The inspirational effect from the emergence of generative AI has made an impression on us all in different ways. This technology’s transformative nature calls for an enterprise approach that balances widespread experimentation with building infrastructure for the future. This session explores an impact-driven AI strategy that fosters research, learning and new ways to work.

Adam Maksl, Ph.D., Professor of Journalism and Media, Indiana University

Dalton Gibson, Lead Online Instructional Designer, Indiana University

Alejandra Aguilar-Perez, Lead Online Instructional Designer for eLearning Design & Services, Indiana University

Transform your teaching prowess into AI prompt engineering expertise. This session reveals how instructional design principles—specificity, context, examples, and interaction—can refine AI prompts for sophisticated, engaging outputs. Elevate AI beyond technology, using pedagogical insights to craft prompts that lead to relevant and innovative AI-generated content.

Ray Vadnais, Product Manager, Teaching & Learning Analytics, University of California, Irvine

Jeremy Thacker, Assistant Director, Educational & Student Success Technologies, University of California, Irvine

Spark is a student dashboard that uses data from the Unizin Data Platform to provide personalized feedback and recommendations for wellbeing and success. Spark aims to enhance student engagement, retention, and satisfaction by promoting self-awareness, goal-setting, and social support.

Dariane Drake, Learning Analytics Architect, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Chris Lalande, Learning Analytics Architect, University of Wisconsin-Madison

The University of Wisconsin-Madison leveraged UDP’s last activity data mart and student gradebook data to pilot an early warning indicator program for advisors.  DLE data was used to record daily thresholds, automatic calculations performed, and display notifications to the advising interface already used by advisors in their daily workflow.

Meet, connect, and explore opportunities with Instructure in a quick, interactive session.

Kirk Wilkins, Instructional Designer II, University of Missouri (System)

With the rise of ChatGPT, much concern has emerged about the viability and future of writing assignments. This presentation will present a framework for reframing the discussion about writing in the age of AI. Grounded in best practices and research, this framework will inspire instructors to renew their teaching practice.

James Folkestad, Professor – University Distinguished Teaching Scholar, Colorado State University

This presentation will provide an expanded introduction to U-Behavior, a Unizin-hosted solution aiming to enhance teaching practices through data-driven insights. Similar to a “fit-bit” for studying, U-Behavior coaches students to improve study habits, boosting exam scores and long-term learning. Supported by three years of research data, it integrates seamlessly with Canvas LMS courses, showing significant performance improvements across STEM disciplines.

Shane Nackerud, Director, Affordable Learning and Open Education, University of Minnesota

Kirsten Clark, Director, Library Enterprise Systems, University of Minnesota

Ken Varnum, Senior Program Manager and Discovery Strategist, University of Michigan

Sara Bolf, Data Analyst, Unizin

This session will describe the Caliperization projects at the libraries of the University of Michigan and the University of Minnesota, the use of the Caliper Library Profile and the Unizin Data Platform, student privacy, opt-out functionality, and future plans.

Maggie Gilchrist, Instructional Technology Consultant, Indiana University

Eric Brinkman, Instructional Technology Consultant, Indiana University

This presentation explores practical strategies for incorporating generative AI tools in higher education classrooms to enhance student engagement and improve learning outcomes. Our primary focus will be on incorporating generative AI into the classroom as an AI tutor that can provide personalized and adaptive support and individual guidance to students.

Benjamin Hellar, Manager, Data Empowered Learning, Pennsylvania State University

Andy Fisher, Manager, Learner Engagement, Pennsylvania State Unviersity

Hannah Williams, Project Manager, Data Empowered Learning, Pennsylvania State University

Aperture is a new learning analytic tool developed by Penn State’s Data Empowered Learning Team to provide insight into the usage of Canvas and adoption of Learning Tool Integrations across the institution. This session will provide a live demonstration and discuss early feedback and integration challenges.

