Learning Analytics Webinars and Events

Webinars, Conversations & Assistance

The MS in Educational Psychology – Learning Analytics program is proud to present a series of webinars to engage meaningful discussions in the learning analytics community. In addition to program overview webinars, topics also include areas such as career outlook, innovation, and equity. We bring in industry experts and program faculty to present a variety of perspectives on the learning analytics field. We hope you join us!

Note: All webinars are hosted on Zoom and registrants will be sent an email confirmation containing information and links to join the session. Click the buttons below to register.

Join our mailing list to receive program announcements and industry updates

Program Director Dr. Julia Rutledge

Drop-In Office Hours

Program director Julia Rutledge hosts weekly office hours for prospective students. Feel free to stop by get questions answered about:

Curriculum design * Online modality * Instructional team * Time commitment * Job prospects… and more!

Join via Zoom on Tuesdays, any time between 12:30-1:30CST

2023-2024 Webinar Schedule

Improving Learning Outcomes Beyond the Classroom

Thursday, July 27th at 12pm CST

With Emma Nickerson, MS (middle school language arts) and Jen Schenten (middle school math)

Are you a K-12 teacher looking to use data to impact your classroom, school, and district? Are you curious how you can wrangle the numbers to help improve student success? Join two K-12 teachers (one current student and one alumna from the Learning Analytics program) as they share how they’ve worked with their classroom data to influence decision-making and improve learning outcomes.

Register here for 7/27

Program & Scholarship Overview

School of Education

Wednesday, September 27th at 5pm CST

With program director Julia Rutledge, PhD and enrollment coach Pat Walsh, MS

Considering a master’s degree so you can make an impact on education? Join us for an informational webinar to learn more about our online part-time program’s  design, curriculum, and career outlook, as well as scholarship opportunities.

Register here for 9/27

For EdPsych 301 Current Students and Alumni

Dr. Julia Rutledge teaching EdPsych 301 at UW Madison

Wednesday, October 18th at 5pm CST

With program director and EdPsych 301 & 501 instructor Julia Rutledge, PhD

Did you enjoy taking EdPsych 301 at UW-Madison? Did you know that 301 serves as a substitute transfer credit for the first course in the Learning Analytics program, EdPsych 501? Join us to learn more about how elements of EdPsych 301 relate to the learning analytics field, and how undergraduates who took EdPsych 301 have matriculated into the Learning Analytics program. This information session is for EdPsych 301 students only.

Register here for 10/18

Current Student Showcase

Thursday, October 26th at 5pm CST

With current 2nd year students in the Learning Analytics program

Everyone has a different reason for going to graduate school, and in a diverse field like learning analytics, there are a variety of career options to pursue. Meet current Learning Analytics students and learn about: 

  • Why did they decide to go back to school?
  • How do they manage work and school?
  • Future plans upon graduation?

Register here for 10/26

Modeling Learning in the Age of Chat GPT

in partnership with the Society for Learning Analytics Research

Wednesday, November 8th at 12pm CST

With David Williamson Shaffer, PhD

ChatGPT is the new (and most well-known) AI tool that can whip up an essay, a poem, a bit of advertising copy—and a steady boil of hype and worry about what this will mean for education in the future. This talk looks at what ChatGPT and AI models are really doing, what that means for the future of education — and how we can model, study, and assess learning in the world that ChatGPT is helping us create. Join us for a Feature Webinar, in partnership with the Society for Learning Analytics Research (SoLAR) as faculty director David Williamson Shaffer discusses implications and potential use for harnessing ChatGPT.

Register here for 11/8

Application Assistance

Enrollment Coach Pat WalshWednesday, November 29th at 5pm CST

With enrollment coach Pat Walsh

Working on your program application? Concerned about which type of references to request, or what should be included in your Statement of Purpose? Join MS in Educational Psychology — Learning Analytics program staff and learn strategies to make your application stand out.

Register here for 11/29

Learning Analytics for Instructional Designers

Instructional Designer Maria WidmerThursday, January 25th at 12pm CST

With Maria Widmer, MS

As more content moves online, so has the role of instructional designers in a variety of fields. Maria Widmer, the online instructional strategist for the Learning Analytics program and course developer for EdPsych 575: Instructional Design for Learning Analytics will discuss a selection of LA platforms and dashboards, and how to structure in analytical tools into the instructional design process (both proactively and retroactively).

