Technology-Driven Counselling Innovation in Private Higher Education: Types, Characteristics, and their Relationship with Student Development Needs

HRMARS - The rapid expansion of private higher education institutions in China has necessitated innovative approaches to student counselling services, yet the types and characteristics of technology-driven counselling innovation remain underexplored. This study addresses this gap by examining the types and characteristics of technology-driven counselling innovation strategies and their relationship with student development needs in private higher education institutions in Shaanxi Province, China. The objectives of this study are: to identify the types and characteristics of technology-driven counselling innovation strategies; and to examine the relationship between these innovation strategies and student development needs. A quantitative cross-sectional survey design was adopted, grounded in Technology Integration Theory. The sample consisted of 200 counsellors and administrators from private higher education institutions in Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, selected using convenience sampling. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire adapted from Chen and Yang (2023), Wu and Zhao (2024), and Chickering and Reisser (1993), and analyzed using descriptive statistics, factor analysis, Pearson correlation, and regression analysis. The results reveal that technology-driven counselling innovation strategies can be categorized into five distinct types: Digital Platform Usage, Data-Informed Decision Making, Hybrid Service Models, Institutional Support for Innovation, and Perceived Benefits of Technology Integration. Student development needs were measured across five dimensions: Academic, Emotional/Psychological, Social/Interpersonal, Career, and Personal Development. Correlation analysis revealed a significant positive relationship between overall innovation strategies and student development needs (r=0.56, p