Remote Academic Advising with a Synchronous Communication Technology: A Case Study

As the COVID-19 pandemic shut down most face-to-face instructions and services in higher education, universities struggled to continue teaching and serving students. In particular, student services like academic advising were significantly impacted, as most advising is conducted in person. The use o...

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Main Authors: Houdyshell Michael, Wang Charles Xiaoxue, Plescia Matthew
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Sciendo 2022-12-01
Series:Research on Education and Media
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.2478/rem-2022-0024
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author Houdyshell Michael
Wang Charles Xiaoxue
Plescia Matthew
author_facet Houdyshell Michael
Wang Charles Xiaoxue
Plescia Matthew
author_sort Houdyshell Michael
collection DOAJ
description As the COVID-19 pandemic shut down most face-to-face instructions and services in higher education, universities struggled to continue teaching and serving students. In particular, student services like academic advising were significantly impacted, as most advising is conducted in person. The use of synchronous communication technology was suddenly increased to continue advising students, employing Remote Academic Advising (RAA). Three researchers at a state university in the southeast USA conducted a case study to understand the experiences of using RAA by academic advisors. The study included 11 academic advisors from different academic colleges and areas who were engaged in RAA to provide advising service to students during the 2020–2021 academic year. Four themes emerged after a reiterative process of coding and analysing the interview responses. The four themes were a slow transition to using RAA, RAA can also be relational, RAA can promote more awareness of mental health and RAA should be part of regular advising practice. The discussion section includes recommendations for advancing RAA as regular practice through a concerted effort of promotion, leadership and effective use of RAA with synchronous communication technology among the advising community on campus.
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spelling doaj.art-4fd2781bbbbb405792ed9d032eb843e62023-01-19T13:20:29ZengSciendoResearch on Education and Media2037-08492022-12-01142718110.2478/rem-2022-0024Remote Academic Advising with a Synchronous Communication Technology: A Case StudyHoudyshell Michael0Wang Charles Xiaoxue1Plescia Matthew2Florida Gulf Coast University, United StatesFlorida Gulf Coast University, United StatesFlorida Gulf Coast University, United StatesAs the COVID-19 pandemic shut down most face-to-face instructions and services in higher education, universities struggled to continue teaching and serving students. In particular, student services like academic advising were significantly impacted, as most advising is conducted in person. The use of synchronous communication technology was suddenly increased to continue advising students, employing Remote Academic Advising (RAA). Three researchers at a state university in the southeast USA conducted a case study to understand the experiences of using RAA by academic advisors. The study included 11 academic advisors from different academic colleges and areas who were engaged in RAA to provide advising service to students during the 2020–2021 academic year. Four themes emerged after a reiterative process of coding and analysing the interview responses. The four themes were a slow transition to using RAA, RAA can also be relational, RAA can promote more awareness of mental health and RAA should be part of regular advising practice. The discussion section includes recommendations for advancing RAA as regular practice through a concerted effort of promotion, leadership and effective use of RAA with synchronous communication technology among the advising community on campus.https://doi.org/10.2478/rem-2022-0024remote academic advising (raa)synchronous communication technologycase studycovid-19higher education
spellingShingle Houdyshell Michael
Wang Charles Xiaoxue
Plescia Matthew
Remote Academic Advising with a Synchronous Communication Technology: A Case Study
Research on Education and Media
remote academic advising (raa)
synchronous communication technology
case study
covid-19
higher education
title Remote Academic Advising with a Synchronous Communication Technology: A Case Study
title_full Remote Academic Advising with a Synchronous Communication Technology: A Case Study
title_fullStr Remote Academic Advising with a Synchronous Communication Technology: A Case Study
title_full_unstemmed Remote Academic Advising with a Synchronous Communication Technology: A Case Study
title_short Remote Academic Advising with a Synchronous Communication Technology: A Case Study
title_sort remote academic advising with a synchronous communication technology a case study
topic remote academic advising (raa)
synchronous communication technology
case study
covid-19
higher education
url https://doi.org/10.2478/rem-2022-0024
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