Event Details

From dashboard with love: What factors influence the perceived usefulness of learning analytics among university students?

In this talk, Dr Irina Rets will present the results of her latest study on the use of a learning analytics dashboard (LAD) with university students. LAD is a tool that visualises and predicts students’ learning progress based on demographics, performance, and digital learning footprints data.

While there is emerging research evidence that LADs can support student learning, the debate about the ethical issues that surround it, from data ownership to trust and fairness, is still ongoing. Where is the student voice in these conversations?

In the study, 21 undergraduate students at a large distance university in the UK commented on their own learning analytics data in the LAD. Using stimulated recall interview and log files data of these students, the study analysed their perceptions about the various elements of a LAD and investigated the critical factors that influenced their positive or sceptical responses towards the perceived usefulness of the tool.

Did any of the participants object the university ‘surveillance’? Out of 678 students invited to participate, who responded? What are the implications for the design of a LAD that more students would find useful?

Please, find the answers to these questions and more in the study and the talk.

Reference: Rets, I., Herodotou, C., Bayer, V., Hlosta, M., & Rienties, B (2021). Exploring critical factors of the perceived usefulness of a learning analytics dashboard for distance university students. Int J Educ Technol High Educ 18, 46 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1186/s41239-021-00284-9

Please join the talk via this teams link