MONTREAL, QC--(Marketwired - May 2, 2017) - OOHLALA, a fast-growing mobile app used by hundreds of colleges and universities to help students navigate the complexities of college, today announced the rollout of a survey tool designed to surface real-time feedback on student experiences and engagement.
"Student engagement and participation in campus events often present a black box for administrators," said Eddie Howard, Associate Vice President, Division of Student Experience at Youngstown University. "Since we launched OOHLALA's assessment tool, thousands of students are sharing thoughts about their experiences with everything from orientation to dining options and academic coaching -- but more importantly, we're able to translate real-time feedback into insights that enable us to improve the student experience."
A body of research indicates that student engagement is critical to ensuring retention and success, but institutions often struggle to collect actionable data to inform student affairs programming. While historic response rates on student engagement surveys have hovered below 30 percent, initial pilots of OOHLALA's assessment tool have more than doubled the typical rate of participation, capturing data from 70-90 percent of students using the company's mobile platform. Data from OOHLALA's student surveys and assessments automatically populates reports and dashboards, which can be used by university leaders to track performance over time and inform future programming.
Designed to integrate seamlessly into the student experience, the OOHLALA assessment feature generates a unique QR code at every campus event -- including orientation, financial aid open houses, or career workshops -- which students then scan using their campus mobile app. After the event, the platform sends a targeted push notification to the student to evaluate their experience and provide real-time feedback. The tool also enables students to assess out-of-class services, allowing administrators to track and measure the impact of academic advisors, career services, and the financial aid office.
"Frequent feedback is not just a critical way for colleges to improve their programs and services -- it also helps students engage in campus life and feel that their voices are being heard," said Danial Jameel, Co-Founder and CEO of OOHLALA. "With more and more college students balancing the responsibilities of work and family in addition to their studies, it is crucial for schools to streamline the feedback process and respond to the needs of their students. The use of mobile-friendly assessment tools, familiar from consumer apps like Uber and Yelp, makes it easy for students to provide timely, relevant insight on campus events and services."
Developed by a team of engineers, researchers, and student affairs professionals, OOHLALA uses machine learning, customizable alerts, GPS technology, and self-regulation tools to streamline students' daily experience. The app also integrates with schools' existing Learning Management Systems (LMS) and Student Information Systems (SIS), providing students with a single platform to access courses and assignments, career workshops, and out-of-class support services.
About OOHLALA
OOHLALA, founded by student affairs professionals, builds mobile apps for higher education institutions to affect and improve the student experience. The platform is designed to support student success by unifying campus resources -- LMS, co-curricular, athletics, clubs/orgs, events and many more -- within a branded, integrated, college app. Over 200 institutions have joined the OOHLALA-family, connecting hundreds of thousands of students with their administrators, their campus, and most importantly, their peers. For more information, visit www.oohlalamobile.com.
Contact Information:
Media contact:
Ben Watsky
202-851-3601