and work through.
Table 2
Participants Significant Statements in the Essay
Significant Statements in the Essay“Academic adjustment is still somehow above the average than last semester since goingback to face-to-face classes felt somewhat new after the pandemic resided”“I could say that the hybrid classes are actually far better than having full online like during
the pandemic. And having full face to face classes since it makes the students' time forflexible and not having to bother going back and forth in campus which increases
efficiency”“For me, the advantages of hybrid class are you wouldn't have to worry about spending a
lot of money for food or transportation since there will be times when you will stay athome”“Being able to schedule myself efficiently to do schoolwork’s and learning at a
comfortable pace.”“Most of the students still go to campus to attend only one class with face to face and therest being online. For me, I think this is a disadvantage since it contradicts the idea of
having the flexible time that both students and staffs.”“I think one of the biggest disadvantages now (based on my personal experiences and what
I hear from other froshies as well) is that there are days where f2f classes are right after
online classes. As a result, students like me who commute would still have to go to school
early despite the online class, even if their f2f classes are later on. Though this may seem
like a minor inconvenience, it can be really draining.”“I still haven't joined any organizations since I'm still trying to test the waters but as soon
as I become more adjusted”“I would say that my home org rarely has activities that would allow me to meet
upperclassmen to ask for advice and help and make friends, which is why I know so little
people in my course.”“Hopefully engineering department has more events that will make college life less"serious and technical" and enjoyable, as it is in these events where students will reallyremember throughout the years.”+25 other significant statements

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In Table 3, four main themes were generated from the focus group interviews of first-yearengineering students. Generally, participants expressed the idea that hybrid learning provides
a flexible learning environment in which there is less academic fatigue. They felt hybrid
learning saves both time and money. They also saw it as an opportunity to have a comfortablelearning pace, and it is convenient from any location. One participant, Harvey (BS Civil),stated,“I think the advantages of hybrid classes is that me not going to school every day. In aweek I go to school for at least 2-3 times. Then for the rest, I just stay at home for myonline classes. I really like this because not only does it saves me from commuting andneeding to go to school, it saves a lot of my energy. Being well rested allows me toeven be more attentive and participative. As a student, hybrid learning is the best typeof set up, since pure f2f classes can be draining and pure online classes isn't always
effective”.
Adaptability to technology was also identified. Participants expressed that in hybrid learning,they were becoming more tech-savvy and integrating synchronous and asynchronous learning.
Another participant, Ana (BS IE), described, “Our generation now are into technology andinternet, and I can say that the hybrid learning allows us to become even more tech-savvy.”
The other theme that was generated was embracing a new education setup. Participants
recognized that despite the many challenges that the pandemic brought, it opened up otheropportunities for students and the educational system as a whole. Participants in the present
study identified that the experience helped them adjust when faced with learning adversity.
Jana (BS Che) explained,“The hybrid class this time maximized the advantages of both worlds. As a student,
the experience during the pandemic gave a lot of insight also on how to survive -what
would be helpful and how to continue”.
Lastly, participants also pointed out that even though hybrid learning provided a flexible
learning experience, they also reiterated that class scheduling, for some, defeated the purpose.
It was stressed by James (BS ME) saying,“First of all, inconvenience, especially when there will be an urgent announcement that
all classes will be shifted online, then you are already at school without your resources(laptop in my case since I don't bring my laptop whenever I have face to face classes).
Second, it's very tiring as someone who is leaving far from the university.”
While Carlo (BS ECE) shared similar sentiments, stating,“Same with my lab classes, they did not put the online lab classes together, whichmeans I have to go to school on two separate days instead of one. But since this is140

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beyond my control and is now past the half of the term, I really have to work on myschedule.”
The lived experiences of first-year engineering students' academic adjustments toward hybrid
learning showed that the online modality was integral to student learning, making it flexible
and inclusive. However, combining online and in-person classes on the same day can add tothe challenge of transitioning. Solving these challenges can help first-year engineering students
achieve a smooth academic transition.
Table 3
Themes and Sub-Themes of First-Year Engineering Students’ Academic Adjustments Toward
Hybrid Learning
Theme
Flexible Learning

Sub-theme
Less academic fatigue
Saving both time and money
Opportunity to have a comfortable learning pace
Convenient from any location

Adaptability inTechnology

Becoming tech-savvy
Integration of synchronous and asynchronous learning

Embracing New
Education Setup

Able to adjust when faced with learning adversity
Accepting changes and moving forward

Class Schedule

Difficulty having face-to-face and online class in a day

Table 4 presents the themes and sub-themes of first-year engineering students’ social
adjustment toward hybrid learning. There were two main themes and sub-themes. Participants
identified both the advantages and disadvantages of hybrid learning in their social adjustment
but highlighted less interaction and support. Chino (BS MEM) mentioned,“I think the main advantage would be having more social interaction among otherstudents in the campus. Even though through online setting, there are still ways tosocially interact since we have all adjusted from online setting during the pandemic.
Although a disadvantage would be having less physical interaction and also having lesstime going out with peers inside and outside of campus and since we are froshies, mostof us are shy and adjusting.”
Similarly, another participant, Rafael (BS CIV), expressed,“It is difficult to make friends and build relationships with others since there are times
when we won't be able to meet or see each other…only face to face twice a week. It

