Introduction to Learning Analytics - presentation to the Universities Scotland Learning and Teaching Committee, 3rd December 2014

1. Sheila MacNeill, GCU LEAD
Learning Analytics: an introduction and overview
Universities Scotland, Learning and Teaching Committee, 3/12/14

2. Analytics – why now?
Image: http://www.freefoto.com/preview/13-69-10/Nodding-Donkey-Oil-Well--North-Dakota--USA, (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0)

3. Data, data, everywhere data, but what to
do with it?
Image; http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:BigData_2267x1146_white.png (CC BY-SA 3.0)

5. http://cdn.nmc.org/media/2014-nmc-horizon-report-he-EN-SC.pdf

6. Innovating Pedagogy 2014:Open University Innovation Report 3
http://www.open.ac.uk/iet/main/files/iet-web/file/ecms/web-content/Innovating_Pedagogy_2014.pdf

7. 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

8. Analytics and 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

9. Questions
A Brief History of Analytics, Adam Cooper,
http://publications.cetis.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Analytics-Brief-History-Vol-1-No9.pdf

10. Questions?
Questions of information and fact:
• What happened? Analytics produces reports and
summarised descriptions of data (the past).
• What is happening now? Analytics provides alerts in
near-real time, (the present).
• Where are trends leading? Past data is extrapolated,
(the future).
A Brief History of Analytics, Adam Cooper,
http://publications.cetis.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Analytics-Brief-History-Vol-1-No9.pdf

11. Questions
Questions of understanding and insight:
• How and why did something happen? Analytics builds
models and explanation, (the past).
• What is the best next action? Analytics provides one or
more recommendations, (the present).
• What is likely to happen? Analytics provides one or
more recommendations, (the present).
• What is likely to happen? Analytics provides
prediction, simulators the effect of alternative courses
of action, or identifies an optimal course of action,(the
future).
A Brief History of Analytics, Adam Cooper,
http://publications.cetis.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Analytics-Brief-History-Vol-
1-No9.pdf

12. Ethics, responsibility, understanding
• Clarity, open definition of purpose, scope and boundaries, even if
that is broad and in some respects 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 opportunity to opt-out or opt-in.
• Consequence and complaint, recognition that there may be
unforeseen consequences and therefore providing mechanisms
for redress.
• OU Ethical use of Student Data for Learning Analytics
Policyhttp://www.open.ac.uk/students/charter/essential-documents/
ethical-use-student-data-learning-analytics-policy
Legal, Risk and Ethical Aspects of Analytics in Higher Education
http://publications.cetis.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Legal-Risk-and-Ethical-Aspects-of-
Analytics-in-Higher-Education-Vol1-No6.pdf

14. http://www.slideshare.net/markstubbs/lrt-talks-20130312-cetis

15. Current UK landscape
• Jisc Report November 2014
• 10 Universities, 2 Colleges & ULCC
“Most interviewees are reluctant to
claim any significant outcomes from
their learning analytics activities to
date – again perhaps demonstrating
that is still early days for the
technologies and process”
http://repository.jisc.ac.uk/5657/1/Learning_analytics_report.pdf

16. Drivers

17. Challenges and opportunities
• Data Silos
• Sharing of data
• Senior management support
• Projects are bring people together

18. Activity and information
• LACE (learning analytics community exchange) :
http://www.laceproject.eu/
• SoLAR : Society for Learning Analytics
Researchhttp://solaresearch.org/
• Jisc: http://analytics.jiscinvolve.org/wp
• Cetis Analytics Series :
http://publications.cetis.ac.uk/c/analytics
• LAK15 Conference #lak15