Colleges Can Now Access Research-Backed "Virtual TA" to Boost Success in the Classroom

Research suggests that proactive communication from higher ed AI developer Mainstay's new academic chatbot can foster greater engagement and substantially boost academic outcomes

BOSTON, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Colleges now have a new resource to help students navigate the path to academic success, thanks to a new "virtual teaching assistant" launched today by Mainstay, whose student engagement platform is used by hundreds of colleges and universities across the country to boost enrollment, persistence, and completion. The tool is backed by new research from Georgia State University finding that students who were significantly more likely to earn a B or higher, and much less likely to fail or withdraw from the course.

"We know that personalized input and feedback from instructors can have a transformative impact on students' academic performance, but that's not always easy to provide in large classroom settings," said Dr. Tim Renick, Executive Director of the National Institute for Student Success and Professor at Georgia State University. "With the support of a virtual TA that was able to provide just-in-time nudges and answer questions 24/7, students performed at significantly higher levels academically, with the biggest gains enjoyed by first-generation students in the course. This approach is demonstrating the potential of new technology like AI to build a better learning experience for students while reducing equity gaps."

The new chatbot draws on the principles of behavioral intelligence to communicate empathetically and proactively with students about their coursework, including timely reminders of course requirements and deadlines; customized feedback on students' progress; practice quizzes, and coaching and encouragement designed to foster a growth mindset. According to a recent Randomized Controlled Trial, conducted in Dr. Mike Evans' Introduction to Government class by researchers at Brown University, students who had access to the chatbot saw a 16% increase in the likelihood they would earn a B or higher. Crucially, first-generation students who received messages from the chatbot were more likely to pass the class, and earned final grades about 11 points higher than peers who did not receive those messages. The research also found that sophomores, juniors, and seniors who engaged with the chatbot were less likely to "DFW" (e.g., earn a D, fail, or withdraw); more likely to pass the class; and less likely to drop all their GSU classes that term.

"Too often, students' academic struggles have nothing to do with their intellect or commitment — but rather stem from logistical challenges, like competing family or professional priorities, that cause deadlines to slip," said Drew Magliozzi, co-founder and CEO of Mainstay. "By using AI to open up new lines of communication with students through empathetic, contextualized conversation, colleges can not only provide an extra layer of proactive support to ensure that fewer things slip through the cracks — but also listen and respond to students at scale, to better ensure that every learner gets the support they need as they navigate their educational journey."

Mainstay has used behavioral intelligence to help colleges increase access, persistence, and success for more than 5 million students nationwide since its founding in 2014. Through partnerships with colleges and universities, employers, state higher education systems like the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, and nonprofit organizations like the Common App and College Advising Corps, Mainstay designs campaigns and strategies designed to meet the unique needs of individual organizations.

About Mainstay
At Mainstay, we believe one conversation can spark a brighter future. That's why we've evolved the Engagement Platform we developed as AdmitHub to make it easy for colleges and businesses to start and measure conversations that drive action at scale. Everything we do – from our rigorous research methods to the ways we've built empathy and situational context into our conversational AI – is designed to help people take the next step toward achieving their goals.

SOURCE Mainstay