Learning analytics is the measurement, collection, analysis and reporting of data about learners and their contexts in order to understand and optimize the learning environment. It involves techniques from computer science, statistics, programming and other disciplines. While learning analytics can provide opportunities to give feedback and improve learning, it also poses threats regarding privacy, ethics, and the misuse of visualizations and absence of educational theory. Overall, learning analytics should be used to start conversations to improve learning rather than make definitive decisions, and it is important that the needs and experiences of learners guide its application.
6. “
alt.ac.uk
Analytics in Education
Analytics is the process of developing actionable
insights through problem definition and the
application of statistical models and analysis
against existing and/or simulated future data
Adam Cooper, What is Analytics? http://publications.cetis.ac.uk/wp-
content/uploads/2012/11/What-is-Analytics-Vol1-No-5.pdf
@mhawksey 6
7. “
alt.ac.uk
Learning Analytics Definition
the measurement, collection, analysis and
reporting of data about learners and their
contexts, for purposes of understanding and
optimising learning and the environments in
which it occurs
First International Conference on Learning Analytics and Knowledge (LAK11), 2011
@mhawksey 7
13. “
alt.ac.uk
Amazon cares not a whit *why*
people who buy german chocolate
also buy cake pans as long as they
get to the checkout buying both
Mike Caulfield - Short Notes on the Absence of Theory
http://hapgood.us/2013/12/10/short-notes-on-the-absence-
of-theory/
@mhawksey 13
14. “
alt.ac.uk
Counts don’t count much if
decontextualized
Wilson, T.D. (1999). Models in information behaviour research.
Journal of Documentation, 55(3), 249 – 270.
@mhawksey
Dragan Gasevic speaking at DiCE Seminar
Moray House School of Education – 9th January 2015
14
15. “
alt.ac.uk@mhawksey
Dragan Gasevic speaking at DiCE Seminar
Moray House School of Education – 9th January 2015
Analytics to account for
conditions, operations, products,
evaluation, and standards (COPES)
Gašević, D., Dawson, S., Siemens, G. (2015). Let's not forget:
Learning analytics are about learning. TechTrends, 59(1), 64-71,
https://bit.ly/techtrends15
15
18. “
alt.ac.uk
Graphs can be a powerful way to represent
relationships between data, but they are also a
very abstract concept, which means that they
run the danger of meaning something only to
the creator of the graph … Everything looks
like a graph, but almost nothing should ever
be drawn as one.
Ben Fry in ‘Visualizing Data’
@mhawksey 18
19. alt.ac.uk
Explanatory visualization
Data visualizations that are used to
transmit information or a point of view
from the designer to the reader.
Explanatory visualizations typically
have a specific “story” or information
that they are intended to transmit.
Exploratory visualization
Data visualizations that are used by
the designer for self-informative
purposes to discover patterns, trends,
or sub-problems in a dataset.
Exploratory visualizations typically
don’t have an already-known story.
Iliinsky & Steele -
Designing Data
Visualizations:
Representing
Informational
Relationships
@mhawksey 19
20. “
alt.ac.uk
Visualizations can be
harmful
Corrin, L., & de Barba, P. (2014). Exploring students’
interpretation of feedback delivered through learning
analytics dashboards. In Proceedings of the ascilite 2014
conference (pp. 629-633). ascilite.
@mhawksey
Dragan Gasevic speaking at DiCE Seminar
Moray House School of Education – 9th January 2015
20
21. “
alt.ac.uk
Visualizations can be
useful
if embedded into and fit learning tasks
@mhawksey
Dragan Gasevic speaking at DiCE Seminar
Moray House School of Education – 9th January 2015
21
24. alt.ac.uk
Ethics
◊ Clarity
◊ Comfort and care
◊ Choice and consent
◊ Consequence and complaint
@mhawksey 24
Legal, Risk and Ethical Aspects of Analytics in Higher Education (Kay, Korn,
& Oppenheim, 2012)
26. “
alt.ac.uk
Feedback loops between
students and instructors are
missing!
Hattie, J., & Timperley, H. (2007). The power of feedback.
Review of education research, 77(1), 82-112.
@mhawksey 26
27. “
alt.ac.uk
At best analytics can help start a
conversation. People have to be
willing to take the conversation on
Roberts, G. Analytics are not relationships
http://rworld2.brookesblogs.net/2014/12/12/analytics-are-not-
@mhawksey 27
Ferguson and Buckingham Shum (2012)'s Social Learning Analytics: Five Approaches defines five dimensions of social learning for which one could create instruments:
social network analytics — interpersonal relationships define social platforms
discourse analytics — language is a primary tool for knowledge negotiation and construction
content analytics — user-generated content is one of the defining characteristics of Web 2.0
disposition analytics — intrinsic motivation to learn is a defining feature of online social media, and lies at the heart of engaged learning, and innovation
context analytics — mobile computing is transforming access to both people and content.
Not surveillance and control but guidance and support
Clarity - open definition of purpose, scope and boundaries, even if that is broad and in some respects extent open-ended.
Comfort and care - consideration for both the interests and the feelings of the data subject and vigilance regarding exceptional cases.
Choice and consent - informed individual opportunity to opt-out or opt-in.
Consequence and complaint - recognition that there may be unforeseen consequences and therefore provision of mechanisms for redress. (p. 6)