Open Learning Analytics Platform (OpenLAP)

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The main idea behind the Visualizer is to receive the incoming analyzed data in the OpenLAP-DataSet format and convert it to the format consisting of HTML and JavaScript code which can be visualized on the client side.

“The code consists of two main section, the Visualization Library Script section responsible for including the visualization library scripts on the webpage and the Visualization Generation Script section containing the code to generate the chart. The Visualization Generation Script section is further divided into three sub-sections: the Visualization data sub-section consists of the data to generate the graph. This section should always be generated dynamically based on the input data coming in the input OpenLAPDataSet. The Visualization options sub-section contains the options to define the chart. Which parameters can be customized is explained later in the step by step guide to implement new visualization technique. The Visualization generation section contains the scripts which uses the data and the options to generate the chart. This example is specifically using Google Charts to explain the concept, but any visualization technique can be categorized into these sections and implemented. Before going further into the details, here is a list of terminologies which will be helpful to understand this guide and how they are interacting with each other:

VisualizationFramework: A web visualization library or framework which can be utilized to create interactive visualizations. E.g. D3.js, Google Charts, dygraphs etc.

DataTransformer: A concrete implementation which transforms data received from the client in the form of the OpenLAPDataSet into a data structure understandable by the VisualizationMethod that uses it.

VisualizationMethod: A concrete interactive visualization type. E.g. bar chart, pie chart etc.

To implement a new visualization technique, the developer must extend the abstract class VisualizationCodeGenerator and an interface DataTransformer available in the OpenLAP-Visualizer-Framework project.”

Data Analytics Tools in Higher Education

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The paper presents 35 data analytics tools that have been developed and deployed by higher education institutions, addressing whether those tools offer means in favor of typical university processes and corresponding stakeholders.

“Nowadays, higher education institutions (almost without exception) use many software systems to automate the ongoing processes in all main areas (admission of students, training, student support, quality assurance, management, etc.). The wide range of the collected data has led to increased interest in the analysis of data to support data-driven decision making at all levels of educational institutions and stimulates research in the field of data analytics. In this regards, many organizations and universities are beginning to develop software tools that extract data from their systems and provide aggregated data in an appropriate format for all stakeholders. Data analytics tools have huge potential in higher education. They can offer personalized services to stakeholders that would not otherwise be available – e.g. a comprehensive view of the institution, the curricula, the teachers and the students; the opportunity of the university to improve the quality of the conducted training and the ongoing processes, etc.

The paper presents an analytical overview of 35 data analytics tools implemented and developed by higher education institutions.”

Project results will have a wide practical application in higher education institutions and will be tested among representatives of all stakeholders in monitoring and improving the selected target university processes.

eduID: 1 digital identity for students

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eduID: one identity that students can use at any educational institution: before, during, and after their studies.

SURF wants to encourage and support flexibility and trends for lifelong development with IT. To that end, SURF has launched a number of projects, including eduID. The aim of eduID is to make available an umbrella digital student identity that is independent of an institution.

You can use eduID to:
• Identify and authorize students. With eduID, students can identify themselves at an institution and gain access to the necessary applications. See the pilot with edubadges.
• Exchange student information or results digitally between the student’s educational institution(s). He determines which data he shares and with whom. See the student mobility pilot from the Flexibilisation zone of the Education Innovation with IT Acceleration Plan.
• Simplify the registration process if a student wants to take a course at another institution.
• Keep a lifelong view and control of their own educational data. Think of completed courses, courses taken at an institution and linked edubadges, as well as completed courses and courses taken during their careers.
• Keep insight into educational careers at the end of studies or offering services to alumni.

The next few years will be marked by the further development of eduID. We will expand the existing services of eduID and we will do several proof of concepts and pilots. We are discussing our plans with the eduID sounding board group, educational institutions and with a number of other stakeholders such as Studielink.

edubadges: issuing digital certificates to students

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edubadges is the digital certificates platform for the Dutch education community. edubadges enable you to award students or workers with evidence of knowledge and skills they have acquired. An edubadge is issued electronically within a secure and trusted SURF platform.

An edubadge allows students to demonstrate the knowledge and skills they have acquired in a ‘portable’ format. This can make it easier to switch from study to work and also to switch between study programmes. edubadges enable you to award students or workers evidence of their achievements. An edubadge is an electronic certificate that provides detailed information on the content of the learning outcomes achieved. Students collect edubadges in their edubadges backpack and can share an edubadge with employers or other educational institutions.”

For institutions:
• manage roles and privileges within the platform
• create, edit and issue edubadges

For students/workers
• edubadges backpack in which to keep all edubadges received
• share edubadges electronically with employers or other institutions

For external parties
• verify the authenticity of edubadges

Identification of technologies used for recognising and verifying open credentials

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The scope of this paper is to give an overview into different technologies used for awarding credentials.

