Examining the Influence of Undergraduate Students' Perceptions of Academic Advising on Student-Institution Relationship Quality, Student Loyalty, and Enrollment Intentions PDF Download

Author: Linda Marie Hockaday
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Counseling in higher education
Languages : en
Pages : 192

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Book Description
As higher education institutions continue to compete for a declining population of students (National Student Clearinghouse Research Center, 2019), an increased focus on retaining existing students is required to maintain current levels of undergraduate enrollment (Elliott & Shin, 2002; Habley, Bloom, & Robbins, 2012; Judson & Taylor, 2014; Schertzer & Schertzer, 2004, Vianden & Barlow, 2014). Predominant student retention models (Astin, 1965; Bean, 1985; Tinto, 1987, 1993) emphasize the interaction between students and institutional representatives as a primary factor influencing the student experience and student decisions to continue enrollment in future academic terms. Although academic advisors are the institutional representative most likely to interact with a student throughout the student's academic life, it is challenging to quantitatively examine the influence of academic advising on student persistence. Guided by the conceptual models for College Impact Theory (CIT), Social Exchange Theory (SET), Relationship Marketing Theory (RMT), and the Theory of Planned Behavior Theory (TPB), the current study examined the influence of perceptions of the academic advising experience on student-institution relationship quality, student loyalty to the institution, and student enrollment intentions. Based on theory and prior research, an a priori hypothesized structural equation model (SEM) was constructed. The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesized structural model. Data were collected via a self-administered online survey completed by undergraduate, degree seeking students, over the age of 18, who were enrolled at the main campus of a large, Midwestern, 4-year, public institution of higher education (N = 10,809; n = 685). SEM analysis using maximum likelihood (ML) estimation was performed to a) assess the overall fit of the hypothesized structural model to the sample data; b) determine the amount of variance in all endogenous variables that could be explained by the hypothesized structural model; and c) identify the direct, indirect, and total effects among the variables included in the hypothesized structural model. The hypothesized structural model exhibited poor overall model fit and post-hoc model modifications were made. Results of the SEM analysis on the final model using IBM SPSS AMOS version 25 software revealed several interesting findings. Most noteworthy was the finding that perceptions of the academic advising experience had a statistically significant effect on student enrollment intentions via the mediating effect of student-institution relationship quality. In order to support the role that academic advising plays in the development of a positive student-institution relationship, it is recommended that institutional leaders explore and implement policies and procedures that support a positive academic advising experience for all students. For open access institutions, specifically, institutions should take steps to manage advisor to advisee caseloads with an understanding that their students may be academically underprepared, unsure of career goals, and/or have limited understanding of college processes and procedures (Klempin & Karp, 2018). Recommendations for future research include focusing on re-specifying, retesting, and cross-validating the hypothesized model.

Author: Caryn Mari Filson
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 198

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Book Description
Abstract: Academic advising is an integral part of the college experience. Outcomes of academic advising may be more critical than realized by either advisors or advisees. Studies have been compiled to suggest that meaningful and developmental contact with advisors promotes student success (Johnson & Wang, 2011; Kuh, 2008; Tuttle, 2000). However, a review of literature was used to reveal that students are dissatisfied with their academic advising, and that an extensive need exists to educate and train academic advisors on methods needed for establishing effective advising for college students. Therefore, the purpose of this descriptive-correlational study was to describe current undergraduate students' perceptions of academic advising practices within the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES) at The Ohio State University. The theoretical foundation for this study included two theories of student development. Perry's (1970) Theory of College Student Intellectual Development was used to describe how college students progress through three major stages of thought in their cognitive development. Chickering's (1969) Seven Vectors of Student Development Theory was used to identify seven vectors along which college students continually develop. The researcher-designed questionnaire in this study contained 20 Likert-scale items that originated from the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE). The researcher employed an online survey provider for data collection. Analyses of the results indicated that academic advisors in CFAES were providing good quality advising to their undergraduate advisees. Academic advisors in CFAES were rated positively in regards to their relationships with undergraduate advisees. Students reported that advisors were available, and provided accurate and up-to-date information when it was needed. It was also found that the institution provided good quality academic advising to undergraduate students in CFAES, as well as provided support to help students succeed academically through academic advising. Analyses of the results also identified areas of improvement for academic advising practices in CFAES. Academic advisors in CFAES are advising only half of their assigned undergraduate advisees, while half of the students indicated they were using sources other than their assigned advisor for advising needs. It was also reported that academic advisors in CFAES do not tend to discuss career plans with undergraduate advisees. It was concluded that undergraduate students in CFAES were generally satisfied with the quality of academic advising they received at the college and the institution. Relationships indicated that the more frequent contact advisees have with their advisors, the more likely they were to be satisfied with the advising practices and engaged in enriching educational experiences. Recommendations included providing academic advisor training for new faculty members to inform them of the policies, procedures, and effective practices in academic advising. A second recommendation was for the college to conduct professional development opportunities for faculty members who serve as advisors to update them on the current research and advising practices. Further recommendations included to assess the effectiveness of advisors by using student feedback and to encourage advisors to maintain regular office hours and offer varied modes of contact with advisees.

