Advisor Guide: Using Dropout Detective

Introduction

Dropout Detective helps you quickly identify students who may be at risk based on engagement and activity patterns in Canvas. You’ll receive alerts from instructors that highlight which students may need outreach, so you can reach out early and support their success. You have a Dropout Detective Dashboard, but it only shows students who are currently in classes. 

Contents

How to Access your Dropout Detective Dashboard

Navigating Your Dropout Detective Dashboard

What the Individual Student View Looks Like

Advisor Alerts from Faculty 

How to Access Your Dropout Detective Dashboard

1. Open Canvas from the Titan Hub. 
2. Once inside of Canvas, select the Admin button on the global navigation (1) and then select Credit Offerings (2). 
   
3. Select Dropout Detective from the menu. 
   
4. Once inside Dropout Detective, select the down arrow next to Dashboard: All Students (1), and select your Dropout Detective caseload dashboard from the dropdown menu (2). It will be formatted as: AUTO_Advisor_Dashboard_Name_SPCID
   

Navigating Your Dropout Detective Dashboard

Welcome to your Dropout Detective caseload dashboard! Students who are assigned to you in PeopleSoft are automatically added to this dashboard. Two things to keep in mind: 

• The process happens nightly, so if a student changes majors and is assigned to you on Monday, she may not appear on this dashboard until Tuesday.
• Dropout Detective only pulls data from live Canvas courses. So between semesters, your dashboard will likely be blank. If a student withdraws from a course, it will disappear from Dropout Detective. If a student is enrolled in only 8 week 2 courses, they won't show up in Dropout Detective before those courses start.

In your dashboard, you'll see every student's name (1), risk index (2), risk trend (3), last note written about the students (4). You're also able to filter (5) or search by name or SID (6). 

What is a risk index? Dropout Detective uses Canvas data to assign students a risk index score on a scale of 0-100. 100 is the most at-risk for dropping out or failing, and 0 is the least at risk. Dropout Detective uses a wealth of Canvas activity to determine a student's risk level, including missing assignments, zeros, login frequency, submission frequency, and more! 

What is a trend? In Dropout Detective, trend shows what direction students are moving on the risk index scale. If a student has a +10 trend, that means the student's risk index score increased by 10 points. In other words, they became more at risk for failing/dropping than they were previously. Negative trends work the same way.

What is Last Note: Last Note shows the last time an instructor, advisor, or other SPC staff member wrote a note or sent a message to a student through Dropout Detective. However, you'll likely use the Recent Notes or Recent Messages filters to make it easier to pull up this information.

What the Individual Student View Looks Like

Select a student to pull up their individual dashboard. At the top of the individual student view, you'll always see the student's name, risk index, and contact information. Below, there are 4 tabs: Overview, Notes, History and Contacts. 

Individual Student View: Overview Tab

In the Overview tab, you'll see a student's course(s) (1), along with their corresponding Grade (2), Zeros (3), Missing Assignments (4), Last Access (5) and Latest Submission (6). 

Course: You'll see the course code/section, title, modality, and instructor as one link. If you click the link, you'll be taken to the course in Canvas. 

Grade: This is the student's current overall grade in the course. 

Zeros: This is the number of course assignments for which the student has a zero. Optional: Click Show to see a list of the assignments. 

Missing Assignments: This is the number of course assignments that are missing. Optional: Click Show to see a list of the assignments. 

Last Access: This is the last time the student logged into Canvas. Keep in mind, Canvas doesn't necessarily log students out, so this date could be 2 weeks ago if they've stayed logged in that entire time. 

Latest Submission: This is the last time a student submitted an assignment, quiz, or discussion post in this Canvas course.

Individual Student View: Notes Tab

The Notes tab is where the documentation happens inside of Dropout Detective. Two kinds of communications show up here: Messages sent through Dropout Detective (from faculty), and notes written about other communication (emails, calls, etc). 

Individual Student View: History

The History tab in the individual student view shows historical data on the student. Select the History tab (1), and then select the Daily, Weekly or Grades views (2).

Individual Student View: Contacts

The Contacts tab in the individual student view shows all the students' contacts. Currently, it will show the student's instructors and career and academic advisor. As we move forward in the implementation of Dropout Detective, we may add more contacts. 

Advisor Alerts from Faculty 

Faculty have the ability to alert a student's advisor in Dropout Detective. When this happens, you'll get an email notification, and you'll see the alert icon in your Dashboard next to the student's name.  

Alerts will be focused in 1 of 3 areas:

• Student Is Considering Dropping a Course
• Student Is Struggling Academically and Needs Help Planning Future Terms
• Student Needs Career or Program Exploration Support (Program Change)

Step 1: Alert Assessment and Initial Outreach

Advisors must open, assess, and initiate student contact within 1-2 business days of alert assignment. 

1. In your Dashboard, search for the student by name or click a student with the alert icon next to them. Then, click the notes tab and scroll to the alert. 
2. View the alert. The most recent one (if there are more than one) will be at the top. You'll see the Alert Advisor tag, as well as the Alert Activated button. 
   
3. Determine the best outreach method (phone or email). 
4. Contact the student.

Step 2: Documentation within Drop Out Detective

Advisors must document outreach in the Dropout Detective alert by adding a note. Alerts should be acknowledged/closed when student contact is made/the concern is addressed and left open/active when contact has not yet occurred.

If Student Contact is Made: 

When the advisor successfully connects with the student (via email exchange, phone conversation, or meeting)

• Document a summary of what was discussed in the Notes section of the alert. Once you've opened the alert, click Acknowledge Alert (1), type your note (2), and click Submit Note (3).
  
• Close the alert once documentation is complete.

If Student Contact is Not Made: 

If the advisor has attempted outreach but has not made contact with the student

• In the Notes section of the alert, document date of outreach attempt and method (1) and select Submit Note (2). DO NOT check the Acknowledge Alerts box. 
  
• The alert should remain open unless one of the following occurs:
  • Student Response: The student responds to the advisor. The advisor documents the interaction in the comments and closes the alert.
  • Faculty Closure: The faculty member closes the alert based on academic progress, improved student performance, or the length of time the alert has remained open.

Step 3: Documentation in WaitWell Notes:

In addition to commenting in Dropout Detective, advisors must log a brief note in WaitWell. Advisors should add a concise note indicating that a faculty alert was received, and outreach was attempted.

Copy/Paste Friendly WaitWell Template

Received Dropout Detective alert from faculty regarding ... Outreach attempted via [email/phone] on [date].

No response at time of note.

(Or include summary of interaction)

Have Questions? Contact the Academic Technology Support Team 
 
atst@spcollege.edu

 Phone at 727-341-3500

(Hours: Monday - Friday 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. EST).
After-hours or weekend assistance? Contact the Technical Support Center

Phone at 727-791-2795 or onlinehelp@spcollege.edu

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