Testing the Hypothesis, Part 1 - Assignment 7A

The opportunity: Students at the University of Florida are unable to connect with fellow classmates for help via social media because there is no app available for students to figure out who is in the same class and who is struggling with the coursework.

The Who: Students at the University of Florida
The What: They are unable to connect with fellow classmates for help via social media
The Why: There is no app available for students to figure out who is in the same class and who is struggling with the coursework

Testing the who: All students at the University of Florida have this need. At some point in every college student's career, he/she is left wondering who else is taking this class that could lend a helping hand.
Testing the what: What is really going on here is UF students will encounter a class at some point in their 4 years where they question how they can do better on assignments or maximize their study time. Not all classes are equally challenging, but each class requires unique studying habits that other UF students may have already mastered. The goal is to match these students that are willing to help with those who may be struggling.
Testing the why: Students desire to succeed in college for various reasons. Some people want to please their parents and others want to set themselves up for future success. In either case, a large majority of students desire to perform well at UF where academics are a priority.

Interview 1 - Business Administration Faculty Member:

• After interviewing with this person, it is clear that even faculty members believe this is a need for students on the UF campus. The conversation began with us talking about all the resources UF offers for people to succeed, but we agreed that even this is not enough. Students need to be able to link up together and help one another out. Students reach other students in a way that teachers and tutors can't. Students can relate to one another.

Interview 2 - Tutor at Study Edge Tutoring Services:

• The tutor and I spoke about ways he tries to connect students that use his services, but he conveyed how difficult it is to get students to do more work outside the classroom like networking with other students. An app that connects students based on which classes they are taking and who needs help would be an invaluable resource. We agreed that this should not be the only resource students refer to, but that it would help students who need that extra outlet for help.

Interview 3 - Finance Major at UF:

• The student was able to connect with me in that we both took Business Finance last spring. The class challenged us in ways we never thought possible. We were pushed to our limits and sometimes the stressful and high pressure exams took a toll on our mental health. Now that we have both passed the class and know how much effort it takes to pass, we agreed that such an app would allow students to vent to one another about the rigor of the class. On top of serving as an outlet for people to provide others with knowledge about a subject matter, the app would enable students to talk to other students about their struggles which could provide emotional relief to students.

Interview 4 - Fellow Business Club Member:

• Speaking with my fell club member reinforced my understanding that tutors and teachers can't relate to students on the same level that students can. Most teachers and tutors haven't taken the same classes as us and don't have similar schedules as us. My friend in the club and I spoke about how we are able to relate because we both have internships right now and we are also involved in the same club (which takes up a lot of our time). As we have taken many of the same classes over the past couple years, it has been much easier to reach out to him for extra help on a subject I may be confused on after watching the class lecture and also attending tutoring hours. We realized that not all students are lucky enough to have such a friend that they can go to for help; therefore, the app is a necessity.

Interview 5 - UF Graduate Student:

• Considering this grad student has recently finished all four years of undergrad, her input on my proposed idea was refreshing. When I asked her if she would've used such an app, she told me that this would have made her college experience much more enjoyable. Being able to connect with others who are going through similar experiences is underrated. Students at UF need an app that will connect them to fellow classmates so that they can vent to one other and/or ask for help.

Given your interviews, what do you know about the opportunity that you didn't know before?

• I realized that students at the University of Florida are in desperate need for such an app for two reasons. On top of the fact that they need academic help in order to keep their grades up for future success and the happiness of their parents, they also need an outlet to speak with other students that are going through the same things they are. Maintaining one's mental health and coping with stress are important skills in college, and hearing about how others balance their schedule and form study habits can only be beneficial to students struggling in certain classes. 
• After speaking with each of the 5 interviewees and probing their minds by asking various questions, it is clear that there is a great opportunity for such an app to succeed. The undergrad students conveyed their personal need for the app, the grad student shared his past desires for such an app, and the tutoring service/faculty member pointed out why they thought the app is necessary after dealing with students on a daily basis. It is clear that such an app is highly sought after on the UF campus.