Student Support Services Research Articles

A State-by-State Document Analysis of Official Guidance on Paraprofessional Allocation

Paraprofessionals have increasingly served as a support service for students with disabilities. Yet, scholars have urged caution in the overuse of assigning paraprofessional supports. Furthermore, it is unclear how states provide guidance to local stakeholders in determining the best use of paraprofessionals. Thus, in this study, we conducted a state-by-state analysis of documents depicting guidance for paraprofessional supports. We identified states that offered comprehensive frameworks to support practitioners while allowing teams to maintain the autonomy to make decisions on a case-by-case basis. However, we also found that few states offered guidance, particularly with regard to navigating tensions between student need and potential risks. We rely on a Disability Studies framework to discuss implications for policy, practice, and future research, particularly in how states might provide robust guidance that assists schools in building an accommodating and inclusive environment rather than focusing solely on student characteristics framed as deficits.

Revisiting the ‘U-curve’ hypothesis: international students’ academic, sociocultural, and psychological adjustment trajectories at a British university

ABSTRACT This mixed-methods longitudinal study investigated the academic, sociocultural, and psychological adjustment trajectories of international students undertaking one-year postgraduate degrees in the humanities and social sciences at a single British university. It also sought to re-examine the applicability of ‘U-curve’ hypothesis. Three waves of self-report questionnaires (N = 120, 108, 102) measured international students’ adjustment satisfaction and their adjustment patterns throughout nine months period. Additionally, three rounds of semi-structured interviews (N = 16) were conducted to explore students’ lived experiences and adjustment trajectories over time. The findings revealed complex adjustment patterns that differed across academic, sociocultural, and psychological domains. Enablers and barriers to adjustment, as perceived by the students, included cultural distance, English language ability, academic workload, previous personal experiences, and university support. The study contributes to the theoretical understanding of international students’ adjustment, provides insights into the experiences of student sojourners in the UK higher education context and increases knowledge regarding student support services.

Prevalence and determinants of mental well-being and satisfaction with life among university students amidst the COVID-19 pandemic

Background: Due to a lack of treatments and vaccinations, the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a number of mental disorders, which have led to psychiatric symptoms and a lack of pleasure with one's life in students. Researchers found that perceived SWL and MWB dropped, which may be because students are more likely to experience mental health problems. The present study investigated the prevalence and determinants of mental well-being and satisfaction with life among university students in Bangladesh. Methods: An e-survey-based cross-sectional study was carried out from February to April 2021 among 660 students. A purposive sampling technique was employed in the study. Self-reported mental well-being and satisfaction with life psychological tools were also used. The e-questionnaire survey was conducted with informed consent, and questions were related to sociodemographics, satisfaction with life, and mental well-being scales. Descriptive statistics and multiple regression analysis were performed. The data were rechecked and analyzed with the R programming language. Results: The prevalence estimates of mental well-being and satisfaction with life were 27% and 13%, respectively. Of a total of 660 participants, 58.2% were male, and the rest were female (41.8%). Among the participants, 22.5% suffered the worst conditions regarding their financial conditions, and 16.5% badly sought a job for livelihood. Conclusion: The present findings revealed that the COVID-19 pandemic and long-term educational institution closure significantly affect students' mental health. Students' mental well-being was in vulnerable conditions, and their satisfaction with life was extremely poor. A comprehensive student psychological support service should be expanded to help students' mental health.

Strategies for success that led to 99.98% school of nursing retention

Internationally, every year, thousands of students begin their journey in higher education by enrolling in pre-licensure and advanced nursing programs. However, not all students successfully complete their degrees to fruition. According to the National League for Nursing (NLN), the average national dropout rate for nursing programs in the United States is 20%-25%; this high attrition rate is considered problematic. The purpose of this presentation is to present the successes of a School of Nursing within Mississippi that has led to a 0.02% attrition/99.98% retention rate of students within programs. Some strategies proven to be successful in retaining students are: student support services, technical/tech support programs, online and face-to-face orientations, and student connection sessions set up for building peer relationships. Faculty and students are often unaware of the services provided by the institution and their department/school; dissemination of these services is pivotal to facilitating student success. The World Health Organization has predicted a shortage of over 18 million healthcare professionals by 2030, with half of those individuals representing the nursing profession. It is imperative to understand the attrition and retention of nursing students to prevent further loss of the future healthcare workforce. University of Mississippi Medical Center School of Nursing focuses on various processes that contribute to its success for the retention of nursing students at all levels. Percentile of attrition from Summer and Fall 2022 semester enrollment, metrics revolving around student leave, and demographics of the school's programs/state of Mississippi are reviewed in this paper. The success of the SON program in gaining high retention is multifactorial. A detailed outline of how academic affairs, student affairs, and administration work together to achieve a culture of success for students within the School of nursing is presented in this manuscript.

