Challenges and opportunities for learning analytics when formal teaching meets social spaces

Nazim Rahman, Jon Dron

    Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingPublished Conference contributionpeer-review

    9 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    Social networking is revolutionizing the world in ways few imagined just a few years ago. The power of social networking technology can also be leveraged to improve education and enhance the instructor and learner experience. Unlike conventional learning management systems, social software environments such as Athabasca Landing provide a persistent space and are flexible enough to support social and learner-led methods of informal, non-formal, and formal learning. Analytics can be used to effectively track and measure personal progress and help uncover extra-curricular factor affecting learner success such as network formation and growth. The paper reports on an attempt to explore this problem through analysis of student behaviour on the Athabasca Landing site within the context of a course. Its findings, explanation, and potential implications are listed. Effects of social learning on learners, based on the learner's behaviour before, during, and after the course are described and discussed. Finally, features of an open source tool created for this analysis, LASSIE is presented.

    Original languageEnglish
    Title of host publicationLAK 2012 - Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Learning Analytics and Knowledge
    Pages54-58
    Number of pages5
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 2012
    Event2nd International Conference on Learning Analytics and Knowledge, LAK 2012 - Vancouver, BC, Canada
    Duration: 29 Apr. 20122 May 2012

    Publication series

    NameACM International Conference Proceeding Series

    Conference

    Conference2nd International Conference on Learning Analytics and Knowledge, LAK 2012
    Country/TerritoryCanada
    CityVancouver, BC
    Period29/04/122/05/12

    Keywords

    • analytics
    • formal learning
    • informal learning
    • social systems

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