Development of the learning analytics dashboard to support students’ learning performance

Abstract

The Learning Analytics Dashboard (LAD) is an application to show students’ online behavior patterns in a virtual learning environment. This supporting tool works by tracking students’ log-files, mining massive amounts of data to find meaning, and visualizing the results so they can be comprehended at a glance. This paper reviews previously developed applications to analyze their features. Based on the implications from the review of previous studies as well as a preliminary investigation on the need for such tools, an early version of the LAD was designed and developed. Also, in order to improve the LAD, a usability test incorporating a stimulus recall interview was conducted with 38 college students in two blended learning classes. Evaluation of this tool was performed in an experimental research setting with a control group and additional surveys were conducted asking students’ about perceived usefulness, conformity, level of understanding of graphs, and their behavioral changes. The results indicated that this newly developed learning analytics tool did not significantly impact on their learning achievement. However, lessons learned from the usability and pilot tests support that visualized information impacts on students’ understanding level; and the overall satisfaction with dashboard plays as a covariant that impacts on both the degree of understanding and students’ perceived change of behavior. Taking in the results of the tests and students’ openended responses, a scaffolding strategy to help them understand the meaning of the information displayed was included in each sub section of the dashboard. Finally, this paper discusses future directions in regard to improving LAD so that it better supports students’ learning performance, which might be helpful for those who develop learning analytics applications for students. © J.UCS.