Research

FoLA² is a method that originated from a design-based research project. The article titled “FoLA²—A Method for Co-creating Learning Analytics–Supported Learning Design” gives an overview of the steps taken in this research.

Click here for the article in het Journal of Learning Analytics.

A black-box and white box analysis was done on FoLA². The article about those analyses are under review at the moment and we will inform you as they are accepted to be published.

Part of a bigger picture

FoLA² is one of the elements of de Learning Analytics (LA) supported Learning Design (LD) solutions Marcel and his team designed to bridge the worlds of LA and LD. Marcel started this research in 2016 by drawing an idea of how LA can be embedded during design and runtime. First step of his research was giving an overview of the research on LA, LD, Metacogntive Competences.

Schmitz, M., Van Limbeek, E., Greller, W., Sloep, P., & Drachsler, H. (2017, September). Opportunities and challenges in using learning analytics in learning design. In European conference on technology enhanced learning (pp. 209-223). Springer, Cham.

Ectel2017 paper schmitz_mjwm_presentation from Marcel Schmitz

After getting insight in what is out there we studied what teachers and students want in a LA supported LD environment. From the perspective of the visualisation (dashboard) as from a perspective of the data this was investigated in focusgroups and by quesionnaires. Also we looked into metacognitive competences and how students cope with them in practice. This lead to:

Schmitz, M., Scheffel, M., van Limbeek, E., Bemelmans, R., & Drachsler, H. (2018, September). “Make It Personal!”-Gathering Input from Stakeholders for a Learning Analytics-Supported Learning Design Tool. In European Conference on Technology Enhanced Learning (pp. 297-310). Springer, Cham.

Input from stakeholders for a Learning Analytics for Learning Design tool from Marcel Schmitz

In the same period we studied the connection between metacognitive competences, online activity and grades. In the REFLECTOR project our mission was to see if a learning dashboard could give us insights into the learning behavior of students. And especially if the information combining the three datasources mentioned above would lead to interesting information.

Schmitz, M., Scheffel, M., van Limbeek, E., van Halem, N., Cornelisz, I., van Klaveren, C., … & Drachsler, H. (2018, September). Investigating the relationships between online activity, learning strategies and grades to create learning analytics-supported learning designs. In European conference on technology enhanced learning (pp. 311-325). Springer, Cham.

Investigating relationship: online activity, grades, learning strategies from Marcel Schmitz

One of the lessons learned is that using a Learning Dashboard in a module that is already designed and published in a way is complicated. LA usage could benefit from a tool that already includes learning analytics into the equation at design time. Here the search started for a environment to design learning activities with attention for LA. This lead to FoLA².