Awareness to Action: Student Knowledge of and Responses to an Early Alert System

Introduction: Student retention is a critical issue in higher education. Universities have responded by implementing supports like early alert systems. Objective: We investigated students’ knowledge of and experiences with an early alert system designed to enhance academic persistence. Method: We surveyed (N = 356) undergraduates at a large public university in the U.S. The survey was researcher-created and administered online. Participants self-selected into the study and provided informed consent prior to beginning the study. Data were coded by experts, who achieved excellent IRR. The analyses were frequency-based to understand diverse student knowledge, experiences, and responses with early alert systems. Results: Students commonly reported experiencing negative emotions after receiving an alert, but also reported that receiving an alert motivated them to increase their course attendance, improve their study habits, and participate more in class. Finally, students indicated that receiving an early alert facilitated supportive interactions with instructors, though student communication with academic advisors was less frequent. Student recommendations for system improvement included using positive language in alerts and providing actionable guidance. Conclusions: These results provide new insight into student views of early alert systems and suggest that these systems can positively impact students in need of support.