Learning Analytics tools and reports are actively used within CSU. This includes analytics within our online learning environment, Interact2, and other learning technologies. All analytics captured and used by CSU are subject to the Learning Analytics Code of Practice.
Learning Analytics are only collected on student activity and performance from CSU learning technologies (see below for more information). This data is collected based on your authentication in the technology in question, and your activity and performance continues to be tracked by the learning technology while you are logged in. Google Analytics is used in our sites and accesses to web pages and learning technologies are logged as per standard industry practice. Any information collected from CSU learning technologies is used only to support and improve learning and teaching.
Our institutional Learning Analytics system tracks student and teacher activity in all Interact2 Subject Sites. The analytics captured fall into 3 categories:
The analytics above may be combined (e.g. looking at a combination of data about accesses and interactions) in order to enable the University to identify students who may be in need of support.
Automated reports on analytics from within Subject Sites are provided to Subject Co-ordinators. More detailed mining of data from Subject Sites may also be performed by Adaptive Learning and Teaching Services on behalf of the University.
Tests and quizzes within Subject Sites also capture analytics, such as accesses, attempts, duration and achievement (scores), which can allow us to see things like how an individual student progressed through a test/quiz and/or how students performed on and engaged with a particular question.
The Online Meeting system captures participant data and provides reports on i) who attended particular meetings, ii) log-in and log-out times for meetings, and iii) user responses to any questions/quizzes used in the meeting.
The CSU Replay system captures data on student usage of recorded sessions. These analytics allow us to see which students have viewed a recording, how much of the recorded they viewed and when.
In addition to storing students' responses to questions, the Subject Experience Survey system will capture meta-data on student access to and completion of their surveys, such as log-in/out and survey submission times. No identifying information is reported to teaching staff. Identified analytics/meta-data are only used for the purposes of a) communication regarding the survey (i.e. recognising if a student has completed their survey and removing them from the recipient list for reminder emails), and b) user support (i.e. to diagnose any systems issues that users may be experiencing).
The ePortfolio system captures meta-data about user activity, such as the timing of user activity and submissions. At present, this meta-data is only retained and used to support system administration and is not reported for any purposes related to learning and teaching.
RealizeIT is the adaptive learning system adopted by CSU. It is only utilised in a small number of courses to provide interactive online tutorials and lessons that are responsive to a student's achievement. RealizeIT captures and reports on analytics relating to accesses, attempts, activity, progress, duration and achievement. This enables us to see things like who has and hasn't commenced specific lessons/tutorials, how students are progressing through those lessons, if/where students are "getting stuck" and how they are performing on the tests/quizzes therein.
To enhance the online learning experience, CSU teaching staff often employ learning technologies in addition to those that form part of Interact2. We refer to such technologies as "external educational technologies".
Some external educational technologies collect analytics and provide reports back to teaching staff on students' access, activity and performance (e.g. test scores) within the technology.
It is the responsibility of CSU teaching staff to ensure that any external educational technologies they use are compliant with the Learning Analytics Code of Practice and that appropriate checks have been made as per the External Educational Technology Policy Risk Assessment Checklist.
Students should contact their Subject Co-ordinator(s) in the first instance about any concerns or questions they might have regarding external educational technologies in their subject(s).
In addition, questions about external educational technologies can be directed to: analytics@csu.edu.au
A Learning Analytics Strategy has been developed for the University.
Our overarching goals are to: