Innovating academic advising: Student experience of online academic advising to support their transition into university

Innovating academic advising: Student experience of online academic advising to support their transition into university

This presentation reports on a study of student experiences of an innovative online academic advising approach, called The Zone, which was developed for pathway students enrolled in a regional Australian University. Up to fifty per cent of students enrolling in pathway programs are non-traditional students (Davis & Green, 2020). Non-traditional students enter pathway programs with diverse experiences and can have numerous competing life demands, complex histories with formal education, and/or lengthy absences from academic study. As such, these students can benefit from guidance and support in making the necessary academic, cultural, and organisational adjustments to successfully engage with their studies and transition into university environments. Academic advising, as a source of guidance and support, can play a pivotal role in these students' transitions into university. However, pathway students studying remotely or online can be denied access to the traditional face-to-face modes of academic advising. The Zone was developed to provide equitable, effective, and accessible academic advising for all pathway students. Therefore, online delivery was a crucial strength of the project. The study used a mixed methods approach to collect quantitative and qualitative data from 199 students' experiences using The Zone. The study's overall finding was that students generally considered this online academic advising approach to be beneficial in supporting their transitions to higher education. The data indicates three specific areas in which the students found The Zone to be particularly useful in: the enrolment process, connecting with university staff, and obtaining relevant information promptly. Thus, by facilitating academic advising for students, The Zone assisted students studying online with making necessary adjustments for engaging with their university studies, enhancing their sense of belonging, connecting with staff and peers, and developing student agency. This presentation reports on this academic advising approach and the student responses from the study, providing an opportunity to discuss the potential for adapting this approach of online academic advising.

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