Aston University has identified Learning Analytics as key to enhancing student engagement, wellbeing, retention and progression.
The Learning Analytics project aims to identify students who may be at risk of failure, non-progression or withdrawal at the earliest possible opportunity and before exams or assignments have been failed, to empower students to take responsibility for their achievements, and to enable individual staff to take on the role of change agents through effective, targeted, assertive interventions with students.
The project will use existing data about students’ academic progress and engagement and will present it in an accessible format that will enable students and their tutors to see how students are doing academically and whether there is any additional support tutors can put in place to help students.
The project will align with the key objectives in Aston’s Learning and Teaching Strategy and Digital Learning Strategy and other goals such as student learning gain as we build on our Gold award success in the Teaching Excellence Framework.
Project Details
A HEFCE Catalyst grant will be used to facilitate development of learning analytics until April 2018. http://www.hefce.ac.uk/lt/innovationfund/projects/
Phase 2 of the project will deliver the following milestones:
| Output | Start | End |
| Policy development | Sep 17 | May 18 |
| Publish policy and ethics code of practice for learning analytics | Jun 18 | Jun 18 |
| Refine intervention processes | Sep 17 | Jul 18 |
| Future LA possibilities defined | Nov 17 | Dec 17 |
| Business case for implementation | Dec 17 | May 18 |
| Review suitability of existing technical architecture | Jan 18 | Aug 18 |
| Staff and student dashboard design and development | Jan 18 | Sep 18 |
| Data sources loaded into the LA system | Jan 18 | Jun 18 |
| Staff and student pilot | Sep 18 | Jun 19 |
| Pilot Evaluation | Jun 18 | Jul 19 |
| Staff and student launch | Sep 19 | Oct 19 |
| Project Evaluation | Oct 19 | Nov 19 |
Project Board
A project board has been established with the following membership:
| Name | Role | School / Department |
| Professor Helen Higson | Provost and Deputy Vice Chancellor | DVC/PVC Office |
| Katrina Raipuri | Student Communications Officer | Marketing |
| Mr Chris Wilson | Projects Manager | CLIPP |
| Mr Paul John | Director of Process & Quality Improvement | DVC/PVC Office |
| Dr Raquel Fernandez-Sanchez | Associate Dean for Learning and Teaching | LSS |
| Mr Connor Crawford | Finance Partner | Finance |
Sub-Groups
Key stakeholders from across the University have been identified to support the implementation of Learning Analytics. The project is delivered by 5 workstreams:
1. Technical – Mr Chris Wanley (Director of Library & Information Services)
2. System Use/Interventions – Mr Chris Wilson (Lecturer in Learning Innovation and Professional Practice, CLIPP)
3. Policy, Procedure and Guidelines – Ms Alison Levey (Director of Registry and Student Service)
4. Attendance Operations – Mr Chris Wilson (Projects Manager, CLIPP)
5. Communications – Ms Katrina Raipuri (Student Communications Officer, Marketing)
Contact
Students and staff are invited to get involved. Contact learninganalytics@aston.ac.uk to find out more.