1. Learning Analytics

2. Definition
Learning analytics is the measurement, collection, analysis and reporting of data about learners and their contexts, for purposes of understanding and optimizing learning and the environments in which it occurs
Why not Educational Data Mining ?: used when aimed at governments, funding agencies, and administrators instead of learners and faculty

3. For what ?
For individual learners to reflect on their achievements and patterns of behaviour in relation to others
as predictors of students requiring extra support and attention
to help teachers and support staff plan supporting interventions with individuals and groups
for functional groups such as course team seeking to improve current courses or develop new curriculum offerings
for institutional administrators taking decisions on matters such as marketing and recruitment or efficiency and effectiveness measures

4. Motivation increasing interest in 'big data'
The rise of online education -> increase in digital data regarding student background and learning log data (from VLEs).
optimisation of systems to support learning : how we can know whether a student is engaged/understanding if we can’t see them?
Increasing focus on evidencing progress and professional standards for accountability systems