SMARTHINKING | The leader in on-demand student support

Open Universities Australia (OUA) attracts a broad range of students, including non-traditional (part-time, mature-aged or limited English speakers), high-risk students with weak academic histories, international students, and professionals wishing to upgrade their skills. Transforming student lives through education is central to OUA’s mission. Students enroll in OUA courses with varying degrees of preparation for higher academic studies. OUA determined that helping them improve their writing skills was critical to overall student success. Smarthinking’s Online Writing Lab (OWL) was chosen to provide OUA students with access to expert writing tutors. Students submit their essays or other writing assignments to Smarthinking tutors online and receive individualized feedback and critique.
 

From 2008-2010, OUA researchers tracked the course pass and completion rates of students using Smarthinking’s Online Writing Lab as compared to non-Smarthinking studentsi. The two student groups were composed of similarly sized subgroups of traditional, non-traditional and at-risk students. Setting up the study in this manner was intended to isolate the variable, namely the use of Smarthinking. In seven study periods, from 2008 to 2010, Smarthinking students passed their courses at an average rate of 89% versus an average rate of 57% for non-Smarthinking students —a 32% difference. Completion rates for Smarthinking students were also dramatic, with an average of 99% compared with 77% of non-Smarthinking students—a 22% difference. Retention rates showed that after four terms of Smarthinking usage, 47% of Smarthinking students were still enrolled versus 30% of non-Smarthinking students —a 17% difference. Finally, student feedback on Smarthinking’s Online Writing Lab was overwhelmingly positive. Almost 84% of the students were satisfied or highly satisfied with the Online Writing Lab. OUA is continuing to assess how to increase student access to Smarthinking’s Online Writing Lab. In addition, OUA is in the process of improving orientation resources for staff and students, updating student handbooks, as well as establishing a Smarthinking special interest group.

"Having Smarthinking available to OUA students has been a valuable element in our academic support structures. Evidence has shown that for students who use Smarthinking, their overall pass rates, course completions, and retention are all significantly higher than students who do not utilise this service. The partnership with Smarthinking has been fundamentally an astute investment."
Dr. Michael Crock, Executive Director, Academic Services