Register here for 1/25

Using Data to Bridge Research and Practice in Early Childhood Education

Tuesday, February 20th at 5pm CST

With current Committed Scholars Program recipients and their selected guests

How do early childhood educators and researchers use data in their practice? How can learning analytics help to build a more equitable and ethical early childhood education landscape? Join us as Sarah Short PhD, faculty member in the Department of Educational Psychology at UW-Madison who studies the impact of poverty on early child brain and behavioral development, and Anney Tripp ED, executive director at Tenney Nursery and Parent Center share observations from their fields, discuss how each use data to inform their goals and practices, and talk about their unique relationship as parent/researcher and teacher/practitioner.

Register here for 2/20

Alumni Panel: Where are they now?

2023 GraduationThursday, March 21st at 12pm CST

With our program’s 2023 graduates

Each student has a different career goal as they enter our program, and there are a variety of tracks our graduates can take. Learn about how a selection of alumni have leveraged their program experience to pivot or promote themselves in their careers.

Register here for 3/21

Committed Scholars Program App Assistance

Wednesday, April 10th at 5pm CST

With enrollment coach Pat Walsh and program director Julia Rutledge

Are you considering applying for the Committed Scholars Program? This scholarship provides 2 annual $6,000 stipends, or 40% of the total program cost. The selection committee is looking for applicants with a proven record of working towards educational equity, and wants to hear from you how you plan to use this degree towards future action. Learn more about what to include in your application essay, and how you can make your passion in this area stand out. The CSP application is due with the program application by May 1, 2024.

Register here for 4/10

 Webinar Library

Below are recordings of our highly attended webinars. These webinars were recorded 2020-2023 and highlight our program’s teaching team’s breadth of expertise; career journeys, and general program information. Peruse at your leisure!

Student Showcase

Kaycie Barron & Landon Basham

     

Meet current year  students and learn about why they returned to school, work-life-school balance, and future plans after graduation

Career in Focus: Learning Analytics Architect

Kim Arnold

Learning Analytics Center for Excellence director Kim Arnold discusses the qualities her team looks for in job candidates

Women in Analytics

Panel

Female professionals discuss their journeys, challenges, and successes in the learning analytics field

Impact in the Field

David Williamson Shaffer

Faculty Director on the evolution and impact of the field, and initiating the program

Program Overview

Julia Rutledge

Program Director Dr. Julia Rutledge

Program Director on program details, logistics, expectations, scholarship, and application materials

Learning Analytics & QE

David Williamson Shaffer

The author of Quantitative Ethnography discusses the intersection of learning analytics and quantitative ethnography

Faculty Focus

Maria Widmer

Instructional Designer Maria Widmer

UW learning designer on crafting online curriculum that embodies best practices in online instructional design

Research in Practice

Elizabeth Pier

Libby Pier headshot

Director of Impact at Education Analytics on finding a career in learning analytics research

App Assistance

Pat Walsh

Enrollment Coach Pat Walsh

Enrollment Coach on tips, tricks, advice, and best practices when writing your application

HAVE A TOPIC YOU’D LIKE TO SEE HERE?

 

Email program director Julia Rutledge with your suggestions. We are always seeking out new ideas and topics to present to the public.

 

jrutledge@wisc.edu

 

Using Data to Drive JEDI 

Rich Halverson, Percival Matthews & Tammi Summers

Dr. Percival Matthews

Examining the Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion practices pipeline between high school, technical college & 4-year universities

Career Path: Academia, Industry, & Nonprofit

Amanda Siebert-Evenstone

Doctoral Candidate Amanda Siebert-Evenstone

Learn about her career path through academia, consulting, and her current role at a nonprofit EdTech organization

Health, Education, Equity, and Data Analytics

HEEDA

4 experts examine how analytics are at the intersection of health and education

Analytics for Equity

Golnaz Arastoopour Irgens

Assistant Professor at Clemson University on how learning analytics can impact equity

Committed Scholars Program

CSP Overview

Bucky Badger

Learn about the program’s Commitment to Equity initiative and scholarship qualifications

Questions? Chat with Pat, our Enrollment Coach

As an enrollment coach, my role is to answer your questions about the Learning Analytics program and to help you decide if this program is the right fit for you and your career goals. Prospective students often ask me about:

  • Eligibility: Am I qualified?
  • Workload: What’s the typical weekly time commitment?
  • Collaboration: How will I be interacting with the teaching team and other students?
  • Application advice: Who should I ask for a reference? How can I improve my resume?
  • Etc.

Pat Walsh, Enrollment Coach

I am here to help you navigate this decision process and welcome you into the Badger family.

So let’s connect! You can email me at pat.walsh@wisc.edu or schedule a meeting with me via Calendly