Interpreting student engagement data
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The engagement area in My Progress helps students and Academic Advisers identify patterns in how a student is engaging with their studies over time.
Engagement data can help an Academic Adviser and student recognise positive engagement, notice changes and begin a supportive conversation. It should be considered alongside the student’s circumstances and other relevant information to support conversations about their engagement and university experience.
What engagement information is included?
My Progress presents engagement information from:
- Canvas activity
- ReCap activity
- participation in on-site timetabled sessions
Canvas and ReCap engagement is calculated differently from on-site engagement. The percentages should therefore be interpreted in different ways.
Canvas and ReCap engagement
Each week, a student receives an engagement score for every module on which they are actively enrolled. For each module, the student’s Canvas or ReCap activity is compared only with the activity of other students enrolled on that module. This means that the comparison reflects the different learning activities and patterns of engagement within each module.
The median engagement level for the module is used as the point of comparison:
- activity at or above the module median receives a score of 100%
- activity below the median receives a score relative to the median
- scores are capped at 100%
The student’s module scores are then combined to produce their overall Canvas and ReCap engagement scores. This is the percentage shown on the engagement graph. A score of 100% means that the student’s activity is at or above the median for the modules included in the calculation. It does not mean that they have completed every available activity.
Example Canvas or ReCap calculation
This example shows a student who is actively enrolled on five modules. For each module, the student’s Canvas or ReCap engagement is compared with that of other students enrolled on the same module.
The module scores are then combined to produce the overall engagement score shown in My Progress.
On-site engagement
Similar to the way ReCap and Canvas engagement is calculated, each week a student receives an On-site engagement score for every module on which they are actively enrolled and have timetabled on-site sessions. This includes all timetabled on-site sessions, whether they are compulsory or optional.
The key difference is that the calculation uses the highest number of sessions attended by a student on the module that week, rather than the total number of sessions available.
The On-site percentage is not a formal attendance record and should not be used on its own to draw conclusions about a student’s commitment, wellbeing or academic progress.
Example On-site calculation
If 15 sessions were scheduled on a module that week and the highest number attended by any student was 12, the calculation would use 12 as the highest attendance value, not 15.
The module median is then used as the point of comparison:
- attendance at or above the module median receives a score of 100%
- attendance below the median receives a score relative to the median
- scores are capped at 100%
The student’s module scores are then combined to produce their overall On-site engagement score. This is the percentage shown on the engagement graph. A score of 100% therefore means that the student’s attendance is at or above the module median. It does not mean that the student attended every available session.
How should I interpret the graph?
The engagement graph is updated on a weekly basis, with each update showing engagement activity from the previous week. Therefore, the engagement graph is most useful for identifying patterns over time, rather than focusing on a single percentage or a single week.
When reviewing the graph, consider whether engagement has changed over several weeks or whether there are known reasons for the change. A lower percentage does not necessarily mean that a student is disengaged.
The engagement pattern may reflect:
- the student’s individual approach to learning
- personal circumstances
- other factors that are not visible in the graph
Engagement information is intended to support constructive, individual and student-centered conversations. Students should have an opportunity to explain the context behind their engagement pattern and, where appropriate, an Academic Adviser can help the student identify next steps or direct them to relevant University support.