Steven Lonn

Saving time or innovating practice: Investigating perceptions and uses of Learning Management Systems

Learning Management Systems (LMS) are web-based systems that allow instructors and/or students to share materials, submit and return assignments, and communicate online. In this study, we explored the uses and perceived benefits of using a LMS to support traditional classroom teaching as reported by instructors and students at a large American Midwestern university. We examined two years of survey data focusing on specific uses of the LMS that emphasized either efficient communication or interactive teaching and learning practices. We matched aggregate user log data with corresponding survey items to see if system use was consistent with patterns seen in the survey results. Findings suggest that instructors and students value tools and activities for efficient communication more than interactive tools for innovating existing practices. However, survey item analysis reveals that instructors and students also highly value the teaching and learning tools within the LMS.

Bridging the gap from knowledge to action: putting analytics in the hands of academic advisors

This paper presents current findings from an ongoing design-based research project aimed at developing an early warning system (EWS) for academic mentors in an undergraduate engineering mentoring program. This paper details our progress in mining Learning Management System data and translating these data into an EWS for academic mentors. We focus on the role of mentors and advisors, and elaborate on their importance in learning analytics-based interventions developed for higher education.

A Learning Management System-Based Early Warning System for Academic Advising in Undergraduate Engineering

This chapter describes a design-based research project that developed an early warning system for an undergraduate engineering mentoring program. Using near real-time data from a university’s learning management system, we provided academic advisors with timely and targeted data on students’ academic progress. We discuss the development of the early warning system and detail how academic advisors used it. Our findings point to the value of providing academic advisors with performance data that can be used to direct students to appropriate sources of support.

Perceptions and use of an early warning system during a higher education transition program

This paper reports findings from the implementation of a learning analytics-powered Early Warning System (EWS) by academic advisors who were novice users of data-driven learning analytics tools. The information collected from these users sheds new light on how student analytic data might be incorporated into the work practices of advisors working with university students. Our results indicate that advisors predominantly used the EWS during their meetings with students---despite it being designed as a tool to provide information to prepare for meetings and identify students who are struggling academically. This introduction of an unintended audience brings significant design implications to bear that are relevant for learning analytics innovations.

Issues, challenges, and lessons learned when scaling up a learning analytics intervention

This paper describes an intra-institutional partnership between a research team and a technology service group that was established to facilitate the scaling up of a learning analytics intervention. Our discussion focuses on the benefits and challenges that arose from this partnership in order to provide useful information for similar partnerships developed to support scaling up learning analytics interventions.

Faculty Usage of Library Tools in a Learning Management System

To better understand faculty attitudes and practices regarding usage of library-specific tools and roles in a university learning management system, log data for a period of three semesters was analyzed. Academic departments with highest rates of usage were identified, and faculty users and nonusers within those departments were surveyed regarding their perceptions of and experience with the library tools. Librarians who use the tools were also surveyed to compare their perceptions of faculty tool and role use. While faculty survey respondents showed high levels of positive perceptions of librarians, they also exhibited low awareness of the library tools and little understanding of their use. Recommendations for encouraging wider adoption and effective usage are discussed.

Appropriation by unanticipated users: looking beyond design intent and expected use

Research in CSCW has demonstrated that people use technology in inventive ways, yet little work investigates the adoption and adaptation of collaborative technologies by unanticipated users. In this paper, we present a study investigating an unanticipated user groups appropriation of a leaning management system, CTools. This group of users, staff at a large research university, has adapted the system, which was designed to support student-content-faculty interactions at the University of Michigan. We present the User/Use Technology Appropriation Matrix (UTAM) as a way to frame our understanding of users and their system use. Based on findings from system log data and surveys, we show that staff use the system similarly to students and faculty, though they value the tools and work affordances differently in their varied work contexts. We discuss these findings, how UTAM can be used to frame these findings, and suggestions for future research.

The learning analytics readiness instrument

Little is known about the processes institutions use when discerning their readiness to implement learning analytics. This study aims to address this gap in the literature by using survey data from the beta version of the Learning Analytics Readiness Instrument (LARI) [1]. Twenty-four institutions were surveyed and 560 respondents participated. Five distinct factors were identified from a factor analysis of the results: Culture; Data Management Expertise; Data Analysis Expertise; Communication and Policy Application; and, Training. Data were analyzed using both the role of those completing the survey and the Carnegie classification of the institutions as lenses. Generally, information technology professionals and institutions classified as Research Universities--Very High research activity had significantly different scores on the identified factors. Working within a framework of organizational learning, this paper details the concept of readiness as a reflective process, as well as how the implementation and application of analytics should be done so with ethical considerations in mind. Limitations of the study, as well as next steps for research in this area, are also discussed.

Using learning management systems to support students' collaborative learning in higher education

Learning Management Systems (LMS) are web-based systems for the distribution, management and retrieval of course materials, and to support communication between students and instructors. A LMS can also support peer collaboration by providing students with the capacity to create their own project sites. In this paper we present data from system logs, surveys, and interviews to investigate how one such system, CTools, is used by students at a large public university to facilitate peer learning.

Use of library tools in a learning management system

There has been little empirical research into the involvement of subject librarians in university Learning Management Systems (LMS). This study examined how library-specific tools in a university-wide LMS are used, by who and for what purposes, in order to assess their effectiveness and to draw conclusions about how to encourage wider adoption and usage. Few demographic differences were found between users and non-users. Overall, survey respondents showed high levels of positive perceptions of librarians, but exhibited low awareness of the library tools and little understanding of their use. This suggests that potential for greater usage of the LMS library tools exists, with the main challenge being lack of awareness and inadequate training.