Alexithymia and mobile phone addiction among college students: Mediation by boredom proneness and anxiety

The current study explored the mediating role of boredom and anxiety on the relationship between alexithymia and mobile phone addiction among Chinese college students. Participants (n = 354; female = 49.7%, mean age = 19.30 years, SD = 1.28 years) completed the Toronto Alexithymia Scale, the Boredom Proneness Scale-Short Form, the Symptom Check List 90, and the Mobile Phone Addiction Index. Regression analysis showed that higher alexithymia was a risk for mobile phone addiction (MPA). Boredom proneness and anxiety mediated the relationship between alexithymia and mobile phone addiction. There were no significant sex differences in the mediating pathways between alexithymia, boredom proneness, anxiety and MPA. The current findings are consistent with the compensatory internet use theory. College student support services should formulate student social engagement interventions to improve healthy mobile phone use and reducing the risk for MPA.

Developing an equity lens: the experience of creating a professional framework for coaches and mentors

The following is a collective practitioner reflection on creating a coaching and mentoring professional framework for a pilot student support service that focuses on delivering targets in the institutional Access and Participation Strategy. Both coaching and mentoring are increasingly recognised as support mechanisms which can bring about change for social justice (Shoukry and Cox, 2018). As Learning Development practitioners, we are working within a specialist coaching and mentoring service which seeks to remove student inequalities. Therefore, working to create a professional framework which addresses this directly has been valuable. We share our journey in the hope that other Learning Development practitioners will consider an equity lens to critically reflect on their work and join a conversation to develop anti-oppressive practice in student support further.

Enhanced Student Support System in Open and Distance Education Using Long Short Term Memory Recurrent Neural Network

Open and distance education provides access to education to all categories of learners. Learners in Open and Distance education system face the problem of inadequate support services especially when they encounter issues on their studies that need urgent attention. The educational services offered in open and distance education system can only be effective if there is an effective student support system. This study explores the need to enhance the open and distance student support system using Long Short Term Memory neural network. The approach of machine learning was adopted in the area of issue and complaint resolution whereby the issues/complaints are raised in the form of a ticket which is categorized based on their priority. The Last Short Term Memory neural network was used in the prediction of the best solution based on previous input. The enhance student support system was able to provide effective and timely feedback on student issues and complaints. This in turn lowers the rate of student dropout from the system and also provides enabling learning environment for the learners. Machine learning-based student support services improve the effectiveness of the service rendered thereby making the learners improve their academic performance.

Designing a Model of Student Support in e-Learning Using Qualitative Content Analysis and Analytic Hierarchy Process

Student support services, especially for students who study virtually, increase satisfaction, attract new students, complete the course, and improve overall student performance. Given the importance of student support in e-learning and the fact that student support models should be specific to the culture and economic conditions and technology of their context, the present study set to design a native model of student support in e-learning for post-graduate students. To conduct the research, first a systematic search was performed to extract the existing models of student support. Through forming an expert panel and rating the models, more compatible models with the context of Iran were selected. The interview questions were then extracted from the concepts of the models who scored the most in the expert panel session. In relation to the examples of student support, interviews were conducted with 22 university teachers, education officials, and post-graduate students studying in educational branches leading to a virtual degree of medical sciences. Using content analysis of codes, sub-categories and the resulting categories were extracted from the interviews. Finally, in the expert panel session, using the (analytic hierarchy process) AHP, the categories were prioritized and the model was designed. After analyzing the content of the interviews, four main categories, namely teaching and learning, interactions and communications, empowerment, and structural support were extracted and the final model of student support was designed using the opinions of e-learning instructors. Despite relatively similar similarities between the native model of student support for e-learning students and the existing models, this model, which is designed based on the needs of students and faculty and e-learning officials, places more emphasis on teaching, learning, interactions, and communications.

