Metrics
Given the tight budgets of most colleges and universities, “try it and we’ll see what happens” is no longer a viable approach to decision-making. Institutions must be data-driven, with a focus on measuring, monitoring and modifying based on metrics rather than gut feeling.
What Can Colleges and Universities Learn from the Private Sector on the Usage of Analytics?
Hank Childers | Executive Director of University Analytics and Institutional Research, University of ArizonaAcross our industry, the conversation around the need to leverage analytics and data is growing rapidly. It’s a topic that’s been on EDUCAUSE’s Top 10 IT Issues list for years…
Leveraging National Student Clearinghouse Data in Continuing Education Management
Scott L. Howell | Director of the Salt Lake Center, Brigham Young University Julie SwallowWhile many institutions understand the value of understanding their learners, few have taken the necessary steps to make that information—and the insights they glean—part of their operating procedures. Brigham Young…
Analyze This! Using Data Effectively
Dijana Praskac | Research Analyst for Business Development and Strategic Planning in the Chang School, Ryerson University Jean de Sousa-HitzlerFact-based, agile decision-making is being increasingly recognized as an approach that educators and administrators should follow in navigating the intricate process of academic and operational planning. Despite the hype surrounding…
Making Analytics Actionable
Melissa Irvin | Assistant Dean of Advising and Analytics, University of South FloridaThe use of data to understand human behavior has permeated the marketing and business practices of many industry leaders and even the political arena. Over the past ten years, the…
The Future of Institutional Research: An Aspirational Model
Christine Keller | Executive Director, Association for Institutional ResearchHigher education in the United States is undergoing a transformation from a system centered on institutions to one centered on students. This shift requires colleges and universities to rethink their…
Cutting through the Clutter: How to Ensure Your Colleagues Can Leverage Data
Ron Severtis Jr. | Director of the Office of Institutional Effectiveness, Indiana University SoutheastImagine this common practice for institutional research and survey offices. After a survey closes, the data team cleans and summarizes the data, identifies trends over time (if possible), edits Excel…
How To Make Big Data Digestible
Gesele Durham | Vice Provost for Institutional Effectiveness and Director of the Office of Assessment & Institutional Research, University of Wisconsin-MilwaukeeIf you search the internet for “making data easier for users to access and understand,” you’ll find a panoply of tips and tricks ranging from how to structure Access databases…