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Pushing Data: Institutional Researchers as Workshop Facilitators
Morgan Blair, Wasiq Ali, Allison CampbellMedicine Hat College
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Overview
Our Role As Data Pushers
Theoretical Approaches
Institutional Context
Workshop Design
Outcomes
Future Directions
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Pushing Data
Information Authority
Policy Analyst
Spin Doctor
Scholar / Researche
r
Knowledge Manager
Adapted from Volkwein (2008)
Five Faces of IR
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Pushing Data
How do we effectively push data?
Be strategic: connect data to institutional goals, match project to people who care, multiple mediums
Don’t just wait for opportunities, create them
Build value and create need
Adapted from Leimer (2011)
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Theoretical Approaches
• Mentor, colleagueLiberal
• Hierarchical, directivesBehaviorist
• Collectivism, problem solvingProgressive
• Individualism, self-directednessHumanistic
• Change agent, pusherRadicalAdapted from Mulcrone, 1993
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Institutional Context
Community college with ~2,500 FLE Young IR office Data distributed in flat reports Data was nice to have, but…
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The Flat Line
Number of Hits to Intranet Page Prior to Change in Approach
-1
0
1
Num
ber o
f Hits
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Stealth Radicalism
View stakeholders in dichotomies
Pushing for a cultural changes
Fostering a culture of data-driven decision making
Discouraging decisions based on “gut feeling”
Social and political change
Critical investigation
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Impetus for Change
“…value transparent, consistent, and integrated use of
information in decision making.”
“Our aim is to transform from a standard institutional
research office to one of the most trusted, innovative,
and influential advisory groups on campus.”
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Impetus for Change
Operationalizing a change towards evidence-based decision
making using stealth radical approach:
Dashboards
Senior management involvement
Workshops
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Workshops
Workshops are designed to: Enhance evidence-based decision making at all levels
Increase participant comfort with the use of data and dashboards
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Workshop Design
1. Introduction of meeting topic
2. Overview of dashboard
3. Engagement exercise: Facts on the Fly
4. Delivery of the problem to be solved
5. Break into working groups with dashboards
6. Group Discussion
7. Document Outcomes
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Workshop Examples
SEM Goal Setting
Retention strategy development
Academic Advisors
Recruiters
International Education
Program Review
Budget Process
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Workshop Outcomes
Participants:
Gain increased comfort with complex data
Gain increased sense of ownership of data, decisions and
outcomes
Develop self-sufficiency in accessing data
Seed change
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Workshop Outcomes
“Walking us through the process was great, doing it in person is always better, and now I feel more knowledgeable about data.”
“It was surprising to see how much we had accomplished in such a short time.”
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The Resuscitation
Number of Hits to Intranet Page Since Change in Approach
2014
-01
2014
-02
2014
-03
2014
-04
2014
-05
2014
-06
2014
-07
2014
-08
2014
-09
2014
-10
2014
-11
2014
-12
2015
-01
2015
-02
2015
-03
2015
-04
2015
-05
2015
-06
2015
-07
2015
-08
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
Num
ber o
f Hits
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The Resuscitation
Number of Hits to Online Institutional Quick Facts20
13-0
920
13-1
020
13-1
120
13-1
220
14-0
120
14-0
220
14-0
320
14-0
420
14-0
520
14-0
620
14-0
720
14-0
820
14-0
920
14-1
020
14-1
120
14-1
220
15-0
120
15-0
220
15-0
320
15-0
420
15-0
520
15-0
620
15-0
720
15-0
820
15-0
9
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
Num
ber o
f Hits
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Workshop Outcomes
Advancement of Mandate:
Insight: how non-data people process data
Where their interest exists
Increase departmental profile
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Workshop Outcomes
“We know where to go to get data, and we can collaborate on our data needs.”
“As we study the data, Strategic Research & Analysis will guide us on how to dig deeper and find more information to meet our needs.”
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Future Approach
Radical Progressive Humanistic
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Conclusions
Radical approach is effective
Be strategic, tailor approach
Create opportunity and need
Benefits to internal stakeholders and IR department
Adjust approach as institution matures
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