Rethinking writing support

Student satisfaction and writing development in a hybrid model in UAE higher education

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.32674/2zsrs434

Keywords:

hybrid writing center, student satisfaction, academic writing, writing support, student engagement, UAE higher education

Abstract

This study examines the effectiveness of a hybrid writing center at a university in the UAE. Using a quantitative, cross-sectional survey design (n=238), the research investigates the relationships between student satisfaction, service usage frequency, and perceived improvement in academic writing, comparing perceptions of online versus in-person support. Data were analyzed using ANOVA, paired t-tests, and ordinal logistic regression. Findings indicate that sustained engagement (five or more visits) is a significant predictor of higher satisfaction and perceived writing improvement, regardless of major or year. However, students perceived in-person services as significantly more effective than online alternatives (Cohen’s d = 1.22). These findings highlight the importance of hybrid and online learning environments in shaping international and multilingual students’ engagement with support services. This highlights the need to foster engagement while prioritizing the pedagogical design of online support as part of the movement toward virtual mobility and technology-enabled learning in higher education.

Author Biographies

  • Dr. Alexandria Proff, American University of Ras Al Khaimah

    Dr. Alexandria Proff is an Associate Professor of Education in the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences at the American University of Ras Al Khaimah in the United Arab Emirates. Her research work focuses on human-centered educational leadership and leadership in diverse contexts. A Senior Fellow of Advanced HE, Dr. Proff, has extensive experience leading educational change across primary, secondary, and tertiary education, translating theory into practice to improve teaching, learning, and leadership outcomes.

  • Dr. Shadi Yacoub Al-Shidrawi, American University of Ras Al Khaimah

    Dr. Shadi Yacoub Al-Shidrawi is an Assistant Professor of English at the American University of Ras Al Khaimah in the United Arab Emirates. His research pioneers the post-truthism approach to literary criticism, exploring the intersections of truth, narrative, and societal discourse in literature. With over 28 years of experience teaching multicultural learners in the Middle East, he coordinates the AURAK Writing Center and teaches composition, public speaking, and ESP courses.

  • Rasha Musalam, United Arab Emirates University

    Rasha Musalam is a doctoral student at the United Arab Emirates University pursuing her PhD in Education. With over 20 years of experience in executive leadership, educational administration, and human resources within educational settings in the United Arab Emirates, Ms. Musalam’s research interests center on the intersection of education, management, and advancement.

    Email: 700046468@uaeu.ac.ae

References

Anastasi, A. (1988). Psychological testing (6th ed.). Macmillan.

Astin, A. W. (1984). Student involvement: A developmental theory for higher education. Journal of College Student Personnel, 25(4), 297–308.

Barron, N., Grimm, N., & Gruber, S. (2022). Rethinking writing center works to transform a system of white supremacy. In N. Barron, N. Grimm, & S. Gruber (Eds.), Redesigning writing centers for antiracist work (pp. 3–22). University Press of Colorado.

Bromley, P., Northway, K., & Schonberg, E. (2016). Transfer and dispositions in writing centers: A cross-institutional, mixed-methods study. Across the Disciplines, 13(1), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.37514/ATD-J.2016.13.1.01

Bruner, J. S. (1986). Actual minds, possible worlds. Harvard University Press.

Carino, P. (1995). Early writing centers: Toward a history. The Writing Center Journal, 15(2), 103–115.

Cheung, G. W., Cooper-Thomas, H. D., Lau, R. S., & Wang, L. C. (2024). Reporting reliability, convergent and discriminant validity with structural equation modeling: A review and best-practice recommendations. Asia pacific journal of management, 41(2), 745-783.

Chi, M. T. H., & Wylie, R. (2014). The ICAP framework: Linking cognitive engagement to active learning outcomes. Educational Psychologist, 49(4), 219–243. https://doi.org/10.1080/00461520.2014.965823

Collins, A., Brown, J. S., & Newman, S. E. (2018). Cognitive apprenticeship: Teaching the crafts of reading, writing, and mathematics. In Knowing, learning, and instruction (pp. 453-494). Routledge.

Conroy, R. (2015). Sample size: A rough guide. Retreived from http://www. beaumontethics. ie/docs/application/samplesizecalculation. pdf.

Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2022). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (6th ed.). SAGE Publications.

Cronbach, L. J. (1951). Coefficient alpha and the internal structure of tests. Psychometrika, 16(3), 297–334.

Curtis, E. A., Comiskey, C., & Dempsey, O. (2016). Importance and use of correlational research. Nurse Researcher, 23(6), 20–25. https://doi.org/10.7748/nr.2016.e1382

Field, A. (2024). Discovering statistics using IBM SPSS statistics. Sage publications limited.

Garrison, D. R., Anderson, T., & Archer, W. (2000). Critical inquiry in a text-based environment: Computer conferencing in higher education. The internet and Higher Education, 2(2–3), 87–105. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1096-7516(00)00016-6

Hair, J. F., Black, W. C., Babin, B. J., & Anderson, R. E. (2019). Multivariate data analysis (8th ed.). Cengage Learning.

Harland, T. (2003). Vygotsky's zone of proximal development and problem-based learning: Linking a theoretical concept with practice through action research. Teaching in Higher Education, 8(2), 263–272. https://doi.org/10.1080/1356251032000052483

Leedy, P. D., & Ormrod, J. E. (2010). Practical research: Planning and design (9th ed.). Pearson Education.

Lynn, M. R. (1986). Determination and quantification of content validity. Nursing Research, 35(6), 382–385.

Muthuswamy, V. V., & Varshika, G. (2023). Analysing the influence of cultural distance and language barriers on academic performance among international students in higher education institutions. Journal of International Students, 13(3), 415-440.

Newsome, M., Mollazehi, M., Zidani, M., Sheik, R., & Amiry, J. (2023). A writing center’s hybrid approach to supporting English academic writing skills among L2 postgraduates. Online Learning, 27(4), 486–507. https://doi.org/10.24059/olj.v27i4.3688

Nordlof, J. (2019). Vygotsky's zone of proximal development and writing center practice. In J. Mackiewicz & R. D. Babcock (Eds.), Theories and methods of writing center studies: A practical guide (pp. 23–32). Routledge.

Russell, D. R., & Williams, A. L. (2012). Activity theory and its implications for writing instruction. In J. Petraglia (Ed.), Reconceiving writing, rethinking writing instruction (pp. 51–78). Erlbaum.

Salazar, J. J. (2021). The meaningful and significant impact of writing center visits on college writing performance. The Writing Center Journal, 39(1–2), 55–96. https://www.jstor.org/stable/27172214

Tinto, V. (1993). Leaving college: Rethinking the causes and cures of student attrition (2nd ed.). University of Chicago Press.

Tiruchittampalam, S., Ross, A., Whitehouse, E., & Nicholson, T. (2018). Measuring the Effectiveness of Writing Center Consultations on L2 Writers’ Essay Writing Skills. Languages, 3(1), 4. https://doi.org/10.3390/languages3010004

Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes. Harvard University Press.

Watkins, M. W. (2021). A step-by-step guide to exploratory factor analysis with SPSS. Routledge.

Youssef, N., Saleeb, M., Gebreal, A., & Ghazy, R. M. (2023, July). The internal reliability and construct validity of the evidence-based practice questionnaire (EBPQ): Evidence from healthcare professionals in the Eastern Mediterranean Region. In Healthcare (Vol. 11, No. 15, p. 2168). MDPI.

Zou, Y., & Fu, S. (2025). Navigating academic acculturation among international students: Peer network, advising, and field-specific challenges in STEM and non-STEM fields. Journal of International Students, 15(8), 161–184. https://doi.org/10.32674/72tbze06.

Downloads

Published

2026-02-27

Issue

Vol. 16 No. 7 (2026): Journal of International Students

Section

Special Issue: Institutional Global Footprints and International Enrollment Trends

Categories

License

Copyright (c) 2026 Journal of International Students

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Copyright (c) [year] [author]
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
This license permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

How to Cite

Proff, A., Al-Shidrawi, S. Y., & Musalam, R. (2026). Rethinking writing support: Student satisfaction and writing development in a hybrid model in UAE higher education. Journal of International Students, 16(7), 137-164. https://doi.org/10.32674/2zsrs434