2023 Fall Learning Analytics Hackathon

Event Date & Time

Event Description

In-person

This event is now full. Please add your name to the waitlist.

Join us for the 2023 Fall Learning Analytics Hackathon on November 4th 2023! This one day event (9am – 8pm) will give you a chance to build and showcase your analytics and data skills. The goal for this year’s hackathon is for you to find creative ways to use Canvas data in a way that would improve the teaching or learning experience. Imagine you had data that represented all of your or your students activity in a Canvas course – what would you build?! This is an opportunity for you to rapidly plan, develop, and present a learning analytics project. You can take a look at some of the previous Learning Analytics and Canvas hackathons that have been organized at UBC here.

This event is for current UBC students.

What is Learning Analytics?

Learning analytics is a diverse field that encompasses a wide range of research, practical application, and software development. The Society of Learning Analytics (SoLAR) defines Learning Analytics as:

“… the measurement, collection, analysis and reporting of data about learners and their contexts, for purposes of understanding and optimizing learning and the environments in which it occurs, as defined back in 2011 for the first LAK, this general definition still holds true even as the field has grown. Learning analytics is both an academic field and commercial marketplace which have taken rapid shape over the last decade. As a research and teaching field, Learning Analytics sits at the convergence of Learning (e.g. educational research, learning and assessment sciences, educational technology), Analytics (e.g. statistics, visualization, computer/data sciences, artificial intelligence), and Human-Centered Design (e.g. usability, participatory design, sociotechnical systems thinking).” – SoLAR 

Who Are We? 

The Learning Analytics Hackathon is organized by members of the UBC Learning Analytics Team, LAVA, Open UBC, the Faculty of Arts (Arts ISIT), and the Faculty of Science (Skylight). The event will be hosted at the UBC Sauder Learning Labs. 

Who Are You? 

You are a current UBC student who is keen to apply your skills as a programmer, data analyst, or statistician in an educational context. You know you have some programming / data skills, but have been looking for a low-stakes but hands-on experience to apply what you know. You wish you knew more about what data Canvas has and how it is / can be used at UBC, and would love to contribute to a project that aims to help students and instructors make the most of learning data. If any/all of these sound like you, then you should gather your team and sign up for the hackathon! We will provide data, space (this event will be hosted in the Sauder Learning Labs), mentoring, and lunch. 

Please note: In the past, our hackathons have been open to students of all skill levels and we have provided on-boarding and workshops for participants new to data work. However, this year due to the shorter timeframe of the event, participants will need a good understanding of data wrangling and analysis, a decent grasp of writing code (as a programmer or statistician), and preferably a familiarity with git/github. We look forward to offering beginner skill level hackathons in the future and encourage you to reach out to us if that is something you would like to attend. 

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What Now?

Take a look at the event details and schedule, register for the hackathon, and then keep an eye out for more details and further information. 

Event Details and Schedule

Before the Hackathon

• Find a team (we suggest at least 3 per team, with a maximum of 5) (you will sign up your team in Canvas once we send the enrollment link) 
• Review the challenge details, data, and other materials (to be provided in Canvas at least 2 weeks before the event)
• Some details are still being planned, and we will communicate after registration

✨ Saturday November 4th – Hackathon! ✨

• 9am Start Hacking! (Coffee and light refreshments provided)
• 12ish Lunch (provided) 
• 5ish Dinner (provided)
• 6ish Presentations Start 
• 8ish End of Hackathon!

What do you need to bring?

• A coffee mug and water bottle!
• Laptop and power cables
• Your team should come prepared to get started hacking

CONTACT: Have a question?   Ask Craig Thompson and Alison Myers.