Improving Instruction With Learning Material Engagement Data

Concurrent Session 1

Session Materials

Brief Abstract

Institutions use lots of data to predict student outcomes. However, there’s something missing: students’ engagement with learning materials. This session will showcase how instructors can improve outcomes by using course materials engagement data.

Presenters

Lead Presenter: Paul Vaupel, VitalSource Technologies

Paul Vaupel works with channel partners at VitalSource, an Ingram Content Group company focused on creating and delivering affordable and effective digital content. He has witnessed the evolution of learning technology since his start in higher education publishing in 2000, followed by more than a decade of custom enterprise solutions work. A graduate of the University of Tennessee, Paul lives in Atlanta with his wife and four children and runs long distances so he can eat ice cream.

Co-presenter: Daniel Green, VitalSource Technologies

Daniel Green leads VitalSource’s analytical offerings, including the Instructor Dashboard, Engagement Dashboard, and data feed solutions. These products seek to enhance the learning process by providing users with easy access to key metrics to measure student progress and inform content decisions. Daniel received his Master of Business Administration and Bachelor of Computer Science degrees from Union University. In his spare time, Daniel attends and hosts local technology meetups, advises early stage startups, and partners with local software development bootcamps.

Extended Abstract

Institutions are using all sorts of data to predict student outcomes and intervene when a student appears to be at risk. However, at most institutions, there’s something fundamental missing from this data: students’ engagement with assigned learning materials. Research shows that successful students read early and often, but instructors often have no visibility into these behaviors. Join VitalSource as we showcase how analytics tools can help instructors to better understand student engagement in real time, and how hey can use this data to modify instruction, counsel at-risk students, and understand how their assigned learning materials are used by students.