School Leadership and Management Role in Supporting ODL Student Teachers in the Secondary School-Based Post Graduate Diploma in Education Program

Open and Distance Learning (ODL) student teachers, like all student teachers of the century, during their teacher preparation course, do engage in direct practice in the schools. This exercise is done under the tutelage of the university, school leadership and qualified teachers. It is during this direct practice that student teachers need support services, not only from their university, but from the school community. The study sought to establish prevention, intervention, transition and follow up support services offered by secondary school administrators to students on a Post Graduate Diploma in Education program during teaching practice. This was necessitated by the realization that as student teachers sought to get professionalized through improved pedagogical skills and personal growth during teaching practice, they needed relevant and effectively executed support services from their school administrators. Mixed research methodology was used, and purposive sampling was employed to identify the study participants. The perceptions of both heads and student teachers were gathered through questionnaires and interviews. The findings of the study revealed that effective and relevant student support services could only be achieved through nurturing of positive relationships between the student teacher and the head; a difficult concept to achieve when the head’s concentration was more on administrative tasks than on curricular and instructional tasks.

Supporting students with pregnancies and related conditions

Blaze Bowers, J.D., Assistant Vice President for Academic and Student Support Services at Lincoln Memorial University, shares tips and insights for accommodating students with pregnancies and related conditions.

Graduate Tracer Study of Bachelor of Secondary Education (BSEd) of St. Paul University Surigao College of Teacher Education 2013-2017

This tracer study aimed to determine the employability and graduates’ rating of their academic program from 2013 to 2017. It is a descriptive-quantitative survey utilizing the modified Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Graduate Tracer Study Questionnaire. Out of 95 Bachelor of Secondary Education (BSEd) graduates from 2013 to 2017, there were 76 who participated. The findings revealed that the graduates of BSEd have high employability, and most of them landed in the profession related to their undergraduate studies. Further, the results also showed that St. Paul University Surigao BSEd program was very effective in terms of quality teaching, student activities engagement, learning environment, and student support services. It signified that indicators were recognized and practiced in the institution to enhance the facilitation of the graduates’ learning experience that is holistically and concretely responsive. This study recommended that the school continuously emphasize effective school leadership, academic program dynamic review, and professional development of the teachers that are pivotal in effective academic program implementation.

Acceptance of e-library and support services for distance education students: Modelling their initial perspectives

Within the academic landscape, distance education is progressively gaining global attention and recognition, and many institutions are committing resources to make it a success. Global enrollments show a steady increase in distance learning. However, the availability of support services and students’ technological competence are critical to the success of distance education. One of the important support systems for maintaining effective online education is libraries and information services. As a result, this study investigated the acceptance of e-library and support services. The study was led by the UTUAT model and its accompanying theories, such as the innovation diffusion theory and the theory of planned behaviour. The census technique was used to sample 2003 graduate distance students. The data was examined using multivariate structural equation modeling approach. The study found a negative association between strategic and operational skills and students’ intents to use the e-library and support services. However, students’ inclination to use the e-library and support services was found to be strongly predicted by social influence. The study concludes by underlining the necessity for distance education institutions to host courses that increase students’ operational and strategic skills so that they can properly utilise e-library services.

Proactive personality and academic procrastination in graduate students: Their chain-mediation by research self-efficacy and learning adaptability

This study explored the relationship between graduate students’ proactive personality and academic procrastination, and the chain-mediation by research self-efficacy and learning adaptability. Participants were 905 postgraduates in China (female =70%; first year =56%; humanities and social sciences =54%). They completed the graduate students’ proactive personality scale, the graduate students’ academic procrastination scale, the research self-efficacy scale, and the learning adaptability scale. Applying chain mediation analyses, results showed that proactive personality was associated with higher research self-efficacy and learning adaptability. Learning adaptability mediated the relationship between proactive personality and academic procrastination, specifically decreasing procrastination. Research self-efficacy and learning adaptability played a chain-mediating role between proactive personality and academic procrastination, with higher cumulative reduction of procrastination than with either self-efficacy and learning adaptability alone. These findings suggest a need for graduate student development and support services to aim at improving students’ self-efficacy and learning adaptability for timely school completion,

Exploration of the Organisational Conditions that Influence the Utilization of Student Support Services in South African Nursing Colleges

