In this report, “Get with the program: Accelerating community colleges students’ entry into and completion of programs of study,” Jenkins and Cho proposed that identifying clusters of three credit bearing courses that lead to a program of study can assist colleges in redirecting support services to students as they make progress in entering and completing a program of study.
They suggest that student course-taking behaviors a greater predictor of progress into a program of study than declaring a major or intent.
PAR Framework takes us to deeper understanding
It is only at this stage of the journey that I believe that we can take full advantage of the Predictive Analytics Reporting (PAR) Framework. This framework takes our understanding of the student experience to much deeper level.
Helping us understand where we are most at risk of losing our students gives us an opportunity to take a critical look at how our policies and practices are supporting or hindering student success. More importantly the PAR Framework gives our colleges an opportunity to place the data at the hands of those who can make the most difference in student success, our faculty and staff.
The Lone Star College System joined the PAR Framework in the summer of 2012 as an institutional partner. Early participation in the PAR Framework is giving our college the opportunity to accelerate our capacity to leverage predictive analytics in a meaningful way that maximizes the use of our limited resources.
Take some time to reflect on your college’s journey in using data to understand the student experience at your respective colleges and remember that sustainable change takes time. You have to know where you are starting to develop the roadmap to where you want to get.
This post originally appeared on WCET Frontiers. WCET accelerates the adoption of effective practices and policies, advancing excellence in technology-enhanced teaching and learning in higher education.
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