Student Support Services Research Articles

Sex Disaggregated Data (SDD) Analysis: Unveiling Educational Journeys of BSBA Marketing Management Graduates

This study determines the differences in profile and academic experiences of BSBA Marketing Management from Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU) from SY 2013-2014 to SY 2017-2018 using Sex Disaggregated Data (SDD) analysis and a descriptive research design. The data for 208 graduates was collected through an online survey. The study shows gender differences in various aspects, including civil status, region of origin, residence, honors, scholarships, and motivations for pursuing the degree. Male graduates were mainly single and residing in the city, while female graduates demonstrated greater geographic diversity and higher incidences of marital and parental responsibilities. Educational experiences highlighted that female graduates were more likely to receive academic honors (e.g., cum laude) and scholarships, whereas male graduates excelled in extracurricular activities. Motivations for degree pursuit also varied, with peer influence being more significant for males and familial influence being more critical for females. The findings suggest several strategies to address gender disparities in the BSBA Marketing Management program. These strategies include advanced scholarship programs, support services for female students, promotion of extracurricular activities among female students, career guidance and job networking, and flexible and accessible course offerings. The goal is to create a more equitable educational environment, ensuring equal opportunities and support for both male and female students. This study contributes to the existing research about gender equality in education by emphasizing the need for strategies to support diverse student needs and an inclusive academic environment.

Enhancing course management and student monitoring through the myStudentStatus application: A user perception study

myStudentStatus is a student course status tracking system that has been developed to address the challenges academic advisors face in managing and monitoring student course status. This system provides academic advisors with comprehensive information about students’ final exam results and their performance in each course they have taken in quickly and accurately monitoring students’ academic progress. This system has also been able to assist academic advisors in identifying students who may be at risk of falling behind or dropping out of a course. This includes the student’s course status, including grades, completion of prerequisites and overall academic performance. This quantitative study involved 57 respondents consisting of lecturers and students of Polytechnic Kuching Sarawak. Overall, 100% of respondents acknowledged the effectiveness of the myStudentStatus application where the response for each evaluation item received the approval of respondents above 80%. This user-friendly myStudentStatus application is instrumental in increasing the productivity of academic advisors, reducing errors and indirectly improving student support services. By leveraging technology to streamline administrative processes, myStudentStatus contributes to a more efficient and effective education system that benefits both academic advisors and students.

ARE THE REASONS FOR STUDENT DROPOUT RATE AT COMMUNITY EDUCATION AND TRAINING COLLEGE JUSTIFIABLE?

Community Education and Training Colleges are established to develop and improve skills in South Africa, especially those skills that are not taught in Institutions of Higher Learning such as Universities. However, these Colleges as a relatively new sector are faced with a number of challenges ranging from infrastructure to high drop-out rates. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to establish whether there was any significant relationship between factors influencing students to quit this sector and drop-out rate in Community Colleges. A quantitative method was used wherein a questionnaire was administered to the students to conduct the study. A sample of (n=66) was drawn from the population (N=200) students. Eighty percent of the questionnaires were returned, representing fifty-three (53) students. There were three hypotheses of the study; (Ho1): there is no significant relationship between lack of student support services and drop-out rate; (Ho2): there is no significant relationship between less teaching and learning hours and drop-out rate and (Ho3): there is no significant relationship between learning and teaching support material and drop-out rate. The study produced the following results (r=.24, n=53, p-value-.00); (r=.25, n=53, pvalue=.00); (r=.23, n=53, p=.00), respectively. The results indicated a statistically significant relationship between independent variables (lack of student support services, less teaching and learning hours, learning, and teaching support material) and a dependent variable (drop-out rate).

