Eli 2012 Sensemaking Analytics

Sensemaking: Beyond analytics as a technical activity George Siemens April 11, 2012

“The world is one big data problem” Gilad Elbaz

NYTimes 2012

Learning analytics is the measurement, collection,analysis and reporting of data about learners andtheir contexts, for purposes of understanding andoptimizing learning and the environments in which itoccurs.

Focus of analytics Who Benefits?Course-level: social networks, Learners, facultyconceptual development, languageanalysisAggregate (big data) predictive Learners, facultymodeling, patterns of success/failureInstitutional: learner profiles, Administrators, IR, funders,performance of academics, resource marketingallocationRegional & National (state/provincial): Governments, administratorscomparisons between systemsInternational: ‘world class universities’ National governments (OECD),

Are learning analytics new?No: testing, assessment, institutional research,retentionYes: data quantity, models, personalization,adaptivity, techniques, data sources, processingpower

The tools and techniques of analytics are often seen as the intent of analytics

CCK08: Introduction forum Limited interaction. Most are isolatedhttp://www.snappvis.org/

Introduction forum posts:CCK08 Dialogue limited: Group too large?

Analytics should lead to new ways of thinking and acting

To avoid getting lost in the “mass ofinconsequential” (Bush, 1945)We still need control, but the points are differentthan where the education system has assignedthem in the past.

But, analytics are not (should not be)primarily a technical activity…

All the important stuff with analytics happens… after we’ve done the analytics

i.e. the social processesEducator interventionLearner self-regulationRethinking teachingEvaluating learning design

Why is sensemaking (and social processes)so important? Multiple data sets/sources Learning is a complex social activity (technical methods do not capture the full scope and nuanced nature of learning) Integrated social and technical systems provide diverse and nuanced approaches

Complex systems:“a set of diverse actors who dynamically interactwith one another awash in a sea of feedbacks.” Miller and Page, 2007

Complexity:“disturbing traits of mess, of the inextricable, ordisorder, of ambiguity, or uncertainty” Morin, 2008

Coherence is the thing…

Sensemaking“Sensemaking is a motivated, continuous effort tounderstand connections . . . in order to anticipatetheir trajectories and act effectively” (Klein et al. 2006)

or“Sensemaking is about labeling and categorizing tostabilize the streaming of experience” (Weick et al. 2005: 411)

We are skilled at sensemaking in socialsystems

But we easily acquiesce to technicalsystems

Less skilled at sensemaking through technology(data can be kinda unsettling) Target Utah spy center Military

Focusing analyticsOn the end user experience & related social cognitive/learning needs(most end users will not be skilled in analytics…the human intervention/social systems need to be reflected in analytics)

gsiemens@gmail.com

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Eli 2012 Sensemaking Analytics

by gsiemens on Apr 11, 2012

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