FACULTY AND STUDENTS ENGAGEMENT APP: A MEXICAN DIGITAL STRATEGY TO IMPROVE UNIVERSITY SERVICES

This research address the opportunity to break normal process paradigms throughout a ubicuos software. Usage of mobile apps has become the main use across mobile phone users. A study reported more mobile subscribers used apps than browsed the web on their devices: 51.1% vs. 49.8% respectively. Researchers found that usage of mobile apps strongly correlates with user context and depends on user's location and time of the day.

Students and faculty nowadays are struggling with old and complex web pages. Specially online services. Most of the time these websites are useful but the access is unfriendly. Today the mobile applications are playing a key role to deliver easy, transparent and efficient online services. Mobile app development is the most actively expanding sectors. This paper propose an app to engage students and faculty with all services offered by universities, helping them to be aware of university services in a easier and practical way, (e.g., student study abroad opportunities, grades, tutoring, online education, surveys and official calendar).

For a methodology we use a self-administered questionnaire of 40 items and questions was employed to capture data from students and professors in their natural working environment. Majority of the constructs were measured using multiple-items from existing literature (reflective measurement) and using a five-point Likert scale anchored between “strongly disagree” (1) and “strongly agree” (5). However, the wording in the items was slightly modified to fit research purposes. The questionnaire was administered in Spanish for all participants because Spanish is the participants’ native language. Fifty-three percent of the participants were men and 47% women. Sixty-eight percent of the participants were single, 32% married. Finally, all participants are between 18 and 50 years of age. For the purposes of refining the instrument used in this study, the questionnaire was verified using Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) with Maximum Likelihood to assure measurement model reliability and validity.

To develop the software we use the methodology SCRUM, the main characteristics are flexible and agile to manage software development, the development was done in a iterative and incremental mode, each two weeks a software version is made for testing. The development aims to both systems android and IOS.

The survey results are a strong driver to develop the app. Main results are: only 50% of students and professors have a laptop or personal computer, 98% use a smart mobile device and 90% use apps in daily. 20% use the main university web to interact with scholar services.
The app software developed reported an increase of services used from students and faculty. A ubicuos strategy, a strong tool and agile performance to use services

To conclude we can tell, in one hand the survey results presented open an opportunity to reduce the gap between university administration and students and faculty. In the other the software development open and improve communication and increase the use of services.
The main success element is that people is knowledgeable and prefer to use mobile phones than personal computers. The future work is implement them first regionally and evaluate the benefits. An outstanding mobile app development requires an advancement of technology to vision, strategy for growing their business in future no only intended for marketing but rather for improving people engagement.