First-year accounting students' experiences adjusting chalenges to university life

The object of research: to explores the adjustment experiences to university life of first year accounting students.
 Investigated problems: Adaptation challenges, to the university environment which creates significant stress, affect retention, academic performance, and social demands of first year students – all academic and social integrations are major challenges for first year students.
 The main scientific results: The findings for the study revealed that first-year accounting students report encouraging and undesirable academic and social adjustment experiences respectively. Encouraging academic adjustment experiences related to the availability of support from departmental personnel from the faculty. Undesirable academic experiences included lack of time management, and workload and independence issues.
 The area of practical use of the research results: Encouraging social adjustment included, among others, the introduction of mentors to first years, as well as a wellness center; on the other hand, undesirable social adjustment highlighted independence and disintegration. The study further suggests that universities, through their student support services and faculties, should have in place support strategies, as well as a programme, which promote the interaction of first year students within their institutions throughout their first year of study.
 Innovative technological product: According to the findings, the study recommends coordinated methods to ensure that the first year's accountings receive full support in order to help them successfully adapt to and fit into the new environment. The introduction of electronic platforms that allow first-year stakeholders to organize students and interact with their lecturers and other support structures like mentors and supplemental instructors (SI) a few weeks before the official class sessions is promoted. Additionally, it might be recommended for the wellness center to host workshops for freshmen on time management, managing the workload at the institution, and how independence can occasionally work against a student's academic wellbeing.
 Scope of the innovative technological product: Students in their first year of accounting at one of South Africa's technical universities served as the study's respondents.

Unintended consequences: college students' melatonin usage, sleep disturbance, and depressive symptoms.

With such high rates of undergraduate sleep problems, students have chosen to take melatonin, an over-the-counter supplement that can facilitate sleep. Questions remain as to the effectiveness of melatonin for sleep problems, and questions have emerged about its impact on mental health. Accordingly, the current study examined how ongoing melatonin usage might impact relative changes in college students' sleep disturbance and ultimately their depressive symptoms. The two-wave (baseline and 2-month follow-up), online sample consisted of 331 undergraduates (86% female; Mage = 21.3, SD = 2.4), who reported on melatonin usage, sleep disturbance, and depressive symptoms. Controlling for sleep hygiene, socio-economic status, and gender, our model demonstrated a significant indirect effect from ongoing melatonin usage to depressive symptoms. Specifically, melatonin consumption predicted relative increases in sleep disturbance, which, in turn, predicted corresponding increases in students' depressive symptoms. Given the increasing prevalence of melatonin usage, the potential for unforeseen consequences remains high. Results suggest that the negative consequences of melatonin use can include both college students' mental health and their sleep. Given the efficacy of addressing sleep problems with cognitive or behavioral strategies, it is essential that student support services highlight alternatives to melatonin and the potential problems associated with its use.

Factors affecting learning outcomes achievement of public administration bachelor students in Ethiopia

Public administration education is a key instrument to address emerging public administration challenges. Ethiopia started public administration education in the 1950s, and currently, 13 public universities are offering bachelor programs in public administration. Nevertheless, PA program learning outcome achievements are not been studied, and comparative studies are absent. By relying on the resource dependency theory and survey data collected from PA Bachelor students ( n = 91) and faculty members ( n = 28) in three PA-teaching public universities, this article tries to fill these gaps. Significant differences were found between students and faculty members, and between universities with regard to PA learning outcome achievements. The variation between universities in terms of access to resources and student support is also substantial. The difference between students and faculty members, and between universities on the PA faculty quality and the quality of the teaching-learning method proved insignificant. The study confirms public administration faculty members, access to resources, and student support services positively influence PA learning outcomes. The article contributes to PA education literature and PA program evaluation.

Access to and effectiveness of support services for students in extended curriculum programmes at a South African university

In South Africa, many students enter university without the skills required for success in higher education. Extended curriculum programmes (ECP) were developed to provide students who showed potential but were underprepared with the necessary foundations to achieve success in higher education. Student support services are essential to student success. This has been apparent especially in universities enrolling academically underprepared students. This study, conducted by the Office of the Academic Advisor at the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at Stellenbosch University, aimed to explore the effectiveness of and participation in support services available to students in the ECP. The last cohort of ECP students was accepted at the faculty in 2018 for the MBChB, BSc Physiotherapy, and BSc Speech-Language and Hearing Therapy degrees. On successful completion of the ECP, students join the second year of their respective mainstream programme and are tracked throughout their academic career with dedicated support services offered to them. As students transition from the ECP, they need to utilise their own agency to access the support services available. A quantitative survey including qualitative responses was used for data collection and was explored using thematic analysis. Specifically, the study explored students’ awareness and utilisation of, and their expressed interest in, the available support services. It was important to investigate the support needs of ECP students as an increasing need for support services had been identified during the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, minimal data were evident on support needs of senior ECP students and especially on this population in health sciences. The research gave greater insight into students’ support needs. The findings indicated that students were familiar with and had accessed support services to an extent that they were able to share firsthand experiences of accessing support at the university.