Alexandra Bitton-Bailey, Director of the Center for Teaching Excellence, the University of Florida

Amy Goodburn, Senior Associate Vice Chancellor and Dean of Undergraduate Education, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Stuart Selber, Professor of English and Director of Digital Education, the Pennsylvania State University

Tom Andriola, Vice Chancellor for Information Technology and Data & Chief Digital Officer, UC Irvine

AI is impacting nearly every area of our institutions. This panel discussion will provide a multitude of perspectives on AI as it relates to the student experience, ranging from policy, technology, faculty development, teaching and learning.

Perry Samson, Professor, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

Kevyn Collins Thompson, Professor, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

Many learners face time challenges which can limit learners’ educational progress. LearningClues’ CourseGPT™, a University of Michigan spin-off, addresses this by indexing and integrating course content to provide virtual assistants wherein learner questions yield responses with embedded citations identifying the course content used to construct each part of the answer.

Christina Bifulco, Associate Director for Teaching & Learning Analytics, Rutgers University

Heather Maness, Assistant Director of Learning Analytics and Assessment, University of Florida

Lauren Marsh, Senior Academic Technologist, University of Minnesota

After the Faculty Development subcommittee released “Stepping Stones: A Faculty Development Curriculum for Learning Analytics Use,” 6 institutions piloted the curriculum and offered feedback. We’ll share what we learned and preview version 2, so you can leverage these consortia resources and empower instructors to use course data for student success!

Minh Pham, Learning Science & Analytics Specialist, University of Florida

Jose Lugo-Silva (UF)

Kyle Unruh (Unizin)

Building on the recent Taskforce Mart – Level 1 Aggregated data mart (student’s performance and activities in a course on a weekly basis), UF collaborated with the Unizin DSS team to identify additional metrics and efficient code to generate helpful insights into enhancing student success. 

Ryan Lufkin, Vice President of Global Academic Strategy, will review the work Instructure has done to align their AI efforts with the interest of community, give an update on key AI initiatives and provide a sneak-peek on generative AI features and functionality in the works.

Victoria Maloy, Associate Director Academic Technology, University of Iowa

Eva Latterner, Assistant Director Center for Teaching, University of Iowa

This interactive session will discuss the challenges of setting up effective instructional support and instructor professional development for generative AI and teaching and propose a framework for comprehensive instructional support across the institution. 

Elena Marusak, Instructional Analyst, Chapman University

This presentation explores strategies for connecting with users of specific Canvas-integrated tools within a diverse campus community. By leveraging Impact’s Tool Adoption data, we personalize outreach, facilitate transitions (such as the switch to LTI 1.3), and share essential information to promote student and instructor success at Chapman University.

Dan Young

With Instructure’s introduction of ‘Canvas Data 2’ and the subsequent retirement of ‘Canvas Data 1’, Indiana University’s Learning Management Analytics Repository, complete with its underlying data models was subject to massive change.  Fortunately, through the power of the Denodo Platform’s logical warehousing and integration approach, the IU team was able to quietly navigate these changes and transition from one backend cloud provider and data model combination to the another, all while improving data design and minimizing disruption to consumers. Join us as we cover the technical approach, lessons learned and problems conquered through this interesting case study review.

Heather West, Senior Director of Cybersecurity and Privacy Services, Venable LLP

James Russell, Interim Cheif Technology Officer, Unizin

Renée Petrina, Manager, Instructional Design Clinic, Indiana University

Kimmaree Murday, Principal Instructional Designer, Indiana University

Kari Hamlett-Bedan, Lead Instructional Designer, Indiana University

Quality online offerings are critical to reaching a wide range of students, and instructors need support as IU increases enrollment. Enter a new service: the Instructional Design (ID) Clinic. In this presentation, learn how we launched this new service and about the tool stack that supports our work.

Salim George, Learning Analytics Specialist, University of Iowa

Chad Brassil (UNL)

Ben Hellar (PSU)

Presenters from Iowa, Nebraska, and Penn State will demonstrate learning analytics dashboards designed to support faculty as they teach courses during a semester. Our hope is that these examples will provide a springboard for a rich conversation about leveraging data from the UDP in order to promote effective teaching/learning.