Keywords

Computer Assisted Advising, University, Advising

Abstract

In 1985, the Florida Legislature mandated the development of a computer assisted academic advisement program for the State University System. This study of the Student Academic Support System (SASS) explored the administrator and advisor viewpoints, rather than traditional student perception assessments, in order to add to the understanding of computer assisted advising as it now stands in the State of Florida. The goal of this research was to determine the best practices of computer assisted advising throughout the State University System. Individuals who use or have responsibility for the advising system were identified in each institution in the State University System. An instrument was developed to identify the use of key components of the Student Academic Support System and interviews were scheduled. A review of the literature and results of this study found that there were many factors that influenced the success or failure of a computer assisted advising system. Factors such as funding, administrative sponsorship from the highest levels of the institution, institutional culture, advisor computer proficiency, and the existence of alternate computer advising technologies played significant roles in the development and implementation of the mandated state computer advising system. The qualitative interviews utilized in this case study highlighted the complexities of computer assisted advising. This research studied the perceptions and practices of administrators and advisors in the 11 State Universities in Florida. This research study documents the history of the development and implementation of computer assisted advising within the Florida State University System. As such, this research provides insight for administrators, technology professionals, and policy makers in the field of student advisement. Implications of this study, for the Florida State University System, show that strong administrative support and acceptance of the value of the system by advisors are necessary for successful implementation of a computer assisted advising system. Continued assessment, modification, and funding must be a priority for any institution that utilizes computer assisted advising systems. A properly implemented advising tool, such as the Student Academic Support System, results in a better informed student and a more effective sharing of information between students, advisors, and the university. Properly advised students will reach their educational goals in a timely and efficient fashion. The use of computer assisted advising was found to result in a satisfying academic experience for the advisor and to increase a student's level of satisfaction with the advising encounter.

Notes

If this is your thesis or dissertation, and want to learn how to access it or for more information about readership statistics, contact us at STARS@ucf.edu

Graduation Date

2004

Semester

Fall

Advisor

Magann, Douglas

Degree

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)

College

College of Education

Department

Educational Research, Technology, and Leadership

Degree Program

Educational Leadership

Format

application/pdf

Identifier

CFE0000228

URL

http://purl.fcla.edu/fcla/etd/CFE0000228

Language

English

Release Date

January 2005

Length of Campus-only Access

None

Access Status

Doctoral Dissertation (Open Access)

Download

Share

COinS