Data-based, peer-to-peer student counseling to support individual study goals

A higher education institution can support its students in the individualisation of their academic paths by addressing their basic needs, enhancing their academic self-concepts, and facilitating self-regulated learning strategies. One extracurricular approach is the data-based, peer-counseling service at the University of Vienna, which involves a peer-to-peer student-counseling session and data visualisations of academic progress. The conceptual framework was empirically tested as part of a mixed-methods study at the University of Vienna during the academic year 2021/2022. The findings confirm a significant enhancement in the students’ academic self-concepts, as well as an improvement in strategies for self-regulated learning. Qualitative analyses show that this student-counseling approach can support students’ sense of competence, autonomy and belonging. The peer-counseling service for students can complement the personalisation of academic curricula, thereby facilitating individualised progress through the student life cycle.