Thought Leaders and Events in Learning Analytics

KEY EVENT

A key conference in Learning Analytics is the international Learning Analytics and Knowledge (“LAK 2013”) Conference:

http://lakconference2013.wordpress.com/for-authors/

Disclosure: Blog Author may be part of a submission of papers to this conference

LAK 2013 is a mechanism for combining the expansion of technologies in supporting learning, with large volumes of data from the learning process. Learning Analytics research combines several domains of study to ensure that interventions and organizational systems meet the needs of all stakeholders.

THOUGHT LEADER

The Society for Learning Analytics Research (SoLAR) is an international group that oversees this conference, and a range of other activities in Learning Analytics.

http://www.solaresearch.org/

Disclosure: Employer of Blog Author has an affiliation with SoLAR.

Building Analytical Capability

BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE, BUSINESS ANALYTICS, AND DIGITAL ANALYTICS

A focus on Students and Tutors drives the need for Analytics, and an entrepreneurial approach to initiatives.

Information Governance, Reporting, and Business Intelligence, underpin development in Analytics. A useful reference is the following data and information visualization classic:

Stephen, F 2012, Show Me the Numbers: Designing Tables and Graphs to Enlighten, Analytics Press.

The following text provides useful material on technical architecture, data modeling, and the implementation and application of scoring models. Secure Data Systems for Analytics and Predictive Modeling can drive recommendations and value for learning and teaching initiatives:

Haertzen, D 2012, The Analytical Puzzle: Profitable Data Warehouse, Business Intelligence and Analytics, Technics Publications.

The interactions and data from digital environments are also necessary for Analytics in the online space, and require appropriate measurement and interpretation. The following guide includes data integration, online metrics, campaign tracking, and benchmarking:

Clifton, B 2012, Advanced Web Metrics with Google Analytics, Sybex.

CASE STUDY

This Case Study combines these elements to drive initiatives in an Education context to boost student performance and add commercial value:

http://public.dhe.ibm.com/common/ssi/ecm/en/ytc03480auen/YTC03480AUEN.PDF

Disclosure: Blog Author, Employer, Supplier, and Implementation Partner, are referenced in the Case Study. This is also a current Top 5 candidate for this Award:

http://www.cio.com.au/mediareleases/15059/business-intelligence-finalists-listed/

Photo Source: Wikipedia

Educating and Learning in Online Environments

The Science of Education (Pedagogy)

The application of Analytics in the Education context requires a sound understanding of teaching, learning, and environments. The following references are particularly useful in the Online space:

Harasim, L 2011, Learning Theory and Online Technologies, Routledge, New York.

This text covers Behaviorist, Cognitivist, Constructivist, and Online Collaborative Learning (OCL).

Crawley, A 2012, Supporting Online Students: A Practical Guide to Implementing, and Evaluating Services, Jossey-Bass.

Provides detailed descriptions of a range of student support initiatives. Includes rating systems for services, useful frameworks, and the measurement of online student engagement and persistence.