Author: Amanda Fox
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
This research study examined student perceptions of advisement experiences with a primary role advisor in a centralized advising office. The intent was to explore the connection between academic advising and student connectedness to the institution. This study utilized Tinto's theory of student departure to provide an understanding of how student success can be impacted by institutional relationships, particularly in a community college environment. Tinto asserted that a student's decision to stay or depart from an institution was largely impacted by interactions and relationships between the student and other members of the institution (Tinto, 1975). This study aimed to explore students' perceptions of effective advising strategies and barriers, which may have contributed to their retention and persistence. This study utilized a qualitative case study approach, guided by three research questions. Data collected consisted of observations, interviews, and artifacts. Data analysis explored thematic connections linking student advising and student support experiences to overall institutional connectedness. The findings of this study can be used to inform future decision making about the delivery of advising services, specifically focusing on the needs of community college students.

Author: Kelly Marie Hallas
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Community college students
Languages : en
Pages : 114

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Book Description
The purpose of this study was to examine if community college students in differing learning communities had different perceptions of their career and academic needs and whether students in different learning communities perceived their career and academic advisor as meeting these needs (i.e. are they satisfied with their advising). In addition, this study examined the variables of gender, ethnicity, and enrollment status and their relation to students’ needs and satisfaction across learning communities. The Community College that provides the backdrop for the inquiry has recently transitioned to Academic and Career Learning Communities. This institution defines its communities as similar majors grouped into concentrations so students can benefit from advisors dedicated to a student’s program, a closer connection to experienced faculty, and collaboration with like-minded students.A quantitative, non-experiential survey design was utilized for data collection. The survey utilized was adapted and modified from a survey originally developed by Leonhardy and Jimmerson (1992) and contained 43 questions, divided into 7 categories. Each category focused on an aspect of career and academic advising (i.e. academic, rules and regulations, course selection and information on majors, career development, counseling, advising climate, and general advising). There was also opportunity for students to leave additional comments.The Qualtrics survey link was sent to 6,994 students’ college email account and was available for 4 weeks. After two reminders, the original responses totaled 578 participants. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA), and multiple regression to determine the association between the variables of interest. The results of this study indicated that there were significant differences across three learning communities when compared to the Health and Veterinary Technology Community in four advising need categories. Asian, Black, and Hispanic students had significantly more advising need in two, three, and four (respectively) of the advising needs categories when compared to White students. Females had significantly less advising need in the category of rules and regulations. Enrollment status produced no significant differences related to needs or satisfaction. No significant differences were found across learning communities related to satisfaction. However, Black, American Indian, Pacific Islander, Native Hawaiian, Alaska Native, and Other students had statistically significant levels of higher satisfaction across learning communities compared to White students. The results support the need for colleges to investigate the different advising needs of students within various learning communities, as well as investigate the needs of minority students in learning communities. It is in the best interest of an institution to understand student needs so that advising may be tailored to meet these needs. Information on satisfaction is equally imperative to an institution, as students who are satisfied may be more likely to persist in school. In turn, it is critical to understand the operational definition of learning communities for proper interpretation and use of results.

