Users’ Group 2013Best Practices
Julie Owen, VP Marketing & OperationsSmarterServices
Provided by
Remember When?
DID YOU KNOW?
• SmarterMeasure has helped over 2.4 MILLION students!
• We have a k12 version that serves 7-12 graders.
• You can modify your readiness ranges to make the tool more predictive.
Best Practices• Popularize – buy in• Plan – strong implementation model• Personalize – use custom features• Petition - Call to Action• Pursue - Follow Through• Produce – Conduct Research• Present– co-present with us at a
conference or webinar
POPULARIZE/PROMOTE
• Advertise & Promote• Educate with our Training• Get Everyone Involved
PLAN
• Integrate SmarterMeasure into a required orientation course
• 68% of client schools administer the assessment to all students, not just eLearning students
J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College
• Required as admissions assessment
• Integral part of their QEP• Computed correlations
with grades and SmarterMeasure sub-scales of over 4000 students.
• P
Grades
Attributes
Technical
Learning Styles
Life Factors
Findings• Statistically significant correlations:
Scores Grades
- Dedicated place, support from employers and family, access to study resources, and academic skills (Life Factors)
- Tech vocabulary (Technical Knowledge)
- Procrastination (Individual Attributes)
Academic Success Rates
Skills Resources Time0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
High Score
Low Score
Less than 10% of students with low scores experienced academic success.
PERSONALIZE
• Utilize custom features• Modify Readiness Ranges
Student Login Page
Adjusting Readiness Ranges
Adjusting the cut points can make the reporting a more accurate predictor of success.
PETITION
Add call to action in text of student report
Read Feedback on report
Write reflection paper on results
Work through appropriate resources for support
PETITION
Add call to action in text of student report
Read Feedback on report
Write reflection paper on results
Work through appropriate resources for support
Discuss results with administrator
Discussion or chat about learning style
PURSUE
• After measuring student readiness, what action will you take based on the scores?
Coaching
Assign mentor
Ongoing communication
Provide faculty member with results
Evaluate & Provide remedial resources
Predictive
Correlation
Comparison
Descriptive
Student Service
Progression of SmarterMeasure Data Utilization
PRODUCE
Research Ideas on the Research Page of the Website
CEC - The Need
• We need to know which students to advise to take online, hybrid or on-campus courses.
• We need to know which students to direct to which student services to help them succeed.
• We need to know how to best design our courses so that new students are not overwhelmed.
The Analysis
• What is the relationship between measures of student readiness and variables of:– Academic Success - GPA– Engagement – Survey (N=587)– Satisfaction – Survey (Representative Sample
based on GPA and number of courses taken per term)
– Retention – Re-enrollment data
The Findings
• Statistically Significant RelationshipsAcademic Achievement
Engagement Retention
Individual Attributes
X X X
Technical Knowledge
X X X
Learning Styles
X X
Life Factors X X
Technical Competency
X
The Recommendations
• We need to know which students to advise to take online, hybrid or on-campus courses.– A profile of a strong online student is one who:
• Has a dedicated place to study online• Possesses strong time management skills• Demonstrates strong technical skills• Exhibits a strong vocabulary of technology terms
The Recommendations
• We need to know which students to direct to which student services to help them succeed.– An online student who should be directed toward
remedial/support resources is one who:• Has a weak reason for returning to school• Has weak prior academic skills• Is not likely to seek help on their own• Is prone to procrastinate• Has low, internal locus of control• Has weak technology skills
The Recommendations
• We need to know how to best design our courses so that new students are not overwhelmed.– Limit advanced technology in courses offered early in
a curriculum– Foster frequent teacher to student interaction early in
the course– Require milestones in assignments to prevent
procrastination– Clearly provide links to people/resources for
assistance
Middlesex Community College
• 6% to 13% more students failed online courses than on-ground courses.
• Intervention Plan- Administer SmarterMeasure- Identify which constructs best predicted success- Provide “Success Tips” as identified
Distributed by website, email, orientation course, records office, library, posters, and mail
Research Findings
• Analyzed 3228 cases over two years• Significant positive correlation between
individual attributes and grades
GradesImpactsMotivation
Results of Middlesex Research
Before SmarterMeasure™ was implemented, 6% to 13% more students failed online courses than students taking on-ground courses. After theimplementation, the gaps were narrowed: 1.3% to 5.8% more online students failed than on-ground students.
Results of Middlesex ResearchFailure rates reduced by as much as 10%
PRESENT
• http://www.smarterservices.com/conferences.cfm• http://www.smarterservices.com/webinars.cfm
Getting Better
Best is defined as better than all others: of the
highest quality or standard or the most
excellent type