Align Training Q&A

Read the Q&A from the Align training sessions to find out more about essential features that can optimize your schedule building!  

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Configuration

Is there a way to have both a rolled forward term as well as a term synced SIS within the Offered column?
No. You cannot have a rolled forward term and the term synced from the SIS using the same term code.
What kind of student information is used for predictions?
We use pathway information that is imported into our system to create projections, as well as student completion data. That pathway information is imported via a spreadsheet, while the student data is imported like the section information.
Can I create a group of people, for example, Deans, to share filters with and select the group instead of selecting them individually?
No. We do not currently have a group option, but this is great product feedback that we would love to have you post in our community!
Do the historical numbers come from end-of-semester enrollments?
The historical enrollment numbers are recorded after the census date. We also take things like withdrawals into account, which are reflected closer to the start of term when student data is available.

 

Course List

What information is provided by the "not offered" toggle on the Course List?
Sections that have a needed calculation but have 0 sections offered are displayed when the "not offered" is toggled on. For example, if there is a course that you offer every other term that has historical data indicating that you should offer in the term it is not currently offered in, it will show up when the "not offered" is on.

 

Recommendations

Does a recommendation for a course to increase by a section consider sections in the following term, e.g., the Gen Ed courses that are offered every term?
The recommendations only consider like terms (e.g., Spring to Spring) and not opposite terms (e.g., Spring to Fall). A good workaround is to filter to the next term to see if the course is offered and any recommendations there are for that course.
Is there an automated report that targets the 95% or higher courses? Or would this need to be done manually using filters?
There are a few ways to view that information.
  • Sorting by addition candidates will show quite a few of those because of the potential additions that are consistently filling at 95% or higher.
  • Create a filter
  • In the Report app under the “Reports” folder, open the Course Offering Index report. Under Term Details, select the link "Total Courses" for the term(s) you want to see.
    You'll be able to see a breakdown of the overloaded, balanced, and underutilized courses. Clicking on the overloaded red bar will display only the overloaded courses. We encourage you to start with the addition candidates because those are courses that are growing or simply packed term over term!
How are recommendations made and what makes something a "top candidate"?
Recommendations are based on historical data (usually 5 years of like terms) and the offerings versus registrations or enrollment ratios, in those like terms.
A historical enrollment ratio of 95% or greater in the analysis terms is what indicates a top addition candidate. In the same way, historical enrollment of 70% or lower in the analysis terms is what indicates a top reduction candidate.
Why is a course suggested to have the same number of sections and less seats be recommended as an addition candidate? Shouldn't this be a reduction candidate?
Courses can need fewer seats than offered and still be an addition candidate due to our potential addition candidate logic. Potential addition analysis determines the needed number of sections = the number offered for the analysis term. However, additional values, like Enrollment Ratios and section count from baseline and like terms, show evidence that additional sections may be needed.

 

Modality

Will Align help us determine the blend of modalities we should be offering?
In Align, modality is tracked and you can see which modality is being offered per section in the Sections tab. The Modality Settings article will explain how you can configure modality. 
Align does not project which modality you should offer, it is only projecting how many seats you should offer. However, it will show you if one modality is filling more than another, which can help you decide how to offer the additional seats. You can also see how the sections are filling by modality in real-time using Monitor.

 

Best Practice

Due to COVID, we rolled forward our previous "normal term" of spring 2020 with spring 2021 data (mostly online). The results are showing an increase in online offerings for our spring 2022 roll forward and a reduction in traditional/hybrid sections. What are best practices on how to navigate this data as we return to a more traditional and hybrid schedule with a growing number of enrollment in online component sections.
To get back to more of what you looked like in Spring 2020 for Spring 2022, we recommend rolling Spring 2020 to your Spring 2022 term instead of Spring 2021. Then, utilize either Monitor or the "Section Info with Modality" report in the Report app to view the percentage of sections offered by modality. In the report, you can break it down by subject, department, etc. to set thresholds or goals for each department.

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