The Proof is in the Impact

Every ACUE Partnership Is Unique, But All Have Something in Common: Measurable Impact

A robust and growing body of impact studies speaks to the transformative effects of ACUE certification on faculty, students, and institutions. 

From Student Success to Retention and Beyond, the Impact of ACUE Certified Faculty is Undeniable

  • Institution Type

  • Public/Private

  • Conference

  • Location

  • Impact Type

  • Special Designation

Students Earn Higher Grades, Have Higher Completion Rates

Between January 2017 and April 2019, the Center for Advanced Study in Education (CASE) conducted an evaluation of impact of the ACUE course at Rutgers-Newark.

Higher Student Evaluations and Grades

Findings from four cohorts of faculty that earned their credential during the 2017-2018 academic year.

Broward Students Report Stronger Instruction Among ACUE-Credentialed Faculty

Students received more useful feedback, experienced classes more welcoming to diverse viewpoints, and found that expectations were clearer.

Larger Gains in Student Achievement for Gateway Courses

Significant effects on grades, passing, and DFW rates in years while faculty are taking ACUE courses. Significant effects on passing, and DFW rates in years after faculty are ACUE-credentialed.

Positive Impact of ACUE Certified Faculty on Students’ Grades, Passing, and DFW Rates

Analyses show significant effects on students’ likelihood of passing courses, likelihood of receiving DFW grades, and average course grades when taught by ACUE-credentialed faculty.

Meta Analysis Report: The ACUE Effect Invest in Effective Teaching, Expect Student Success

In 2022, ACUE’s research team partnered with Northwestern University’s Elizabeth Tipton, PhD, a leading scholar in the field of meta-analysis, to pinpoint the average effect of ACUE faculty on student course outcomes that could be expected at any type of institution.

“For leaders to make the best decisions for their campus and students, they need to have solid data available. This analysis provides the kind of evidence that should inform such important assessments about student success efforts.”

– Dr. Elizabeth Tipton, Northwestern University

What ACUE Partners Can Expect on Average:

3 percent point decrease in DFW rates
1 percentage point increase in course completion rates
.06 Point Increase in Students' Average Course Grades (on a 4.0 scale)

What Could Be The ACUE Effect At Your Institution?

The meta-analysis examined student impact studies across eight ACUE partner institutions in the course Effective Teaching Practices, which ensures that faculty learn about—and implement—the approaches that improve student engagement and persistence and promote deeper learning. These institutions include two-year and four-year colleges and universities, varying in size and geographic location.

“Broward College relentlessly seeks to elevate our faculty capacity and skills so that they can create a more inclusive learning environment and transform students’ lives, and the ACUE meta-analysis reveals just that.”

Gregory Adam Haile, President, 
Broward College

“Our ACUE partnership has led to a real return on investment: higher student retention and course completion, lower DFW rates, and narrowing equity gaps. Good teaching needs to be at the heart of every college and university’s student success agenda.”

Amy Chasteen, Executive Vice Provost,
The University of Southern Mississippi

“There is more to the story than enriched student learning: participation in ACUE’s courses equipped our faculty with valuable skills that built their confidence, fostered overall job satisfaction, and enhanced their enjoyment of teaching.”

Dr. Jörg Waltje, Executive Director of the Center for Faculty Excellence, Texas Woman’s University

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Read the Meta-Analysis report

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The ACUE Effect Blog Post

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Read the press release

Colleges and Universities Included in Sample

Note: The numeric value in parentheses that succeeds some college names indicates the number of evaluations conducted with the school.

Partner Highlights

Delivering learner outcomes nationwide

Together with our partners – hundreds of colleges and universities around the country – we’re constantly measuring and using what we learn to evolve and improve our courses and microcredentials so faculty have the best chance of impacting students. We’re proud of the mark ACUE faculty are making on higher education. 

At the University of Southern Mississippi,

students who took at least one course taught by an ACUE instructor returned in significantly higher numbers to USM in the next academic year by 4 percentage points.

At Rutgers
University Newark,

students taught by ACUE-credentialed instructors had significantly higher completion rates compared to students who were taught by comparison instructors, and they were significantly more likely to earn A, B, or C grades.

At Miami Dade University,

a study by the Center for Research and Reform in Education (CRRE) at Johns Hopkins University confirmed stronger engagement among students taught by ACUE-credentialed faculty. GPAs improved by 0.19 to above 3.0, across 100 courses taught by ACUE-credentialed faculty, enrolling 6,100 students.

Nationwide,

a typical ACUE faculty member at any partner institution implements over 28 proven teaching approaches and makes plans to implement at least 55 more.