benchmarking learning analytics in australia
TRANSCRIPT
National project to benchmark LA status, policy and practices for Australian Universities
Shane Dawson
Thanks
◼ University of South Australia❯ Cassandra Colvin, Tim Rogers, Alex Wade
◼ University of Edinburgh❯ Dragan Gasevic
◼ Macquarie University❯ Lori Lockyer
◼ University of Technology Sydney❯ Shirley Alexander, Simon Buckingham Shum, Gabrielle Gardiner
◼ University Melbourne❯ Gregor Kennedy, Linda Corrin
◼ University of the Sunshine Coast❯ Karen Nelson
◼ University of New England❯ Josie Fisher
Introduction
Massive interest and investment in data and analytics
• Academic performance• Student retention• Pastoral care• Academic literacies• Personalised and adaptive learning• Recommender systems
Introduction
Yet in terms of wide-scale institutional adoption there are few examples
Why?
Aims
◼ Understand current LA practice in Australia
◼ Unpack the challenges to institutional adoption
◼ Identify practices to facilitate LA implementations
Approach
2 complementary but separate studies
◼ Study 1 – interviews with senior institutional leaders◼ Study 2 – concept mapping with LA expert panel
Study 1
First studyInterviews with 32 Universities:
◼ Identify and document current practices, methods and approaches
◼ Understand how institutional leaders are defining and conceptualising LA
◼ Identify key drivers for institutions, stage of development, process for implementation, project leads
Study 1
◼ Much interest in LA and a stated priority◼ LA projects in the early phases of implementation◼ Projects were small scale ◼ 2 distinct clusters across variables such as:
implementation, conceptualisation, readiness, leadership, stakeholder engagement❯Strategic capability
Cluster 1 (n=15) – Solutions focusedCluster 2 (n=17) – Process focused
Strategic capability
Strategic capability
1. Solutions focused❯LA to address a pressing need❯Time sensitive
2. Process focused❯Networked and integrated model❯Minimal time pressures❯ Innovation and experimentation
Study 2
What are the ideal dimensions for long term sustainable uptake of LA?
◼ Invite to Australian and international LA experts◼ 28 completed the entire concept mapping phases◼ 3 phases – brainstorming; sorting and ranking
of statements◼ Following the final ranking phase – a 7 cluster
solution emerged.
Bringing it together
◼ Study 1 – 2 clusters ◼ Study 2 – 7 clusters
Essentially – how an organisation approaches its conceptualisation of LA underpins (2 clusters) the method for deployment and adoption (7 clusters)
Systems Model
Systems Model
Systems Model
Bringing it together
Challenges to be addressed:
◼ Leadership awareness and understanding◼ Teams are seldom multi-disciplinary◼ IT driven and system focused◼ Capabilities and skills deficit◼ Over reliance on current research – requires further
validation across different contexts to demonstrate transportability of models
Complexity
Leveraging the outcomes of short term goals for long term gain
◼ How do we merge both models to gain both short and long term impact?
Conclusion
◼ LA requires alternate models for implementation and leadership❯Enabling leadership❯Whole of organisation❯Models that are agile and research informed
◼ Working in complexity creates friction❯Embrace the friction – generates innovation
Conclusion
◼ A solutions based model can drive change – but need to be mindful of responding to changing organisational needs
◼ Process based model can drive innovation and interest – but need to be mindful of how to transition from small impact to institutional scale
Conclusion
◼ Combined model framed in the organisational context❯Small, diffuse pockets of innovation to build
capacity and build interest❯View to scale adoption – demonstration of
impact (technical, pedagogical)❯Distributed enabling leadership (complexity
leadership)❯Organisations leading in LA implementations – are
actively researching LA
Conclusion
Any “successful” adoption of LA will be dependent on an institution’s ability to rapidly recognise and respond to the organisational culture and the concerns of all stakeholders.
