READI – “Readiness for Education At a Distance Indicator”

Are you ready to take a distance-learning course?  Are your distance education students best prepared to learn at a distance?

How It Works 

This web-based tool assesses students’ likelihood for succeeding in an online learning program.  READI indicates the degree to which an individual student possesses attributes that contribute to success in online learning, including:

v     Self-motivation
v     Time-management skills
v     Self-discipline
v     Reading comprehension
v     Persistence
v     Availability of time
v     Ability to use a laptop, printer, software, and the Internet. 

READI does not rely on simple self-assessment questions with obvious “right” and “wrong” answers.  Rather, through a sequence of activities measures the degree to which students possess the traits needed for success in studying at a distance. 

READI provides an immediate score and diagnostic interpretation of results to the student and to their prospective school. 

READI includes four major assessment components that measure

• Reading comprehension
• Technical competency
• Individual attributes
• Preferred learning styles. 

BENEFITS TO YOU

Research literature shows that maintaining high retention rates in distance education programs is a significant challenge for educators.  One of the problems is identifying students who have the skills and attributes necessary for successful distance learning.   READI serves as an early warning device to identify students  who might be at risk of dropping out of distance education programs.

Educational institutions invest heavily on attracting and recruiting students.  However, there is little return on the investment when students quickly drop out of the program.  READI allows schools to identify the students who are likely to drop out, and  also provides resources for remediation so that at-risk students can succeed.

Students also invest thousands of dollars in their education and may be hesitant to study at a distance for fear that they might not do well.  READI helps them to recognize their strengths and provides resources to strengthen their weaknesses.  Students who is confident of their READIness is much more likely to enroll in a distance learning course. 

OTHER FEATURES

Reporting – Each potential student who takes READI receives an individualized report which shows the various components of his/her personal READI score and also  compares those scores to others in their defined group. (NOTE: Do we do this?)  School counselors receive a summative report detailing overall usage as well as individual READI scores.  See a SAMPLE REPORT.

Solutions – If the instrument determines that a user is not ready to study at a distance, links to potential remediation resources are provided.  At this point the student’s admissions counselor may also provide additional resources.

Ease of Interpretation – The results are not presented in confusing columns of numbers and figures, but in easy to interpret charts and graphs (as seen below.)  Participants receive colorful charts indicating their level of READIness in reading comprehension, technical competency, individual attributes, and preferred learning styles.

EXAMPLE:

RESULTS AT A GLANCE:

 Try READI now!