PROVIDENCE, R.I. - Nov. 5, 2020 - "Realizing how big of an issue the lack of academic support for students in the US is, ignoring it and not coming up with possible solutions was not an option for me." -- Lynn Bentley, President, Knobull, Inc.
It is clear that there is an issue with direct communication between students and a variety of support options. For Lynn Bentley, it became an act of technology and communications expertise to "craft" a solution—and also how they are trying to improve their learning experience.
The result, Knobull.com, is a start-up with a mission to provide a Web App-enhanced direct digital lifeline between students and a Academic Search Engine with Learning Center. Knobull runs a platform that is constantly available to students based on their needs and their academic challenges.
"I haven't been able to find any help to improve my grades!" a student might ask at the platform's Contact page. Or, "I can't figure out a topic for my psychology paper!" Students can tap into the Messageboard, and discuss issues, academic or project uncertainty.
"Part of our job is to be that intermediary between students and professors or university services," says Bentley. "We facilitate information flow from and between students by engaging them through the postings of questions, comments and translate it into something that is useful. Colleges could provide our platform to students to help create a better learning experience which can aid their efforts to retain students. We have developed a cost reduction model that shows most universities can reduce the cost of student dropouts by millions of dollars!"
The collaboration systems that Knobull provides for students throughout the year, responds to questions related to their college experience. The Messageboard facilitates discussions with fellow students and experts.
When appropriate, it also suggests specific next steps that the student can take to help students overcome their concerns. Having a leading and secure academic search engine as backup further enhances successful outcomes! For some students, the academic search engine will remain as their primary source of information.
"Before we had our own data to analyze, we had to look at existing student success and support needs research to really understand which areas to support students," Bentley added. "Consistent promotion of our support availability will reinforce this fact so students will reach out when support is needed. This approach is less intrusive and more appropriate."
Everyone agrees, personalization is what is needed on campus, at every level. With the Knobull program, the students can search for academic sources, read student oriented news articles, or tap into top rated Resources. This service is viewed by many students as a supportive environment to improve their learning experience. When a university offers a service like Knobull, it further reinforces the value of the support available for students!
