Office of Teaching Evaluation and Assessment Research
116 College AvenueRutgers, The State University of New Jersey
New Brunswick, NJ 08901 https://otear.rutgers.edu/
Phone: (848) 932-7466
Fax: (732) 932-1845
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Learning Analytics
Beginning the Conversations at Rutgers University
The purpose of Learning Analytics is to support and improve the learning of students. This includes evaluating, diagnosing, and providing appropriate scaffolds to help students reach their learning goals. Ensuring students become reflective, self-motivated, and life-long learners is another important aspect of Learning Analytics.
The definition of Learning Analytics varies, but one of the most cited definitions comes from SOLAR, The Society for Learning Analytics Research:
Learning analytics is the measurement, collection, analysis, and reporting of data about learners and their contexts, for purposes of understanding and optimizing learning and the environments in which it occurs (https://solaresearch.org/).
Dr. Ryan Baker's talk on learning analytics from October 15th, 2018 is now available below.
This site also provides various resources on using data in education and learning analytics as you begin to consider its role within your classroom, departments, programs, and schools at Rutgers University.
Articles
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This Educause article draws upon the expertise of learning analytics experts who provide suggestions to avoid failure when utilizing learning analytics in higher education.
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Ferguson, R. & Clow, D. (2017, July 31). Learning analytics: Avoiding failure. Retrieved from https://er.educause.edu/articles/2017/7/learning-analytics-avoiding-failure
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Goldie Blumenstyk from the Chronicle considers one of the main reasons for hesitance when discussions on the use of learning analytics begins.
- Blumenstyk, G. (2018, July 31). Big data is getting bigger. So are the privacy and ethical questions. Retrieved from https://www.chronicle.com/article/Big-Data-Is-Getting-Bigger-So/244099
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This Chronicle article explains how Dayna Weintraub and Kevin Pitt utilized student-conduct data at Rutgers University.
- Bauman, D. (2018, August 24). A university took an uncommonly close look at its student-conduct data. Here’s what it found. Retrieved from https://www.chronicle.com/article/A-University-Took-an/244363
Reports
- An in-depth look at past, present and future of learning analytics
in higher education.
- Lang, C., Siemens, G., Wise, A., & Gašević, D. The Handbook of Learning Analytics. Society for Learning Analytics Research. doi:10.18608/hla17
- This report provides a thorough overview of much of the work
being done in the realm of learning analytics. It includes several
case studies from around the world and the lessons gained from these
experiences.
- Sclater, N., Peasgood, A., & Mullan, J. (2016). Learning analytics in higher education. London: Jisc. Retrieved from https://www.jisc.ac.uk/sites/default/files/learning-analytics-in-he-v3.pdf
- The Horizon Report published yearly by the The New Media
Consortium provides an overview of emerging technologies that are
anticipated to change teaching and learning in higher education.
Adaptive learning technologies, a topic closely linked to learning
analytics, is considered one year or less to widespread adoption
(starting on page 38).
- Becker, S. A., Cummins, M., Davis, A., Freeman, A., Hall, C. G., & Ananthanarayanan, V. (2017). NMC horizon report: 2017 higher education edition (pp. 1-60). The New Media Consortium. Retrieved from http://cdn.nmc.org/media/2017-nmc-horizon-report-he-EN.pdf
Peer-Reviewed Literature
- This review of the literature summarizes how learning analytics is
being used in higher education including the promise, weaknesses,
and barriers.
- Avella, J. T., Kebritchi, M., Nunn, S. G., & Kanai, T. (2016). Learning analytics methods, benefits, and challenges in higher education: A systematic literature review. Online Learning, 20(2), 13-29. Retrieved from https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1105911
- Researchers detail a case study which demonstrate the benefits of
using learning analytics throughout a course to adjust course
design.
- Ifenthaler, D., Gibson, D., & Dobozy, E. (2018). Informing learning design through analytics: Applying network graph analysis. Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, 34(2). doi:10.14742/ajet.3767