Tag: Unique

  • Unique Data About the Online Student Experience

    Unique Data About the Online Student Experience

    The Priorities Survey for Online Learners (PSOL) is the instrument in the Satisfaction-Priorities Survey family that best reflects the unique experiences of students in online two-year and four-year programs, including at the graduate level. The Priorities Survey for Online Learners provides the perspectives of online students aside external national benchmarks to inform decision-making for 150 institutions across the country. 

    It is critical to understand the full experience of online students who may have limited interactions with the institution, and the Priorities Survey for Online Learners allows leadership to know what matters to their online students in both their academic and non-academic interactions. Students respond on items related to instructional, enrollment, academic and enrollment services along with their general perceptions of the institution. This broad view provides direction to campus leaders to be able to best serve what may be a growing population for the institution. Online students indicate a level of importance and satisfaction with just over two dozen items.

    The combination of satisfaction and importance scores identifies strengths (areas of high importance and high satisfaction) to be celebrated and challenges (areas of high importance and low satisfaction) to be improved. Along with the external national comparison data specific to online students published annually, institutions can compare their students’ perceptions internally over time with annual or every-other-year administrations. In addition, the provided reporting gives institutions the opportunity to review their data for demographic subpopulations to focus initiatives appropriately. 

    All students enrolled in online programs, undergraduate and graduate alike, can be invited to complete the Priorities Survey for Online Learners. Like the Student Satisfaction Inventory and the Adult Student Priorities Survey (the other survey instruments in the Satisfaction-Priorities family), the data gathered by the survey can support multiple initiatives on campus including to inform student success efforts, to provide the student voice for strategic planning, to document priorities for accreditation purposes, and to highlight positive messaging for recruitment activities. Student satisfaction has been positively linked with higher individual student retention and higher institutional graduation rates, getting right to the heart of higher education student success. 

    “Having an independent organization with a well-known brand provide the student perspective is hugely important to us. The data is valued by our Board of directors and by our accrediting organizations. It shows how we are performing when it comes to institutions that are similar to us,” said Ada Uche, director of assessment and institutional effectiveness at Colorado Technical University (CO) about their regular administration of the Priorities Survey for Online Learners. 

    Learn more about best practices for administering the Priorities Survey for Online Learners at your institution, which can be done any time during the academic year on the institutions’ timeline.

    Ask for a complimentary consultation with our student success experts

    What is your best approach to increasing student retention and completion? Our experts can help you identify roadblocks to student persistence and maximize student progression. Reach out to set up a time to talk.

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  • Three Unique Assignments You’ll Want to Replicate

    Three Unique Assignments You’ll Want to Replicate

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    Today’s educators have yet to meet a challenge they can’t navigate. And according to our recent research, 50% of faculty say they feel comfortable handling their top challenges alone. Yet, one challenge stands out from the rest: the need to produce creative content to entertain students.

    To help you overcome this hurdle, we asked our Faculty Partners across disciplines, including English, psychology and finance to share some of the creative assignments they’ve come up with to keep class both educational and fun for students. Here are three innovative ideas you should take note of.

    1.    Social media profiles of characters

    Do you ever wonder what your favorite literary character’s social media profile would look like if they had one? Kerry L. Frabizio, Associate Professor of English at Warren County Community College, told us about a unique group project she introduced to her English Composition students. It lets them develop social media personalities based on characters from some of the most iconic plays in American history.

    Project instructions: Each group will create a fictional but realistic social media presence for each assigned character. Be creative, but stay true to the character’s attitude, motivations and story arc.

    Required components: Students must produce the following for each of their assigned characters:

    • Social Media Platform
    • Handle/Username
    • Profile Picture
    • Occupation or Life Role
    • Favorite Hashtags
    • Followers/Following (Optional)
    • One main post

    This entertaining assignment reframes course content in a way that’s relatable and engaging for today’s tech-driven students.

    2.     Music video discussion

    You might know the lyrics to your favorite song by heart, but have you considered the deeper meaning or significance behind them? Marc Wilson, Ph.D. Professor and Director of Graduate Psychology Programs at Fisher College, has transformed that concept into a media-based assignment for his psychology students.

    Each week, students watch a music video relevant to one or more of their course topics. They’re asked to respond to the video, discussing how they think the lyrics or video relate to one of the disorders they’re studying that week.

    Additionally, students are asked to find and share media that they think reflects that week’s course material. This assignment not only helps students develop critical thinking and analysis skills, but also gives them an opportunity to connect with topics in a meaningful way.

    3.     Discussion forum

    If you’re looking for a creative assignment in finance, consider this discussion forum activity, courtesy of Ann Snell, Instructor, Business Administration at Alamance Community College. This activity gets students thinking critically about the role finance plays in their everyday lives, and the world around them. Each week, students receive engaging prompts based on their course content. They’re asked to reflect on questions like:

    • What’s one financial goal you care about? This could be saving for a trip, paying off student loans, starting a business, or investing in your future. Why is it important to you?
    • What’s something that represents your “money personality”? Maybe it’s your favorite budgeting app, a piggy bank, a vintage coin or even your go-to coffee splurge — anything that reflects your style with money.
    • If you could work anywhere in the world, where would it be — and why?

     Students are allowed to record their answers on their phones or webcams. They can even use props to liven up their presentations.

    These types of assignments get students actively engaged with their course content in. By tapping into their sense of creativity and imagination, they can grow into confident learners built for future success.

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  • Kansas State University’s Braggin’ Wagon Offers a Unique Way to Recognize Campus Employees – CUPA-HR

    Kansas State University’s Braggin’ Wagon Offers a Unique Way to Recognize Campus Employees – CUPA-HR

    by CUPA-HR | October 19, 2022

    Think about a time you were recognized by a colleague for a job well done. Whether it was a grand gesture or a small act of recognition, chances are the personal shoutout put some pep in your step. Positive recognition in any form is a sure mood booster and helps move campus well-being in the right direction.

    In a recent CUPA-HR webinar, Refuel, Invest and Inspire Campus Well-Being, presenters from Kansas State University (K-State) shared a unique way of recognizing teams and departments on campus: the Braggin’ Wagon.

    The Braggin’ Wagon was developed by K-State’s Staley School of Leadership, which has a strong partnership with HR. The decorative travelling wagon is filled with treats, candy, small toys and other fun items for the receiving team to enjoy. Once the wagon is delivered to a department, it is up to that department to restock the wagon and deliver it to another department in order to keep the recognition going.

    This simple yet powerful way of recognizing campus employees serves a double purpose — it adds an element of fun to the work day for the team being recognized (who doesn’t love getting a surprise treat in the middle of a work day?), and it also gives the team passing on the wagon an opportunity to get out of the office for some exercise and take a mental break in the work day.

    “When K-State resumed in-person work, it was important to put the emphasis on our employees and the solid work they were doing to make a difference. The Braggin’ Wagon was a way for departments to recognize other university partners who contributed to their work in a positive way,” says Shanna Legleiter, associate vice president of human capital services at K-State.

    With the Braggin’ Wagon as inspiration, what are some other creative ways HR can shine a spotlight on employees who work hard to keep campus operations running smoothly? Are there campus partnerships that can be formed to bring ideas for recognition to life? Don’t be afraid to think outside of the box when it comes to recognition opportunities!



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