The recent migration of public nursing colleges from the Department of Health to the higher education sector in South Africa has compelled nursing institutions to ensure that their programs meet the Council of Higher Education requirements. One of these requirements is comprehensive student support services in line with the prerogative to widen access and success in higher education. Public Nursing Colleges have reported having systems to provide academic and non-academic support to their students. However, there is limited empirical research on lecturers’ and students’ perspectives on conditions that influence the utilization of available student support services in nursing colleges. Hence, this research explores organisational conditions that influence the utilization of student support services from the perspectives of lecturers and students at three selected campuses in the province of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa. The research methodology is qualitative, in which a purposive sampling of 21 participants involved individual interviews. The interview of lecturers was due to their expected role in identifying and implementing some of the student support services. The students were involved in the study because they are the ones who benefit from the existence of such services and should therefore be in a better position to report on organisational conditions that enable utilization. Data analysis was thematic as guided by the academic and non-academic areas of student support services expected of nursing colleges. There was high agreement on the availability of systems to provide academic and non-academic student support services. However, there were limited coordinated, standardized, and structured efforts to implement them at different colleges. More so, lecturers reported a shortage of critical resources. The findings suggest improving conditions to utilize student support services effectively. It should help ensure that student support activities are well-coordinated, comprehensive, and aligned with policy.

The Impact of Applying Academic Accreditation Standards on the Efficiency of Institutional Performance in Dhofar University in Sultanate of Oman

The study aims to see how applying academic accreditation standards affects how well Dhofar University in Oman is running, according to Academic and non-academic staff. The research used an analytical-descriptive approach. The sample of this study was university staff for the 2021/2022 academic year. (203) people were chosen to answer questions from a survey with (10) different topics and (46) questions. The research used a method called Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to test the study's hypothesis. The research found that meeting high quality standards for academic accreditation (governance and administration, student learning through programs that adopt academic courses, student learning through programs that adopt research courses, academics’ research and advisory services, participation with the local community and the industrial sector, students and student support services, employees and employee support services, public support services and facilities) on the efficiency of institutional performance at Dhofar University. The study also indicated that there is no statistically significant impact of academic support services on the efficiency of institutional performance at Dhofar University. The study recommended the need to increase the university's awareness of its role in interacting with society further by directing its faculty research towards problems and topics of interest to all segments of society, especially the business sector.

Living Labs as An Engaging Approach to Developing Process Thinking Competency – Case Study and Instructional StrategyLiving Labs as An Engaging Approach to Developing Process Thinking Competency – Case Study and Instructional StrategyLiving Labs as An Engaging Approach to Developing Process Thinking Competency – Case Study and Instructional StrategyLiving Labs as An Engaging Approach to Developing Process Thinking Competency –

The study addresses the imperative for exceptional flexibility and innovation in the modern business environment, emphasizing the need for process thinking competency among employees. While BPM has gained prominence, the literature lacks emphasis on process thinking skills in higher education. The paper proposes a methodology utilizing Living Labs as extracurricular activities to immerse students in mapping, analysing, and improving processes. The Living Lab, defined as a user-centric innovation environment, engages students in real-world challenges, fostering experiential learning, interdisciplinary collaboration, and user-centric design. The case study, conducted in a Polish university, demonstrates the potential of Living Labs in developing process thinking. The methodology involves four stakeholder groups: students, academics, professional staff, and external actors. The pilot phase, focused on improving international student support services, unfolds through iterative stages, leading to the co-creation of a resistant university business model. The findings highlight enhanced experiential learning, interdisciplinary collaboration, authentic learning environments, stakeholder engagement, innovation, creativity, and transferable skills development. The paper recommends incorporating Living Labs in BPM education, offering a novel approach to address the void in the literature regarding process thinking skills development in higher education.