Proactive Advising for University Students with Disabilities in the Global South: Applying Basic Counseling Responses

From the framework of the proactive or intrusive advising approach, this paper presents a plausible method for addressing the academic and social issues stemming from being a university student with a disability and living in an under-resourced country. This paper will 1) address the necessity of support services for students with disabilities on university campuses in the Global South; 2) present proactive advising as a mechanism for university student advocacy and support at universities in the Global South; 3) highlight policy obligations of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) regarding the education of students with disabilities; and 4) introduce basic counseling responses as a culturally appropriate approach for university professionals to build rapport, actively engage, and promote reflection with students with disabilities in their pursuits of optimal academic achievement. Recommendations will be provided for sustainable top-down and bottom-up approaches for student support and faculty development.

Towards a Framework for Integrating Employability Outcomes in the Quality Assurance Roadmap

To a great extent, HEIs are responsible for the employability of their graduates. To fulfill this responsibility, they must help ensure their graduates possess the skills, competency, and other relevant attributes required for employment. Putting in place Quality Assurance mechanisms and linking HEIs’ Quality Assurance to employment indicators could set relevant factors in motion to help realize the HEIs’ aspirations and the graduates’ aims for employment. However, despite the implementation of Quality Assurance, HEIs still need to improve the employability of graduates. To address the above predicament, this study aimed to develop a framework that HEIs can use for integrating employability outcomes in HEIs’ Quality Assurance roadmap. In search of relevant factors and mechanisms linking quality assurance and employability towards developing a relevant framework, this paper found the following important factors to consider: employability as part of the institution’s mission, strategic and operational plans; available guidelines in place through relevant policies and programs; employment enablers integrated into the HEIs’ tri-focal function; engaging the key stakeholders in developing, planning, and implementing policies, programs, and activities; forming a dedicated unit to take charge of employability targets; providing relevant support services for students and alums; and conducting employment promotion activities considering local and global job market realities. On the whole, the graduates need to possess knowledge-skills-and values as near as possible to what the job needs and requires, either for local or international employment. Keywords: quality assurance, employment indicators, integrating quality assurance and employment indicators, quality assurance-employability link, quality assurance-employability framework

Remote learning during COVID-19 and transformative learning theory: tendency towards Quadruple Helix model for future post-secondary education in Indigenous contexts

AbstractThis paper aims to examine UCN (University College of the North) students’ remote learning experience during the COVID-19 pandemic to provide a reference for future remote education in Indigenous contexts. Survey data are used for empirical analysis of the five themes: socio-demographic contexts; social activities, stress, and well-being; academic performance; course delivery; and student support services. Transformative learning theory and Quadruple Helix Model are used as a framework to explore the breadth and depth of such five themes. As the descriptive study shows, the majority of UCN students are over 25 years old and study in their first and second year with major challenges such as Internet connectivity, private space, and interruption. Mean values reveal that the remote learning performance is determined by concerns about COVID-19 infection, mental and physical health, isolation and lack of socio-cultural activities, students’ self-preparedness and motivation, and support services. The regression analysis shows that students’ concerns about COVID-19 infection interference with course completion are directly affected by their worries about themselves or someone in their families who could be exposed to COVID-19, their mental health, and blended course delivery. Therefore, students’ remote learning performance and their well-being will be enhanced if we take into consideration improving social distancing, educational technology, and course delivery with community–university culturally responsive collaboration. The research findings and the reviewed literature attest that transformative learning theory fits UCN’s remote learning practices to meet educational goals through the university–community collaboration, which is supported by the Quadruple Helix model. As a result, such remote learning practices engage students, particularly Indigenous students, and the practices will help upgrade universities with similar attributes globally into Mode 3 universities, contributing to community economic development.

