Readiness for Online Learning: Indicators of Persistence for a Nontraditional Student Population

Texas A&M University-Central Texas (TAMUCT) started using a readiness assessment for online learning to identify at-risk students to be able to provide remediation and support. The particular assessment (SmarterMeasures) includes six major assessment components that measure on-screen reading rate and recall; technical competency; individual attributes; life factors; preferred learning styles; and typing speed and accuracy. The student scores were analyzed against the persistence of students in online courses to identify domains with the highest predictive validity for discovering the at-risk students for TAMUCT's nontraditional student population. This presentation will share the preliminary findings of this implementation and discuss future plans.

Learning Objectives:
*Describe several components of student readiness for online learning
*Discuss several strategies to remedy and support the at-risk students in online programs
*Identify the components of readiness for online learning for a nontraditional student body