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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