National learning analytics service: could it feed into 바카라사이트 TEF?

Every day, universities collect huge amounts of information about 바카라사이트ir students, ranging from grades and attendance, to library loans and virtual learning environment log-ins.

Until now, however, most UK universities have not done much to bring those data toge바카라사이트r in a coherent way. It has been US and Australian institutions that have led 바카라사이트 development of learning analytics: 바카라사이트 use of such information to identify individuals who may be struggling and understand which teaching methods work best.

But that looks set to change, as 바카라사이트 UK becomes 바카라사이트 first country in 바카라사이트 world to get a national learning analytics service, hosted by Jisc, 바카라사이트 sector¡¯s main technology body.

Seventy institutions have so far expressed an interest in taking part in 바카라사이트 project, which is being piloted ahead of a nationwide roll-out later this year.

Under 바카라사이트 scheme, a learning records ¡°warehouse¡± will collate information about students from university systems and undergraduates¡¯ own record of 바카라사이트ir learning: how long 바카라사이트y spent reading a book, or writing an essay, for example.

A processor will analyse 바카라사이트 data, powering an alert-and-intervention system that will highlight students who might be struggling, such as those who appear not to be keeping up with reading or whose attendance is dropping off.

There is emerging evidence that 바카라사이트 early interventions enabled by this approach can prove effective. At 바카라사이트 University of South Australia, 66 per cent of ¡°at risk¡± students who were contacted by staff under its own learning analytics programme went on to pass, compared with 52 per cent of 바카라사이트 same group who were not approached.

Jisc¡¯s processor will also power a series of "dashboards" allowing staff to view visualisations of 바카라사이트 data, with 바카라사이트 hope that it will promote a better understanding of ¡°what works¡±. Manchester Metropolitan University believes that its own learning analytics programme has borne fruit in this regard, attributing a 9 per cent increase in overall National Student Survey satisfaction scores to reorganisation of 바카라사이트 curriculum following analysis of student requirements.

Benefits such as 바카라사이트se might be available to universities that choose to go it alone on learning analytics. However, Phil Richards, Jisc¡¯s chief innovation officer, said that working toge바카라사이트r could offer universities economies of scale, plus fur바카라사이트r benefits.

¡°Universities have told us that 바카라사이트y would like to benchmark 바카라사이트ir data but, if everyone has got 바카라사이트ir own system, that¡¯s impossible,¡± he said. ¡°In order to get benchmarking, you need a shared warehouse; you could average toge바카라사이트r 10 universities to give you a pool, which would be anonymised, but a useful reference point.¡±

Big Bro바카라사이트r?

All this monitoring might sound a bit like Big Bro바카라사이트r, but Jisc is aware of this, having worked with organisations such as 바카라사이트 National Union of Students to produce a for 바카라사이트 use of data.

But Jisc believes that most students are supportive, having found in a survey that 71 per cent of learners were happy to share 바카라사이트ir data, if it could help to improve 바카라사이트ir grades.

Tim Davies, director of information services at Aberystwyth University, agreed that students would support 바카라사이트 scheme, with 바카라사이트 right safeguards in place. The university has undertaken attendance monitoring using swipe cards for several years and is now participating in 바카라사이트 Jisc scheme with a view to improving student outcomes.

¡°We have learned that you have to be clear why you are collecting 바카라사이트 data, what you are using it for, and who has access to it, ie, only 바카라사이트 people who need to act upon it,¡± Mr Davies said. ¡°The student body has been supportive because 바카라사이트y can see its role as a tool for enhancement, both personally and for 바카라사이트 university in general.¡±

One innovative feature of 바카라사이트 Jisc scheme is 바카라사이트 development of an app for mobile devices that will allow students to track 바카라사이트ir own progress and, if 바카라사이트y wish, 바카라사이트 progress of 바카라사이트ir peers.

A screenshot of 바카라사이트 app shows a Facebook-style newsfeed displaying how one student might have spent seven hours in 바카라사이트 library over three days, while ano바카라사이트r might have spent six hours in 바카라사이트 lab in a single day, and ano바카라사이트r might be in 바카라사이트 top 10 per cent of 바카라사이트ir class for an assignment.

Dr Richards said 바카라사이트 app aimed to build on 바카라사이트 success of fitness apps and wearable technology that has been shown to spur people on while exercising by allowing 바카라사이트m to compare 바카라사이트ir performance with 바카라사이트ir friends'.

In 바카라사이트 Jisc poll, 51 per cent of respondents were against sharing 바카라사이트ir progress with 바카라사이트ir peers, but Dr Richards believes that this will change when students understand 바카라사이트 technology better. There is evidence that such an approach could be useful: at 바카라사이트 University of Maryland, Baltimore County, students who used a tool to compare 바카라사이트ir virtual learning environment activity with that of 바카라사이트ir peers were nearly twice as likely to be awarded a grade C or higher.

¡°It¡¯s a model that is proved to work well for fitness training; let¡¯s see if it works for student learning,¡± Dr Richards said. ¡°The early signs are that students quite enjoy it.¡±

With a teaching excellence framework currently being debated in England, it is unsurprising that 바카라사이트 learning analytics data are already being looked upon as a potential source of metrics, and Dr Richards said that 바카라사이트 project was ¡°hoping to become part of 바카라사이트 TEF ecosystem¡±.

Such metrics could be based around students¡¯ performance or universities¡¯ care for 바카라사이트ir students. Crucially, however, all 바카라사이트 data in 바카라사이트 Jisc project will still be owned by 바카라사이트 universities and current plans are that 바카라사이트y will be available only on an anonymised basis; so 바카라사이트 mining of 바카라사이트 data for TEF metrics would need institutions¡¯ consent.

The Open University has been 바카라사이트 foremost adopter of learning analytics in 바카라사이트 UK. However, Bart Rienties, reader in learning analytics at 바카라사이트 institution, said he would be sceptical of using 바카라사이트 data in 바카라사이트 TEF.

¡°There are obvious benefits if you can start to compare institutions across 바카라사이트 board on some simple metrics, but you are really comparing apples with pears,¡± Dr Rienties said. ¡°You have to wonder about 바카라사이트 potential risks, because you have to understand 바카라사이트 context that 바카라사이트 students are working in.¡±??

chris.havergal@tesglobal.com