Nontraditional and Traditional Student Motives to Use Their University Communication Center

<p>Research indicates that nontradifional students differ from traditional ones in many areas of higher education. Recognizing these differences in this growing population of students could impact retention rates for universities. Also, these differences could influence how communication centers deal with nontraditional students in recruiting them for appointments as well as during tutoring sessions. This study explores possible differences in motivations to use communication centers using both traditional and nontraditional students who had used their university's communication center. Students took a survey based on Ajzen's theory of planned behavior to discover if any differences exist and what the differences are. Findings suggest that the nontraditional and traditional students do not differ in their reasons for using their campus communication center. However, results indicate the most important factor that motivates students to use their communication center is how easily they can schedule and keep an appointment. Findings from this research have implications for both communication centers and universities at large to improve services offered to both traditional and nontraditional students.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Arts (MA)

Level thesis:degree_level

Masters Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Communication Studies

Year dc:date.available

2012

Author dc:creator

• Rachal, Hannah Pritchard

Contributors dc:contributor

• Steven Venette
• Wendy Atkins-Sayre
• John Meyer

• Communication
• Social and Behavioral Sciences

Repository record dc:identifier

https://aquila.usm.edu/masters_theses/517

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:aquila.usm.edu:masters_theses-1614