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Signals - Stoplights for Student Success

Across campus, the success of every Purdue University student is a common goal shared by each instructor, advisor and staff member. In order to increase student success in the classroom, Purdue University’s Signals project

detects early warning signs and provides intervention to students who may not be performing to the best of their abilities before they reach a critical point.

Signals website in browser

Signals screenshot To identify students at risk academically, Signals combines predictive modeling with data-mining from Blackboard Vista. Each student is assigned a "risk group" determined by a predictive student success algorithm. One of three stoplight ratings, which correspond to the risk group, can be released on students' Blackboard homepage.

Intervention emails, composed by the instructor and based on grades and effort in the course can be released to each risk group. Signals communicates to students to use available resources on campus – like office hours and study materials - to increase their academic success. Both students and instructors benefit from Signals. Signals works in three unique ways:

  1. It provides real-time feedback.
  2. Interventions start early - as early as second week of class.
  3. It provides frequent and ongoing feedback.

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