The document discusses high college attrition rates, with nearly half of enrolled students dropping out before earning a degree. It notes that reasons for dropping out vary and increasing pressure is being placed on schools to help keep students in college. The document advocates for capturing more meaningful data in real-time through mobile apps to help advisors better understand student needs, feelings of belongingness, confidence, and personal issues in order to provide targeted support and reverse attrition trends. Having an "advisor in every student's pocket" through such an app is presented as a potential solution.
4. • Nearly 18 million students
will be enrolled in higher
education in the fall. Nearly
half are expected to drop
out before earning any type
of degree.
• Reasons for dropout vary
widely, and programs/
schools and support
professionals are facing
increased pressure to
keep students in the
college pipeline.
• In order to reverse these
trends, students need a
comfortable and familiar
method of articulating their
concerns to supportive
professionals.
COLLEGE PIPELINE
DEGREE COMPLETION
LACK OF
ACADEMIC
PREP
FINANCIAL
CONCERNS
PERSONAL
PROBLEMS
The Systemic Problem
5. “In God we trust.
All others must bring data.”
– W. Edwards Deming
6. Why Do We Need It?
• To measure results
– Of teaching
– Of learning
– Of programs
• To predict outcomes
• To understand behaviors
7. Secondary Education &
Student Behavior
• Big part of our job
• Shaping and molding behaviors to
conform to our expectations
• Constantly measuring it
• Look to families to do their part
8. Postsecondary Education &
Student Behavior
• It’s no longer our job
• Who you are has largely been shaped
• Don’t invest time measuring it
• Family—what family?
9. The Reality
• Students ARE struggling:
– 59% of incoming freshmen reported that they have
developed a solid system of self-discipline for
keeping up with schoolwork
– 40 % of incoming, first-generation freshmen
indicated they have "very distracting and
troublesome" financial problems—a proportion that
has generally held steady over the last six years
(Nat’l Freshman Attitudes Report – 2013 Noel-Levitz)
• Students FEEL lost/disconnected:
– “Belongingness” is essential to individual growth
and existence within a community. Strayhorn (2012)
12. User Stories
"As a __ I want to __ so that _ because ___”
– As a student I want to fit in so that I feel like
I’m a part of the community because that will
help me graduate
– As a student I want to have an adult on
campus I can trust so that I can see them if
I’m having any issues because that will help
get through the rough patches.
13. Agile Development
• Data are limited—blunt instruments
• Capturing data at prescribed moments
that are too infrequent
• Using data to inform next year’s
programs
14. Predictive Modeling
• Current systems identify and elevate
only some of the problems
• Rely heavily on multiple triggers to
create an algorithm
• Paint a picture that may not be accurate
and is often incomplete
15. What Data Are We Missing?
• Satisfaction
• Confidence and self-efficacy
• Personal life
• Connectedness/sense of belonging
16. Inadequate Solutions & Tools
• Data we have are blunt instruments
– Capturing limited data at prescribed times
throughout the school year
• Current systems identify and elevate only
some of the problems
• Academic advisors are often guessing who
needs their help
21. Tapping Into What Matters
• Belonging matters
• Relationships matter
• Grit and tenacity matter
22. It is one thing to understand why students
leave; it is another to know what institutions
can do to help students stay and succeed.
Leaving is not the mirror image of staying.
(Tinto, 2006)
