1. Tools for Retaining Online Students
Tara Boozer, Account Manager
Dr. Kara Monroe, Ivy Tech Community College

2. “What our program really needs is a …”

3. DECADE Consulting, LLC
Distance Education Consulting And Development Experts
Founded 2000, Incorporated 2002
400+ schools, corporations and consortia as clients
Approximately 200,000 students & faculty per year use our products
Suite of four solutions for distance learning programs
Marketed at eLearningToolBox.com or DECADEConsulting.com
We identify common problems then develop low-cost yet robust solutions.

4. distance learning leaders have changed.
The questions asked by
distance learning leaders have changed.

5. PROBLEM
Some students are prepared to learn at a distance and others are not.
SOLUTION
READI.info
Readiness for Education At a Distance Indicator (patent pending)

6. PROBLEM
Efficiently finding academically qualified, experienced online faculty.
SOLUTION
FacultyFinder.com

7. PROBLEM
How do we know what students think about our online courses?
SOLUTION
PostCourse.com

8. PROBLEM
How do we find neutral yet convenient test proctors?
SOLUTION
TestProctors.com

10. READI Implementation Case Study
Ivy Tech Community College

11. READI Usage
Ivy Tech Community College added READI in the fall 2009 semester
Approximately 2200 assessments voluntarily taken in the first semester

12. About Ivy Tech
Nation’s largest statewide community system with a single accreditation
Largest post-secondary institution in Indiana serving more than 130,000 students annually
29 degree-granting campuses in 14 administrative “regions”

13. Indiana’s fastest growing institution of higher education.
Many campuses are among the fastest growing in the nation in their size/type categories.
Multiple campuses are the fastest growing in the country (Indianapolis/Fort Wayne in large metro; Richmond/Lafayette/Bloomington in small to medium sized communities)
Distance education courses alone serve more than 45,000 students annually. Increased growth in distance education last year by more than 35%.

14. How we use READI currently…
Voluntary student assessment tool for the student to determine if they have the skills necessary to be successful in an online course.
Taken as a part of our online orientation
Taken before a session with an advisor
As an assignment in a course
Entire READI assessment
Portions of the READI assessment
As a “marketing” tool for interested students
Call Center distribution to students indicating an interest in distance education

16. Marketing and Promotion
Animate the three elements on this slide…

17. What we’ve learned so far…
General knowledge
Computer skills may NOT be the problem – at least for students
Many students score low in only one area
Helping all students
Locus of Control is generally lower attribute than others
Informing course design process
Procrastination and time management are challenges across the board for nearly all students

18. Expanding READI usages…
Achieving the Dream
New Student Orientation
Online Student Orientation
Assessment Centers with COMPASS
Recorded in Banner as a means to “skip” the online orientation
Faculty readiness assessment in faculty certification course

20. Information about the instrument

21. Reliability and Validity Information

22. Login Screen

23. Custom User Interface

24. School Specific Questions

25. Ability to Stop and Start the Assessment

26. Automated PIN

31. Note the Ability to Change Text Size

34. Info About The Reading Passages

43. Results Reported in School’s Interface

44. Color Coded Results

45. Graphical Results

46. Reporting National Averages is an Option

47. Tabbed Sections of the Report

48. Free Resources Provided for Each Section
Schools can Provide Info About Their Own Resources

50. Detailed Info On Each Learning Style

51. Results Graphically, Textually and Numerically Reported

53. READI Administrative Panel
Can be used by faculty and staff who are reviewing the student’s READI scores.

54. Usage Metrics

57. Results At A Glance

58. User Group Set-up

59. User comments about READI
I wanted to let you know how things went this semester with READI. The process was very smooth and there were no complications. The students found the assessment easy to take and they have nothing but praise for the product (I have included some of their feedback). After I reviewed each student's results, I felt like I 'knew' him or her a bit better. It made me aware of any weaknesses and that enabled us (me & the student) to be proactive and address the weakness rather than having to deal with the results of the weakness. That alone has been a huge plus. I want to share some of the feedback I received from the students... The assessment shows that I do have the capabilities to do online courses even though I many not have thought so earlier!

60. I think READI is pretty interesting and actually tells you things that are correct... I thought that the READI assessment was helpful in showing me the areas that I might need help in. I know my typing skills are not as good as they could be. I was delighted in knowing as much as I did in most of the categories. I actually enjoyed the READI assignment...
...I knew I was an average reader. Actually, I'm surprised I scored as high as I did. I did not realize until I read my printout that research shows that reading is around 25% slower from a computer screen than from paper. I am one who has to print out everything and have the paper in my hand. I guess that goes back to the physical part of my learning style I did learn that social and physical are my two dominant learning styles with visual and verbal being my non-dominant. Scoring high with the social learning style surprised me a bit. I thought I would have scored higher with solitary learning. Hey, I guess these group assignments are my preferred way to learn after all!!! I would have never guessed it!

61. FacultyFinder.com

63. PostCourse.com

72. Contact Information
Tara Boozer eLearningToolBox.com (877) 411-ELTB (3582) x 107 (334)