STEP 1: REVIEW

What are my students doing in my Canvas course?

Every action that students and instructors take in a Canvas course generates data. Your Canvas course collects and stores that data, and there are tools in Canvas that allow you to visualize that data. Learning data provides insight into what students are doing in your course, though the data can’t explain why (we'll address the why in the Amend section). Reviewing the data is a good place to start. The information you gather will inform next steps.

Goals

Review the principles that govern using student data as well as the Canvas learning data available to you.

• Understand principles and practices for using student data.
• Explore tools that give you access to learning data.
• Interpret dashboards displaying records of student performance and behavior.
• Focus your efforts by identifying/refining your question(s). 

Using student data

In January 2019, the learning analytics project team spoke with a group of 12 students and asked them to respond to questions about Canvas course data, including "How can faculty support you using data they have access to?”  Students we spoke to about Canvas course data feel strongly that faculty should use data available in Canvas to better support their students. Students also want faculty to understand that data provides insight into faculty behavior and performance as well as that of students’. 

 

Support Wherever you are in the process of forming questions, exploring tools and data, engaging students and making a plan for impactful change, support is available!  Consider reaching out to your local academic technology professionals, or contact central services at TeachingSupport@UMN.