Learning Analytics
dashboards
Sten Govaerts
EPFL, Zwitserland
slides partially based on “Information Dashboard” by Katrien Verbert
about me
KULeuven team:

Human-Computer Interaction	

!
•technology enhanced learning	

•music	

•research
EPFL team:

REACT - Real-time Coordination &
Distributed Interaction Systems Group	

!
•technology enhanced learning	

•social media	

•transportation
http://hci.cs.kuleuven.be/
http://react.epfl.ch/
•2008: context-aware music information retrieval
•2009
•2010
•2011
•2012
•2013
•2014
•2008: context-aware music information retrieval
•2009
•2010
•2011
•2012
•2013
•2014
information visualisation}
•2008: context-aware music information retrieval
•2009
•2010
•2011
•2012
•2013
•2014
social recommendations
}
information visualisation}
•2008: context-aware music information retrieval
•2009
•2010
•2011
•2012
•2013
•2014
social recommendations
}
information visualisation}
learning analytics
}
•2008: context-aware music information retrieval
•2009
•2010
•2011
•2012
•2013
•2014
social recommendations
}
information visualisation}
learning analytics
}inquiry learning with online labs
}
PhDstudent!
@KULeuven
•2008: context-aware music information retrieval
•2009
•2010
•2011
•2012
•2013
•2014
social recommendations
}
information visualisation}
learning analytics
}inquiry learning with online labs
}
PhDstudent!
@KULeuven
Postdoc

@EPFL
•2008: context-aware music information retrieval
•2009
•2010
•2011
•2012
•2013
•2014
social recommendations
}
information visualisation}
learning analytics
}inquiry learning with online labs
}
about you…
why are you interested
in dashboards?
what I planned…
what I planned…
what are dashboards?
what I planned…
what are dashboards?
dashboard examples
what I planned…
what are dashboards?
what is wrong with most dashboards?
dashboard examples
what I planned…
what are dashboards?
what is wrong with most dashboards?
how can you design better dashboards?
dashboard examples
what I planned…
what are dashboards?
what is wrong with most dashboards?
how can you design better dashboards?
dashboard examples
learning analytics 

dashboard examples
what I planned…
what are dashboards?
what is wrong with most dashboards?
how can you design better dashboards?
dashboard examples
how can you quickly get started 

making your own dashboards?
learning analytics 

dashboard examples
Typical dashboards…
Typical dashboards…
Typical dashboards…
Typical dashboards…
Typical dashboards…
Typical dashboards…
What is an 

information dashboard?
A dashboard is a visual display of the most
important information needed to achieve one
or more objectives; consolidated and
arranged on a single screen so the
information can be monitored at a glance.
- Stephen Few
Stephen Few, "Dashboard Confusion," Intelligent Enterprise, March 20, 2004.
Learning Analytics!
dashboards 

(& visualisations ;-)
http://research.uow.edu.au/learningnetworks/seeing/snapp/index.html
SNAPP
GISMO http://www.noe-kaleidoscope.org/pub/researcher/resources/video/aied/mazza.html
http://www.cs.uu.nl/docs/vakken/uem/Janssen.pdfThe ParticipationTool
Backstage
Pohl A, Bry F, Schwarz J, Gottstein M (2012) Sensing the classroom: improving awareness and self-awareness of students with backstage. In:
Proceedings of the international conference on interactive and collaborative learning (ICL), Villach, Austria, 26–28 September 2012.
Dollár A, Steif PS (2012) Web-based statics course with learning dashboard for instructors. In: Uskov V (ed)
Proceedings of computers and advanced technology in education (CATE 2012), June 25–27, 2012, Napoli, Italy
OLI Dashboard
LARA

Learning Analytics Reflection
& Awareness environment
also on tabletop & large displays
J. L. Santos, K.Verbert, S.
Govaerts, and E. Duval.
Visualizing PLE Usage.
Proceedings of
EFEPLE11: 1st
Workshop on Exploring
the Fitness and
Evolvability of Personal
Learning Environments,
CEUR Laclusaz, France,
30-31 March 2011
Student Activity
Meter
Govaerts, Sten;Verbert, Katrien, Duval,
Erik; Pardo,Abelardo, The Student Activity
Meter for Awareness and Self-reflection.
http://ariadne.cs.kuleuven.be/monitorwidget-chi
Problem
http://www.ypfp.org/classroom
Problem
http://www.ypfp.org/classroom
Objectives
• self-monitoring for learners
http://free-extras.com/images/obama_hope_progress-2848.htm
Objectives
• self-monitoring for learners
• awareness for teachers
http://free-extras.com/images/obama_hope_progress-2848.htm
Objectives
• self-monitoring for learners
• awareness for teachers
• time tracking
http://free-extras.com/images/obama_hope_progress-2848.htm
Objectives
• self-monitoring for learners
• awareness for teachers
• time tracking
• learning resource use and 

