This paper presents two interactive visualization tools for learning management systems (LMS) in order to improve learning and teaching in online courses. The first tool was developed at the Intelligent Information Systems Laboratory (IISLab) at the Tampere University of Technology (TUT). The tool is used to analyse students' activity from automatically recorded user log data and to build interactive visualizations. They provide valuable insights into the learning process and participation of students in a course offered to teachers and students. The second tool was developed at the Unitelma Sapienza University. It extends navigation and search functionalities in the discussion forum of an LMS with a topic-driven paradigm. The tool analyses forum content and automatically identifies discussion topics. It then enhances the original forum with a topic-driven navigation structure and an interactive search graph. Both tools have been developed as plug-ins for the Moodle LMS, but their analysis processes and techniques can be adopted into any LMS.
Abstract. In this article, we introduce the concept of learning analytics in the context of TUT Circle, a social media enhanced web service for learning in use at Tampere University of Technology. Through three case studies, we apply the methods of learning analytics for insight into the bursty nature of learning activities, procrastination, peer learning, and co-operation between two academic tribes. We found learning analytics useful in providing information to improve the pedagogical practices of online courses, as well as the quality of web-based learning in general.
In this paper, we introduce the results of a study concerning the usefulness of learning analytics tools implemented in the TUT Circle, a social media enhanced learning environment, from the teachers' point of view. According to the results of the study, learning analytics tools with interactive visualizations can help teachers utilize data about students' actions recorded in log files of learning environments for didactical purposes. The tool can help teachers to make decisions regarding potential pedagogical strategies, instructional guidance, actions, and interventions that may be used to support student participation and activity. The ability to access real time information about students' actions, compare students' activities during the course, and identify students who might be at risk of failing or dropping out are of significant benefit to the teachers. However, in order to support teachers in obtaining more practical value from the learning analytics tools the controls for specifying the data and manipulating views need to be developed further.
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