Coaches, Computers and College Completion: Can Technology Get More Students to a Degree?

In the U.S., just 60 percent of students complete their bachelor’s degree and take on average six years to get there. For two-year college programs, only about a third of students achieve their certificate or associate degree within three years. The numbers are even more troubling when placed alongside rising tuition costs, which prevent many students from adding extra semesters to finish their program.

A number of institutions are thinking about how to change that through tech-augmented academic advising. That can take a number of forms: from early-alert systems that flag students in need of extra support, to predictive analytics, to online (and increasingly self-service) degree-planning services.

But technology alone doesn’t help students get through the hardest parts of college: people do. In this meetup, EdSurge will ask experts about the shifting role of advisors, as well as how, when or even if technology should be used to intervene with students. Join us for a panel discussion, networking and some light refreshments as we discuss the shifting role of academic advising for the 21st century.

Panelists:

- Dwight Smith (Assistant Director of Programs at Beyond12)
- Charles Thornburgh (CEO at Civitas)
- Jazzie Murphy (Director of Academic Advising at Sacramento State)
- Hoori Santikian Kalamkarian (Postdoctoral Research Associate at the Community College Research Center)