The Data Empowered Educational Practices (DEEP) Microgrants has sponsored numerous projects since its inception in 2021. Below is a list of the completed projects from this program. For more information on the DEEP program or projects not found on this page, please contact LearningAnalytics@office365.wisc.edu.
Completed Projects
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by Beth Janetski, Assistant Dean for Assessment and Academic Planning, Co-Chair
Assessment Committee and Casey Gallimore, Professor and Curriculum Committee Chair, School of Pharmacy, Cid Frietag as Microgrant Liaison
2022-23 Micorgant Project
Disaggregating learning outcomes data is essential to understanding and reducing learning disparities in the classroom. The School of Pharmacy assessed for inconsistent learning outcomes among student demographic groups in a required Doctor of Pharmacy course. Disaggregating assessment data using student characteristics and learning analytics creates a holistic picture of learning disparities. We propose methods of engaging faculty in exploratory discussions of the root causes of disparities and methods to address them.
Addressing Learning Disparities Through Data Disaggregation Poster
By Christa Wille, Teaching Faculty; Research Analyst, Center for Innovation in Engineering Education, College of Engineering, Kate Fu, Associate Professor, Mechanical Engineering, Mary Tompson as Microgrant Liaison
2023-24 Microgrant Project
Despite the frequency of team projects throughout engineering, instruction of effective teamwork is scarce. The Effective Team Dynamics curricula helps students work successfully in teams and navigate teamwork-related challenges through. The primary objective of this project is to provide students with intentional instruction related to teamwork to supplement their technical skills. With a more effective team, it is intended that students will also embody a greater sense of belonging. Data was collected through student surveys, Course activities in Canvas in the first phase of this multi-year project.
Building effective and inclusive teams in freshman and capstone engineering design courses Poster
By Colleen Conroy, Assistant Professor, Department of Theatre and Drama, School of Education, James McKay as Microgrant Liaison
2023-24 Microgrant Project
Course improvement project geared at answering the following questions: How do I create a space where students can bring their multiculturalism (inclusive of identities and languages) into class? How do I incorporate someone’s culture and language into the pedagogy of the classroom in a way that honors the student’s wishes? How do I set an environment where a student’s WHOLE voice, including their specific language abilities are honored and recognized? Are there assignments that I can offer that invite/encourage this?
By Katherine Rotzenberg, Associate Teaching Professor Social & Administrative Sciences, School of Pharmacy and Dave Mott, Professor, Social & Administrative Sciences, School of Pharmacy
2024-2025 Microgrant Project
Understand how in-class activities are related to student performance on course exams and on the specific questions that align with those in-class activities.
More project information coming soon.
Lindy Stoll, Academic Director of Professional Graduate Programs, Professional Master’s and Certificate Programs, School of Pharmacy, and Ace Hillard, Graduate Program Manager, Professional Master’s and Certificate Programs, School of Pharmacy
2024-2025 Microgrant Project
Analyze course engagement and outcomes, to answer the following questions:
- Do our students feel a sense of belonging within the program and within the larger UW–Madison community?
- How prepared do students feel during their time in the program, especially as it relates to these metrics of preparedness: academic, personal, Canvas/tech navigation, career development?
- In what ways do students utilize provided supportive resources and materials?
More project information coming soon.
Katie Vermillion Kalmon, Assistant Teaching Professor, Genetics, College of Agricultural & Life Sciences
2024-2025 Microgrant Project
Understand the interest and engagement with genetics in the news articles with course content.
More project information coming soon.
Jonathan M Gallimore, Lecturer, Psychology, College of Letters & Sciences
2024-2025 Microgrant Project
Explore the video viewing habits of the last 4 semesters to see if Canvas usage (Total time in Canvas) and the video viewing habits explain students’ final grade and / or grade on assignments in Canvas.
More project information coming soon.
by Kaiser Pister, Lecturer, Computer Science, Dariane Drake as Microgrant Liaison
2022-23 Microgrant Project
In the field of Computer Science, women are underrepresented, in this CS 538 course the gender balance is closer to 20-80 than 50-50. This project used a set of engagement techniques to monitor and improve the feeling of belonging amongst all students regardless of the size of their cohort.
