It’s a weird world right now. Like many in the U.S., I write this as I work from a basement bedroom in my house that was recently converted to a home office. Like many around the world, my interactions with others are by phone calls,...
Institutional researchers first began working on college campuses after World War II, primarily to provide data within institutions for planning, decision making, and policy development. Generally stated, these IR staff were predominantly limited to larger, research-based colleges. Many smaller colleges, including vo-tech schools, functioned without...
In a past blog entry, I explained how my service to the ND University System includes providing K-12 research support to the ND Department of Public Instruction. As our collaborative arrangement continues to succeed, I’m able to work on fascinating projects. One such project is...
When the average person hears the term “college student” they think of a traditional degree-seeking student, or in other words, a student pursuing coursework that carries credit which can be applied toward a college degree. Further, when enrollment numbers are released nationally, oftentimes the number...
What keeps North Dakota’s teachers satisfied with their jobs? What makes our teachers less than satisfied? What makes our teachers continue to serve the same school from one year to the next? What makes a teacher choose to leave their workplace? Thanks to a recent...
The North Dakota Department of Public Instruction (NDDPI), North Dakota University System (NDUS), and North Dakota Information Technology (NDIT) in consultation with Otis Educational Systems, Inc. celebrate the 2018-2019 Insights interactive K-12 public school ESSA accountability dashboard release. This triumph marks another milestone for the unique...
Over five years ago, the current 2015-2020 Strategic Plan for the North Dakota University System was unveiled to the state after much hard work by countless stakeholders. The higher education landscape has seen massive change since that time, which has caused NDUS to adapt and...
I did not initially plan for a career in institutional research. My original goal was to become a professor who conducts social-political psychology research. In 2008, I began my doctoral program at the University of Chicago. By 2013, I had earned my M.A. as well...
In the June blog article, Digital Advisory Panel guides NDUS in student privacy issues, it was mentioned that the NDUS Institutional Research department had developed a code of ethics around the use of analytics in reporting. This code emerged from feedback from the NDUS Digital...
Institutional researchers do some of their best work when they collaborate with stakeholders who are committed to data-driven decision-making. Such collaborations may be initiated when someone realizes they need more information or evidence before making an important decision. This was precisely the case when Julie...