recommendations http://free-extras.com/images/obama_hope_progress-2848.htm
STUDENT ACTIVITY METER
STUDENT ACTIVITY METER
STUDENT ACTIVITY METER
STUDENT ACTIVITY METER
Methodology.
• design-based research [Obrenović 2011]: design a tool, give
students & teachers and evaluate
• iterative process of design & evaluation
• paper mockups
• usability studies
• surveys on 

usefulness
http://funnytogo.com/pictures/evolution/timeline.htm
iter. evaluation goal methodology demo-graphics data
I.
usability, satisfaction,
preliminary
usefulness
task-based interview
with think-aloud, SUS
& MSDT
12 CS students
at KULeuven
timetracking
viaTwitter
II.
assessing teacher
needs, use &
usefulness
online survey with
Likert items, yes/no
and open questions
19 teachers &
TA’s with
CGIAR courses
Moodle logs
III.
assessing teacher
needs, expert
feedback, use &
usefulness
online survey with
Likert items, yes/no
and open questions
12 participants
from LAK
MOOC
Moodle logs
IV.
use, usefulness &
satisfaction
structured face-to-face
interview with tasks &
open questions
11 teachers &
TA’s at Carlos III
Uni. Madrid
VM with
extensive
tool tracking
Conclusion
• SAM is perceived useful and contributes to better
awareness.
Conclusion
• SAM is perceived useful and contributes to better
awareness.
• SAM enables:
Conclusion
• SAM is perceived useful and contributes to better
awareness.
• SAM enables:
• to detect potential students doing well and at risk
Conclusion
• SAM is perceived useful and contributes to better
awareness.
• SAM enables:
• to detect potential students doing well and at risk
• a better course overview
Conclusion
• SAM is perceived useful and contributes to better
awareness.
• SAM enables:
• to detect potential students doing well and at risk
• a better course overview
• understanding student time spending
Conclusion
• SAM is perceived useful and contributes to better
awareness.
• SAM enables:
• to detect potential students doing well and at risk
• a better course overview
• understanding student time spending
• to find a wide variety of new insights
Conclusion
• SAM is perceived useful and contributes to better
awareness.
• SAM enables:
• to detect potential students doing well and at risk
• a better course overview
• understanding student time spending
• to find a wide variety of new insights
• almost all want to continue using SAM
Go-Lab Learning
Analytics dashboard
STRUCTURE
• explain main idea	

• science edu -> to labs -> lab fire -> need something safer	

• objectives golab	

• partner list	

• react’s job	

• portal	

• architecture
Orientation
Discussion
Investigation
Conceptua-	

lisation
Conclusion
An overview of where students are
Currently there are 4 students in the orientation phase,
8 in the conceptualization phase, 3 in the investigation
phase and one discussing.
Student currently in phase
4 8 3 0 1
A detailed view of where each student is
Tommy is in the discussion phase, Becky in the
investigation phase, etc.
Student current phase
Tommy
Becky
Jessi
Alex
An overview of the time spent in each space
for all students
There are currently students in the conclusion and the
discussion phases, the average time spent in the
discussion phase so far is 20 seconds and the average
time spent in the investigation phase is 15:30 minutes
Average time per phase
2:50 3:01 15:30 4:20 0:20
The number of time students change phases
Alex has been changing 12 times between phases so
far, Jessi only 5 times.
Number of phase changes
Tommy Becky Jessi Alex
4 8 5 12
An overview of who handed in their
assignment
Tommy, Jessi and Alex have already handed in their
assignments.
Student reports
Tommy
Becky
Jessi
Alex
report.pdf
Jessi.pdf
Pat
pat.pdf
Student reports
Tommy
Becky
Jessi
Alex
report.pdf
Jessi.pdf
Pat
pat.pdf
Number of phase changes
Tommy Becky Jessi Alex
4 8 5 12
Connected Students
11
Connected Students
4
Connected Stud
6
Student current phase
Tommy
Becky
Jessi
Alex
common issues with
dashboards
multiple screens.
multiple screens.
multiple screens.
inadequate context 

for the data.
inadequate context 

for the data.
too much detail/precision.
choosing a deficient
measure.
choosing a deficient
measure.
inappropriate display
media.
inappropriate display
media.
inappropriate display
media.
meaningless variety.
poor visualisations.
poor visualisations.
poor visualisations.
poor visualisations.
bad encoding of data
not highlighting 