An Analysis of the Statewide Shortage of ABA Professionals in New York

Support services for many Autistic students in schools is critical. Behavior analysts are one type of service provider who offer support services in and outside of school settings to Autistic students. As behavioral support services are increasing in educational settings, it is important to ensure there are a sufficient number of professionals trained to provide high quality and compassionate support. However, there may not be enough state licensed providers to meet the growing need of students across the state of New York (NY). The supply of state licensed behavior analysts (LBAs) was calculated for the state of NY, its six regions, and its 62 individual counties to assess the shortage of providers. County level public data were used to compare the per capita supply of LBAs using caseload guidelines. The supply of LBAs did not meet the supply benchmark at the aggregate level or in any of the state’s six regions. Only four of the state's 62 counties met the LBA supply benchmark. Shortages of service providers limit accessibility to support services and high caseloads can impact service quality. Suggestions for changes that may increase accessibility to behavior analytic supports and services in NY to those seeking services are discussed.

Support of Veterans in STEM Degree Programs to Promote a Diverse and Skilled Workforce

More Americans are needed in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) careers to advance the nation’s competitiveness in the global economy. Given the extensive training of military service members, this population is well-poised to transition into STEM careers. While many veterans pursue STEM degrees, they often face hardships that impact their ability to attain STEM credentials. The goal of this mixed methods study was to identify factors that contributed to attaining a STEM degree among students in the Military STEM Scholarship Program (MSSP), a grant-funded program implemented at a university in the United States to assist veterans pursuing STEM degrees. By targeting veterans, this program supported a highly diverse group of students. Based on surveys, focus groups, and interviews, the participants credited their academic and professional success to activities promoted by the MSSP program, such as peer interaction, faculty mentorship, utilization of student support services, and internships. As a result, 80% of MSSP participants obtained a STEM degree, approximately 24 percentage points higher than the institution’s average six-year graduation rate for all students. Through these findings, a model is offered for institutions to better serve a growing student veteran population.

Specificity of psychological support of education: Academic support services for employees and university students

Specificity of psychological support of education: Academic support services for employees and university students

Mental Health Problems of Chinese International College Students in the United States

Mental health problems are prevalent among students in American universities and colleges, particularly among those from other countries or regions. Despite considerable research on the relatively high prevalence of mental health problems among international college students and potential reasons they under-utilize student support services, little is known about the mental health experiences of students from China to study in the United States. This paper provides insight into the challenges and interventions surrounding the mental health problems of college students from China to study in the United States. This paper provides a synthesis of available findings and addresses the factors triggering mental health issues experienced by Chinese international college students studying in the United States, the challenges they face when gaining access to mental health services, and potential interventions to boost their mental well-being. Additionally, this paper emphasizes the significance of providing a supportive environment that encourages and facilitates the help-seeking behavior of Chinese international college students, aiming to offer a valuable resource for mental health practitioners, policymakers, and higher education professionals.

Using Collaborative Field Education to Provide Better Outcomes for Students at Risk of Leaving Higher Education

ABSTRACT Certain student populations including youth formerly in foster care, first-generation college students, those with mental illness and substance abuse issues, and racial and ethnic minority students, face persistent challenges to their pursuit of college education, contributing to low graduation rates compared to their peers. This article details one university’s pilot program using social work practicum placements in multiple departments providing direct interventions with vulnerable students to increase retention and graduation rates with a focus on identifying barriers to success and connecting students to supports. Efforts were interprofessional, incorporating student support services, and social and emotional support. Placement in academic support services provided an interprofessional practice setting to intervene with students at risk of leaving college and continue to shape ongoing interventions. Implications for collaborative field education are explored, with the aim of describing the program’s successful interventions with vulnerable students and how they provided social work practicum students with crucial interprofessional settings to practice and refine their social work skills.

Who Are First-Generation Graduate Students and Why Should LIS Care?

Interest in first-generation students (FGS) continues to rise, but literature on this group of students focuses primarily on undergraduate students. The programs, resources, and services that are provided by universities again focus on first-generation undergraduate students. Many universities have graduate programs, but there is little or no support for first-generation graduate students (FGGS) or understanding of their information needs. In the field of library and information science (LIS), there is a gap in research pertaining to first-generation graduate students and an opportunity to learn more about this group, their strengths, and why they need support. In this article, the authors discuss issues around defining FGS and provide an overview of the limited research regarding FGS in the LIS literature, the challenges that first-generation graduate students face, and why LIS professionals should care about this group of students. The article ends with a call to action for more intersectional research on the experiences of FGS with graduate education and highlights the benefits of such research for students, graduate programs, student support services, and academic libraries. The goal of this article is to bring more awareness about first-generation graduate students, in the hope of starting to think about ways to support these students, many of whom are in our classes.

