LAURA Project

LAURA (Learning Analytics in ULTRA)

This project will support improving the student experience by ensuring that students, teachers and student support staff are making best use of the data, information and dashboards that are currently available in Learn, and other centrally supported learning technology applications, to gain useful insights. It will tackle perceived gaps in reporting, activity data and tools and ensure that more people know where to look and how to use the information. This project will identify data, information and dashboards that are currently available in Learn, and other centrally supported learning technology applications, that may be useful for both staff and students to enhance the student learning experience.   The project will work as part of the VLE Excellence programme to improve staff and student digital experience and enhance engagement by enabling staff and students to access relevant data to support and advance their teaching and learning.   Where skills and knowledge gaps are identified, the project will develop digital skills training resources to help students and staff make best use of existing information in an informed and ethical manner.  

The project will include a key theme of digital and data Skills training and development to encourage data fluency and ethical data driven decision-making amongst colleagues who teach and support learning. Together with our Educational Technology Policy Officer and Learning Analytics governance group, the project team will review the institution’s Learning Analytics Policy, Principles and Practice and may propose updates, changes and amendments via Senate Education Committee. 

The Learning Analytics project will set out to achieve the below objectives:  

  • Identify useful learning analytics data currently available to staff and students.  The project will focus on Learn in the first instance before looking at applications that interface with Learn, with the potential to include other centrally supported learning technologies as time allows.  
  • Explore how courses can be structured to provide better information.  
  • Identify skills gaps and development required by staff and students to be able to access and benefit from existing data and dashboards.  
  • Develop digital skills training and resources for staff and students. 
  • Review and revise Learning Analytics policy, principles and practice.  
  • Review composition and remit of the Learning Analytics governance group established by Senate Learning and Teaching Committee (LTC) and Knowledge Strategy Committee (KSC) in 2018 to scrutinise plans for substantial new learning analytics activities.  
  • Share learning analytics practice with other institutions across the sector and learn from their experience.

Benefits and Success Criteria 

As a result of the Learning Analytics project, the below benefits are expected to be achieved:  

  • Raised awareness of existing learning analytics data and how it can be used to enhance teaching, learning and assessment.  
  • More consistent, accessible data in Learn.  
  • Improved student experience.  
  • Published support and guidance for Learn and platforms that integrate with Learn. 
  • Improved digital skills and data fluency for staff and students.  
  • Learning Analytics policy, principles & practice that are current and fit for purpose.  
  • Renewed engagement with learning analytics for teaching and learning across the institution.  
  • Network of colleagues sharing learning analytics experiences and practice.  

 Scope

  • Learn VLE; 
  • Applications that interface with Learn; 
  • Learning Analytics Policy; 
  • Learning Analytics Principles and Practice; 
  • Learning Analytics Governance Group. 

 

Laura Annie Willson – Wikipedia