In February 2021, the Croatian Science Foundation (HRZZ) approved funding of the research project “HELA – Improving HEI maturity to implement learning analytics” that will be implemented during the next 4 years at the Faculty of Organization and Informatics (FOI), University of Zagreb under the leadership of Full Prof. Nina Begičević Ređep, PhD
The project, which started with its activities on March 1, 2021, will be financed by the HRZZ in the total amount of 776,230.00 HRK. The purpose of this research project is to contribute to a better understanding and optimization of the teaching and learning processes supported by LA through improving HEI maturity to implement LA.
The expected impact of the research will be reflected in faster implementation of learning analytics in higher education, improved evidence-based strategic decision-making and faster adoption of new technologies in higher education with benefits for students, teachers, administrators and policymakers at national and local levels.
The results of the project are planned in line with the following objectives:
- Objective: Identify use cases and gaps in the use of LA in a blended educational environment in HE at the level of institutional policy, study programs, courses and lectures.
- Objective: Identify resources necessary to implement LA in a blended educational environment at levels of institution policy, study program and course.
- Objective: Identify pedagogical, ethical and privacy issues in use of LA and how they can be resolved.
- Objective: Develop LA adoption maturity framework (LAAMF) in a blended educational environment.
- Objective: Develop model use cases of LA.
The interdisciplinarity of the project requires the involvement of experts from different fields, so the project will be implemented through the cooperation of three FOI research laboratories – Laboratory for Strategic Planning and Decision Making, Learning and Academic Analytics Laboratory and Laboratory for Advanced Technologies in Education and their associate partners, institutions and researchers from Croatia and abroad.
The research group of FOI consists of Full Prof. Nina Begičević Ređep, PhD as the project leader, ie the leading researcher and associates: Full Prof. Diana Šimić, PhD, Assoc. Prof. Igor Balaban, PhD, Full Prof. Marina Klačmer Čalopa, PhD, Asst. Prof. Katarina Pažur Aničić, PhD, Asst. Prof. Nikola Kadoić, PhD, Jelena Gusić, M. Math., Barbara Šlibar, M. Inf., Danijel Filipović, M. Inf., Darko Grabar, M. inf., Petra Vondra, M. inf.
As external partners, the project will also gather recognized scientists in the fields of learning analytics and strategic decision-making: prof. Wim van Petegem from KU Leuven, Belgium, Sandra Kučina Softić, PhD from the University Computer Center, Croatia, Prof. Hendrik Drachsler from the Leibniz Institute DIPF & Goethe University, Germany and Prof. Bart Rienties from the Open University, United Kingdom.
The first results of the project are expected in the next few months, and more information is available on the official website of the project.
We are very pleased that in the next 4 years we will have the opportunity to conduct scientific research with expected multiple effects and results.