Using the D2L Competencies Tool to
Provide Student and Course Data
J.C. Turner, Riverland Community College
J.C.Turner@riverland.edu
Sheri Steinke, Normandale Community College
Sheri.Steinke@normandale.edu
Cheryl Norman, Minneapolis Community and Technical College
Cheryl.Norman@minneapolis.edu
Deb McManimon, Riverland Community College
Deb.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
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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
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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 Hierarchy
Curriculum Mapping
Backward Course (Program) Design
MCTC
EDUC
EDUC2250
• Core Competency: Critical Thinking…
• Department Learning Outcome: SLOs
• 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 the
Business 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
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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?