Assessing Institutional Resources for a Learning Analytics Agenda

Proponents believe learning analytics will allow designers to customize instruction to individual learners' needs. At UMass Boston we're actively assessing existing assets we can apply to a learning analytics initiative: learning where expertise exists internally, exploring external partnerships, and researching access to (and reporting on) data collected through learning management systems. We will define learning analytics, demystify the (borrowed) methods of this new field, and review data collection and reporting features in proprietary learning management systems. Finally, we will describe our efforts to assess institutional readiness for learning analytics and scaffold activities for participants to consider their institutions' readiness for learning analytics.