Dr. Gaye Lynn Scott (VC Instruction) and Dr. Jenna Cullinane Hege (VC Institutional Research and Analytics) launched the Data Engagement for Student Success (DESS) initiative to better understand the data literacy landscape of Instructional areas, and use that information to help instructional faculty and related staff to incorporate data-informed decision making into their work. For more information on the background of this project click here.

For the purposes of this initiative, Data Literacy is defined as the ability to understand data in context and effectively use data to form and support institutional goals. For faculty and instructional staff at ACC, it is to understand how to access, read, interpret, discuss, analyze, and use data-driven decisions to improve programs and student outcomes and use data to inform their practice as relevant to their role.

Yes and no. The work group was created before the chancellor announced the Data Summit and aims to build on previous efforts. Some of our work will overlap and enforce initiatives and values put forth in the Chancellor’s Data Summit, ACC’s North Star, and the Theory of Change. For information about the Data Summit, head here.

To a degree, departments are already using data. We want instructors and faculty to improve their skills in obtaining and using data.

In some ways it is not different; however, data analytics has changed over the years. We are building on many years of data initiatives in Instruction. This is a faculty-led initiative that we expect to have an initial life cycle of 3-5 years. We are interested in seeing if a data-informed system of assessing, using data to inform training, and assessing again will result in a more effective effort to help faculty and related staff feel more confident in using data in planning their courses and contributing to departmental decisions.

• The Chancellor would like to increase student completion rates. To support that goal he has outlined four areas:
  • 1) Start students strong, 
  • 2) Create opportunities for students to attend full-time, 
  • 3) Provide for basic needs,
  • 4) Create a sense of belonging and connection. 
• We believe that the Data Engagement Initiative will help instructional faculty and related staff to better access, read, interpret, use, analyze, and discuss data to make data-informed decisions resulting in their courses and programs becoming even more effective, which will start students’ strong and enhance their connection to their chosen field of study.

This is a workgroup, not a committee. Under the shared governance rules (link), an administrator (in this case, the Vice Chancellor of Instruction) formed a work group to examine a problem with a narrow charge and timespan. The methodology for member selection, under the rules, is at the discretion of the administrator. Members were recommended by administrators from  AVCs of Workforce Education, Transfer Programs, OIRA, TLED, Adult Education, Continuing Education, and libraries. The workgroup has no budget, so we are unable to pay adjunct stipends at this time. The list of members is available on our membership page. We have 9 faculty members, 4 staff members (2 of which are also adjunct faculty) with specific technical expertise, and 1 student. The DESS Work Group has a faculty co-chair and all sub-groups have at least one faculty co-chair. If you are interested in getting involved, please contact us at DESS@austincc.edu.

If you are interested in getting involved or providing feedback, please contact us at DESS@austincc.edu.

We are not mandating training. We are assessing data literacy across instructional areas, making recommendations based on data collected from that assessment, and developing training and other resources to assist instructional faculty and related staff to better locate, understand, and use data in decision-making for their classrooms and departments. You and your supervisor should consider including our recommended data literacy training as part of your professional development plan.

The duration of training will depend on the method and modality of the training. See our website for available training sessions. The length of time to complete the training sessions will be posted with each available training.

Yes. We will only collect demographic data to disaggregate results into faculty or instructional staff, full-time or adjunct, etc.

No more than 10 minutes.

• The Data Literacy Assessment is completely anonymous. 
• Assessment results will be reported on the DESS website
  • e.g., by role, number of years employed, dean area, etc.

• No. Because the Data Literacy Assessment is anonymous. 
• We will not be able to identify specific individuals who completed it. 
• Assessment results will be reported on the DESS website (in aggregate)
  • e.g., by role, number of years employed, dean area, etc.

• To assess data literacy among faculty and staff
• To use assessment findings to develop training focused on:
  • How to locate and understand data.
  • How to use data to inform classroom and departmental decision-making.
• Ultimately: To improve student success and course completion rates – using data!

• The Data Engagement for Student Success (DESS) workgroup developed the data literacy assessment in the spring of 2024. 
• The process of development:
  • Reviewed data literacy assessments currently administered by other educational institutions and in other settings, with a focus on the ACC context and definition of Data Literacy.
  • Assessment developed and sent for expert review (questionnaire design) by the ACC Office of Institutional Research and Analytics. 
  • Administered two (2) focus group-based cognitive interviews of the assessment to instructional faculty to learn how the respondents understood the questions. 
  • Submitted assessment for Executive Sponsor review and approval by the VC Instruction (Dr. Gaye Lynn Scott) and the VC Institutional Research & Analytics (Dr. Jenna Cullinane Hege).
• The DESS will evaluate the responses to the assessment after the initial administration, including factor analysis to determine question redundancy and make changes to the Assessment as deemed necessary for the next iteration.

The expectation is for faculty to continue using data to improve decision-making. That said, training and activities will be provided to help interested faculty with improving their ability to use data.