Assessing an Automated Student Academic Advisory System's Performance During the COVID-19 Pandemic: University of Nizwa, Sultanate of Oman

Amid the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, educational institutions worldwide have sought innovative solutions to ensure students receive comprehensive academic support. This research focuses on exploring the availability and usage of an automated student academic advisory system at the University of Nizwa in the Sultanate of Oman during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study aims to assess the effectiveness of this system in aiding students with their academic and career goals, course selection, and scheduling. Several objectives were pursued, including profiling the status of academic advising system availability, examining the impact of variables (Management Support, Computer Anxiety, and User Satisfaction) on students' intention to use the system, identifying factors influencing the adoption of the system by academic advisers and students, and validating the implementation model. The study will be conducted through a survey questionnaire and semi-structured interviews among the University's students and academic advisers. The sample will be limited to the University of Nizwa, Sultanate of Oman. Additionally, the digital literacy level of teachers will be measured, and the Unified Theory of The Technology Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) model will be adapted to assess the acceptance of teachers towards the system. The results indicate that most teachers possess a good to typical level of digital skills, and they generally hold a positive attitude towards the automated student academic advisory system. They also express support for the platform's development in universities across the Arab world. Factors such as illiteracy and globalization significantly influence the system's usage.