Using the D2L Competencies Tool to Provide Student and Course DataJ.C. Turner, Riverland Community CollegeJ.C.Turner@riverland.edu

Sheri Steinke, Normandale Community CollegeSheri.Steinke@normandale.edu

Cheryl Norman, Minneapolis Community and Technical CollegeCheryl.Norman@minneapolis.edu

Deb McManimon, Riverland Community CollegeDeb.McManimon@riverland.edu

It’s All About Analytics• Data is important for driving decision-making• For academic programs, data is needed for

accreditation• D2L has tools that help automate the process,

but you have to set things up properly• MnSCU was preparing to pilot D2L Insights

(analytics), and this may become a future option

What are Competencies?• Grading at a Broader, Yet More Granular Level• D2L Competencies Tool– Enables assessment of outcomes

• Tracks information about the knowledge, skills and abilities acquired at course, department, or institutional level

– Provides visible structural organization for• Students• Faculty• Administration• Outside Accrediting bodies

Considerations for Faculty• Will students need to meet all learning

objectives to be competent?• What happens if student doesn’t meet

competency?• Will you have other activities that will not be

attached to a graded item?

Structural Organization• Prior to Competency Set-up• Create hierarchy of structural set up– Institutional Outcomes – Program Outcomes– Learning Objectives– Course Outcomes– Activities

D2L Admin Level Set-up• Enable Competencies & Template permissions• Create Course Templates• Create top level Competencies• Add Organizational Units (templates) to each top level

competency• Add Competencies and Outcomes to templates• Edit Competency Structure with Parents and Children• Create future courses using Templates• Faculty will then attach activities to Competencies and

Outcomes within courses

Normandale Community College Model

Getting Started• Competencies and Rubrics Tool D2L• Curriculum Mapping Project• Pilot Project

Using the D2L Competencies Tool to Provide Student and Course Data

Why the D2L Competency Tool?Accreditation• Program Assessment• Embedded Assessment of Core Competencies– Communication– Critical Thinking– Life Skills/Personal Responsibility– Social Responsibility• We will be implementing Association of American

College and Universities (AAC&U) VALUE Rubrics

Competency HierarchyCurriculum Mapping

Backward Course (Program) Design

MCTC •Core Competency: Critical Thinking…

EDUC •Department Learning Outcome: SLOs

EDUC2250 •Course Learning Outcomes: quiz, discussion, dropbox

Where to start and why???Started with four programs • Architectural Technology• Education• Business• Music

EDUC Competency Hierarchy

Competency Use in theBusiness Department at

Riverland Community College

Review MCO (sample)

Create Master Grid (sample)

Faculty View

Facilitates Alignment

Creates Thresholds of Measurement

Student View

Instructor View• Edit Course• View User Progress• Snapshot of learner progress through objectives

View Results

Competency Structure• Facilitates alignment• Course, Program, Institutional• Allows students to see course at a glance• Provides curriculum mapping• Defines measurable outcomes

What is Missing?• Data Analysis• D2L competency data can be viewed but not

exported• We are data rich and analytics poor• Data-driven decision making is hampered• Data falls off the system every semester• Better accreditation reporting

Questions?