Big Data's Arrival - Predictors of Online Learner Success, Vulnerability - Paul Fain, Inside Higher Ed

A broad range of institutions, including American Public University System, Community College System of Colorado, Rio Salado College, University of Hawaii System, University of Illinois-Springfield, and the University of Phoenix are participating. Six major for-profits, research universities and community colleges -- the sort of group that doesn’t always play nice -- are sharing the vault of information and tips on how to put the data to work. “Having the University of Phoenix and American Public University, it’s huge,” said Dan Huston, coordinator of strategic systems at Rio Salado College, a participant. According to early findings from the research, at-risk students do better if they ease into online education with a small number of courses, which flies in the face of widely-held belief in the benefits of full student immersion.