In 2022, UC Irvine launched a data-driven Student Success Initiative called UCI Compass. This initiative combines many data points to personalize and improve the student journey.

In this edition of the Anteater Insider podcast, Sheri Ledbetter speaks with Astrud Reed, the Compass community of practice manager with the Office of Information Technology. Reed has been with UC Irvine for two years and in academia for over 20 years. She advocates for effective data practices and is working toward cultivating a data-literate culture. She’s doing this through a community of practice framework.

Reed explains what it means to adopt a university-wide community of practice for a campus culture of digital literacy and how it enables UC Irvine to focus on data-driven student success.

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TRANSCRIPT

Sheri Ledbetter:

Let’s break it down a little bit and start at the beginning. What is a community of practice?

Astrud Reed:

A community of practice is a group of people who share a common interest or profession and come together to share knowledge, experiences and best practices. At UC Irvine, our community of practice focuses on data literacy and effective data practices to enhance the student journey and overall campus experience. We are creating a campus community that acts as a living curricul. This means breaking down traditional silos and hierarchies and academia to ensure that every voice has value. By involving everyone in the community, we can drive the next steps for how we teach our students and process their needs through data.

Sheri Ledbetter:

That’s interesting. Astrud, how does your background inform this initiative?

Astrud Reed:

I began in academia as an administrative assistant and have worked my way up over my 20-plus years. Being a longtime staff member in academia, I’ve seen lots of initiatives brought down by leadership that never asked the staff what their thoughts were on it or how they had them test things out before things were launched. And a lot of times, things didn’t, didn’t launch that well because of that. So it is very important to me to include all voices, to include faculty and staff voices in, in everything, as well as including student voices in there. We talk about that a lot in academia, but are we doing it? I have a great team that works with me. As you know, I’ve had multiple different student employees and now have a UC Irvine alumnus who graduated this past spring and is now part of our team. I bounce stuff off of them all the time, and they are a big part of making all this a success.

Sheri Ledbetter:

That’s great. That’s interesting. I mean, you’re really kind of covering all your target audiences there. So that leads me to the next question. What does it mean for the UC Irvine community, namely the faculty, staff, leadership and students? What does it mean for them to be more data literate?

Astrud Reed:

Being more data literate means having the ability to understand, interpret, and use data effectively. And decision-making processes, it empowers everyone to make informed decisions, improve processes, and ultimately enhance the student experience. Data literacy is crucial for fostering a culture of continuous improvement and innovation, which, you know, really is important for the time that we’re in. It also helps retain faculty and staff by addressing their fears around AI and showing them how to work with current technology to enhance their roles and make them even more valued in those roles. By increasing data literacy among staff, faculty and leadership, we can better support our students’ digital literacy and prepare them for careers and lives beyond UC Irvine.

Sheri Ledbetter:

Ah, kind of like a trickle-down effect.

Astrud Reed:

Exactly.

Sheri Ledbetter:

What were some of the first steps of building the UCI Compass community of practice?

Astrud Reed:

The first steps involved identifying key stakeholders, forming a core team, and conducting needs assessments to understand the current state of data literacy on campus. We developed a strategic plan that included training programs, workshops, and resources to support community members in becoming more data literate. The training programs, such as the maps courses, cover foundational concepts, terminology, and tools used at UC Irvine, really focusing on the UC Irvine ecosystem wherever possible. We also create discussion groups, book clubs, and other resources to foster continuous learning and collaboration. The goal is to create an even playing field where every voice has value and to increase confidence among those who may not feel confident enough to speak up.

Sheri Ledbetter:

Hmm. I am so glad you brought that up, because I’ve heard you talk about this in other settings about the impact on confidence. In other words, like when people don’t understand what’s being spoken about in a meeting that they’re in, especially a meeting where there are a lot of acronyms being thrown around, that person in turn becomes less likely to speak up, and their confidence probably goes down a little bit. So this is a way to enhance digital literacy for all really, and raise confidence across the board.

Astrud Reed

You know, I find it so important that, that we make sure that everyone has that good foundation to stand on to become the experts in their areas. If we want to ask those really important questions around what Tom Andriola [vice chancellor of data & information technology] refers to as our student 3.0, not just looking at the class of 2025, but looking at each student holistically on their journey. We need to have everybody who works with students and with student data be part of our community. We need everyone to have the skills and the confidence that they need.

The data analysts who create all these tools, they’re fantastic, and they’re brilliant, of course, but they aren’t going to be able to ask all those questions that are going to help each of those students in those journeys. And that’s why we need to, to create the, the, you know, to provide the skills across the whole campus community.

Sheri Ledbetter:

Yes. For someone who may not think they are that technical or that data literate, what is the best way for them to start?

Astrud Reed

The best way to start is by accessing data GPS, which is the Community of Practice hub on Canvas. It offers various resources, including training programs, discussion groups, workshops and informational pieces. The learning materials there are designed to be accessible and flexible, allowing individuals to learn at their own pace. We also have a Compass communication platform on SharePoint that is accessible to everyone with a UC Irvine login. We have job aids, informational sheets, and short videos created by our OIT AI subcommittee, as well as different individuals around UC Irvine who are doing cool things in this space. These resources are tailored to be equitable for all types of learners and provide a welcoming environment for everyone to improve their digital literacy.

Sheri Ledbetter:

Interestingly, you touched on equity. Can you describe, describe how equity is being addressed in the community of practice initiative that helps level the playing field?

Astrud Reed

Absolutely. Equity is a fundamental aspect of our community of practice initiative. At UC Irvine, the goal is to ensure that every voice has value and that everyone, regardless of their role or background, has the opportunity to contribute and benefit from the initiatives. This is achieved by breaking down traditional silos and hierarchies in academia, which often create barriers to participation and collaboration. And again, in the time that we’re in, collaboration and participation by all is so important. One of the key ways we address equity is by increasing data and digital literacy across the entire campus. This involves providing accessible and flexible learning resources. These resources are designed to cater to different types of learners, ensuring that everyone can find a way to engage and improve their skills at their own pace. Additionally, we emphasize the importance of involving all voices in the conversation. This means actively seeking input from staff, faculty, and leadership, as well as students, to ensure that the initiative reflects the diverse experience and needs of the campus community. By doing so, we can ask better questions, make more informed decisions, and ultimately create a more inclusive and equitable environment for everyone. Our goal with the community of practice initiative is designed to level the playing field by providing equitable access to resources, fostering a culture of continuous learning and improvement, and ensuring that every voice is heard and valued.

Sheri Ledbetter:

This ties right into the university’s mission of discovering and disseminating knowledge through research, teaching and creative expression. Right on the money. Astrid, thank you for speaking with me today.

Astrud Reed

Thank you, Sherry. It was a pleasure to discuss the Compass community practice and the importance of data literacy at UC Irvine.

Sheri Ledbetter:

To learn more about the community of practice and improving your digital literacy, please visit www.compass.uci.edu. The Anteater Insider podcast is a production of Strategic Communications & Public Affairs at the University of California, Irvine.