Even mentioning data analysis puts many educators on edge; they fear that in data discussions, their performance will be judged. And, the authors note, it's a human trait to look for the source of a problem in the behavior of people involved rather than the system surrounding those people--what some call the Fundamental Attribution Error. When…

To meet projected labor demands in science and engineering, the workforce of the future must be educated today in increasing numbers. Indeed, science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) underpin the government's ability to defend the nation and to assure the vitality of the economy. STEM jobs are the fastest growing occupational…

In this paper the design and implementation of a digital on-line surface is presented, which reflects contemporary learning principles, perspectives, devices and trends while enhancing the selection of existing web-based systems and applications in a novel fashion. This instructor's portal, called Tanítlap, is realized via Action Research and…

A quality data management system, such as an education management information system (EMIS), a state longitudinal data system, or a data warehouse, is key to ensuring that education policy, planning, and strategy decisions are grounded in accurate information (Data Quality Campaign, 2010; Mohamed, Kadir, May-Lin, Rahman, & Arshad, 2009;…

An idea management system is where ideas are stored and then can be evaluated and analyzed. It provides the structure and the platform for users to contribute ideas for innovation and creativity. Designing and developing an idea management system is a complex task because it involves many users and lot of ideas. Some of the critical features for…

The concern over big data and ramifications of its use permeates many, if not all, aspects of life in the 21st century. With the advent of online learning, another area of concern, one that directly impacts the world of education, has been added: the use of data within online professional development settings. In this article, we examine the type…

Online labs (OLs) constitute digital educational tools which can have a significant role in supporting science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) teachers in their daily teaching practice. Designing STEM lessons supported by specific OLs is a challenging task and thus, it is useful for STEM teachers to be able to share their lesson…

This paper details the anticipated impact of synthetic "big" data on learning analytics (LA) infrastructures, with a particular focus on data governance, the acceleration of service development, and the benchmarking of predictive models. By reviewing two cases, one at the sector-wide level (the Jisc learning analytics architecture) and…

This article analyzes 21 in-depth interviews of engineering and atmospheric science faculty at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) to determine faculty data management practices and needs within the context of their research activities. A detailed literature review of previous large-scale and institutional surveys and interviews…

The blended model for information literacy instruction described in this article introduces students not only to efficient techniques for finding scientific literature and properties of chemical compounds, but also to managing this information with a bibliographic management program (EndNote Online). The model blends face-to-face instruction with…

The "big data revolution" has penetrated many fields, from network monitoring to online retail. Education and learning are quickly becoming part of it, too, because today, course delivery platforms can collect unprecedented amounts of behavioral data about students as they interact with learning content online. This data includes, for…

High-quality data governance, a body or process designed to make decisions about how state education data is linked, used, accessed, and protected, is key to establishing a culture of effective data use in states. The three data governance bodies featured in this paper--the Kentucky Center for Education and Workforce Statistics (KCEWS), the…

The new guidelines for science education emphasize the need to introduce computers and digital technologies as a means of enabling visualization and data collection and analysis. This requires science teachers to bring advanced technologies into the classroom and use them wisely. Hence, the goal of this study was twofold: to examine the…

A sense of belonging to a learning community has been identified as one of the factors contributing to greater student satisfaction and persistence in online education programs. Using the community of inquiry framework as a theoretical guide, the purpose of this study was to explore the role of VoiceThread, a web-based platform that facilitates…

With the increased capability of learning analytics in higher education, more institutions are developing or implementing student dashboards. Despite the emergence of dashboards as an easy way to present data to students, students have had limited involvement in the dashboard development process. As part of a larger program of research examining…