How ideological are the algorithms used in learning analytics? At the core of any learning analytics process is the algorithm. Algorithms are just computational lines of code, so they're neutral, objective, unproblematic. Of course we have to take into account the legal GDPR requirements for privacy and destroying old data etc., but surely we don't …
Category: ethics
Problem? What problem?
If students are to use learning analytics to change their own behaviour, we need to find ways to communicate the need to change to them. Our fundamental model of learning analytics is that the learning analytics resource generates opportunities for both students and staff to regulate or even moderate their engagement. Students do this by …
Student ‘Success’
Why use learning analytics? There are a number of potential reasons for Universities to invest in learning analytics (1): curriculum design, testing marketing effectiveness, insights into service provision etc, but for most institutions interest appears to be primarily about some form of student success. This may be about raising students' awareness of their own learning, …
Making the Dashboard less accurate: probably the best decision we made about learning analytics
In 2013 we worked closely with the (then) tech start-up Solutionpath to build the pilot version of the Student Dashboard. Over a few months in the summer we went through a developmental process. Solutionpath built their proof-of-concept algorithm We shared multiple years of anonymised data and they used this data to see if the algorithm …
Learning analytics: averages, actionability, granularity
The learning analytics resource we use (StREAM by Solutionpath) measures students' engagement with their course using the proxy of their electronic footprint. Whilst we can't measure what's going on in their heads, we can measure whether or not they have attended classes, logged in to the VLE, taken out a library book etc. The data …
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What numbers would you need to make a life changing decision?
I want to explore a sensitive matter about a real person who's discovered that he has cancer. I hope that I'm using this to illustrate an important point about the human capacity to interpret risk, but hope I don't lose sight of the humanity of this situation. On the 13th March 2018, the journalist and …
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