Literature Review
January 24, 2025 | EDLD 5305 | Spring 2025
"Technology can become the “wings” that will allow the educational world to fly farther and faster than ever before – if we allow it.”
The Problem
As an Admissions Specialist, I noticed that so many prospective students struggle with the college application process. It can be intimidating and overwhelming. From figuring out academic programs and admission requirements to juggling deadlines and gathering documents, the amount of information can leave students feeling confused and stressed. B.H. Chiu, in The Mindful College Applicant: Cultivating Emotional Intelligence for the Admissions Process, highlights how anxiety plays a huge role for students navigating college admissions (Chiu, 2019). All these challenges can leave students feeling lost and isolated, showing just how important it is to have supportive resources to guide them through this big life transition.
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Since transitioning to Advising, I’ve seen firsthand how much stress students experience when dealing with uncertainty about their major, fear of graduating late or worrying about struggling in a course. Many feel overwhelmed by the pressure to succeed and aren’t sure who to turn to for help or what department to go to. Whether it’s not understanding degree requirements, being unsure about their career goals, or feeling like they’re falling behind, these fears can quickly pile up and take a toll on their confidence and motivation.
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“Student portal service provides users with channels of information and resources needed for their studies; this includes access to library service, course information, and materials. (Hussain et al., 2018). Online portals and interactive checklists and portals are a major advance for prospective students. They put everything you need in one spot, making the whole college process a lot easier to navigate. These platforms give you all the details on academic programs, campus life, and extracurriculars. Plus, it can include tools like virtual campus tours, student stories, and side-by-side comparisons of schools to help you picture what your college life could look like. You can even connect directly with admissions representatives through these sites to get personalized advice and answers to all your questions. It’s like having a college guide at your fingertips!
For continuing students, having digital resources tailored to students’ needs could make a huge difference in helping them pick the right courses and stay on track to graduate. Imagine a platform tailored to each student’s major, academic progress, and career goals, showing exactly what classes they need, when to take them, and how they fit into their overall plan. It could include features like a degree progress tracker, course recommendations based on prerequisites and availability, and alerts for registration deadlines.
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The Tech
The Benefits
“The challenge of a portal strategy is no less than the challenge of bringing higher education fully into the new wave of technology” (Katz, 2002). The benefit of Operation Outreach is that it centralizes essential resources, allowing students to explore a wide range of colleges and universities with ease. AI could assist students make wiser decisions about their courses, find resources easier, and get personalized advice on everything from the application process to class schedules to career paths. According to Christensen et al. (2011), disruptive innovations like AI have the potential to deliver better quality and affordability in education, helping students access the support they need at a fraction of the cost. In The Innovative University, Christensen and Eyring (2011) also argue that new technologies can transform higher education by making it more efficient and accessible, reducing the complexity that often overwhelms students. By integrating these technologies, colleges could better support students at every step of their journey, from application to graduation.