Abstract
Background/context: Providing equitable, high-quality academic support is increasingly challenging for universities postpandemic (Collins & O’Brien, 2022; Gomis et al., 2024). To address this, a large Australian university in the ASEAN region launched a third-party academic support service in 2021 to enhance access to academic assistance and alleviate issues such as educator workload and the lack of support after hours.
Description: This session explores the relationship between support service usage and student outcomes, focusing on academic performance and retention rates. While the study does not establish causation, the findings offer valuable insights into how such a platform could potentially influence student outcomes.
Method: The quantitative analysis included 3,065 first and second-year students (2,065 domestic, 1,000 international) from six schools, enrolled in the 20 units with the highest platform usage in 2023. Raw data were extracted from university student records and platform usage logs. Analyses included correlations between service usage and unit marks, weighted average marks (WAM), and retention. Welch two-sample t-tests compared unit marks and WAM, while a Chi-Square Test of Independence analyzed retention, with a subgroup analysis of local and international students.
Evidence: Platform users had significantly higher mean WAMs (M difference = 5.8, p < .001, d = 0.55) and unit marks (M difference = 8.5, p < .001, d = 0.64) compared to non-users, with domestic students benefiting the most. The variation in WAM and unit marks was smaller for users, indicating more consistent outcomes. In writing-intensive units, the benefits were particularly pronounced. However, no significant relationship was found between platform usage and retention rates (Χ²(1, N = 3065) = 3.42, p = .006).
Contribution: This study highlights the potential of third-party platforms to complement institutional resources and inform scalable academic support strategies.
Engagement: Prompt: “What are your views on third-party support services?”
Description: This session explores the relationship between support service usage and student outcomes, focusing on academic performance and retention rates. While the study does not establish causation, the findings offer valuable insights into how such a platform could potentially influence student outcomes.
Method: The quantitative analysis included 3,065 first and second-year students (2,065 domestic, 1,000 international) from six schools, enrolled in the 20 units with the highest platform usage in 2023. Raw data were extracted from university student records and platform usage logs. Analyses included correlations between service usage and unit marks, weighted average marks (WAM), and retention. Welch two-sample t-tests compared unit marks and WAM, while a Chi-Square Test of Independence analyzed retention, with a subgroup analysis of local and international students.
Evidence: Platform users had significantly higher mean WAMs (M difference = 5.8, p < .001, d = 0.55) and unit marks (M difference = 8.5, p < .001, d = 0.64) compared to non-users, with domestic students benefiting the most. The variation in WAM and unit marks was smaller for users, indicating more consistent outcomes. In writing-intensive units, the benefits were particularly pronounced. However, no significant relationship was found between platform usage and retention rates (Χ²(1, N = 3065) = 3.42, p = .006).
Contribution: This study highlights the potential of third-party platforms to complement institutional resources and inform scalable academic support strategies.
Engagement: Prompt: “What are your views on third-party support services?”
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages | 96 |
| Number of pages | 1 |
| Publication status | Published - 2025 |
| Event | Higher Education Research and Development Society of Australasia Annual Conference 2025 - Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre, Perth, Australia Duration: 7 Jul 2025 → 10 Jul 2025 https://conference.herdsa.org.au/2025/ |
Conference
| Conference | Higher Education Research and Development Society of Australasia Annual Conference 2025 |
|---|---|
| Abbreviated title | HERDSA Conference 2025 |
| Country/Territory | Australia |
| City | Perth |
| Period | 7/07/25 → 10/07/25 |
| Internet address |
Cite this
- APA
- Author
- BIBTEX
- Harvard
- Standard
- RIS
- Vancouver