University of Aberdeen

Learning analytics status:

A system is in development

System in place:

Blackboard and separate medical school system

Journey so far:

Aberdeen’s learning analytics goals are to improve student engagement, and notably to target students that are identified as beginning to struggle academically, in order to implement an early intervention strategy. So far, attendance is monitored successfully through a system of QR codes, and library records, and assessment data is also collected. Currently, Aberdeen are using an external provider (Jisc) to create a pilot learning analytics system. Staff training will be provided, including making past learning analytics reports available to support staff on how they could use learning analytics.

Future goals:

The future aim of Aberdeen’s learning analytics plan is to have a full-blown pilot by the 2019/20 academic year, and have it become widespread by 2020. An external provider (Jisc) is expected to be used for the future project. Aberdeen expects to continue using data on attendance, library records and assessments, as well as VLE data, which should all be integrated. However, it is the goal to only use student behaviour data and to avoid collecting data on demographics and background. It is anticipated that all staff and students would use the system, and its adoption would be mandatory. Although Aberdeen is aiming to improve interventions for at-risk students, a more global learning analytics goal would be to improve practice and learning methods for all students.