Aligning expectations about the adoption of learning analytics in a brazilian higher education institution

Abstract

Learning Analytics (LA) consists of using educational data to inform teaching strategies and management decisions, aiming to improve students’ learning. The successful implementation of LA in Higher Education Institutions (HEI) involves technical aspects and infrastructure and, but also, and very importantly, stakeholders’ acceptance. The SHEILA framework proposes instruments for diagnosis of HEI for LA adoption, including stakeholders’ views. In this paper, we present the results of the application of SHEILA’s surveys adapted to the Brazilian context, to identify the most and least important aspects in the views of students and instructors, and compare their ideal and realistic expectations about the adoption of LA. Results confirm the high interest in using LA for improving the learning experience, but with ideal expectations higher than realistic expectations, and point out key challenges and opportunities for Latin American researchers to join efforts towards building solid evidence that can inform educational policymakers and managers, and support the development of strategies for LA services in the region.