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| Faculty members can use the early-alert system to express concern for a student who may be falling behind. (Nick Pearce Photo) |
AV俱乐部 is introducing an early alert system to help identify students who may need help. In advising聽 circles, it鈥檚 called 鈥渋ntrusive outreach,鈥� but Patricia DeMeo says all it means is that rather than hoping that students in difficulty will seek help, a concern is expressed to the students so they can get timely and targeted supports.聽
鈥淭he act of reaching out is really crucial, especially for first-year students transitioning to university life,鈥� explains Dr. DeMeo, director of Student Academic Success Services. 鈥淎nd, often the students who need help are the ones who don鈥檛 seek it.鈥�
The web-based early-alert system will be up and running in January. Faculty members will be able to access it online at earlyalert.dal.ca.
Professors will be able to use the system if they have a concern about a student who is at risk of falling behind, for example, if the student is not coming to class, not handing in assignments on time, not participating in group work, or performing poorly on assignments or tests. Once a professor checks off his or her concerns, the early-alert software program will identify resources that can assist the student 鈥� whether that means finding a tutor to provide extra help or suggesting a studying-for-success workshop. This information is then sent to the student via email. The student is also encouraged to meet with the faculty member to discuss their concerns further.
Dr. DeMeo says the system will provide early intervention so small problems don鈥檛 turn into large problems.
鈥淚 know when I was teaching, if a student wasn鈥檛 in class, I鈥檇 send them an email, a kind of 鈥榳hat鈥檚 up?鈥� If the student was sick or perhaps depressed, they鈥檇 be relieved to know someone had noticed they weren鈥檛 there,鈥� says Dr. DeMeo, Professor of French. 鈥淚f they had done poorly on a test, I would invite them to come in and talk it over 鈥�
鈥淚 know I kind of salvaged a few students who were in danger of disengaging.鈥�
But not all classes are small enough that that kind of personal communication is possible. Or sometimes professors themselves don鈥檛 know of all the resources available which can help students. The early-alert system brings all those resources together.
鈥淲e鈥檙e really hoping that it will communicate to students that people at AV俱乐部 care,鈥� says Dr. DeMeo. 鈥淚t speaks to the 鈥榯heory of mattering鈥� 鈥� the student is important and reaching out does make a difference. You don鈥檛 need a PhD to figure that one out.鈥