Academic Analytics Essay

A topic of discussion happening on many campuses today is technology and how it can be used to improve student success through the use of data collection systems or programs. Technology is a broad term that could simply mean a personal computer or a smart classroom, but the topic that will be discussed specifically in the following research report is academic analytics. Analytics can be used in many ways to help an institution, from planning course offerings to establishing an appropriate budget. While the intention of analytics is to provide a systematic approach for improvement, and it has been available for many years, it is still a new concept and tool for many institutions. York College of Pennsylvania is currently going through the

Given that one of the main driving factors for most institutions is their student success, it should be no surprise that academic analytics, along with other tools, is being viewed as a resource that can help increase the rate at which students successfully earn their degrees. Currently, the national average for students completing a bachelor’s degree in four years is only 40% and 60% over a six-year period (Campbell & Oblinger, 2007). With more scrutiny of institutional effectiveness coming from accrediting groups and government bodies, moving towards data analysis technology to prevent future problems is a logical step for any

However, a school will also gain an improved public perception, by showing that it cares about its students and holds itself responsible for taking steps to help them. The more successful students are at completing classes and programs, the less often they are going to repeat courses, which in turn opens more seat availability to students looking to take the class for the first time (Campbell & Oblinger, 2007). An increasingly positive reputation will likely lead to more success in recruiting new