Every few years new technology emerges that promises to improve student success and make it easier for college officials to do their jobs.
Some tools have delivered on that promise, but many face blowback when they don’t quickly fix the problems they were designed to solve.
Nudging, for instance, has helped some institutions improve retention and reduce summer melt, but recent studies have shown the digital alerts are not so effective at scale. Other popular technologies, such as predictive analytics, must be used carefully to avoid limiting students’ options by putting them on easier paths rather than giving them more support.
