Learning Systems

Technology provides unprecedented opportunities to rethink the undergraduate student experience. We are committed to leveraging, building and supporting systems that enable faculty, staff and students to achieve their academic goals.

University of Toronto Scarborough classroom
From data governance to learning analytics, academic advising platforms to an integrated course information system, our office seeks to create an integrated and comprehensive data ecosystem across the University.

Photo by Ken Jones

Current Projects

Our office has launched a tri-campus Student Academic Success (SAS) initiative, which follows undergraduate student pathways using data analytics. SAS seeks to identify divisional data priorities and needs related to undergraduate student academic success throughout the Degree and Subject Program lifecycle (for example, Major in Human Biology). Developed in consultation with the first-entry undergraduate divisions and in partnership with the Institutional Research and Data Governance office, this initiative is currently developing high-quality data marts and corresponding tools that leverage these data (such as Tableau dashboards).

The current phase of work has thus far focused on developing the data and related tools (for example, Tableau dashboards) to answer the aforementioned and related questions. Once this portion has been completed, we will turn our attention to developing the data to better understand program persistence, retention and completion.

You can read more on the CIHE Blog: Building a Better Data Ecosystem.

This initiative will complete an institutional implementation of the Salesforce Advisor Link platform to enable and encourage consistent, best-practice advising through effective and efficient access to, interaction with and management of a comprehensive student advising record, and enable a holistic approach to student engagement and service.

Advising provides the opportunity for students to seek — and for the institution to initiate and provide — support and advice about academic, administrative, financial and personal well-being issues to help students achieve their personal and academic goals. It also supports institutional goals of ensuring student success; providing quality service; achieving recruiting, retention and graduation targets; and engaging with alumni.

The Course Information System (CIS) is the University’s institutional course information system. It provides convenient, online services to support the administration of courses for instructors, units and divisional offices. CIS assists instructors in the creation of their course syllabi by providing tools to inform the development of their marking scheme as well as guidelines on Faculty and institutional policy statements. CIS also provides instructors and administrative staff with a secure, online platform for the administration, submission and duplication of final exam papers.

User Guides, Technical Support, and more

The VPIUE Office is working with tri-campus divisional leaders to develop a more robust strategy around the use of learning analytics. Learning Analytics can be viewed as the intersection between the following three broader categories: analytics, human-centred design and learning. Below you can explore some Learning Analytics projects spearheaded by the VPIUE.

Learning Analytics Strategy Paper

During 2020-21, OVPIUE collaborated with tri-campus partners to develop a strategy for enhancing learning analytics activity at UofT. This work explored the intersection of data, human-centered design, and student learning at UofT and peer institutions. The resulting strategy paper outlines opportunities for future institutional engagement in this area to support students and instructors at the university.  You can view the resulting Learning Analytics strategy paper using the button below.

Learning Analytics Strategy Paper

Data-Driven Design: Quercus Analytics 2021-22 

The Data-Driven Design: Quercus Analytics (D3:QA) initiative for 2021-2022 further examines opportunities provided by the Quercus Analytics module and related services. Building on our earlier experience with a cohort-based approach (2019-2021), the primary goal will be to provide support to instructors in using Quercus student data to make course redesign decisions aimed at enhancing instruction and learner experience

Data-Driven Design

Quercus Instructor-Facing Dashboard – Phase 1 

This project will extend existing analytic tools within the university’s core learning environment to better support instructor and staff access to learning analytic data. The focus will be on planning improvements to Quercus core reporting functionality to enhance instructional quality and evidence-based planning.  The initiative is part of a broader program of learning analytics being coordinated by the Office of the Vice-Provost, Innovations in Undergraduate Education.  

Quercus Instructor-Facing Dashboard

Latest in Learning Systems

Learning Systems | News | Uncategorized

Plagiarism Detection Tool (PDT)

ByClare Gilderdale

The University’s current contract with Turnitin ends in 2021, and an RFP was required for any new contract for a plagiarism detection tool (PDT). While that process is ongoing, a revision has been made to the syllabus language required with the use of the University’s PDT. For several years Turnitin has been integrated into Quercus […]

Learning Systems

Learning Analytics

Byivryhenr@utoronto.ca

Following consultation with tri-campus groups of faculty, staff and senior administrators with regards to the future of learning analytics at U of T, in 2021 the OVPIE published a Strategy Paper which includes a framework to guide our learning analytics capacity development. In this context, learning analytics are understood as “the measurement, collection, and analysis […]