Understanding low and high performance by looking at effort
Understanding low and high performance by looking at effort
Withdrawn Effort
Low Performance �(WE-LP)�
Low Effort
Acceptable Performance�(LE-AP)
High Effort
Acceptable Performance
(HE-AP)
High Effort
Low Performance�(HE-LP)
Performance
Effort
We identified CHEM1331 as “the canary in the coal mine” for success and retention at UMR
Milestone exams success is very representative of success in the course
Using milestones to quantify effort.
Implementation:
Cumulative
Give the questions ahead of time
Graded on A/C/F
Multiple attempts
Questions are “low-order” skills
Assign the same exercise as homework
Fall 2024 results: Milestone 1 results
56%
HEAPs
9%
HELPs
23%
WELPs
12%
LEAPs
Average: 82.4%
Standard Dev 17%�ACF students: 67.5% / 11.9% / 20.6%
Compared to last year
ACF students: 65.6% / 13.5%/ 20.9%
So, what’s the message to students?
Withdrawn Effort
Low Performance �WE-LP�
Low Effort
Acceptable Performance�LE-AP
High Effort
Acceptable Performance
(HE-AP)
High Effort
Low Performance�(HE-LP)
Performance
Effort
Keep helping them
Avoid �frustration
Challenge them�Avoid boredom
Communicate early�and loud
Does everyone succeed after several attempts?
By mid-October Compared to Fall 23, in Fall 24 we had more HEAPs (yay!) but also more HELPs (☹)
Do students change their behavior throughout the semester? Looking at after all the attempts
Compared to F23, F24 the HEAPs lost steam. The number of WELPs increased
October November
October November
Students who settle and do not try further attempts
Students may settle with the C grade
Below are the % of students who failed the milestone without trying the 3 attempts (a true sing of giving up)
By mid October we can already predict their grade based on their behavior
Those behaving as WELPs or HELPs�will never get an A or a B.�
By October, we know that the WELPs �will get a “DFW”
By the end of November
Understanding low and high performance by looking at effort
Do students visit our justAsk hours?
During the first half of the semester
Students decrease their attendance as the semester progresses
Similar behavior between Fall23 and 24
During the second half of the semester
justAsk and grades
Does justAsk attendance correlate with effort?
By October:
There is a significant portion of HEAPs who visit justAsk often.
The majority of WELPs never visit justAsk
Studying demographics
Demographics:
Variables:�
Demographics FirstGen and behavior and performance
Demographics Sex (Male/Female) and behavior and performance
Males are overrepresented in the LEAP category and�underrepresented in the WELP one.
This difference disappeared in later instances
Demographics Student of Color (Y/N) and behavior and performance
Students of color visit justAsk�more frequently
No significance for WELPs or final grades