Group items tagged

"Abstract The authors compared the underlying student response patterns to an end-of-course rating instrument for large student samples in online, blended and face-to-face courses. For each modality, the solution produced a single factor that accounted for approximately 70% of the variance. The correlations among the factors across the class formats showed that they were identical. The authors concluded that course modality does not impact the dimensionality by which students evaluate their course experiences. The inability to verify multiple dimensions for student evaluation of instruction implies that the boundaries of a typical course are beginning to dissipate. As a result, the authors concluded that end-of-course evaluations now involve a much more complex network of interactions. Highlights ► The study models student satisfaction in the online, blended, and face-to-face course modalities. ► The course models vary technology involvement. ► Image analysis produced single dimension solutions. ► The solutions were identical across modalities. Keywords: Student rating of instruction; online learning; blended learning; factor analysis; student agency"

Reflective learning at Work

"Introduction In this discussion paper, we define learning process analytics as a collection of methods that allow teachers and learners to understand what is going on in a' 'learning scenario, i.e. what participants work(ed) on, how they interact(ed), what they produced(ed), what tools they use(ed), in which physical and virtual location, etc. Learning analytics is most often aimed at generating predictive models of general student behavior. So-called academic analytics even aims to improve the system. We are trying to find a solution to a somewhat different problem. In this paper we will focus on improving project-oriented learner-centered designs, i.e. a family of educational designs that include any or some of knowledge-building, writing-to-learn, project-based learning, inquiry learning, problem-based learning and so forth. We will first provide a short literature review of learning process analytics and related frameworks that can help improve the quality of educational scenarios. We will then describe a few project-oriented educational scenarios that are implemented in various programs at the University of Geneva. These examples illustrate the kind of learning scenarios we have in mind and help define the different types of analytics both learners and teachers need. Finally, we present a provisional list of analytics desiderata divided into "wanted tomorrow" and "nice to have in the future"."

Technical Report KMI-11-01 June 2011 Simon Buckingham Shum and Rebecca Ferguson Abstract: We propose that the design and implementation of effective Social Learning Analytics presents significant challenges and opportunities for both research and enterprise, in three important respects. The first is the challenge of implementing analytics that have pedagogical and ethical integrity, in a context where power and control over data is now of primary importance. The second challenge is that the educational landscape is extraordinarily turbulent at present, in no small part due to technological drivers. Online social learning is emerging as a significant phenomenon for a variety of reasons, which we review, in order to motivate the concept of social learning, and ways of conceiving social learning environments as distinct from other social platforms. This sets the context for the third challenge, namely, to understand different types of Social Learning Analytic, each of which has specific technical and pedagogical challenges. We propose an initial taxonomy of five types. We conclude by considering potential futures for Social Learning Analytics, if the drivers and trends reviewed continue, and the prospect of solutions to some of the concerns that institution-centric learning analytics may provoke.