In the months ahead we’re expecting the conversation about the uses of learning engagement analytics to ramp up as the sector grapples with the challenge from government to demonstrate that it has the ability to support students in crisis following a debate over whether universities should have a statutory duty of care towards students.
Typically students have been closely involved in the conversation about the adoption of learning engagement analytics. Universities have needed to explain to students what data they are collecting, why, and what it means for their success, and engage with student opinions on their level of comfort with the idea. In some universities, students have access to their own data dashboard so they can see their own engagement patterns.
Universities considering whether to adopt, or extend their use of, learning engagement analytics will need to open up a conversation with their student body about it – partly for obvious ethical and practical reasons around data security and consent – but also to give the strategy the best chance of success through designing it with students in mind.
To help inform those conversations Solutionpath and Wonkhe commissioned Cibyl to undertake a poll of students to explore their views of learning engagement analytics. A nationally representative sample was invited to take part in the survey in June 2023. Once the data had been cleaned the final sample was 496.
