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