Creating Visionaries Through Positive Leadership: Shifting Educational Paradigms Towards Strengths

Elements of strength-based pedagogy are evident in current practices being implemented in Canadian schools as well as internationally. Classroom teachers appreciate the importance of creating a positive learning environment for students where the latter feel a sense of belonging, choice, and self-efficacy toward their learning (Deci & Ryan, 2008; Rickabaugh, 2016). While many educators apply such practices at the classroom level, strength-focused pedagogies can be organized through the conceptualization of a unifying framework. Building on research which proposed a dual-dimensional approach to student support services, this article explores the role of school leadership in shifting a school’s culture toward one that values, identifies, and leverages the strengths of students and educators to promote flourishing within their schools. Employing an Appreciative Inquiry action research design (Cooperrider et al., 2000; Stowell, 2012) to engage research participants, this study used Keyes’ (2002) dual-dimensional model as a lens through which to investigate the application of strength-based concepts and practices within school and classroom settings. An Appreciative Inquiry (AI) Action Research Design (Stowell, 2012; Cooperrider et al., 2000) was used to engage research participants, using Keyes’ dual-dimensional model (Keyes, 2002) as a lens through which to investigate the use of strength-based concepts and practices within school and classroom settings.

The impact on graduate students when a university closes

PurposeThis study aimed to investigate the impact of a university’s abrupt closure on the lives of graduate students and examined the role of grit, social support and school identification as they transferred to a new institution.Design/methodology/approachAn online survey was administered to a diverse sample of 130 psychology graduate students after their university unexpectedly closed and the students transferred to another institution to complete their degrees. The survey included both qualitative and quantitative measures of the impact on different areas of their lives, anxiety and depression, life satisfaction, social support, grit and school identification.FindingsStudents reported experiencing financial loss, family and marital strain, anger, fear, uncertainty and loss of progress toward professional goals. Nearly 40% of participants had scores indicating elevated anxiety and depression. Students with higher anxiety and depression and lower life satisfaction tended to identify less with their new institution. Both social support and grit were related to better adjustment and life satisfaction.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to examine the impact on graduate students following the closure of an institution of higher education. The findings have implications for educational policy and graduate student support services.

Academic advising and the lessons of the civil rights and social justice campus movements

ABSTRACT The changing campus demographics following World War II and the U.S. Black Student Movement of the 1960s unified and influenced the values of academic advising and student support services. This article argues that this context of U.S. college civil rights protest resulted in the call for more inclusive student support services that combined social work, counselling, social justice, and academic knowledge. Academic histories like Martha Biondi’s comprehensive Black Revolution on Campus and Ibram Rogers’s The Black Campus Movement document well the call for Black counsellors, trained social workers, and academic coaches at campuses on the east and west coasts during the Era of Protest. This study adds to these representations by looking at this history through the lens of a midwestern U.S. flagship, urban campus. Academic and student affairs administrators are taking note of the new generation of undergraduate students and their penchant for protest, especially regarding the Black Lives Matter movement spurred by the tragic deaths of college-aged and college-bound young Black men like Trayvon Martin and Michael Brown that has strengthened during the pandemic after the murder of George Floyd. .

חוויית המעבר מעולם האקדמיה לעולם העבודה עבור בוגרי תואר עם מוגבלות

The inclusion of people with disabilities in the labor market strengthens personal development and equal participation in society. Acquiring a higher education in today's modern world increases the likelihood of integrating in the world of work. For people with disabilities, participation in the workforce is strongly dependent on obtaining a higher education. Consequently, enhancing participation in higher education is of great importance. Recognition of the importance of higher education has led to the development of support services for students with disabilities. Nevertheless, success with respect to including students with disabilities in higher education institutions has not yet yielded adequate success with respect to their transition into employment. Students with disabilities rarely acquire preparation to cope with the transition to the world of work. Therefore, the current study examined the experience of students with disabilities as they transitioned from higher education into employment. Method: The study used a qualitative-phenomenological research approach in which 15 graduates with disabilities from five different academic institutions in Israel were interviewed. The interviews were analyzed and encoded in a multi-stage analysis. Results: Analysis of transcripts revealed three main themes: (1) The meaning of the academic studies; (2) The transition into employment; (3) The participants' life journey as people with disabilities. In all three themes, interviewees stressed the development of self-determination skills, such as active conduct, assertiveness, and self-advocacy for integrating into various aspects of life. Discussion: The research findings can be used as a basis for recognizing the factors that influence the integration of graduates with disabilities into employment. A significant research finding is the importance of skills in self-determination to achieving life goals. The skills in self- determination are conceptualized as a mediator between the graduates' self-perceptions of being like everyone else and being different from the mainstream. The research emphasizes the need for intervention in academic settings to support students with disabilities in their transition from higher education into employment, with an emphasis on their development of skills in self- determination. This study raises awareness about occupational therapists' potential to contribute during academic integration and transitions to work