Modern society presents many demands
for Higher Education Institutions
today. Two key ones are: to
graduate as many possible people
to cope with the challenges
of the future work,
and also to provide highly engaging
and active learning environments
for many. But the key problem
in that massive environment
in which we are seeing so
many different learners
is to provide personalized experience
for each and every learner.
Learning Analytics is seen as a
way to address this big challenge.
Universities are collecting lots of
data about learners and environments
in which learning occurs. Learning
Analytics also offers opportunities
to predict students at-risk. We
can also understand and optimize
learning strategies and provide
lots of ways to personalize
feedback that our students are
receiving. The key question is then
how institutions are starting
to adopt Learning Analytics.
Clearly they see lots of promises.
They also want to engage with
Learning Analytics, but the
key question is for many
where we start from, or we are
still in early stages of adoption.
Now, we can be helped to be
moved on from some of these early
conversations in Learning
Analytics where we are trying
to just think about different
technical aspects of learning
analytics and move it to
understand and address
relevant concerns for all
our stakeholders, such as:
Responsibility! Accountability!
Privacy! Adaptivity! Interoperability!
Consent! Personalisation! This
course is precisely developed
for all of those who are involved
in the implementation of Learning
Analytics in
Higher Education.
The course consists of
three main sections:
in the first section of the
course we are going to define
the concept of Learning Analytics.
We are also going to discuss
different drivers for many
Higher Education Institutions
to engage with Learning Analytics
we are also going to discuss
different challenges
institutions are facing,
and we are also going
to think about different
ethical and privacy dilemmas
that institutions are facing.
In the second section of the
course, we are going to introduce
the Sheila Framework, that is developed
as a part of the European Project
called Sheila. The Framework
basically consists of particular types
of activities that can guide the
institutions in their process
of implementation of
Learning Analytics.
In the final section of
the course, we are going
to discuss different issues
that are coming from practice.
We are also going to review
different case studies
that are coming from the
actual implementation of 
the Sheila Framework and we
are also going to discuss
relevant issues that are coming
from different perspectives
of relevant stakeholders. The course
will feature many experts that
are coming from many
different parts of the world
and across many different levels
of Higher Education, from students
and faculty members to senior
leaders, and even some Government
ministers. The course also feature
many interactive activities
and we'll also facilitate
opportunities to build links
with the Global Learning Analytics
Community. On behalf of the entire
Sheila Team I wish you a warm welcome
and look forward to interacting with
all of you in
the coming weeks.
