Keywords
technology-enabled college access, rural students, virtual reality, postsecondary education, Google Analytics, motivation, college knowledge, college choice
Abstract
College choice and application processes are critical for postsecondary enrollment. This field study examines the potential utility of a technology-enabled college access (TECA) mobile app for supporting rural student postsecondary decisions. Through the TECA mobile app, participants can tour two- and four-year college campuses, view career videos, access detailed information about each institution (enrollment diversity, specialization, enrollment requirements, etc.), and connect with college advisors. The study used a theoretical framework and included 1,073 students attending seven rural high schools in Mississippi to evaluate the utility of TECA for increasing college knowledge, motivation, and preparation related to students’ choice and enrollment decisions. Using Google Analytics, the study also documents how students at each school engaged with the app. The findings have important implications for improving college access among rural students, who are traditionally underrepresented in higher education due to family income, parental education, few school counselors, or geographic isolation.
Recommended Citation
Cutler White, Carol; Wei, Tianlan; and Meece, Judith
(2026)
"Technology-Enabled College Access: A Field Study in Rural Mississippi Schools,"
Mid-Western Educational Researcher: Vol. 38:
Iss.
1, Article 4.
DOI: 10.25035/mwer.38.01.04
Available at:
https://scholarworks.bgsu.edu/mwer/vol38/iss1/4
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
10.25035/mwer.38.01.04
