Free Tool Extracts Data from the LMS to Provide Better Visibility into Remote Learning

Data analytics company HelioCampus has released the LMS Explorer Kit, a free tool that allows institutions to extract and organize data from their learning management system to better inform resource planning and decision-making.

The kit pulls together data on instructor and student course activity, and allows users to "create a series of optional data visualizations to help inform action and decision-making around deployment, training, course development and usage," according to a news announcement — without the typical database queries and manual manipulation of data. The idea is to give administrators "a jump-start to assist with providing immediate and organized LMS data models that can be accessed directly by business intelligence tools," the announcement said.

"In making the sudden shift to a remote learning environment, colleges and universities are now faced with new critical questions. The LMS Explorer Kit is our way of offering support to institutions as they navigate these uncertain times by helping them more easily access the LMS data they need to answer these questions and chart their path forward," said HelioCampus CEO Darren Catalano, in a statement.

The first version of the kit includes the code for downloading and creating data files from Canvas, with Blackboard to follow. For more information, including an FAQ and other resources, visit the HelioCampus site.

About the Author

Rhea Kelly is editor in chief for Campus Technology, THE Journal, and Spaces4Learning. She can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • two large brackets facing each other with various arrows, circles, and rectangles flowing between them

    1EdTech Partners with DXtera to Support Ed Tech Interoperability

    1EdTech Consortium and DXtera Institute have announced a partnership aimed at improving access to learning data in postsecondary and higher education.

  • Abstract geometric shapes including hexagons, circles, and triangles in blue, silver, and white

    Google Launches Its Most Advanced AI Model Yet

    Google has introduced Gemini 2.5 Pro Experimental, a new artificial intelligence model designed to reason through problems before delivering answers, a shift that marks a major leap in AI capability, according to the company.

  •  laptop on a clean desk with digital padlock icon on the screen

    Study: Data Privacy a Top Concern as Orgs Scale Up AI Agents

    As organizations race to integrate AI agents into their cloud operations and business workflows, they face a crucial reality: while enthusiasm is high, major adoption barriers remain, according to a new Cloudera report. Chief among them is the challenge of safeguarding sensitive data.

  • stylized AI code and a neural network symbol, paired with glitching code and a red warning triangle

    New Anthropic AI Models Demonstrate Coding Prowess, Behavior Risks

    Anthropic has released Claude Opus 4 and Claude Sonnet 4, its most advanced artificial intelligence models to date, boasting a significant leap in autonomous coding capabilities while simultaneously revealing troubling tendencies toward self-preservation that include attempted blackmail.