Teaching & Learning

FY2024 Accomplishments

The ITS Teaching & Learning team develops, integrates, and supports enterprise-scale academic technology services at U-M, collaborating with academic and administrative units. Their major services include managing Canvas as the university's core learning management system, providing infrastructure for learning analytics and research, maintaining the MiVideo platform, and supporting academic advisors in their engagement with students.

In FY2024, through its innovative GenAI workshops and expansive implementation of the learning analytics tool MyLA, ITS T&L was a driving force in propelling U-M's educational strategy forward. Throughout the year, they constantly optimized administrative efficiency, fostered digital inclusion, and enhanced technology-driven academic communication and scholarship at the university.

ITS T&L By the Numbers in FY2024

While Canvas and MiVideo are regular parts of the T&L technology portfolio, here are some highlights to illustrate the scope of T&L’s efforts in FY2024:

Canvas for the 2023-2024 Academic Year

  • 11,817 published Canvas courses
  • 6,708,862 discussion postings
  • 5,207,136 quizzes submitted
  • 4,372,361 assignments submitted

MiVideo for the 2023-2024 Academic Year

  • 1.6 million minutes of video viewed

Fueling Innovative Education

In addition to Canvas and other platforms, Teaching & Learning has been instrumental in ushering in a new era of educational strategies by harnessing the potential of artificial intelligence. Notable accomplishments last year included:

GenAI Workshops and Training

A series of 10 GenAI workshops were conducted throughout FY2024, garnering extensive participation and sparking a technological transformation in pedagogy. Tailored individually for staff and faculty, these workshops fostered an appreciation for AI-driven education, as evidenced by the positive feedback from participants. By addressing practical implementation and theoretical concerns, the workshops generated excitement about AI's possibilities in revolutionizing teaching and learning.

Empowering Learning Analytics

Teaching & Learning’s efforts to grow adoptions of the My Learning Analytics (MyLA) tool in FY2024 stood as a significant tech milestone in the landscape of learning analytics:

MyLA Impact

The tool has been adopted in 670 courses, engaging over 40,300 students since its inception in 2018. The Winter 2024 term saw a 40% jump in the number of courses utilizing MyLA, indicating its vital role in enriching the student educational experience. Additionally, MyLA's spread across eight campuses via the Unizin consortium highlights its scalability and value in broader educational contexts. Notably, the tool's success is also reflected in student feedback, revealing its positive influence on study habits and course performance.

Operational Excellence in Academic Administration

Teaching & Learning's commitment to improving administrative processes was evidenced last year by the following:

Canvas - Placement Exams

The introduction of automated scoring and submission of placement exams via Canvas represented a leap forward in administrative efficiency, eliminating countless hours of manual effort and logistical hurdles. This innovation has significantly freed up resources and time, providing faculty and staff with a streamlined and accurate system for placement evaluations.

Communications and Outreach Strategy

To align technology support with the mission of the university, Teaching & Learning introduced an expansive new resource for faculty and instructors in FY2024:

Academic Technology@Michigan Site

T&L launched the Academic Technology@Michigan website, a single, user-friendly instructional support hub to benefit new and seasoned faculty and instructors at U-M. It was inspired by the desire to create one cohesive digital location where U-M educators could easily find tools, resources and training opportunities related to their teaching needs. It symbolized a pivotal step in centralizing and disseminating information on academic technology. Regular updates, spotlight features, and the collation of resources have made this site a cornerstone for university tech engagement, reflected in its high usage statistics and commendations from faculty and staff.

Advancing Accessibility and Inclusion

In FY2024, Teaching & Learning fortified its commitment to inclusivity by:

MiVideo Auto Captioning

The implementation of auto-captioning for all new MiVideo content is a significant achievement, showcasing T&L’s dedication to ADA compliance and the equitable dissemination of video content. This feature not only enriches the user experience but also stands as a testament to the university's inclusive values.

Cultivating Digital Scholarship and Community

Teaching & Learning's contributions to digital scholarship have been multifaceted:

Enriching Scholarship Conference

Active participation in and significant impact on the Enriching Scholarship Conference, a haven for sharing knowledge and resources on technology-enhanced learning and teaching. The sessions provided practical examples, engaged attendees in meaningful discourse on pedagogy, and offered useful insights and resources, thus enriching the scholarly fabric of the university.

Honorable Mentions and Curated Successes

Beyond these core achievements, in the past year, Teaching & Learning has also been acknowledged for:

Various Support Initiatives

From sponsoring the MHacks event to conducting a comprehensive evaluation of NameCoach's impact on classroom inclusivity, T&L has engaged in diverse initiatives that bolster the academic community's adoption of innovative technologies and sow the seeds for future advancements.

Evolving Services and Strategic Improvements

Last fiscal year, Teaching & Learning's dedication to service enhancement was reflected in:

Decommissioning and Evaluation

The strategic decommissioning of services such as MWrite Peer Review and the Unizin Data Warehouse has streamlined the technological framework, paving the way for enhanced tools like the Unizin Data Platform. These calculated decisions are indicative of a forward-thinking and adaptable approach to technology management.

Testimonials

"This has been WONDERFUL! The best AI training I’ve attended so far! Looking forward to rewatching the video and practicing more."
          — Yanni (Yatesha) D Robinson, Online Program and Adjunct Clinical Assistant Professor of Social Work, School of Social Work
"Thank you so much for your thorough and thought-provoking presentation. My head is swimming! So many possibilities! I definitely appreciate having the recording to go back to."
          — Julian Levinson, Associate Director, Frankel Center for Judaic Studies
"This was the most valuable training/workshop/session that I've attended in YEARS. Possibly ever. The pacing was fast - but I loved it. This info is so new to me (and I'm very tech savvy) and I just need more time to digest and take the learning and play with my own content areas. So cool!”
          — Erin Allet, Director, Undergraduate & Pre-Experienced Coaching & Education, ROSS SCH Career Development
"We cannot express enough how grateful we were for your ability to step in at the last minute to present this work. Sitting in a good portion of your session, I know that you helped address a lot of concerns that folks have with understanding what these tools are and how they can be considered in our teaching practice. Thank you so much for your generosity of spirit and content in being part of the Provost's Seminar on Gen AI."
          — Malinda Matney, Managing Director, CRLT
“The workshop demonstrations and the opportunity to try out the tools were helpful. These GenAI workshops have been so valuable to my work."
          — Sandra Alberto, Medical School/MM Grant Services & Analysis, Faculty and Staff
“The workshop was helpful to learn the basics of understanding how to navigate to Maizey, setting it up, and adding a data source.”
          — Kristina Primorac, Lecturer in Romance Languages and Literatures, LSA
“The workshop did not assume we had previous knowledge or experience with AI. I liked how it was explained that we already use AI without realizing it. Overall, the workshop was excellent!”
          — Natasha Allen, Library Information Technology
"Your participation and dedication to providing AI services to the University of Michigan are highly appreciated. Your knowledge and expertise in the field have been invaluable to our participants."
          — Linjue “Jade” Wang, UM-PKU Institute Planning Team