Evaluation of a Lightweight Learning Analytics Tool in Moodle and edX: Preliminary Results

Abstract

Learning analytics (LA) mines, analyzes and visualizes the data of students’ learning behaviours on learning platforms such as Learning Management Systems (LMS), but few LA tools built are adaptable to multiple platforms or for general education courses. This study sets out to evaluate a lightweight LA tool implemented on Moodle and Open edX for monitoring students’ learning progress. Survey data were collected from 156 students, supplemented by interview responses from 25 students and three instructors. Preliminary results show that a considerable portion of surveyed students used the LA tool and they held positive opinions on its efficacy in monitoring self-progress and the effectiveness of its visualizations for information delivery. Nonetheless, learners who did not use the LA tool raised concerns about it relying only on their online behaviours without considering their offline learning. Coupled with instructors’ evaluation results, discussion and implications are presented.