Adoption in Action: Using Data and Analytics to Drive Strategy

Kimberly Duhe

 

The Adoption Corner

Consultant-backed strategies for long-term success with Instructure tools

What’s Included in This Post?

• How to run a quarterly pulse check with Canvas Admin Analytics
• When to use Analytics Hub for cross-product, big-picture context
• Pro-tips to turn insights into action

Over the past few months in the Adoption Corner series, we’ve explored how a strong vision sets the tone for success, why training plans must go beyond the launch, and how intentional instructional design keeps learning front and center. Each topic followed the proven playbook that Instructure Consultants use to help clients succeed long term. Each topic builds on the one before it - moving from preparation to practice to refinement.

Now, it’s time for the next natural step in the adoption journey - the pulse check.

After the first few months of implementation, it’s essential to pause and take stock. Many institutions reach this point and ask the same question:

“Are we actually making progress?”

That’s when data becomes more than numbers on a dashboard - it becomes a mirror reflecting progress, priorities, and potential. A reflection of where momentum is building, where support is needed, and where strategy should evolve next.

Taking a quarterly pulse check helps leaders confirm they’re moving in the right direction, identify where growth is still needed, and celebrate the milestones already achieved. It’s the bridge between execution and continuous improvement - where data transforms into insight, and insight becomes action.

The Framework Behind the Pulse Check

At this stage of adoption, the focus shifts from launching plans to assessing their impact. That’s where the Adoption Success Rubric  comes in - our shared framework for measuring progress, pinpointing gaps, and amplifying wins.

You may remember this tool from earlier posts (and the linked Adoption Success Toolkit resource). It helps institutions evaluate progress across nine key adoption areas - from Vision and Goals to Usage, Utilization, and Relationships - and determine where growth is happening and where additional focus is needed.

Each area can be rated at Emerging, Developing, or Advanced levels, providing a snapshot of how implementation efforts are maturing. The Rubric turns data into direction - helping teams connect what the numbers show to strategic next steps for training, communication, and engagement.

While the Adoption Success Rubric provides a common framework for evaluation and reflection, it also allows room for customization. Without removing any key adoption areas, many institutions find value in emphasizing the areas that most closely align with their local priorities, success measures, or strategic goals. Starting with the Instructure framework ensures consistency and shared language; adapting it ensures the results are meaningful and relevant within each institution’s unique context.

In short, it gives us the “what next” once the first wave of adoption is underway.

Guest Contributor

Jody Sailor
Sr. Director, Academic Strategy & Innovation

From Insight to Action: Partnering with Data

To explore how institutions can use data to assess progress, celebrate success, and plan for continued growth, I’ve asked Jody Sailor, Sr. Director of Academic Strategy & Innovation to collaborate with me.

Jody shares how two key tools - Admin Analytics and the Analytics Hub - give Canvas Admins clear visibility into adoption trends and engagement patterns. When used together, these tools help leaders connect the numbers to the story behind them, turning data into direction and insight into action.

Turning Data into Direction: Using Canvas Admin Analytics & Analytics Hub to Drive Strategy

After the first few months of implementation, data becomes one of the most powerful tools in your adoption journey. The right data doesn’t just measure activity - it helps you understand behavior, evaluate impact, and make informed decisions about where to focus next.

For Canvas Administrators, Admin Analytics and the Analytics Hub work hand-in-hand to provide that visibility. Together, they allow institutions to monitor platform adoption, identify engagement trends, and connect those findings back to the Adoption Success Rubric areas introduced earlier, transforming raw information into meaningful, strategic insight.

Seeing the Whole Story: Analytics Hub

The Analytics Hub is the central dashboard that brings all of your Instructure data into one place, connecting insights from Canvas, Mastery, and Impact (depending on what your institution has purchased and enabled).

Through its suite of reports, the Hub offers a holistic view of how your digital ecosystem is performing.

• Usage & Adoption: Track adoption trends across Canvas and integrated LTI tools.
  