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will also be hard to adjust and adapt to the new environment if it is not always on aconsistent basis.”
Participants also identified that when it comes to social support, it would be best if they havesomeone with them, particularly since they are starting to adapt to the new environment as
first-year students. It was expressed and reiterated by Joy (BS IE), who stated,“I would say that my home organization rarely has activities that would allow me tomeet upperclassmen to ask for advice and help and make friends, which is why I know
so little people in my course.”
The social adjustment identified by first-year engineering students focused on the lack of social
interaction and social support. Social experiences play a crucial role in well-being in general,
but especially for first-year college students entering an entirely new environment where theymight not know many people. First-year engineering students pointed out that the social
adjustment process can greatly impact the success of transitioning.
Table 4
Themes and Sub-Themes of First-Year Engineering Students’ Social Adjustments Toward
Hybrid Learning
Theme
Interaction

Sub-theme
Less physical and social interaction
Limitations in meeting other batchmates

SupportLack of emotional connection
Minimal activities from home organizations
Discussion

The process of adjustment entails changing one's behavior to work more harmoniously in asituation that has changed. As such, the transition from high school to college marks a critical
period of adjustment for first-year students. At present, the trend to integrate face-to-face andonline learning in the post-pandemic era, is also part of the transition among first-year student.
Literatures acknowledge both the advantages and disadvantages of hybrid settings (Firmante,2022). Students can experience learning opportunities and challenges in both educational
modalities. Hybrid learning may lead to more independent learning and more opportunities foreveryone to pursue education at any time or location. In-person instruction allows students tocommunicate directly with their teachers and peers. At the same time, online time allows
students to interact with numerous resources and materials that could assist them inunderstanding particular ideas and improving their learning at their own pace (Brown, 2016).
However, these changes can be challenging at the same time. The results of the present study
confirm these documented opportunities and challenges.

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First-year engineering students have identified opportunities and challenges related to theiracademic and social adjustments. The four main themes regarding the academic adjustment of
first-year engineering students show that they have identified advantages and disadvantages ofhybrid learning. For academic adjustments, participants expressed flexibility, being adept withtechnology, and being able to adjust to adversity. Conversely, the remote learning environment
has also brought new educational opportunities (Hoss et al., 2022; Li et al., 2022). Students
can access various digital resources, including open educational resources, research databases,
and online libraries through hybrid learning. These materials can motivate students' creativity
by introducing them to fresh concepts, viewpoints, and data (Haleem et al., 2022). For instance,Azorín (2020) argued that the crisis provided scarce opportunities to trial, improve, and rethink
the role, content, and innovative education delivery methods. Despite this, it is also important
to note that participants stressed the difficulty of having both an online and face-to-faceschedule in a single day. The participants expressed that it would have been better if theircourse schedules alternated (one full online day and one complete face-to-face day) to avoid
academic fatigue. For study participants, addressing concerns about course scheduling could
be an adjustment that might be vital to their academic fulfillment.
Regarding social adjustment, participants expressed limitations, although they used social
media for communication and interaction. Participants pointed out that there were still
limitations regarding social interaction and social support. They expressed difficulty
connecting with their classmates, as well as their professors. Some participants mentioned there
was no connection at all. Most of them described a lack of support. This is important because
Tindle and colleagues (2022) argued that social support is essential for accepting andnavigating challenging circumstances. Social connections and the bonds that students havewith their teachers and fellow students are crucial to higher education because they give
students a feeling of community and enhance their online learning experience (Händel et al.
2020). As such, the difficulties in building social relationships online (Wilson et al., 2020) arevital areas that need to be addressed.
Moreover, the results of the present study are crucial in the post-implementation phase of thisaction research. Interventions should be available for students to address their academic,
personal, career, and even psychological needs exacerbated by the pandemic. Intensifying
counseling and other support services could be available at the university (Firmante, 2022). In
addition, guidance is a process that consists of services offered to students to help them acquire
the information and abilities required to make appropriate decisions, plans, and interpretations
necessary for a satisfactory transition in various contexts (Sindabi, 1991). As such, theguidance and counseling programs in higher education institutions address the needs ofstudents to enhance their adjustment to the immediate environmental challenges that affecttheir social growth and academic adjustment, especially in this post-pandemic time.
Participants highlighted the lack of social interaction and support in their college transition.
They said having more activities from their professional organizations could have helped. In
this way, there would be opportunities to meet, collaborate, and seek assistance from seniors
that might help them cope socially and even with their academic transition. Furthermore, thisresult will be the primary goal in program development for the post-implementation phase.

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Conclusions and Implications
Hybrid learning is an integration of both face-to-face and online education modalities. This
educational setup corresponds to the shift brought about by COVID-19 and continuously
evolving in the post-pandemic era. Megahed and Ghoneim (2022) claimed that combining
technology with in-person lectures creates settings that can improve students' capacity forlearning. Hence, the educational shifts and lessons learned during the pandemic are suitable forthe post-pandemic transition. Therefore, to provide meaningful and engaging transition
experiences to first-year engineering students, building appropriate supports should be
addressed.
Hence, this action research explored the experiences of first-year engineering students’
academic and social adjustment toward hybrid learning. The goal was to better understand their
specific needs and how they can be addressed in their transition. The primary goal was todevelop a program that will support the smooth transition of first-year engineering students tohybrid learning contexts. The findings of this study are crucial for the post-implementation
phase of this action research, especially in the counseling profession, where evidence-based
programs are vital.
Limitations of the Study
By design, this action research was meant to explore first-year engineering students' academic
and social adjustment as the basis for program development. It highlighted their experiences in
the hybrid education setting post-pandemic. However, this study is limited to a specific groupwithin a particular context, making it difficult to generalize the findings. The focus group was
also conducted purely online. Conducting the focus groups in a face-to-face context may haveyielded different results. Furthermore, the essay was a class requirement, which might haveinfluenced how candid and open students were in their responses.

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Corresponding author: Maria Cristina Firmante
Email: maria.cristina.firmante@dlsu.edu.ph148