Learning analytics are starting to become standardized in higher education as institutions use the techniques of Big Data analytics to make decisions to help them reach their goals. The widespread use of student information brings forth ethical concerns primarily in relation to privacy. While the overarching ethical issues related to learning…

In the contemporary era, the landscape of innovation and entrepreneurship is dynamically evolving, fueled by a substantial surge in venture capital investments and the rapid expansion of the global startup ecosystem. This burgeoning growth not only highlights the vibrant nature of modern economies but also brings to the forefront the critical…

In today's era of large-scale data, academic institutions, businesses, and government agencies are increasingly faced with heterogeneous datasets. Consequently, there is a growing need to develop effective methods for extracting meaningful insights from this type of data. Quantile, expectile, and expected shortfall regression methods offer useful…

This quantitative study investigates the predictive power of machine learning (ML) models on degree completion among adult learners in higher education, emphasizing the enhancement of data-driven decision-making (DDDM). By analyzing three ML models - Random Forest, Gradient-Boosting machine (GBM), and CART Decision Tree - within a not-for-profit,…

Learning analytics is an emerging trend in American community colleges brought about by technological advancements, institutional accountability, and external pressure on institutions to substantiate and improve learning. Learning analytics can potentially improve student engagement, retention, and success but also possess inherent ethical and…

The purpose of this quantitative causal-comparative study is an empirical examination of the differences in business intelligence capability and the value and competitive advantage of mid-level higher education academia professionals from community colleges, four-year public, and four-year private institutions within the United States.…

Institutional researchers are acutely aware of the systemic inequities pervasive throughout higher education in the United States because the data that we collect, analyze, visualize, and disseminate quantifies and reveals them. As calls for addressing issues of equity have intensified across campuses, the question of how institutional research…

This study aimed to address the state of data driven decision practices within the Division of Student Affairs at South County College. Framed by an exploratory qualitative case study, this project conducted semi-structured interviews of directors of student affairs and a document analysis of annual reports of the seven departments that constitute…

Understanding student engagement with the institution from the first day of classes to the end of the semester would help inform the institution of the potential risk that a student will drop out of a class or of the school. Learning Management Systems (LMS) record student interactions with the system and might be able to be used to identify…

Educators and researchers have long contemplated the most effective ways to provide feedback to students, to build sustainable feedback practices, and to establish feedback literacy. While a considerable amount of research, theory, and practical approaches exist to support the effect of formative feedback practices, less research exists on the…

Academic department chairs are key in helping universities achieve student success. To succeed in their decisions and furthering their university's educational mission, department chairs can use institutional data to inform their decision-making. In many cases, however, there are gaps, misalignments, and inefficiencies between department chairs…

Digital learning environments are becoming increasingly ubiquitous as a wide range of EdTech products and services enter classrooms and households across the globe. One salient attribute of these environments is their capacity to generate large amounts of data as students interact with the technology. These data logs can help construct a detailed…

Many departments seek to improve their equity, diversity, and inclusion using data-informed methods; however, not much is known about how closely department leadership aligns their review practices with appropriate theory. This dissertation seeks to explore four areas: 1) how are equity, diversity, and inclusion are being conceptualized (implied…

The state of California has the largest community college system in the United States with 1.8 million students from diverse backgrounds and 64% percent of students who are economically disadvantaged (California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office, 2022; Felix & Castro, 2018). California community colleges also experience inequitable…

Data use in higher education continues to increase as college and university leaders aim to meet accreditor and governmental expectations to use data to improve student outcomes. However, the steady increase in data use over the past decades has not been accompanied by an increase in employee data literacy in order for employees to use the data…