People attending a training course.
Members of IT Learning Systems and Technology-enhanced Learning and Online Strategies (TLOS) review data analytics. Photo courtesy TLOS.

Phase I of a multi-year Learning Data Analytics effort was completed during FY 2023 with the rollout of our final Learning Systems University Data Commons Dashboards. The University DataCommons (UDC) is Virginia Tech's customized data analytics platform, built to provide insights, information, and intelligence that will inform and support the decision-making processes for offices across the university using commonly defined and understood data. The UDC platform includes data collections for various academic, student support, and operational areas of the university, each containing data and analytics to support the needs of a specific business function.

Screenshot of the University Data Commons dashboard.
The University Data Commons dashboard.

During the 2023 fiscal year, IT Learning Systems (ITLS) added dashboards for Canvas, 4Help, Course Evaluations & Surveys (CES), and LinkedInLearning, adding to the systems data portfolio for the Professional Development Network (PDN), Zoom, and Kaltura. All major systems now supported by ITLS now have operational metrics available online, which will allow ITLS and the Division of IT to gain a more comprehensive understanding of how our learning systems are being used, and where we might focus efforts in the future. Getting to this point has been a partnership between ITLS, Enterprise Systems, and the Virginia Tech UDC team.   

Going into the 2024 fiscal year, Phase II has commenced. This next phase is focused on directly using data to improve the teaching and learning systems and processes, going a step beyond what operational dashboards provide. One example is pilot work completed for University Studies. This project provides advisors in that area insights as to which students in their program might be at risk by leveraging data we can now surface from Canvas. ITLS plans to extend this type of data usage to far more disciplines in the future, and looks forward to exciting opportunities that await in terms of using data to inform teaching and learning practices across campus.