Smarthinking online tutoring enhances student performance
Pearson | December 10, 2021 in Meaningful Outcomes
by Pearson
Smarthinking enhances student performance
In 2018, several professors at Chestnut Hill College in Philadelphia, PA, partnered with Pearson to investigate the impact of Smarthinking™ online tutoring on student achievement in a variety of courses.
Key findings include:
- Smarthinking online tutoring was a factor in some students passing their courses.
- Students reported using Smarthinking online tutoring in subsequent courses.
- Returning adult students specifically noted the benefit of Smarthinking online tutors’ help in strengthening rusty math and writing skills.
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Why did Chestnut Hill College want to participate in a study regarding Smarthinking?
Elaine Green, Dean of the School of Continuing and Professional Studies, wanted to gather meaningful data about Smarthinking’s impact, which students benefit, and under what circumstances, in an effort to generate the strongest possible outcomes.
How was Smarthinking implemented?
Green recruited faculty in different departments and asked them to require students to engage with Smarthinking one or more times during the term. Faculty then built the Smarthinking requirement into their syllabi and discussed its importance and benefits with students.
Did Smarthinking impact student performance?
As some courses were small, Green asked instructors to participate for multiple terms and across multiples courses or sections. Instructors’ observations included the following:
- For students engaged in our accelerated education program, Smarthinking plays a key role.
- Some students are accessing Smarthinking tutors in their subsequent courses for assistance with writing and other skills.
- It appears that students who truly needed the extra help engaged the Smarthinking tutors and performed well, leading to strong overall class performance.
Did students like using Smarthinking?
Among students responding to an end-of-term survey (n=9) about their experiences with Smarthinking:
- 100% indicated that they would access Smarthinking tutors for other courses.
- 75% indicated that they had more confidence in their academic skills after working with Smarthinking tutors.