By Sarah Zurawski, Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Occupational Therapy, School of Education, Dariane Drake as Microgrant Liaison
2023-24 Microgrant Project
The Occupational Therapy (OT) 710 course titled Professional and Leadership Skills I: Foundation is designed to help OTD students develop their professional identity and skills needed to successfully navigate their future OT careers, a career that is heavily impacted by social and political factors. The primary objective of this project is to help students navigate professional tensions that can occur in divisive political landscapes. This was done by exploring effective ways to facilitate learning activities designed to (1) help students navigate, both personally and professionally, the social and political environments they will participate in, as they transition from OT students to OT practitioners; (2) encourage students to explore and reflect on the complex intersection of the students’ personal and professional values and identities; (3) encourage students to reflect on professional tensions that can arise and learn how to evaluate and navigate situations where personal values and professional values don’t align.
Developing an Occupational Therapy Professional Identity in Divisive Political Landscapes Poster
Angela Kita, Associate Director of Leadership Education, Center for Engineering Education, College of Engineering, Amanda Smith, Assistant Teaching Professor; Associate Chair for Undergraduate Affairs Industrial and Systems Engineering, College of Engineering, with Christa Wille, Teaching Faculty; Research Analyst, Center for Innovation in Engineering Education, College of Engineering
2024-2025 Microgrant Project
Linking peer evaluations, reflections, and surveys to assess team dynamics with performance of the team-based design project to help instructors better understand the effectiveness of courses, tasks and assignments.
More project information coming soon.
Heidi Evans, Teaching Faculty III, Department of English, Program in ESL, College of Letters & Sciences, and Andrea Poulos, Teaching Faculty, Department of English, Program in ESL, College of Letters & Sciences
2024-2025 Microgrant Project
Analyze course engagement, with a focus on:
- How low stakes assignments prepare students for graded assignments.
- How frequently students access the daily lesson plan pages guiding each course day.
- The extent to which students access resources specific to the course and beyond the course.
More project information coming soon.
by Andrew Kuemmel, Teaching Faculty, Computer Science, Mary K Thompson as Microgrant Liaison
2022-23 Microgrant Project
This poster describes a program improvement project that uses learning analytics to support diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging within the three-course introductory sequence for Computer Science majors. Using an action research framework, we identified questions to generate a student survey and followed up with focus groups. The results of the focus groups gave insights into a series of actions that the department will implement next semester in the Emerging Scholars Program. We’ll provide an overview of the project, the questions that were explored and the data that was accessed, along with plans for next steps.
Julia Rutledge, Program Director, MS in EdPsych – Learning Analytics, Department of Educational Psychology, School of Education
2024-2025 Microgrant Project
Determine which course materials generate high and low levels of engagement. Content with lower levels of engagement will be prioritized for a course refresh/redesign.
More project information coming soon.
By Amanda Margolis, Associate Professor, School of Pharmacy, Andrea Porter, Associate Professor, School of Pharmacy, Beth Janetski, Assistant Dean for Assessment and Academic Planning, School of Pharmacy, Doha Awad, DPH-3 Student, School of Pharmacy, Tegan Quinn, DPH-3 Student, School of Pharmacy, Michael Minus, DPH-3 Student, School of Pharmacy, John Martin as Microgrant Liaison
2023-24 Microgrant Project
The School of Pharmacy developed a DEI thread throughout the experiential education curriculum. Students complete a medically underserved experience in the first three years of the program with 63% of first-year pharmacy students completing it during the 2022-23 academic year. The objective is to determine changes in recognition of culturally sensitive practices among those who completed the medically underserved IPPE during the first-year experience compared to those who will complete it later in the curriculum.
By Liza Chang, CALS First Year Program Manager, College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, Diana Frantz Anderson, Academic Planner, College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, Andrew Jason Turner as Microgrant Liaison
2023-24 Microgrant Project
We are using a data-centered approach to examine student belonging and success in first-year seminars, with a focus on first-generation students. There are two arms to this work: The first arm focuses on data from the past three years related to retention and academic actions affecting students enrolled in first-year seminars. The second arm surveys current InterAg 155 students about teaching practices that influence their sense of belonging within the classroom, CALS, and UW–Madison.
Understanding Student Belonging in CALS First-Year Seminars: A Data-Centered Approach Poster
by Tracy Jane Puccinelli, Assistant Teaching Professor, Biomedical Engineering, and Sara Hagen, Academic Planner and Data Analyst, College of Engineering, James McKary as Microgrant Liaison
2022-23 Microgrant Project
How can we use learning analytics to support inclusion and belonging for first-year engineering students in INTEREGR 170: Design Practicum? Using an action research framework, we identified questions and potential data sources to help answer them. We defined actions for course improvement to support student success, inclusion, and a sense of belonging in a team-based, hands-on design course. We will provide an overview of the project, our questions, the data that was accessed, and future plans.
Using Learning Analytics to Improve Inclusion and Belonging in First Year Engineering Design Poster