Author: Terry U. O'Banion
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield
ISBN: 1475850867
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 161

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Book Description
Academic advising is the second most important function in the community college. If it is not conducted with the utmost efficiency and effectiveness, the most important function in the college—instruction—will fail to achieve its purpose of ensuring that students succeed in navigating the curriculum to completion. The purpose of academic advising is to help students select a program of study to meet their life and vocational goals. As such, academic advising is a central and important activity in the process of education. Academic advising occurs at least once each term for every student in the college; few student support functions occur as often or affect so many students. But while there is general agreement concerning the importance of academic advising for the efficient functioning of the institution and the effective functioning of the student, there is little agreement regarding the nature of academic advising and who should perform the function. In this seminal work on academic advising, the authors of three overarching chapters address the key issues and challenges of academic advising followed by the authors of four of the most innovative and successful programs of academic advising in the nation.

Author: Dorothy Moss Hale
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages :

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Book Description
Higher attrition rates among students in online as compared to face-to-face (F2F) degrees are a major concern in higher education. Consequently, many institutions are rethinking academic advising to support the retention and graduation of F2F and online students. This study analyzed existing data collected from 522 undergraduate seniors at a large public urban university who completed the 2014 National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) Academic Advising Module. Three research questions guided the study: 1) To what degree, if any, does the frequency of interaction with academic advisors reported by undergraduate students differ on the basis of course format (face-to-face vs. online only) and by student factors (gender, ethnicity, first generation status, and Pell Grant status)? 2) To what degree, if any, does academic advisor support reported by undergraduate students differ on the basis of course format (face-to-face vs. online only) and by student factors (gender, ethnicity, first generation, and Pell Grant status)? 3) To what degree, if any, does the primary source of advice reported by undergraduate students differ on the basis of course format (face-to-face vs. online) and by student factors (gender, ethnicity, first generation, and Pell Grant status)? Regarding frequency of interaction with academic advisors, findings revealed no significant differences between face-to-face and online students by gender, ethnicity, first generation status or Pell Grant status. Additionally, no significant differences were found in reported levels of academic advisor support received by face-to-face and online students by gender, ethnicity, first generation status or Pell Grant status. However, Chi square analyses revealed that White, first generation, and non-Pell eligible online students sought advice from their assigned advisor significantly more that their F2F counterparts. The findings have implications for academic advising policies that may lead to the implementation of more effective strategies that enhance students' overall academic advising experiences. Recommendations for future research include examining advising experience when combining student factors as well as advisor support by frequency of interaction and primary source to identify possible correlations. Lastly, research examining additional NSSE indicators of student engagement beyond academic advising might provide insight into student retention and graduation issues.

Author: Bipasha Dey
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Community colleges
Languages : en
Pages : 128

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Book Description
Academic advising plays a critical role in student success and retention at the community college level; however, there is a need for further research from the perspective of academic advisors to understand advising practices and overall student service. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the advising experience of academic advisors at a community college to understand how to improve advising practices and continue enhancing student success and retention. The research study examined the roles, practices, and perceptions of the academic advising relationship and how its relation to student success is conceptualized through the lenses of eight academic advisors. The research questions served as a guide to corroborate with the purposes of the qualitative study and focused on the connections between an academic advisor's job description and their interpretation of their advising experience; the relation between academic advising and student success from the perspective of an academic advisor; and how the perception of the advising relationship is different from the institutional expectation of student success. Through semi-structured interviews and focus groups, the instrumental case study revealed that academic advising impacts not only students' success but provides opportunities to enhance their academic advising experiences, practices, and comprehension of the importance of academic advising in relation to their overall college experience.

