The LACE project aims to build bridges between research, policy, and practice to realize the potential of learning analytics in Europe. The project has over 47 associated partners and is working on issues like data standards, interoperability, privacy and ethics, and developing an evidence base. The project is active in K-12, higher education, and the workplace through knowledge transfer workshops and events. Sectors differ in their use of learning analytics, from more awareness raising in K-12 to more systematic use in higher education. The project is developing an evidence hub to provide evidence on how learning analytics can improve outcomes, support, teaching and retention. However, the evidence base for learning analytics is currently weak. The project aims to inform policy through

1. LACE – Project overview
Hendrik Drachsler| Open Universiteit
Policy Briefing Event | 15 April 2015
#laceproject, @hdrachsler, drachsler.de

2. Vision
2
Building bridges between research,
policy and practice to realise the
potential of learning analytics in EU.
LACE – Policy Briefing Event – 15 April 2015
National differences
Sectorial differences
Cultural differences

3. Who we are now (47+ Ass. Partners)
3
LACE Network
LACE Consortium

4. 4
1.Data standards
2.Interoperability
3.Privacy & Ethics
4.Analytic skills
5.Evidence base
6.More to come …
Working on shared issues between sectors
CC-BY: Brad Downey, Hamburg - unurth | street art
http://www.unurth.com/Brad-Downey-Hamburg
LACE – Policy Briefing Event – 15 April 2015

5. Sector Activities: K12, HE & Workplace
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• Knowledge transfer workshop (19 -
700 direct contacts)
• LinkedIn members (213)
• LACE Review Articles (2)
• Blog posts total (56)
• Key Events
• LAK14 (Indianapolis, USA)
• WMF, (Milan Italy 2014)
• Eminent (Zurich, Nov. 2014)
• BETT (London, January 2014)
LACE – Annual Review – Luxembourg – 4 February 2015

6. Cross Sector Services
6
QI Framework for LA
Evaluation support
Semantic Studies
LACE – Policy Briefing Event – 15 April 2015

7. 7
K12 Workplace
HE
STOTA: K12, HE & Workplace
• Awareness
raising
• Less solutions
& little use
• Vendor
interests
• High demand
on privacy
• No systematic
use of data
• Widespread interest (Management, Researchers, Teachers)
• Some substantive take-up
• More reporting data than taking action on data
• Probably most advanced sector
• Bridging ind.
communities
• KPIs
• Continuous
improvement
& need for LA
• Process
standardisation
LACE – Policy Briefing Event – 15 April 2015

8. Policies require evidences
8

9. Evidence Hub – Propositions
A. Learning analytics improve
learning outcomes
B. Learning analytics improve
learning support and teaching,
including retention, completion
and progression
C. Learning analytics are taken up
and used widely, including
deployment at scale.
D. Learning analytics are used in an
ethical way
9LACE – Policy Briefing Event – 15 April 2015

10. Evidence Hub – Map of Evidence
10LACE – Policy Briefing Event – 15 April 2015

11. Evidence Hub – Evidence Flow map
11LACE – Policy Briefing Event – 15 April 2015

12. Evidence Hub – Overview
• More than 100 potential sources identified and scrutinised
• Only 27 were evidence in the strong sense
• LACE has identified a surprisingly weak evidence base for the
field.
12LACE – Annual Review – Luxembourg – 4 February 2015Photo (CC)-BY Jonathan Combe https://www.flickr.com/photos/jono566/8489053557/

13. Why Policies?
13

14. Modernization of EU Universities report
Recommendation 14
Member States should ensure that legal frameworks allow higher
education institutions to collect and analyse learning data. The full
and informed consent of students must be a requirement and the
data should only be used for educational purposes.
http://ec.europa.eu/education/library
/reports/modernisation-
universities_en.pdf
Recommendation 15
Online platforms should inform users about their privacy and data
protection policy in a clear and understandable way.
Individuals should always have the choice to anonymise their data.

15. Big Data = Repurposing data
15
Jawbone data repurposed to measure earthquake strength
Policy for repurposing and linking of
educational data sources?

16. 16
10 Realities of Big Data Analysis
Policy for transparent usage of educational data?

17. 17
Many more points we can touch…
Data Ownership
Ethics & Privacy
Data Security
Anonymisation & Data degradation

18. “LACE Project overview” by Hendrik Drachsler, OUNL was
presented at the LACE Policy Briefing Event in Brussels on 15
April 2015.
hendrik.drachsler@ou.nl
This work was undertaken as part of the LACE Project, supported by the European Commission Seventh
Framework Programme, grant 619424.
www.laceproject.eu
@laceproject
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