Using a mobile application to support at-risk student re-entry into post-secondary education in the era of COVID-19

The aim of this 2-year project is to do research to inform the development of, and fully test and develop a mobile application designed to improve the experience of (particularly at-risk) post-secondary (PSE) students in addressing COVID-19-related issues. Our key concern is that COVID-19 has not only disrupted important and significant developmental experiences that improve student experience and success, but it has also caused challenges in students’ lives away from university that will spill over into their experience of being post-secondary students. We seek to address these disruptive factors via assessment of need and development of a mobile application which can link students with supports necessary to address those needs. A mobile application approach is particularly valuable in an era where social distancing will reduce the opportunity for face-to-face and in-person communication for at least the next 18-24 months.

Faculty Supervisor:

Steven Smith;Yasushi Akiyama

Student:

Sai Kumar Nerella;Arun Raj Javagal Lakkashetty;Tanya Bilsbury

Partner:

Ipse Media

Discipline:

Computer science

Sector:

Education

University:

Saint Mary's University