生态系统观视角下的学习分析

Implementing learning analytics:an ecosystemic perspective

学习分析自从2011年出现以来,不管是作为一个研究重点还是实践领域,它一直在发展,从某种程度上讲已经成熟了。学习分析不但在增进我们对学生坚持学习和顺利完成学业的了解以及提高我们教学策略的效果等方面有巨大潜能,它还能帮助学生在更加知情的情况下做出选择。然而,学习分析在多大程度上影响学生学习?它在什么条件下能够充分发挥其潜能?这些问题引起一些关注。我们在这篇概念性文章中提出从生态系统观的角度理解学习分析,或是把它视为某一个生态系统的一部分,或是把它当成一个生态系统,这个系统由各种人为和非人为因素(行动者)组成,包含一系列相互交叉、常常互相依存且又是彼此一部分的变量。鉴于学习分析有提高学习效果的潜能,我们基于学习的社会批判视角提出学习分析的生态系统观。我们从机构和机构以外社会层面的微观、中观和宏观因素出发对学习分析进行阐述。学习分析的生态系统观不认为学生对自己的学习可以免责,而是更加细致入微地了解促成(或妨碍)学习发生的因素(行动者)。

Since its emergence in 2011, learning analytics as a research focus and practice has grown and, to some extent, matured. Not only does learning analytics hold huge potential to contribute to our understanding of student retention and success, and increase the effectiveness of our teaching strategies, it also promises to assist students to make better informed choices. There are, however, some concerns pertaining to the scope of its impact on student learning, and under what conditions learning analytics realises its full potential. In this conceptual article, we propose an ecosystemic understanding of learning analytics whether as embedded in a particular ecosystem, but being an ecosystem in itself consisting of a variety of human and non-human(f)actors, and encompassing a range of intersecting, often interdependent and mutually constitutive variables. In the light of the promise of learning analytics to increase the effectiveness of learning, we propose an ecosystemic understanding of learning analytics based on a sociocritical understanding of learning. We map learning analytics in terms of micro, meso-and macro factors with regard to institutional and broader societal layers. Without exonerating students’ responsibility in their learning, an ecosystemic understanding of learning analytics provides a more nuanced understanding of the(f)actors making learning(im)possible.