The Effect Of An Educational Program Based On The Precede Model On The Level Of Academic Consultants' Ability And Students' Satisfaction

Background: Universities have important responsibilities to prevent physical, emotional, social and academic problems during the course of their study. To achieve this goal, it is necessary that universities offer effective academic advising services to the students.Purpose: To investigate the effectiveness of programs offered for developing academic consultants (AC) ability by assessing students’ satisfaction with the consultation they recieve.Methods: From a total of 90 ACs and 2,500 students in the Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, 72 AC and 445 students from four colleges (Medicine, Health Sciences, Dentistry, Nursing and Midwifery) voluntarilyparticipated in the pretest. 87 ACs were randomly assigned into two groups (Group Bf participated in a workshop designed based on PRECEDE model; Group Cf was offered material relevant to academic consultation).According to the AC groups, the students were divided into groupBs(n=363; their AC have participated in workshop), group Cs (n=408; their AC received Educational Material), and groupDs (n= 190; the student have noactive AC). Data collection was conducted by questionnaires, pre-test and post-test (after one academic semester prior to the intervention).Results: Mean scores of knowledge (M=14.77, SD=3.01) (especially in the College of Medicine and Dentistry) and attitude (M=61.79, SD=5.78) of AC about offering effective academic advising to the students was improvedsignificantly in both intervention groups, but this effect was more pronounced in group Bf compared with group Cf (M= 1 1.54,SD=2.76; M=59.23,SD=8.6) (n=44), and group Af (the pre-test group) (M=10.67,SD=4.2; M=57.2,SD=1 1.6). Students in group Bf significantly were more satisfied with consultation they received and more willing to use consultation services of their ACs.Conclusion: The PRECEDE model's educational workshop program was more effective in modifying the AC ability in offering effective academic advising, guiding, and consultation.