Synthesizing Informed Consent Practices in Learning Analytics

• In Event: Informed Consent in Online Education Research, Evaluation, and Learning Analytics

Abstract

The amount of student data a higher education institution collects through its Learning Management System (LMS) is immense, which can lead to conflicts in expectations. Students may believe the data is being used to improve services. Meanwhile, data governance issues may prevent the data from being used this way. In addition, the ethical challenges of accessing and utilizing that data while protecting students complicate the conversation. As it stands now, obtaining informed consent from students in the context of learning analytics presents various ethical challenges that require balancing students’ interests in privacy with the opportunity to employ analytics to improve learning outcomes.

This presentation is grounded in ethical research principles and the Common Rule, focusing on transparency and justice in participant consent. Synthesizing case studies and existing research on learning analytics with expert interviews and policy documents, this study explores the landscape of how researchers are currently weighing the many (often competing) considerations taken when approaching student data. The resultant analysis reveals methods to increase research transparency while using analytics. Current literature suggests wide-ranging views on current consent practices, and actionable recommendations for improving transparency and participant understanding are offered.

There is a gap in the literature between ethical guidelines and practical consent procedures in learning analytics research. This gap prevents researchers from advancing knowledge in this area. This work aims to close that gap to create more just and transparent analytics practices and facilitate institutions' safe and effective access to and utilization of these analytics to improve academic outcomes.

We will examine higher education data along three axes: the type of data collected, the rights holders for that data, and the use for which that data is employed. Not all data and data uses are the same. We will discuss how this framework enables sharper conversations, allowing educators to advocate for better access and transparency to improve our students’ learning experience.

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Author

• Gabriel N Montes de Oca, Boise State University