Setting learning analytics in
context: overcoming the
barriers to large-scale
adoption
Rebecca Ferguson, Doug Clow
Shane Dawson, Leah Macfadyen
Shirley Alexander, Alfred Essa
LAK14: Indianapolis
“The many elements
of the „TEL Complex‟
must all be taken into
account as an
innovation is
designed, developed
and embedded”
Scanlon, E., Sharples, M., Fenton-
O'Creevy, M., Fleck, J., Cooban, C.,
Ferguson, R., Cross, S., Waterhouse,
P. (2013). Beyond Prototypes. London:
TEL Research Programme.
Beyond Prototypes model of the TEL Complex
Data wrangling
at The Open University
Rebecca Ferguson
The Open University, UK
LAK14: Indianapolis
Disparate data
VLE (Moodle) data
Survey data
Help desk data
Library data
Assessment data
Registration data
250,000 students around the world
Faculty expertise
Learning design
Learning outcomes
Assessment strategy
Module connections
Resource understanding
Data
Wranglers
Tacit knowledge
Talking the same language
Resource page? Sub page? URL?
Significance of dates?
Understanding learning design
How many forums?
What were their roles?
How were they timetabled?
Agreeing on conventions
80% agreed or strongly agreed that….
Is that
80% of registered students?
80% of those who completed the survey?
80% of those who completed both survey and course?
Or is it
80% of survey respondents who completed the
course and did not select „not applicable‟
Thinking through ethical issues
Support, not surveillance
Reporting at module level, not individual level
Survey responses kept apart from activity data
Making data accessible, not overwhelming
Negotiating meaning, not dictating interpretation
Setting learning analytics in context

Setting learning analytics in context

  • 1.
    Setting learning analyticsin context: overcoming the barriers to large-scale adoption Rebecca Ferguson, Doug Clow Shane Dawson, Leah Macfadyen Shirley Alexander, Alfred Essa LAK14: Indianapolis
  • 2.
    “The many elements ofthe „TEL Complex‟ must all be taken into account as an innovation is designed, developed and embedded” Scanlon, E., Sharples, M., Fenton- O'Creevy, M., Fleck, J., Cooban, C., Ferguson, R., Cross, S., Waterhouse, P. (2013). Beyond Prototypes. London: TEL Research Programme.
  • 3.
    Beyond Prototypes modelof the TEL Complex
  • 5.
    Data wrangling at TheOpen University Rebecca Ferguson The Open University, UK LAK14: Indianapolis
  • 6.
    Disparate data VLE (Moodle)data Survey data Help desk data Library data Assessment data Registration data 250,000 students around the world Faculty expertise Learning design Learning outcomes Assessment strategy Module connections Resource understanding Data Wranglers Tacit knowledge
  • 7.
    Talking the samelanguage Resource page? Sub page? URL? Significance of dates?
  • 8.
    Understanding learning design Howmany forums? What were their roles? How were they timetabled?
  • 9.
    Agreeing on conventions 80%agreed or strongly agreed that…. Is that 80% of registered students? 80% of those who completed the survey? 80% of those who completed both survey and course? Or is it 80% of survey respondents who completed the course and did not select „not applicable‟
  • 10.
    Thinking through ethicalissues Support, not surveillance Reporting at module level, not individual level Survey responses kept apart from activity data Making data accessible, not overwhelming Negotiating meaning, not dictating interpretation