One of the great advantages of being a researcher in the area of educational technology is that when students interact with digital learning environments they leave digital footprints that can logged, stored and analysed.
Educational researchers have long-been interested in students’ digital interactions – their clicks, the sequence of their actions, the time they spend on tasks – and using these to understand student learning. Drawing on research conducted at the University of Melbourne over a number of years, in this presentation I will provide examples of how, by logging students’ learning behaviours, educational technology research has shown how students routinely fail to adhere to the pedagogical intent underpinning tasks set by teachers. Logging students has also revealed how different curriculum designs constrain or liberate students’ learning activities, and how students’ study strategies significantly impact on their learning outcomes. I will conclude the presentation with an example of current research that shows how the application of “real-time analytics” can improve students’ learning through the provision of timely feedback.
Bio: Gregor Kennedy is the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Educational Innovation) at the University of Melbourne and a Professor in the Melbourne Centre for the Study of Higher Education. In his PVC role Gregor leads the University’s strategy in curriculum innovation, technology-enhanced teaching, learning and assessment, MOOCs, academic analytics, and the use of physical and virtual space in teaching and learning. Gregor has spent over 15 years conducting and overseeing research and development in educational technology in higher education. His current research interests include students’ motivation and self-regulation; interaction and engagement in digital learning environments; understanding confusion and the provision of feedback to students engaged in digital tasks, the use of 3D immersive simulation for learning; and the use of learning analytics for improved learning design, teaching and student support. Gregor has published widely in these areas, is the past editor the Australasian Journal of Educational Technology and serves on a number of editorial boards. He is a regular invited and keynote speaker at national and international conferences on educational technology and higher education.