StudyCoach

Summary
Description of the methodology of the application StudyCoach, a tool that, as part of Canvas, aims to ensure guidance by semester coaches and transfer between semester coaches.

A. Introduction

Fontys ICT uses StudyCoach. StudyCoach is an application1) within the Learning Management System Canvas. It provides coaches with a dashboard to identify students who need extra attention, zoom in on their learning behaviour and learning outcomes, and proactively engage with students to work together on their progress towards study success.

The Project Leader Programme Implementation (PLOU) pairs the semester coach with students at the start of the semester; students have one semester coach per semester. The link is made through SVS. This is then automatically included in StudyCoach.

StudyCoach provides an overview of relevant learning analytics that gives teachers insight into a student's learning process. The tool visually displays information from Canvas -across subjects. Coaches and students can thus more easily identify 'At Risk' students and make early adjustments. In StudyCoach, teachers, students and semester coaches can take notes and share them with each other.

This description focuses on StudyCoach, accessed from the main menu (left) in Canvas.

StudyCoach update
An update to StudyCoach took place during the 2024 summer holidays. Click here for a PDF showing the new look and feel of StudyCoach.

B. Method of operation Notes

Role: Semester coach.

Goal: build a conversation log (including for transfer to next semester coach).

  1. Schedule an individual semester coach meeting with your student.
  2. Prior to the conversation, open StudyCoach in Canvas:
    • a. Click on [StudyCoach] in the left, purple menu. An overview of students you are semester coach of will be displayed.
    • b. Click on the name of the student in question. An overview with student details is displayed.
  3. If you click in the [Create a note] field on the right-hand side, you get the option to make notes. Place notes here following the semester coach interview. You can do this during the discussion or afterwards. The student has reading rights as well as editing rights. Be aware of this in the language you use. A tip: always let the student read along with what you type and ask at the conclusion of the conversation if he has any additions or changes to make.
  4. Click [Post] to save the note.The drop-down menu allows you to choose the following options, where at Fontys ICT we basically only use Coach and Student:
    • a. Department Coach: the PLOU.
    • b. Teacher(s): the teachers linked to the student as a semester coach.
    • c. Student: the student himself/herself.
  5. Always select the [Student] option so that the student can view the note.

By creating a note following each semester coach conversation, you build up a conversation log. This is valuable for the student and you (the semester coach) during a semester, but also provides a transfer to a subsequent semester coach. To make this transfer at the end of the semester even easier, the summary of the assessors' meeting can be added as a note in StudyCoach in mid-semester week 20. This is necessary - in addition to transferring the notes - to keep a 'warm transfer' between semester coaches.

As the current semester coach, then organise this consultation (possibly with the student present).

1)
for more information, see this manual