Author: Jennifer Kay Leach
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 318

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Book Description
Given extensive research highlighting the benefits of need-supportive practices and need satisfaction, it seems likely that academic advisors who use practices found to be need-supportive in classroom, work, and other contexts, will foster students' perceived autonomy and competence toward the academic major decision-making process and facilitate longer-term goals of enhancing motivation and satisfaction with their academic coursework. A longitudinal study was conducted in order to examine the stability in perceptions of college students' academic major decision-making experience over time as a function of need-supportive advising. The study also examined the stability in satisfaction and motivation outcomes as a function of need-supportive advising over time. Participants included undecided students who completed an online survey at three time points during either the 2012-2013 or 2013-2014 academic year. The online survey included measures assessing perceptions of advisors' needs-supportive practices, students' autonomous and competent decision-making, satisfaction with and motivation for coursework, and subjective well-being, as well as demographic characteristics. Analyses on several models were performed using Mplus version 6.12. Results suggest need-supportive advising at the beginning of the academic year predicts improved academic satisfaction, academic efficacy, subjective well-being, and value toward coursework toward the end of the academic year particularly when advising sessions satisfy students need for competence throughout the year which, in turn, provides students with increased competence about choosing an academic major. Implications and future directions are discussed.

Author: Julian D. Parrott
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages :

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Book Description
There is much debate in academic advising practitioner literature and in the popular media over the influence exerted by involved parents on students and colleges. There is a broad consensus that parental involvement has increased to levels not previously witnessed on college campuses (Cutright, 2008; Shoup, Gonyea, & Kuh, 2009; Wartman & Savage, 2008). It can be argued, therefore, that the past ten years have seen a change in the relationship between students, their parents, and the students' academic advisors. Although there has been much discussion among academic advising professionals concerning the influence parents have on both student development and on their own role as guides and mentors of new students there is a paucity of research studies on the topic. Current research on parental involvement and student success remains in its infancy. This study contributes to the nascent research field by investigating academic advising professionals0́9 experiences and perceptions of parental involvement. Some level of parental involvement has been shown to positively influence student success in college (NSSE 2007; Shoup, Gonyea, and Kuh, 2009; Taub 2008). Studies have also indicated the positive influence of academic advising on student adjustment to college and student success (Gordon & Habley 2000; Hunter & White, 2004; Light, 2001; Yarrish, 2008). It is, therefore, important that the important but complex environment of students, parents, and advisors be studied more specifically. This study utilizes qualitative case study methods to examine the perceptions on involved parenting held by advising professionals at an integrated advising unit at a large, Midwestern, flagship type public university. The case study0́9s participants provide individual and collective narrative lenses to answer this study0́9s research questions through surveys and face-to-face semi-structured interviews. Information pertaining to unit policy, procedures, and communication resources was also collected. A number of issues emerged through the data analysis clearly reflecting the experiences and perceptions of this case study0́9s advising professionals: 1) the advising professionals generally found parental involvement to be helpful; 2) that most parental involvement revolved around legitimate issues improving the advisors0́9 knowledge of specific student problems capital; 3) there appears to be some generational differences in how advisors approach interaction with parents based on their own age and life experiences; 4) that the negative narratives perpetuated by the media, aspects of the literature, and shared conversations amongst advisors continue to dominate advisors0́9 responses to parental engagement; 5) there is an emotional aspect to parental engagement; 6) that there is a need for specific training for advisors to engage parents; and, 7) that good practices are emerging regarding how advisors can effectively work with parents to assist students and parents through the transition stage from home and high school to the college environment. The case study0́9s results and analysis offer a series of conclusions and recommendation both for practice and for research. The study makes a contribution to a field where there is a presently a dearth of research-based studies.

Author: Virginia N. Gordon
Publisher: Jossey-Bass
ISBN: 0470614765
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 608

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Book Description
One of the challenges in higher education is helping students to achieve academic success while ensuring their personal and vocational needs are fulfilled. In this updated edition more than thirty experts offer their knowledge in what has become the most comprehensive, classic reference on academic advising. They explore the critical aspects of academic advising and provide insights for full-time advisors, counselors, and those who oversee student advising or have daily contact with advisors and students. New chapters on advising administration and collaboration with other campus services A new section on perspectives on advising including those of CEOs, CAOs (chief academic officers), and CSAOs (chief student affairs officers) More emphasis on two-year colleges and the importance of research to the future of academic advising New case studies demonstrate how advising practices have been put to use.