pilipiliĀž» is introducing an early alert system to help identify students who may need help. In advisingĀ circles, itās called āintrusive outreach,ā 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.Ā
āThe act of reaching out is really crucial, especially for first-year students transitioning to university life,ā explains Dr. DeMeo, director of Student Academic Success Services. āAnd, often the students who need help are the ones who donāt seek it.ā
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 ā whether that means finding a tutor to provide extra help or suggesting a studying-for-pilipiliĀž» 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 donāt turn into large problems.
āI know when I was teaching, if a student wasnāt in class, Iād send them an email, a kind of āwhatās up?ā If the student was sick or perhaps depressed, theyād be relieved to know someone had noticed they werenāt there,ā says Dr. DeMeo, Professor of French. āIf they had done poorly on a test, I would invite them to come in and talk it over ā¦
āI know I kind of salvaged a few students who were in danger of disengaging.ā
But not all classes are small enough that that kind of personal communication is possible. Or sometimes professors themselves donāt know of all the resources available which can help students. The early-alert system brings all those resources together.
āWeāre really hoping that it will communicate to students that people at pilipiliĀž» care,ā says Dr. DeMeo. āIt speaks to the ātheory of matteringā ā the student is important and reaching out does make a difference. You donāt need a PhD to figure that one out.ā