UWG partnered with the Education Advisory Board – Student Success Collaborative (EAB-SSC) to implement a technology-driven, intrusive advising model that is grounded in predictive analytics. In Fall 2014, the EAB-SSC technical team completed the development of an advising algorithm using 10 years of UWG student data to produce an institution-specific advising platform and predictive workbooks for each major. Faculty identified ‘Success Markers’ for each major in early January, 2015, which set the stage for the pilot project that was implemented in the latter part of the Spring 2015 term. The purpose of the pilot was to test the accuracy and effectiveness of the advising platform and predictive workbooks with three groups of professional advisors: Pre-Nursing, Business, and the Advising Center.
Measure of Progress for the Pre-Nursing Spring 2015 Pilot. Early outcomes from the Pre-Nursing pilot project, a joint effort between the School of Nursing and Advising Center, indicate that ‘Success Markers’ made more of an impact on advising conversations with students than did GPA trends, which had been the standard of practice. Success Markers are specific milestones identified by Nursing faculty as critical points for predicting future success in the program. For example, Nursing faculty selected a ‘grade of B or better in Anatomy and Physiology (BIOL 2021) that must be completed between 30-45 credit hours earned’ as one of seven Success Markers for their program.
Measure of Progress for the Business Spring 2015 Pilot. Professional Advisors in the Richards College of Business conducted a ‘campaign’ through their pilot project, whereby advisors identified business students who were above a 3.0 GPA for the Spring Semester. Advisors sent congratulatory emails to these students. Early outcomes indicate that students responded positively to the encouragement. For example, K.E., a female business major posted a facebook comment on May 18, 2015, in response to her advisor’s contact that read: “Awesome when you open your email and see that your hard work does not go unrecognized!!! Happy Monday!!! – feeling proud.”
Scale-up for 2015-2016. Training for all advisors (both professional and faculty advisors who did not participate in the pilot project) is scheduled for September, 2015, to prepare for full-scale implementation of the EAB-Student Success Collaborative model to advise for the Spring 2016 term.