  
• Student Success: Review data related to student engagement, submissions, and retention
  
  
• Course Effectiveness: Evaluate how courses are structured and which design elements drive learning
  
  
• Standards Proficiency & Assessment Results: Access aggregated performance data from various assessment tools, including Mastery
  
  

By consolidating these insights, the Analytics Hub allows leaders to see not just what’s happening across the platform, but why it’s happening - aligning perfectly with the Assess Progress and Amplify Wins step of the Instructure Success Model.

Pro-Tip #1: Use Analytics Hub as Your One-stop Shop for Adoption Health

Whether you’re reviewing course design consistency, engagement data, or LTI usage, the Hub provides the big-picture context that helps institutions move from observation to action.

Zooming In: Admin Analytics

While the Analytics Hub brings together data from across the platform, Admin Analytics focuses specifically on what’s happening inside Canvas. Powered by Canvas Data 2 (CD2) and the Data Access Platform (DAP), it provides real-time dashboards that surface key adoption and engagement metrics.

Admins can view:

• Overview Dashboard: Institution-wide data on course status, engagement trends for both teachers and students, course interactions over time
  
  
• Course Dashboard: Feature use, grade distribution, and course activity patterns, which are helpful for understanding Usage and Utilization in the Adoption Success Rubric
  
  
• Student Dashboard: Submission patterns, participation levels, and grade averages that highlight learner engagement
  

Filters allow leaders to narrow insights by sub-account, term, course format, or individual teacher, providing the flexibility to identify bright spots and focus areas across schools or departments.

While the built-in Canvas analytics tools provide a strong foundation for understanding adoption and engagement, some institutions are ready to take their data strategy even further.

For those looking to scale their efforts, Instructure offers Intelligent Insights, which is a premium analytics suite that uses AI and natural-language queries (such as Ask Your Data) to help leaders quickly surface complex trends and proactively identify students who may need additional support.

Intelligent Insights represents the leading edge of educational analytics, offering deeper visibility into teaching and learning behaviors. It’s an optional add-on to the core Canvas platform, so institutions interested in exploring these capabilities can contact their Instructure Customer Success Manager or Account Executive for a tailored demo and pricing information.

Pro-Tip #2: Pair Admin Analytics with Impact Insights

Pair Admin Analytics with Impact Insights to see the full story of who’s using Canvas, how they’re using it, and why certain tools are driving more engagement than others.

From Data to Decisions

When used together, Analytics Hub and Admin Analytics empower institutions to connect adoption data directly to strategic action:

• Low course publishing rates may signal a need for additional Training
  
  
• Uneven feature usage could highlight an opportunity for Instructional Design support
  
  
• High student engagement paired with strong utilization data? That’s a moment to celebrate and amplify across the district.

By treating analytics as a regular pulse check, not a one-time review, leaders can continuously refine their plans, reinforce success, and deepen platform adoption over time.

Closing the Loop: Reflection, Refinement, and Celebration

Every successful adoption story has two threads: the work that’s still ahead and the wins already achieved. Data allows us to see both clearly.

When institutions take time to pause, review analytics, and reflect on their adoption journey, they create space for honest conversation - not just about what needs improvement, but about what’s going right. That balance matters. It’s how we sustain momentum, keep teams motivated, and ensure every insight translates into progress.

Whether you’re just beginning to explore Admin Analytics, digging deeper into the Analytics Hub, or revisiting your Adoption Success Rubric self-assessment, remember that the goal isn’t perfection. It's evolution. The best adoption strategies are living documents: refined by experience, guided by data, and inspired by people.

So, take your quarterly pulse check. Celebrate your milestones. And use every data point as a reminder that adoption isn’t a finish line - it’s an ongoing journey of learning, growth, and connection.

Pro-Tip #3: Use the Built In Tools

Canvas Admin Analytics is your built-in pulse-check companion. Everything you need to review adoption data lives inside your own Canvas instance—no extra systems or exports required. Use it regularly to track growth, spotlight success, and guide every next step of your adoption journey.

