Project Details

A two-year action-research project to identify how teachers and designers can use learning analytics data to more effectively design e-learning tasks. A collaboration involving The University of Auckland, Massey University and The Open Polytechnic of New Zealand.

Aims:

The overall aim of the project was to give teachers and designers a way to translate learning analytics data into effective e-learning design.

The project's outputs include:

  • a taxonomy of learning analytics data collected by common e-learning systems with guidelines for use of this information in teaching and learning design
  • design frameworks, reusable digital resources including online tutorials and templates and case study examples for the use of learning analytics data as an input to learning design
  • a series of interactive workshops on the extraction and use of learning analytics data for tertiary teachers and learning designers
  • journal articles and conference papers describing the contribution of learning analytics data to teaching and course design and to the field of learning technology research
  • communication and dissemination strategies designed to encourage extensive use of the taxonomy and design information provided by learning analytics data
  • policy recommendations to promote the use of learning analytics data in teaching and learning design.

Methodology:

The methodology of the research project involved:

  • identifying the learning analytics data currently available through common learning management systems such as Moodle or BlackBoard and e-learning tools such as peer and online assessment and tutorial dialogue systems
  • generating and disseminating a taxonomy of analytics data to guide educators towards selection of data appropriate to the questions they want to answer or explore
  • distinguishing which analytics data can illuminate the relationship between learning design, ie, a teaching plan with intentions and assumptions about what students will learn; intermediate learning outcomes, ie, learning strategies, engagement in activities and construction of new knowledge; and final learning outcomes, ie, what students can demonstrate they have learned.
  • initiating sustainable changes in practice within the academic institutions represented by the research team and promoting similar changes in others.

Team

the university of auckland

Associate Professor Cathy Gunn

Project Co-leader

The University of Auckland
the university of auckland

Dr Jenny McDonald

Project Co-leader

The University of Auckland
the university of auckland

Dr Claire Donald

The University of Auckland
the university of auckland

Dr Marion Blumenstein

The University of Auckland
open polytechnic

Dr Mark Nichols

The Open Polytechnic of New Zealand
massey university

John Milne

Massey University

Status

Completed

Funding

$304,931.00 (excl GST)

$150,000.00 National Project Fund
$154,931.00 The University of Auckland, Massey University, and The Open Polytechnic

Key Findings

Key Recommendations

Building an evidence base for teaching and learning design using learning analytics

This report describes the research approach and methods, the extent to which goals were achieved within the two-year time frame, and ongoing activities related to the project.

  • 31 October 2017
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Building an evidence base for teaching and learning design using learning analytics

Six case studies of early adopters of learning analytics practice in New Zealand tertiary institutions.

  • 31 October 2017
Read more