Early alerts / Course performance alerts

Perimeter College utilizes an “Early Alert” system to identify students who are at risk of failing a course ( https://success.students.gsu.edu/early-alert/ ). Perimeter College defines the Early Alert system as “Early Alert at Georgia State University is an initiative that seeks to provide feedback and support to students who have demonstrated behaviors within the first six weeks of the semester that may hinder academic performance and overall college success.  This outreach effort is a partnership between faculty teaching undergraduate students and staff in the Office of Student Success.”

The principle of Early Alerts is to help struggling students while there is still time to make changes and improve grades. Statistics from GSU shows this helps students who are struggling. This goal is an admirable goal in education. However, there are problems with the implementation of this system, consequences to these actions, and a conflict with general higher education principles. These are outlined below:

• The Early Alerts initiative is discriminatory to all students who are not reported as at risk. Students who receive an at-risk alert are given additional support and resources from the University that students not at risk do not receive. Every student should be given the same opportunities to improve their grade. Getting into Health Field related career programs, such as nursing, is competitive. Every student should be aiming for an A grade in prerequisite courses to be as competitive as possible. To offer additional help and support in improving their grade to a student who could fail a class, but not to a student who is averaging a B or C is discrimination. The B and C students should also be given the same opportunities so they can be more competitive in applications to their future programs.
• If a student is averaging an A, B, or C, and are thus not reported as at risk, they could still fail the course. For example, if they stop attending class, stop taking tests, and/or miss other assignment deadlines, then they could still fail the class. Early Alerts are submitted around one quarter to one third of the way through the course for full semester classes, about two thirds of the way through the course for mini-mester 1 courses, and before the course even starts for mini-mester 2 courses. The course grade is spread out over the length of the course as best possible. When Early Alerts are submitted, a student could not have scored enough course points to pass the course, even if they had a score of 100% on every assignment, regardless of whether it is a full semester, mini-mester 1, or mini-mester 2course.
• The Early Alert notification has two consequences depending on whether you receive one or not:
• If you receive an Early Alert: Students consciously (and subconsciously) acknowledge they have to do better. This results in students either continuing to study, try to improve their study efficiency, and/or make changes to other aspects of their life so they can spend more time studying for the course. These are all positive things.
• If you do not receive an Early Alert: Students are aware when Early Alerts come out. If a student does not receive an Early Alert they often consciously (and subconsciously) assume they are doing well and will get an A in the course. This is not necessarily correct, as all students can improve their study habits and time spent studying. By not receiving the alert, students generally do not make any changes. This means a B or C level student will still get that B or C at the end of the course. To get the A grade, the B and C level student would need to make changes just like the student who received the alert. Some students may also slack off if they don’t receive an alert, which would result in a decrease in their grade.

Due to the above reasons, Dr Hollier will list every single student as at risk. This allows all students to be reminded that they need to continue studying, try to improve, complete all assignments, and give them access to the resources of the University to help them improve their grade. There are no exceptions to this situation. Every single student, even if you are averaging a 100%, will be reported as at risk in any Early Alert system (or any University initiative that has the same outcome).

[Start of Alert]
At Risk: Yes
Alert Reason: General Concern or Participation or attendance
Comments:
All students at this point in the semester are at potential of failing the class if they decide to stop attending class, do not study sufficiently, do not ask the instructor questions when they are having problems, or stop taking the tests. Given the point in the semester, it is possible that any student could fail.
Students have weekly assignments and/or tests and know how well (or not) they are doing on the tests and in the course. Students have the responsibility to monitor their progress in this way and take action when needed. Students should use the document “How to calculate your lecture grade” or “How to calculate your lab grade” to track their progress. Students can confirm they have correctly calculated their grade by emailing a picture of the completed tables to Dr Hollier as an attachment in iCollege. In doing so, they will know their current progress and if they are struggling in the course. It will also identify where they are struggling.
As an alert, students should utilize the grade calculator provided to them. If they are not doing this, then they should. This is an alert for them to do this.
Please refer to the class syllabus section “Early Alerts / Course Performance Alerts” for more information about these alerts, their purpose, and why Dr. Hollier enters the same alert for ALL students.
 [End of Alert]

Bottom line: You have the responsibility

• To track your progress with the student grade calculator provided.
• To attend every class meeting for face-to-face classes or enter iCollege online each week for online classes.
• To come and see me when you are having problems.
• To continue studying for the course and complete the assignments.