This chapter examines the application of learning analytics techniques within higher education -- learning analytics -- and its application in supporting "student success." Learning analytics focuses on the practice of using data about students to inform interventions aimed at improving outcomes (e.g., retention, graduation, and learning…

The legal and ethical use of Big Data and Learning Analytics in academic libraries has been widely debated. Analyzing large data sets has tremendous potential for libraries to implement changes that help students and prove the library's value to the university. The librarian's role in safeguarding patron privacy in a university setting where…

For many justifications, the collection, analysis, and use of educational data are central to the evaluation and improvement of students' progress and learning outcomes. The use of data in educational evaluation and decision making are expected to span all layers--from the institution, teachers, students, and classroom levels, providing a…

This research was a mixed-methods study investigating how teachers in northeastern West Virginia use student data to drive their instructional decisions. This study also investigated teachers' perceptions of the data use on their instruction, their students, and themselves. Data collection for this research included both a cross-sectional survey…

With national graduation rates that range from 32% among open enrollment institutions to 66% among private not-for-profits, higher education institutions have a moral imperative to improve the success of their students. Interventions to support today's students must consider the student holistically, be just-in-time, and come from a…

Universities increasingly implement online delivery to strengthen students' access and flexibility. However, they often do so with limited understanding of the impact of online pedagogy on student engagement. To explore these issues, a research project was conducted investigating the use of course-specific learning analytics to 'nudge' students…

The present work describes the challenges faced during the development of a countrywide Learning Analytics study and tool focused on tracking and understanding the trajectories of Uruguayan students during their first three years of secondary education. Due to the large scale of the project, which covers an entire national educational system,…

With the spread of learning analytics (LA) dashboards in K-12 schools, educators are increasingly expected to make sense of data to inform instruction. However, numerous features of school settings, such as specialized vantage points of educators, may lead to different ways of looking at data. This observation motivates the need to carefully…

In Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning (CSCL) classrooms it may be challenging for teachers to keep awareness of certain aspects of the learning process of each small group or assess whether the enactment of the class script deviates from the original plan. Orchestration tools, aimed at supporting the management of the increasing uncertainty…

This article summarizes some emerging concerns as learning analytics become implemented throughout education. The article takes a sociotechnical perspective -- positioning learning analytics as shaped by a range of social, cultural, political, and economic factors. In this manner, various concerns are outlined regarding the propensity of learning…

Student engagement is one of the most relevant topics within the academic and research community nowadays. Higher education curriculum, teaching and learning integrate new technology- supported learning solutions. New methods and tools enhance teacher and learner interactions and influence learner engagement positively. This research addresses the…

Determining whether a state's young people are on track for a life of opportunity is a difficult task for governors and state leaders. States can be both awash in data and unable to easily access and use that data to inform policy. State longitudinal data systems that meaningfully connect workforce, higher education, K-12, and early childhood…

Although national legislation and policy call for the use of student assessment data to support instruction, evidence suggests that teachers lack the knowledge and skills required to effectively use data. Previous studies have demonstrated the potential of training for increasing immediate teacher outcomes (i.e., knowledge, skills, and beliefs),…

Data modernization and security practices allow educational leaders to provide accurate, secure, and timely data that can be securely exchanged, shared, and connected in order to provide instant understanding of school performance, student attendance, academic performance, or funding from multiple sources. This matters because: (1) Data…

Critical success factors (CSFs) have been around since the late 1970s and have been used extensively in information systems implementations. CSFs provide a comprehensive understanding of the multiple layers and dimensions of implementation success. In the specific context of learning analytics (LA), identifying CSFs can maximise the possibilities…