Closing Reflection: The Human Side of the Data

At its core, adoption is about people - the educators who try new tools, the students who respond to new learning experiences, and the leaders who create the conditions for both to thrive. Data helps us see the patterns, but people give those patterns meaning.

When we use analytics not just to measure, but to listen - to what’s working, what’s challenging, and what’s changing - we transform data into dialogue. That dialogue keeps adoption human-centered, responsive, and rooted in growth.

As you take your next pulse check, remember that every data point represents a person’s effort to teach, learn, or lead better than before. That’s the story behind the numbers - and it’s one worth celebrating.

Quarterly Pulse-Check Checklist

(Your quick guide to reflection, refinement, and celebration with Canvas Admin Analytics)

1. Start in Canvas Admin Analytics
   • ☐ Open the Overview Dashboard to review course status, engagement, and term-level activity.
   • ☐ Dive into the Course Dashboard to explore feature use, grade trends, and participation patterns.
   • ☐ Use the Student Dashboard to see submission data, engagement levels, and grade distributions.
   • ☐ If enabled, open Analytics Hub for cross-product insights from Canvas, Mastery, and Impact.
2. Interpret What You See
   • ☐ Identify bright spots - which departments or courses show strong engagement?
   • ☐ Spot lagging areas - are there courses with low publishing or limited feature use?
   • ☐ Cross-check findings against your Adoption Success Rubric, especially Usage and Utilization.
3. Connect Insights to Strategy
   • ☐ Training: Low feature use? Schedule focused PD or short micro-trainings.
   • ☐ Communication: Uneven activity? Highlight data stories and send reminders.
   • ☐ Design Support: Courses missing structure? Partner with Instructional Design.
   • ☐ Relationships: Share analytics wins to strengthen teams and leadership trust.
4. Amplify Wins
   • ☐ Celebrate high-performing courses or departments in PD sessions or newsletters.
   • ☐ Use Impact Insights to showcase success and reinforce effective practices.
   • ☐ Recognize instructor leaders who demonstrate advanced adoption behaviors.
5. Plan the Next Cycle
   • ☐ Revisit your Vision, Goals, and Success Measures with updated data.
   • ☐ Schedule your next quarterly pulse check - make data reflection a standing habit.
   • ☐ Remember: consistent use of Admin Analytics keeps your adoption story current and actionable.

 

📚 Adoption Corner Series Index

Just joining us or missed a post? Check out the full series below.

• Introduction to the Series: The Adoption Corner: Consultant-Backed Strategies for Long Term Success with Instructure Tools
• August 15: The Technical Success Is Just the Start - The “People Work” Is Where It Gets Real
• September 15: Beyond the Launch: Why Your Instructure Platform Needs a Strategic Training Plan for Every User
• October 15: Strategic Use of Instructional Design for Adoption Success (from Instructure Instructional Design Experts)

• November 15: Adoption in Action: Using Data and Analytics to Measure Progress and Drive Strategy (A quarterly pulse check on how your implementation is performing, what data to review, and how to turn insights into action)

• Next Month: Encouraging Confident Canvas Use: Supporting Instructional Growth Without Overwhelm: Give instructors the gift of simplicity - practical ways to refine, not reinvent, their Canvas use before the new year

🗓 New posts will go live on the 15th of each month!

We would love to hear from you!

What questions, challenges, or success stories are you experiencing when it comes to adoption? Share them below - your insight may help shape a future blog post in the series!

 

Our team of dedicated strategic consultants helps customers deepen and elevate their use of Instructure Learning Platform products to meet pedagogical goals across their organization by offering expertise, strategic advice, customized consultation, and targeted coaching. If you would like to learn more about our services, please contact your CSM, or reach out to Kelley_Lozicki, Manager, Learning Services, or by email at klozicki@instructure.com.