Yellowdig is Proven to Improve Student Persistence

With the overall trend of declining enrollment in higher education, retaining currently enrolled students is critical for institutional success.

OUR CLIENTS HAVE SEEN...

improvement in student pass rate

Source: Large Online University

improvement in student persistence

Source: Online Education Services

Hilarie Longnecker Associate Director of Curriculum and Early Engagement (1).png

Because not only do we see this as a career education program, it is also in some ways a retention strategy for the university because we know that students are retained at higher rates when they are engaged with making plans and progress towards their future goals. So too, that's really where Yellowdig came in.

How does Yellowdig help to improve student persistence?

Belonging

In a study published in 2021 by the Journal of Further and Higher Education, they found that "students who frequently considered leaving university without completing their degree (i.e. dropping out) had a significantly lower sense of belonging than students who did not."

In Yellowdig, students are given an unprecedented means of connecting with their peers and instructors about their course material, university happenings, and, ultimately, their interests, passions, and personal lives. Faculty report that students in Yellowdig Communities choose to be vulnerable, supportive, and kind, which creates a sense of community that runs deep. At the end of semesters, students often thank their peers in Yellowdig for being there for them and for the friendships they made along the way.

It gave me a sense of being a part of something.

Taneisha T.

Student

Arizona State University

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Peer Support +
Deeper Learning

The open conversation format of Yellowdig Engage enables students to take their learning to the next level. When students use Yellowdig they’re reflecting on course concepts, making connections, thinking critically, and consuming content resulting in deeper learning.

Students who are struggling are often the last ones to speak up in class. With Yellowdig’s online, asynchronous setting, learners are empowered to connect with their peers for support. The ability for learners to ask and answer questions at any time is critical to student success. Additionally, Yellowdig Engage’s format enables instructors and TAs to better spend their time answering critical questions and clearing up confusion, instead of repeatedly answering tedious questions via email 1:1, thus increasing their impact on student learning.

It made it easier to connect with my classmates and ask questions concerning both the learning materials and outside questions.

Anonymous

Student

Missouri Southern State University

Personal and Professional Relevance

With the value of higher education constantly in question, clearly communicating the connection between a student's education at your institution and their future is paramount. Yellowdig is a place where students are encouraged to bring in real-life examples of the course material to share with the community, whether that’s connecting it to their internship, personal interests, or an article about the field they’re already deeply experienced in.

When a student is able to see how course content is relevant beyond simply earning a grade, they gain a sense that their studies matter and are more interested. This sense of purpose and curiosity is critical to students seeing value in their education, deciding to continue on in their education, and putting in the effort required to succeed.

Yellowdig provided a great interactive forum to work with my peers daily, even in an entirely virtual/remote learning environment. I appreciated reading articles and experiences my classmates shared that were examples of what we were learning applied to current events or applied to the day to day experience in their own industries.

Diana B.

Online MBA Student

Boston University, Questrom School of Business