The reality of academic advising and its obstacles at the Faculty of Education, University of Benghazi, from the students' perspective in light of some variables

Abstract

The primary objective of this study is to explore the reality of academic advising and identify the obstacles facing its implementation at the Faculty of Education, University of Benghazi, from the students' perspective. The study adopted a descriptive-analytical approach. Data were collected from a sample of (418) male and female students from various scientific and literary departments and across different academic levels during the Fall semester of 2025. The researcher utilized a developed questionnaire as a research tool, encompassing axes related to attitudes toward advising, communication with advisors, and obstacles associated with the advisor, the student, schedules, and technical and administrative aspects. The results revealed that students' general attitude toward academic advising was at a medium level, reflecting a state of hesitation or a lack of full conviction regarding the importance of advising in supporting the academic path. Regarding communication, it recorded a medium-to-high level, indicating strengths in terms of trust in the advisor and the time allocated to students. As for the obstacles, they were generally at a medium level; "student-related obstacles" (such as lack of awareness of rules and regulations) topped the list, followed by "academic advisor-related obstacles" (such as heavy workloads), and then technical and administrative issues. Conversely, obstacles related to study plans and schedules were the least influential. Furthermore, the results indicated no statistically significant differences in students' perceptions of the reality and obstacles of advising attributable to gender (male/female) or specialization (scientific/literary). Based on these findings, the study recommended increasing students' awareness of the importance of advising, improving advisors' competencies, and enhancing technical aspects to facilitate communication and the overall advising process.