Critical Factors Related to Student Success Technology

Abstract

This study examines university students’ perspectives on student success technology. Efforts to improve graduation and retention rates for undergraduates (i.e. “student success”) and initiatives to enhance the overall student experience are critical for higher education administrators, faculty and staff. These actors are significantly dependent on technology and technology-mediated services. To help understand student perspectives on online services related to student success, this study uses data from a 2016 survey of ABC University students about the importance and satisfaction that students placed on accomplishing key tasks online ([Formula: see text] respondents). The main questions in this inquiry are: (1) What, if any, factors, or latent variables, are in the data set? (2) If there are latent variables, what might they tell us about students’ perspectives on accomplishing critical online tasks? The study’s main findings are that five factors — navigation, tactical, funding, personalization and planning - are present in the data and statistically significant. The findings also suggest that a sixth factor, funding, is not significant. This study contributes to the literature by supporting the notion that there is harmony between the technology that universities utilize to support students and the value that students derive from such tools.