The Data and Decisions Academy is a series of online, self-paced courses designed for busy community college institutional research (IR) professionals. The Academy offers six courses for individuals: Foundational Statistics for Decision Support, Foundations of Data Management, Designing IR Research. Survey Design, Learning Outcomes, and Longitudinal Tracking for IR. A team-based course, Student Success Through the Lens of Data, is also available. Future Academy plans include intermediate and advanced training, as well as courses for other segments of the IR community. The courses are accessible without travel or special software, and are designed for busy employees who need on-the-job and on-the-go training. Through a unique learning portal, Academy participants will acquire the knowledge and skills to perform a critical IR function in about 10 hours of study and exercises. With an investment of approximately 25 hours, participants can complete the entire course and obtain a broader knowledge base of IR competencies. Initial funding for the Data and Decisions Academy is made possible by a $1.92 million grant from Lumina Foundation for Education. The Academy is hosted by the Association for Institutional Research in Tallahassee, Florida.
To date, 175 students have enrolled and 80% completed one or more courses. View the Academy Honor Roll.