Survey evaluates student progress

MAP-Works offers GC freshmen transition guidance to success through self-evaluation

Georgia College freshmen have the opportunity to participate in MAP-Works, an online survey, in order to ease their transition into college life.

For the past five years GC has given the MAP-Works, which stands for Making Achievements Possible, survey to freshmen. Sept. 10 marked the opening of the availability of this survey and enables the participants to answer questions about their lives in college thus far.

“It provides students with insights to themselves as they give thought to their transition and things they may want to improve,” Paul Jahr, associate vice president of student affairs, said. “It makes students aware of behaviors they have that may lead to success.”

MAP-Works is intended to guide students as they navigate the sometimes-difficult transition from high school to college. It encourages students to evaluate their own behaviors and identify what actions they may be taking in order to reach their goals.

The survey asks questions such as how much, on average, a student studies every week, while another question asks what grades the student expects to earn this semester. The results will show the student if their success is possible based on their indicated behaviors.

“We gain very useful data from their responses that could also allow us to step in and help students who may be experiencing academic or social difficulties,” Emmanuel Little, diversity coordinator at GC, said. “Having such information at an early stage could be the difference between thriving at GC or leaving because of adjustment issues.”

Academic advisors and GC Housing staff all work very closely with the MAP-Works team to encourage student participation. The students’ results are evaluated within the first year academic seminar classes to help them better understand their strengths and weaknesses.

“Students benefit from using MAP-Works because by answering the questions honestly, they are giving us valuable information about how we can possibly improve their college experience,” Little said.

After the students take the survey, they receive a link to their individualized MAP-Works report. Students are encouraged to review the information provided and to consider how they will respond to what it contains.

“Each year we continue to have a strong participation rate (96 percent) and the number of students who access and review their personalized responses continues to grow,” Jahr said.

Hannah Brady, sophomore pre-nursing major, recalls when she was a freshman and took the survey.

“It posed good questions to think about but didn’t really provide ways to help the transition,” Brady said.

Mark Moughamian, junior mass communication major, said, “I feel that it is used for our education and well-being on campus.”

The MAP-Works survey became available on Sept. 10 and will be open for more than three weeks. Over this time span, follow up emails will be sent out weekly to students who have not yet taken the survey encouraging them to participate. The survey should take around 15 minutes to complete and results will be available with hours of completion.

Posted by Mallory Chapman on Sep 13 2012. Filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.