To improve student outcomes in online classes, Georgia State University combined SIS and LMS data into dashboards that enable analyses from aggregate DFW grades down to specific course section and instructor, and course site data to identify problem areas. These data inform student engagement activities and assignment scaffolding efforts. It can guide decisions about academic advising and coaching and student resources for success in online courses. Participants will walk through the dashboards and discuss applications.
During COVID, with the rapid transition to remote and online instruction, DFW rates hit all-time highs at many institutions. To better understand contributing factors of course, instructor, and student characteristics, Georgia State University developed two sets of data dashboards. The first set of dashboards includes data on historical course outcomes by faculty, instructional modalities, and course levels. The dashboards allow university leadership to ask precise questions of the data to surface valuable insights into course outcomes. The second set of dashboards complements historical course outcomes by leveraging LMS data to understand how student learning occurred during the semester. The dashboards provide a view into course engagement, assignment grading, and assessment grading from the entire course to an individual student. In combination, the dashboards enable leadership to move from a very high level of aggregate DFW grades down to a specific course section and instructor where student outcomes are concerning, and then to examine student and instructor data from the LMS course site to identify where problems surfaced. These data can inform targeted improvement efforts such as adding student engagement activities at the beginning of the class, improved scaffolding from assignment to assignment, or increased instructor visibility. In combination with other institutional data, it can guide decisions about academic advising and coaching and additional resources needed to help students succeed in online courses. The presentation will provide an overview of the dashboards and participant discussion of how the data might be used most effectively at an institution.