About the Pilot
UCI Spark, the new student analytics tool, is now available for select courses as part of an expanded pilot for Fall 2024, following a successful limited pilot over the summer. See below to find out what Spark can do, whether or not it will be available for you, and what you can expect in the future.
What is UCI Spark?
UCI Spark is a student-centered, mobile-first web application combining rich student data, Canvas data, and UCI student support resources into a secure, personalized dashboard aimed squarely at helping students succeed in their desired academic pathways.
UCI Spark provides suggestions – “sparks” – to guide students to relevant resources in support of their goals. These suggestions are always optional, are data-driven, and are drawn from evidence-based best practices and/or the recommendations of campus experts.
How does the pilot work? Is Spark available for my courses?
The UCI Spark pilot is currently limited to all Composition courses available in Summer 10-Week. If you’re enrolled in a Composition course, you may see activity when logging in to UCI Spark. Please note: Because UCI Spark is in a limited pilot, some of your courses may not appear in the tool. In the future, the plan is to have UCI Spark available for all undergraduate courses.
How can I get started with UCI Spark?
Simply head over to UCI Spark and login in the upper right corner. If UCI Spark is available for any of your courses, you should see your dashboard.
If you don’t see your dashboard after logging in, the courses that you’re enrolled in are not currently associated with UCI Spark.
What Instructors Should Know
Using activity data from UCI’s Canvas learning management system, Spark will provide our students with an analytics view of activity within courses. Spark pairs this information with encouraging links from the Spark library to connect students to campus resources to help them meet their learning goals.
If you’d like to see what students will see, here are some example screenshots demonstrating the student experience.
If you have any questions or suggestions, please email spark-support@uci.edu.
Timeline and Feature Rollout
Summer Session 10-Week: Initial Summer Pilot
Features: Personalized dashboard, Spark Library of helpful resources, initial Course Analytics for Canvas-using courses
Fall Quarter 2024: Expanded availability & additional features
Updates and enhancements based on Summer pilot
Expanded Course Analytics, including goal setting features
Expanded Spark Library
Early 2025: General campus availability
Even more expanded Course Analytics, including comparative analytics features
Even more comprehensive Spark Library