NSF AGEP

The challenge: The National Science Foundation tracks many activities under the AGEP Program averaging 5+ years in duration and requiring continual updates and annual reporting. As a result, AGEP Programs track more than 3000 students who will enter and exit the program with multiple revisions being made to their performance and participation in the AGEP Program. Much of the data is logged in notebooks and spreadsheets in separate and distinct systems or processes; outdating it quickly when determining effectiveness of specific programs within the AGEP.

Solution: Xcalibur had already developed a longitudinal student tracking solution called SCRIBE that was being used for similar purposes and presented this as an option that NSF could use to assist AGEP programs in importing and tracking data on the AGEP program. Critical to the success of the system, is being able to easily import the data from the varied locations and separate and distinct data sources, while maintaining and observing the data centrally. The data will be pulled into a central repository for organizing and processing, providing real-time updates. By having several different user interfaces, AGEP-TS resources are effectively presented to audiences of different requirements (i.e., the AGEP-participants, evaluators, and NSF AGEP personnel) in a way that is useful and usable.

Benefits: AGEP-TS improved the accuracy and timeliness of the data and reporting process. AGEP-TS delivered immediate information on potentially successful or lacking services:

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By using AGEP-TS personnel can readily produce formative evaluation and continuous reporting of results to all participants (institutions, NSF, evaluators, etc...). AGEP-TS greatly reduces the administrative burden associated with collecting and submitting monthly, quarterly, or annual reporting. At the same time, a greater quantity of data is now being captured at the school level resulting in increases in the applicability, accuracy, and statistical merit of the data being reported.

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Best of all, the streamlined application facilitates AGEP personnel to engage more students in the most effective activities and receive immediate response on the value of those activities; leading to additional and improved activity options, and a reduction in the number of students that disengage from the AGEP program.

AGEP-TS will make great strides in allowing AGEP Programs to determine which activities lead to more engagement in the program and ultimately higher persistence and graduation rates based upon the performance. Now, more than ever, we need to keep students engaged with their curriculum and lead them down the path to graduate and attain an employment position that meets both the students as well as the faculty and public and privates interests faster and more efficiently.