important data.
useless decoration.
too much colour.
dashboards require thoughtful design…
how to design better
dashboards?
how to design better
dashboards?
1. reduce the non-data pixels
how to design better
dashboards?
1. reduce the non-data pixels
2. enhance the data pixels
how to design better
dashboards?
1. reduce the non-data pixels
2. enhance the data pixels
3. design for usability
how to design better
dashboards?
1. reduce the non-data pixels
2. enhance the data pixels
3. design for usability
reduce non-data pixels
reduce non-data pixels
reduce non-data pixels
reduce non-data pixels
reduce non-data pixels
Enhance data pixels
Enhance data pixels
Design for usability.
Design for usability.
1. organize information to
support its meaning & use
Design for usability.
1. organize information to
support its meaning & use
2. make it aesthetically
pleasing!
Design for usability.
1. organize information to
support its meaning & use
2. make it aesthetically
pleasing!
3. design for a launch pad
Design for usability.
1. organize information to
support its meaning & use
2. make it aesthetically
pleasing!
3. design for a launch pad
Design for usability.
1. organize information to
support its meaning & use
2. make it aesthetically
pleasing!
3. design for a launch pad
How to evaluate?
usability
System Usability Scale (SUS)
How to evaluate?
usability
System Usability Scale (SUS)
How to evaluate?
usability
interviews:
task list
How to evaluate?
usability
interviews:
task list think aloud+
How to evaluate?
usability
interviews:
task list think aloud+ observe+
How to evaluate?
usability
interviews:
task list think aloud+ observe+
understand what the user does
understand what the issues are
+
How to evaluate?
usefulness&impact
How to evaluate?
usefulness&impact
much HARDER…
How to evaluate?
usefulness&impact
interviews
much HARDER…
How to evaluate?
usefulness&impact
interviews
much HARDER…
perceived usefulness surveys
How to evaluate?
usefulness&impact
interviews
much HARDER…
perceived usefulness surveys
longitudinal studies
How to quickly build 

your own dashboard?
How to quickly build 

your own dashboard?
get data
How to quickly build 

your own dashboard?
get data
(clean data)
How to quickly build 

your own dashboard?
get data
(clean data)
visualise!
get data
import.io
get data
import.iokimonolabs.com
Organic Chemistry
Organic chemistry
Organical Chemestry
OrganicChemistry
Organ Chemistry
(clean data)
Organic Chemistry
Organic chemistry
Organical Chemestry
OrganicChemistry
Organ Chemistry
(clean data)
Google Refine/OpenRefine
http://openrefine.org/
Organic Chemistry
Organic chemistry
Organical Chemestry
OrganicChemistry
Organ Chemistry
(clean data)
Google Refine/OpenRefine
http://openrefine.org/
DataWrangler
http://vis.stanford.edu/wrangler/
visualise!
ManyEyeshttp://www.manyeyes.com/software/analytics/manyeyes/
visualise!
ManyEyeshttp://www.manyeyes.com/software/analytics/manyeyes/
RAW
http://app.raw.densitydesign.org/#%2F
visualise!
ManyEyeshttp://www.manyeyes.com/software/analytics/manyeyes/
RAW
http://app.raw.densitydesign.org/#%2F
video: http://www.ted.com/talks/
hans_rosling_shows_the_best_stats_you_ve_ever_seen
http://www.gapminder.org/
visualise!
ManyEyeshttp://www.manyeyes.com/software/analytics/manyeyes/
RAW
http://app.raw.densitydesign.org/#%2F
video: http://www.ted.com/talks/
hans_rosling_shows_the_best_stats_you_ve_ever_seen
http://www.gapminder.org/
visualise!
http://www.simile-widgets.org/exhibit/
visualise!
http://www.simile-widgets.org/exhibit/
http://www.simile-
widgets.org/timeline/
visualise!
http://www.simile-widgets.org/exhibit/
http://www.simile-
widgets.org/timeline/
Google Charts
https://developers.google.com/chart/
there are also all-in-
one solutions…
How many kids are
repeating a year in
elementary school?
• http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=how+many+kids
+are+repeating+primary+school+in+Belgium
• http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=university+with+the
+largest+enrollment&lk=3
• http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=university+with
+the+largest+enrollment+in+Belgium
• http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=Belgium+vs+USA
+education+expenditures+per+high+school+student
further reading…
http://pdf.th7.cn/down/files/1312/information_dashboard_design.pdf
Edward Tufte.
Questions?
slides on: http://www.slideshare.net/stengovaerts

Learning Analytics Dashboards