Learning analytics

Learning analytics is 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 [1]. A related field is educational data mining.

Contents

History

Work in progress: sociologists like Wellman and Watts...and mathematicians like Barabasi and Strogatz. The work of these individuals has provided us with a good sense of the patterns that networks exhibit (small world, power laws), the attributes of connections (in early 70's, Granovetter explored connections from a perspective of tie strength and impact on new information), and the social dimensions of networks (for example, geography still matters in a digital networked world).

Criticism

An earlier definition discussed by the community:

Learning analytics is the use of intelligent data, learner-produced data, and analysis models to discover information and social connections for predicting and advising people's learning.

and its criticism:

  1. "I somewhat disagree with this definition - it serves well as an introductory concept if we use analytics as a support structure for existing education models. I think learning analytics - at an advanced and integrated implementation - can do away with pre-fab curriculum models". George Siemens, 2010.[2]
  2. "In the descriptions of learning analytics we talk about using data to "predict success". I've struggled with that as I pore over our databases. I've come to realize there are different views/levels of success." Mike Sharkey 2010.[3]

Methods

Methods for learning analytics include:

Software

Much of the software that is currently used for learning analytics duplicates functionality of web analytics software, but applies it to learner interactions with content. Social network analysis tools are commonly used to map social connections and discussions (see Social network analysis software). Some examples of learning analytics software tools:

See also

References

  1. ^ Call for Papers of the 1st International Conference on Learning Analytics & Knowledge (LAK 2011)
  2. ^ George Siemens in the Learning Analytics Google Group discussion, August 2010
  3. ^ Mike Sharkey - Director of Academic Analytics, University of Phoenix, in the Learning Analytics Google Group discussion, August 2010
  4. ^ Social Network Analysis, A Brief Introduction
  5. ^ Measuring Behavioral Trust in Social Networks
  6. ^ Influence and Passivity in Social Media

External links