Canvas Data and Predictive Algorithms
This short, anonymous survey will take appx. 10-15 minutes to complete. It is for students at the University of Oklahoma, and also for students at other schools who want to participate. The purpose of this survey is to gather student responses about Canvas data practices so that student perspectives can be part of the ongoing discussion about data use at Instructure, Canvas's parent company.

Specifically, this survey focuses on Instructure's use of grades and other student data in Canvas to create  "predictive algorithms," formulas that predict a student's future performance in school based on that student's past performance in other classes. As news about these predictive algorithms emerged over the past year, there were objections to Instructure using student data to develop these products without obtaining permission from students first. In addition, there were concerns about who would be able to see these predictions of students' future performance.

In response to these concerns, Instructure has created the position of "Chief Customer Experience Officer," and one of this person's duties will be to review Instructure's existing data use policies. This survey is a chance for you to share your perspective as part of that review process.

The Yes-No questions below are on a scale so that you can indicate how strongly you feel about your answers, ranging from a strong no to a strong yes or somewhere in-between.

This survey was prepared in February 2020 by Laura Gibbs, an Instructor at the University of Oklahoma, and the survey will be available until Monday, March 9. If you would like to see the results of this survey when it is completed, you can sign up for a notification here: SurveyResults.LauraGibbs.net

Thank you for your help in bringing student perspectives to this discussion!
Sign in to Google to save your progress. Learn more
Q1. OU Student / Other Student *
Are you a student enrolled at the University of Oklahoma or are you a student at another school? (Check all that apply if you currently attend more than one school.)
Required
Q2. Should Instructure ask your permission before using your data to build its predictive algorithms?
Instructure has a massive database of student grades and other course-related data: quiz data, assignment data, page views, etc. That is the data they are using to create the new predictive algorithms. Do you think Instructure should ask your permission to use your data to create these algorithms?
STRONG NO: Instructure does NOT need to ask permission to use my data.
STRONG YES: Instructure needs to ask my permission before using my data.
Clear selection
Q3. Would you give Instructure permission to use your data, or would you opt out?
Currently, Instructure does not ask students for permission to use their data (opt-in), and they do not offer students a chance to deny permission (opt-out), but they have said they are considering the possibility of a data opt-out. What would your choose?
STRONG NO: I would NOT give Instructure permission to use my data; I would opt out.
STRONG YES: I would opt in, giving Instructure permission to use my data.
Clear selection
Q4. Would you want to see Canvas's predictions about the grade you will get in a class?
Not much is known about the predictive algorithms, but in March 2019 Instructure's CEO, Dan Goldsmith, made this claim in a meeting with investors: "We can predict, to a pretty high accuracy, what a likely outcome for a student in a course is, even before they set foot in the classroom." Would you want to know your likely outcome in a course before the course begins based on your performance in other classes?
STRONG NO: I would NOT want to see Canvas's predictions about me.
STRONG YES: I would like to see Canvas's predictions about me.
Clear selection
Q5. Would you want YOUR ADVISOR to see Canvas's predictions about the grade you will get in a class?
Right now, your advisor can see your grades in previous classes. Do you think it would be helpful for your advisor to also see predictions that Canvas makes about your future performance in other classes based on your performance in previous classes?
STRONG NO: I do NOT want my advisor to see Canvas's predictions about me.
STRONG YES: I want my advisor to see Canvas's predictions about me.
Clear selection
Q6. Would you want YOUR PROFESSORS to see Canvas's predictions about the grade you will get in their class?
Unlike advisors, your professors cannot see your grades in previous classes. Instructure claims that seeing these predictions about future performance will help professors do a better job of teaching; others contend that these predictions could influence professors in ways that are harmful to students. What do you think?
STRONG NO: I do NOT want professors to see Canvas's predictions about me.
STRONG YES: I want my professors to see Canvas's predictions about me.
Clear selection
Q7. Your Thoughts about Canvas Predictions
Please share any thoughts you have in general about this use of grades and other Canvas data from previous classes to predict future performance. What do you think are the good side(s) of using data in this way? What are the bad side(s)? What advice would  you give to Instructure as they develop these predictive products and integrate them into Canvas?
Q8. General Thoughts
Do you have any other thoughts in general about Canvas you want to share?
Q9. Do you give permission to share your responses to the open-ended questions in the final survey report? *
This survey is anonymous, but if you are concerned that your responses to the open-ended questions might indirectly reveal personal information that you do not want to share in the survey report, answer "no" below, and your responses to the open-ended questions will not be included in the report.
Submit
Clear form
Never submit passwords through Google Forms.
This content is neither created nor endorsed by Google. Report Abuse - Terms of Service - Privacy Policy
Google Forms