Previously I wrote a blog about a paper by Dyckhoff et al (2013) which spoke about learning analytics and action research. We’ve been asked to relook at the goals of learning analytics as they relate to either educators or students but from the list, focus on what learning analytics could be. I suspect this is supposed to also revert back to the blog entry on my own definition of learning analytics, although the constraint is to do it in two sentences.
Learning analytics purpose is to utilise student generated data to help individual students maximise their learning potential by being alerted to potential strategies or avoiding ‘pitfalls’ in their current learning approach(es). Although the data gathered from Learning analytics is highly secure and access is granular, it remains optional to an individual student to opt in/opt out at any time.
I think I cheated by using extra long sentences!
I think this is really a manager’s vision that is biased towards the privacy and data security wellbeing of the learner.
Reference:
Dyckhoff, A.L. et al. (2013) Supporting Action Research with Learning Analytics. Proceedings of the Third International Conference on Learning Analystics and Knowledge (LAK13), New York, ACM, 220-229.