We warmly congratulate our esteemed alumni George-Petru Ciordas-Hertel on the successful defense of his PhD thesis this past Tuesday, 05.11.2024! Way to go, Dr. George! We are proud of you for achieving this milestone!
At universities we have seen a big shift to online education in the past ten years, as universities have continuously integrated technology into educational environments. This development has brought students and educators new possibilities, but also challenges. A promising method is Learning Analytics (LA), which uses data to gain insights into learning behaviors and enhance educational outcomes.
In his dissertation, George highlights a critical limitation in traditional learning analytics: they often overlook significant aspects of learners’ digital and physical environments. His research proposes that integrating contextual information from these environments could make LA even more effective. Conventional learning analytics approaches focus on data generated within online learning platforms—like course logins, quiz results and forum activity. While this data is valuable, it provides only a partial picture. Learning doesn’t happen in a vacuum; it’s influenced by a host of contextual factors, such as physical surroundings and the digital interruptions learners face.
George’s thesis addresses this gap by contextualizing learning data, linking it with features from both the digital and physical environments where learning takes place. By doing so, his research seeks to create a more holistic view of the learning process, making analytics and feedback more insightful and actionable.
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His research makes a strong case for the benefits of contextualized learning analytics. By incorporating data from learners’ surroundings, we can better understand the nuanced ways in which these factors impact the learning experience. His approach has the potential to:
- Provide more precise feedback to learners, helping them optimize their study environments.
- Help educators design more responsive and adaptable courses.
- Influence the development of more sophisticated LA tools that respect privacy while offering actionable insights.
Goerge’s research emphasizes that while Learning Analytics is a powerful tool, it’s most effective when it considers the full spectrum of influences on the learning experience. By including data from both digital and physical contexts, future Learning Analytics can create new possibilities for improving education in the digital age.
We warmly congratulate George on accomplishing this significant achievement. His contributions have greatly enriched our knowledge and will pave the way for future research in the field of LA.
We wish you all the best, George!
Ciordas-Hertel, George-Petru (2024). Exploring Learning Beyond the Screen: Software Infrastructure for Contextualized Learning Analytics in Online Education. Dissertation zur Erlangung des Doktorgrades der Naturwissenschaften.