Objectives

Learning analytics are an important tool in the quality assurance/quality enhancement process for any educational provider and can be used by teachers, programme leaders, administrators, academic advisors and students for various purposes related to enhancing learning outcomes. Teachers can make use of learning analytics to inform their teaching practices such as using assessment data and student profiles to evaluate whether a teaching practice is effective or not. Programme leaders can make use of learning analytics to drive curriculum development and improvement, including the use of assessment results in different cohorts to identify the weakness of students in general. Administrators can make use of learning analytics to predict student achievements, while learning analytics can provide valuable information that be used as part of student advising. Students can also make use of learning analytics provided to them to monitor and manage their learning progress and take control over, and responsibility for, their learning.

PolyU is currently developing its capabilities in the area of learning analytics, notably in the following ways:

• Implementation of the SLMAP platform for analyzing student learning data from a range of sources with the aim being to derive a model that predicts students who will be “at risk” of an adverse outcome in a subject early enough to intervene to help them;
• Through the Subject e-Engagement Report (SeER) which is a standardized report on students’ usage of the learning management system for a subject to identify which students are and are not engaging with the online presence for a subject and taking actions as appropriate;
• Development of tools that allow teachers and academic administrators to analyse learning management system and programme data to better understand students’ learning processes and in doing so support them better to be academically successful

The CoP on Learning Analytics to Inform Teaching and Learning is an important means for supporting these and other initiatives which fall under the umbrella of learning analytics. Through sharing sessions, practical workshops and opportunities to learn from experts in learning analytics locally and internationally, the CoP has been effective in establishing awareness of the applications and benefits of learning analytics. It has also helped to drive adoption amongst staff. The importance of learning analytics for quality assurance and enhancement has been recognized by the University in the new Strategic Plan, with the CoP being an important part of achieving this goal.

The objectives of this CoP are:

1. To expand the community of PolyU staff applying learning analytics for the enhancement of teaching effectiveness;
2. To provide a platform for sharing experience, expertise, and good practice in performing learning analytics at PolyU;
3. To foster the culture of professional development by performing a range of learning analytics that inform teaching and learning; and
4. To provide advice to the University on matters related to the use of learning analytics for quality enhancement and to support the University’s strategic goals for teaching and learning.

Expected Outcomes

The CoP will support staff to use learning analytics tools and approaches to enhance teaching and learning at the University. Members will be exposed to a range of applications and how these can be used to gather data that informs their teaching practice through:

• Improving curriculum design and assessment practices;
• Understanding how students learn and how to support their learning better;
• Evaluate the effectiveness of teaching approaches; and
• The use of data to make evidence-based changes to enhance teaching and learning.

Through participation in this CoP, members should be able to:

1. Demonstrate understanding of the application of learning analytics for teaching and learning enhancement;
2. Apply learning analytics within their teaching context for informing course development and improving classroom instruction, online pedagogy, and learning outcomes of students; and
3. Share experience with other colleagues to promote the use of learning analytics to improve pedagogy and course/programme design.