Implementing Technology to Transform Advising Practice
The technology market for higher education has hundreds of vendors marketing a variety of tools and applications designed to convince institutions they have the magic formula for enhancing student success. These technology products include advisor management platforms, analytics, early alert systems, degree planning and tracking systems. Some colleges buy technologies from vendors; some institutions choose to build their own customized technologies. It is not uncommon for institutions to implement multiple technologies, and often these tools are placed in the hands of the advising community with the expectation of immediate results.
Technology adoption in academic advising grows more commonplace every year. A survey by Tyton Partners (Bryant et al., 2016) showed that over 90% of participating institutions utilize some type of academic planning tool, 84% use early alert and 70% have caseload management resources. However, implementing these systems does not guarantee they are used. Research on technology adoption indicates that users typically learn and engage with technology on different timelines with differing levels of expertise because technology is not always welcomed those expected to make use of it (Buchanan et al., 2013). It is essential to understand whether that reluctance is based on internal factors that are difficult to influence, such as attitude, or external factors an institution can more readily change, such as user acceptance testing or new user onboarding.
While vendors provide resources for implementation, it is important for advisors to have conversations about how these technologies can positively impact advising practice. This session will open with an overview of theories on technology use: the technology acceptance model (Davis, 1989), which explores the impact of perceived usefulness and ease of use on technology utilization, as well as the work on the diffusion of innovation (Rogers, 1995). As research on technology adoption has continued, it has become clear that it is important to understand structural factors beyond individual perception that inhibit user acceptance of new technology. Participants will complete an adapted version of the institutional self-assessment rubric, developed by Community College Research Center and Tyton Partners (2017), to evaluate both individual perceptions and institutional structures that influence the culture of technology engagement. The presentation will close by introducing specific strategies to move beyond implementation to sustained engagement with technology, including creating collaborative relationships with IT, harnessing the emergence of “super-users”, and how to support continuing skill development.
Resources
Buchanan, T., Sainter, P., & Saunders, G. (2013). Factors affecting faculty use of learning technologies: implications for models of technology adoption. Journal of Computing in Higher Education, 25(1), 1-11.
Community College Research Center & Tyton Partners. (2017). Technology-mediated advising and student support: An institutional self-assessment. New York, NY: Columbia University, Teachers College, Community College Research Center.
Davis, F. D. (1989). Perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and user acceptance of information technology. MIS Quarterly, 13(3), 3 19-339.
Rogers, E. M. (2003). Diffusion of innovations (5th ed.). Free Press.
Bryant, G., Callahan, A., Seaman, J., & Hornstein, J. (2016). Driving towards a degree: Establishing a baseline on integrated approaches to planning and advising. Tyton Partners. https://drivetodegree.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/driving-toward-a-degree-2016.pdf
Which one or two theme(s) best describe the presentation? Enrollment and Student Services , Staffing, Training and Office Dynamics
What Professional Application does this sessions apply to? 1. Gain familiarity in different theories about technology adoption and usage. 2. Identify factors (perceptions, expectations, and structures) that influence technology usage within advising. 3. Reflect on their own institutional structures related to academic advising and technology use. 4. Learn strategies to improve technology engagement within advising.
Presentation Begins:
Wednesday, July 13, 2022 at 11:15 AM Eastern Time
Presented By:
Melissa Irvin, University of South Florida