For all academic staff and professional services staff

The pervasive nature of technology in higher education is enabling the large-scale collection of information about students and their on-line learning activities. Every aspect of a student's interaction with a university can be captured, processed, and analysed. This use of data to understand learners and to shape their learning environment is called learning analytics.

Learning analytics has the potential to positively influence students but is more than a simple question of technology and smart decision making. The collection and analysis of student data requires that we ask difficult questions about how we use information and forces us to confront issues such as informed consent, privacy, and power relationships. The Cambridge Analytica scandal and the recent A-Level results algorithms are shaping our perceptions about the influence of data and algorithmic decision making in education and in wider society. Therefore when considering the opportunities presented to us, we also must be fully cognisant of the ethical challenges ahead.

This masterclass will examine the current state of learning analytics and the evidence for impact on learning and teaching. We'll also explore the ethical issues that arise and ask ourselves how we might navigate through them.