Impostor phenomenon, self-compassion, and campus connectedness in Black female undergraduates

Aim: This study explored the relationship between impostor phenomenon (IP), campus connectedness, self-compassion, and mental health among Black female undergraduate students attending an HBCU. Methods: Participants completed study measures via an online survey platform. Results: Linear regression analyses identified statistically significant relationships between campus connectedness, self-compassion, feelings of IP, and symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress. Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that both self-compassion and campus connectedness explained statistically significant variance in mental health after controlling for the influence of IP on students’ anxiety and depressive symptoms. Conclusion: Implications of this finding suggest student support services could develop and utilize programs that educate students about self-compassion interventions in order to decrease IP, which is directly linked with depression and anxiety.

Difficulties in providing support services for female students with intellectual disabilities from the point of view of intellectual education teachers in Buraydah city

هدفت الدراسة الحالية إلى معرفة الصعوبات التي تواجه معلمات التربية الفكرية عند تقديم الخدمات المساندة في مدينة بريدة، تم اتباع المنهج الوصفي المسحي، وتكون مجتمع الدراسة من (134) معلمة، وتكونت عينتها من(115)، واعتمدت الباحثة الاستبانة للكشف عن الصعوبات التي تمنع من تقديم الخدمات المساندة وتوصلت نتائج الدراسة إلى أن هناك موافقة بين أفراد الدراسة على الصعوبات التواجه المعلمات عند تقديم الخدمات المساندة لطالبات ذوات الإعاقة الفكرية، حيث تأتي الصعوبات بأدوات التشخيص بالمرتبة الأولى، يليها الصعوبات بالبيئة المدرسية، وبالمرتبة الثالثة بين تلك الصعوبات تأتي صعوبات الإدارة المدرسية، وفي الأخير تأتي صعوبات بالفريق متعدد التخصصات كأقل الصعوبات التي تواجه معلمات التربية الفكرية عند تقديم الخدمات المساندة للطالبات ذوات الإعاقة الفكرية في مدارس الدمج، كما توصلت نتائج الدراسة إلى أن هناك فروقاً ذات دلالة إحصائية عند مستوى (0.05) بين متوسطات استجابات أفراد الدراسة حول الدرجة الكلية للصعوبات التي تواجه المعلمات عند تقديم الخدمات المساندة للطالبات ذوات الإعاقة الفكرية في برامج الدمج وأبعادها الفرعية المتمثلة في صعوبات الإدارة المدرسية، الصعوبات بالبيئة المدرسية، الصعوبات بأدوات التشخيص وذلك باختلاف متغير المؤهل العلمي، وذلك لصالح أفراد الدراسة ممن مؤهلهن العلمي بكالوريوس.

Assessing Student Support Services in Open and Distance Learning: The Case of Botswana Open University

ABSTRACT To ensure that all students studying through the open and distance learning (ODL) system have enduring learning experience and success, there is a need for a practical and effective student support system. Research in the United Kingdom and elsewhere has shown that the rate of attrition is higher in ODL when compared to the conventional systems. In an ODL environment, student support services entail academic, psychosocial, and administrative support. Botswana Open University (BOU) is no exception to having pitfalls considering the queries raised by students. This study assessed the effectiveness of student support services in an ODL institution like BOU. The researchers adopted Tinto’s Student Integration Model as their theoretical benchmark. The model states that students are more likely to remain enrolled in an institution if they become connected to the social and academic life of that institution. A qualitative design involving interviewing tutors, students, heads of departments, tutor coordinators, and the student counsellor allowed for collection of data that was thematically analysed. The findings identified challenges related to administrative, academic and psychosocial support. Based on these findings, recommendations were made to improve student support services at BOU. Key words: Student Support Services, Open and Distance Learning, eLearning Support, Academic support, Psychosocial support, administrative support

Making Sense of the Delivery of Non-Academic Student Support Services at Kyambogo University

Making Sense of the Delivery of Non-Academic Student Support Services at Kyambogo University