http://learning-analytics.tlc.aston.ac.uk/ learninganalytics@aston.ac.uk

Project Environment Governance and Direction Project Delivery University LTC LTMG LA Steering Committee Technical WG Policy WG Interventions WG Evaluation WG CLIPP Academic Director TEL & LA Project Manager Project Officer TEL Officer Academic Services Corporate Student Systems Senior Systems Programmer Students’ Union Programme Directors The first is nice in that it talks about learners and the learning environment and optimising these. Learners and their contexts. The second for me crystallises that idea of actionable insights. We are looking for things to do. We have defined problems (questions) that we want to understand. Governance and Direction Project Delivery Pilot Students 2

Background December 2015 – retention and progression project to support students repeating, trailing and restarting modules led to identification of need for learning analytics January 2016 – identification of Jisc Effective Learning Analytics Project March 2016 – meeting between Aston technical staff, Jisc and Blackboard to assess institutional readiness March 2016 – presentation of Jisc project to Learning Technologies Management Group including representatives from the Students’ Union April 2016 – data access agreement discussions start May 2016 – preparatory work for development of server required by Tribal September 2016 – data access agreement signed October 2016 – Tribal begin data extraction and cleansing October / November 2016 – HEFCE Catalyst bid submitted / successful December 2016 – Blackboard building block installed and data harvesting commenced

First Steps Steering Committee Jisc Code of Practice Working Groups Policy - Jisc Learning Analytics Policy and Student Guide Technical Interventions Evaluation Staff and Student Consultations Students’ Union - Survey Project Website and Email

Two Projects in One Effective Learning Analytics Pathfinder Institution Catalyst Call A Small-scale ‘experimental’ innovation in learning and teaching project

Analytics Plus Enhancing retention and progression of undergraduate students through effective and co-ordinated advancement of institutional learning analytics Identify full-time undergraduate students who may be at risk of non- progression or withdrawal at the earliest possible opportunity and before exams or assignments have been failed to empower students to take responsibility for their achievements and to enable individual staff to take on the role of change agents through effective, targeted, assertive interventions with students.

Definitions of Learning Analytics The measurement, collection, analysis and reporting of data about learners and their contexts, for purposes of understanding and optimizing learning and the environments in which it occurs. Siemens, G. (2011). Analytics is the process of developing actionable insights through problem definition and the application of statistical models and analysis against existing and/or simulated future data. Cooper, A (2012) The application of big data techniques such as machine based learning and data mining to help learners and institutions meet their goals. Jisc (2017). The first is nice in that it talks about learners and the learning environment and optimising these. Learners and their contexts. The second for me crystallises that idea of actionable insights. We are looking for things to do. We have defined problems (questions) that we want to understand. 7

Architecture

Data Sources SITS Demographics Attainment Engagement

Outputs Tribal Student Insight staff dashboard Jisc Study Goal student app

Outputs Jisc Data Explorer staff dashboard

Pilot Projects Undergraduate 1st year BSc Human Resource Management 30 students Piloting Student Insight staff dashboard Undergraduate 1st year BSc Computer Science with Business 30-40 students Piloting Student Insight staff dashboard Undergraduate 1st year BSc Neuroscience 30 students Piloting Student Insight staff dashboard Undergraduate 1st year BSc English 35-40 students Piloting Student Insight staff dashboard Undergraduate Full Time Course representatives 50 students Piloting Study Goal student app

Next Steps  April / August 2018 Students’ Union engagement Develop learning analytics / personal tutoring interventions packages in Blackboard and pilot interventions Pilot Student Insight, Study Goal, Data Explorer Evaluation of systems, predictions, and interventions Evaluation of retention? Requirements specification

Lessons Learnt Project Retention or success Risk of failure or measure of engagement Predictive analytics? App, dashboard, or VLE Institutional Change agents Attainment data

http://learning-analytics.tlc.aston.ac.uk/ learninganalytics@aston.ac.uk