Supporting adaptive learning pathways through the use of learning analytics: developments, challenges and future opportunities

ABSTRACT

Learning Analytics (LA) and adaptive learning are inextricably linked since they both foster technology-supported learner-centred education. This study identifies developments focusing on their interplay and emphasises insufficiently investigated directions which display a higher innovation potential. Twenty-one peer-reviewed studies are identified via a systematic review and classified based on the dimensions of a proposed framework. The findings of the review suggest that interesting work has been carried out during the last years on the topic. We conclude with a need for more research on the topic in specific learning domains and settings. Recommendations include: a clear strategy for adaptation augmented by LA, the combination of on-task with pre-task measures, and the combination of system-controlled adaptation with user-controlled adaptation. Future trends include the emergence of constructivist-collaborative environments that provide insightful models of complex student behaviour.

KEYWORDS:

• Adaptive learning
• learning analytics
• systematic literature review
• technology enhanced learning
• evidence-based learning
• learner diversity

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Anna Mavroudi is a postdoctoral researcher in the field of educational technology at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology. She holds a Bachelor degree (hons) in Mathematics (2003), a Master degree in Information Systems (2007) and a PhD in Educational Technology (2015). Starting her career as an educator in public and private schools in the secondary education sector (mathematics courses), she continued teaching in the context of vocational education and faculty training (elearning seminars), tertiary education and distance education (educational technology courses) while pursuing her doctorate. Since 2007, she participates in European projects on educational technology and she has numerous publications in journals, and international conferences. She is recipient of a postdoctoral fellowship launched by ERCIM (European Research Consortium for Informatics and Mathematics).

Michail Giannakos is an Associate Professor of Interaction Design and Learning Technologies, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Norway. Giannakos has developed and experimented with learning environments since 2008, and since that time has authored more than hundred manuscripts published in peer-reviewed journals and conferences. He is a member on the Executive Board of IEEE Technical Committee on Learning Technology. He has worked at several research projects funded by diverse sources like European Commission (EC), Microsoft Research, The Research Council of Norway (RCN), National Science Foundation (NSF), German agency for international academic cooperation (DAAD) and Cheng Endowment; Giannakos is also a recipient of a Marie Curie/ERCIM Fellowship as well as a RCN Young Talented Researcher Grant (CAREER award).

John Krogstie holds a PhD (1995) and a MSc (1991) in information systems from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), where he is currently a full professor in information systems, leading the lighthouse on Open, Autonomous Digital Ecosystems (OADE) and the Information Systems group. John Krogstie is the Norwegian representative and Vice-Chair for IFIP TC8 and secretary of IFIP WG 8.1 on information system design and evaluation (chair 2010-2015). His research interests are information systems modelling, quality of models and modelling languages, eGovernment and mobile information systems. He has published around 250 refereed papers in journals, books and archival proceedings since 1991.

Additional information

Funding

This work was funded by the Research Council of Norway under the projects FUTURE LEARNING (number: 255129/H20). This work was carried out during the tenure of an ERCIM (European Research Consortium for Informatics and Mathematics) Alain Bensoussan Fellowship Programme (number: 2015-07).