Tapping the big data goldmine could improve student success

Universities are sitting on a goldmine of data that could be tapped to enhance student success, according to Stuart Palmer, Associate Professor of Integrated Learning in Deakin University's Faculty of Science, Engineering and Built Environment. 

'Big data is used by retailers to understand, and influence, shopper buying habits; Facebook uses it to target advertising; hospitals use it to predict patients most likely to get infections post-surgery, and universities should be using it to help improve student success,' Associate Professor Palmer said.

'There is no doubt that the 'big data' collected by university computer systems about students and how they engage with their learning can be a valuable asset in understanding and perhaps predicting academic success.

'While these systems will only ever capture traces of a student's learning journey, if this information can be used to help student's success, then analysing the available data is worth the effort.'

The types of data available to universities includes student demographic information, measures of prior academic performance, student class attendance (whether on campus or online), submission of assignments, progressive assessment scores, and interactions with online forums.

Associate Professor Palmer has been using data analytics to visualise how university students and academic staff perceive and use learning management systems; how university students interact in online forums and how social media is used by universities, libraries and in crowdfunding for research campaigns. He believes that analysing the data universities collect about their students (known as learning analytics) offers a genuine opportunity to improve the experiences of students at university.

'Learning analytics has the potential to translate data into practical actions,' Associate Professor Palmer said.

Associate Professor Palmer began his career as a practicing professional engineer and maintains a strong interest, and active involvement, in engineering education.