How Pace University Benefits from Integrating the TrueLearn SLP Praxis® SmartBank into Their Graduate Program

Pace University in New York City created a Master of Science (MS) Graduate Program in Communication Sciences and Disorders admitting the first cohort in August 2018.  The program has an on-site Speech, Language, and Hearing Center with state-of-the-art equipment. The mission of the Pace University Graduate Program in CSD is to prepare highly competent speech-language pathologists (SLPs) that support mastery of necessary skills for students to lead rewarding, intellectually, and civically engaged lives. Graduates from this Program will be eligible for American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) certification as well as other relevant local and state credentials upon graduation.

Integration and benefits to program and students

As a program initially in candidacy for accreditation from ASHA, we knew Praxis^® pass rates are a required standard for accreditation. It was important that we prepare our students for the exam and demonstrate excellent program outcomes. There are not many comprehensive preparation tools available that are specifically tailored to students and SLP programs.

It was a fortunate coincidence that I received an email in June 2020 informing us of TrueLearn’s SLP SmartBank for Praxis^® which was in its beta state. We scheduled a webinar to learn more and were impressed with the platform, its functionality, and the performance metrics it provided. We signed up to participate and were one of the early adopters as a University program.

We assigned TrueLearn quizzes to students and also completed quizzes as a group during our weekly clinical practicum seminar class. TrueLearn allows students to track their individual progress, identify specific areas of weakness, and benchmark their performance against national averages. Our students enjoyed the detailed explanations of responses, the varied testing modes, and the ability to learn about their own testing behaviors. For programs, the benefits included the ability to monitor both individual student and cohort performance, provide specific data regarding program outcomes, and identify potential gaps in the curriculum.

Positive feedback, improved learning, and enhanced Praxis^® outcomes

Initial feedback from students and faculty was positive so we decided to continue to utilize TrueLearn when it became a paid subscription. The University supported the funding for the first year. We have since incorporated the cost of TrueLearn as a lab fee in student tuition, so every student has access through the University program.

We have students complete a Praxis self-reflection during their last semester where they irespond to several questions including what they found most helpful in their preparation. Here are some student testimonials and tips:

“I found that the TrueLearn quizzes from our Practicum course were helpful, and tried to do one whenever I had free time leading up to my Praxis date.  The most helpful strategy of studying was the collaborative conversation that came from class discussions during TrueLearn quizzes. Through answering test questions as a class, I was not only thinking critically about the answer I would have provided, but the answers of others. Being able to hear other perspectives allowed me to better understand what the test was particularly looking for and elucidated how to approach the questions.”

 “TrueLearn maintains a large database of questions which is unlike other study tools.”

”I recommend taking as many True Learn quizzes as possible and making quizzes with both questions you got wrong and new ones. By doing this, I was able to learn why a question was wrong and fully understand the right answer.“

“I found the TrueLearn quizzes to be helpful throughout my preparation because I was able to go back to the questions I did not get correct, learn why it was incorrect as well as what the right answer was. I also found it helpful that I could select quiz questions that I previously got wrong to review the learned information.”

“I found the TrueLearn quizzes to be very helpful in practicing test-taking and getting an idea of the wording and topics of the questions. I found it helpful that these quizzes were able to be modified and personalized to topics I may have had more difficulty with or questions that I was consistently getting incorrect. I utilized TrueLearn throughout my time studying, and found them very helpful in building my confidence prior to the exam.”

We have used TrueLearn with five cohorts and our Praxis^® pass rates have exceeded standards. This resource has helped boost students’ confidence to take the Praxis^® before graduation, which has helped us obtain pass results more easily from students for reporting outcomes. Our recent ASHA Accreditation site visit also went well, and we pointed to TrueLearn as one of our formative assessment metrics. Students appreciate the ability to review questions with faculty and discuss rationales. TrueLearn provides us with a systemized structure for preparation for the Praxis^®. 

Faculty can determine the number of questions in each quiz, the content areas for questions, level of difficulty of questions, and timeframe for completion of quizzes. Additionally, students can see their performance data and can easily create their own quizzes, which they find incredibly helpful as they begin focusing on preparation for taking their Praxis^® before graduation. 

TrueLearn provides customer support that is responsive and knowledgeable. We continue to explore new ways to incorporate TrueLearn as a Praxis^® preparation tool and to enhance student’s knowledge and skills. We welcome the opportunity to collaborate with other SLP programs to share ideas and potentially collect data to support the efficacy of TrueLearn.

About the Author

Ellayne S. Ganzfried, M.S., CCC-SLP is a Clinical Associate Professor and Director of the Speech, Language and Hearing Center at Pace University.  She was formerly Executive Director of the National Aphasia Association and co-authored “The Word Escapes Me- Voices of Aphasia.”. Ellayne is a Fellow of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association Fellow and National Academies of Practice Distinguished Fellow. Ellayne has written articles and presented nationally/internationally on many topics including aphasia, rehabilitation, IPE/IPP, and leadership skills. You can reach Ellayne Ganzfried at eganzfried@pace.edu.