Enhancing student engagement | Press Times
Phlash serves as a virtual resource for students seeking information about UW-Green Bay. It answers questions related to different aspects of campus life, including mental health and academic support.
GREEN BAY – In recent years, a goal of the University of Wisconsin Green Bay has been to enhance student engagement and support through student engagement, and more specifically through technology.
The university has taken big strides towards achieving this goal through a recent contract with the platform EdSights.
UW-Green Bay Assistant Vice Chancellor Meagan Stehlow described the platform as one “that fosters real-time feedback and personalized communication with students.”
The platform was launched to address the evolving needs of its student body, which has a crucial position in promoting student success.
The platform’s capabilities were initiated with the introduction of Phlash, an AI-powered bot available to students around the clock.
Phlash serves as a virtual resource for students seeking information about UW-Green Bay, answering questions related to different aspects of campus life including mental health and academic support.
Stehlow stated, “Students can text Phlash questions and the bot will reply by connecting students to resources available on campus.
“This approach enables Phlash to identify students in distress, triggering alerts for staff intervention when necessary,” she said.
Phlash has been operating for just over two weeks, during which it has already received more than 5,000 text messages from students.
“This engagement highlights the bot’s effectiveness in reaching those who might otherwise hesitate to seek help,” Stehlow stated.
Another staff member observed that many of the students needing support are students who have not reached out before.
This program aims to reduce the intimidation factor often associated with seeking assistance, making it easier for students to connect with the support they require.
The development of EdSights and Phlash aligns with the broader commitment at UW-Green Bay to enhance student success, particularly in light of shifting demographics over the past five years.
University leadership, including the chancellor and provost, emphasized the importance of expanding and prioritizing their campus’s work toward student success and the role they have in ensuring that learners receive priority assistance to resolve barriers to their success.
Looking forward the university plans to integrate insights from Phlash with other student success tools to create a comprehensive support system.
Stehlow stated, “The goal is to provide early interventions that can significantly impact student retention rates.
“Phlash allows us to connect students to resources and provide support before students start facing significant challenges,” stated a university spokesperson.
Their hope is that by using this approach the faculty and staff will have more information to offer more focused support, ultimately fostering a more nurturing academic environment