An ‘open credential’ could be defined as a credential which is fully transparent and which can be used for a multitude of purposes. These might include accumulation towards qualification, as evidence of skills for employment or as a means of transferring evidence of expertise between countries. Such an open credential would fit seamlessly into European
recognition frameworks, and would be instantly verifiable at the click of a button, and would include all necessary information about the learning it represents. It would also allow collection by various software systems to create online CVs, backpacks etc. Initial work has already been done in this area by MIT and by the Open University (UK). This report is based research into technologies used for awarding credentials including digitally signed documents, blockchain, open badges, etc. The aim of the exercise was to map the field in such a way as to assess the adequacy of current technological solutions for issuing credentials, and identify any factors which are preventing them from being mainstreamed”

Blockchain-based Micro-credentials: Design, Implementation, Evaluation and Adoption

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This study examines a blockchain-based micro- credential system implementation with a particular focus on understanding user perceptions.

While blockchain technology has become increasingly popular, its applications extend far beyond finance and cryptocurrency. In particular, blockchain enables the generation and management of verifiable digital certificates which possess several system-level advantages when compared to current solutions. Still, does the utilisation of blockchain add value to the issuers and recipients of micro-credentials? Applying a design science approach, we design, implement and evaluate a blockchain-based micro- credential management system within a business school’s executive education unit. Qualitative evaluation reveals that such systems can decrease the overall cost and administrative workload. While issuers perceive the implementation as useful and low risk, the general knowledge regarding blockchain and its advantages, especially in the context of micro- credential management, is insufficient. We discuss this amongst other challenges that must be addressed before widespread adoption of blockchain-based micro-credentials can be achieved.

Micro-credentials for Impact: Holding Professional Learning to High Standards Learning Forward

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Paper on emerging technologies and learning innovations that enable schools and schools systems to provide the educators the real-time support they most need for meaningful, ongoing, professional learning.

Teachers, school and district leaders, and other stakeholders are driving a serious conversation to make sure the significant investment in professional learning is resulting in real impact on students. While ensuring engaging and effective professional learning for educators remains a struggle for many districts, professional learning remains a critical lever for districts in building the capacity of educators to achieve ambitious student learning goals.
As the expectation for more demonstrably effective professional learning for educators grows across the nation, both Digital Promise and Learning Forward have committed to a vision of ensuring that every educator engages in the kinds of learning that improves their practice and contributes to better outcomes for students. Digital Promise is advancing its mission through the development of an ecosystem of educator micro-credentials, and Learning Forward through their Standards for Professional Learning. These standards and micro-credentials, applied together, set a course for educator professional learning that is personalized, relevant, and results oriented.

Recognition and verification of credentials in open education

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This report explores scenarios, stakeholders and guidelines to make online and open learning comparable and recognisable within higher education.

While formal recognition according to the Lisbon Recognition Convention (LRC) is about recognising credits from accredited study programmes offered by different higher education institutions, open learning extends far beyond the realm of higher education. It includes different formats and providers in a wide range from formal to non-formal and even informal learning. We will propose a possible solution, which we call the Learning Passport, and lay out a system of technology, standardization, procedures and governance models to realize this solution. It aims at increasing trust in open and innovative practices, by providing valid pathways to recognition, at widening the scope of internationalisation and credit-mobility by fully encompassing virtual mobility experiences into Bologna-tools and lastly at improving the transparency and recognition of open qualifications. With the Learning Passport, we want to stimulate the development and discussion of such an open and interoperable system for digital credentials, building on the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) and on the European Qualifications Framework (EQF).

A personal wellbeing plan

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This course explores approaches educators can take to build and maintain their own wellbeing as a foundation for supporting the health and wellbeing of students, their families and colleagues.

While it’s important to recognise that your wellbeing at school exists within a broader context of the whole school approach to student wellbeing, there are aspects of our wellbeing that only we can take full responsibility for. This final Module provides you with the opportunity to reflect on what you are doing already that supports your wellbeing such as self-care activities, activities related to your role as principal or teacher and activities that you participate in as part of the school community. You will be encouraged to reflect on how these current activities are working, how you could improve or adapt them and then to add in any ideas that you now have based on your completion of this online course. You will have the opportunity to develop your own personal wellbeing plan to record your ideas and strategies.

After completing this module you will:
• Understand practical ways to support your physical and mental wellbeing
• Understand your role in building school approaches to educator wellbeing
• Develop a personal wellbeing plan

Innovative Tools to Assess a Large Number of Students in the Open Distance and e-Learning MOOCs

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This chapter employed humanistic learning theory (HLT) to present a variety of digital teaching and learning tools that enable assessment suitable for a large number of students in the ODeL MOOCs.

The literature on students registered in the Open Distance and e-Learning (ODeL) institutions suggests many obstacles related to their summative-driven assessments, which give insufficient time for study, difficulties in access and use of innovative assessment tools, ineffective feedback, and lack of feedback of study materials. These challenges lead students to learn just enough to get grades without understanding the topics or acquiring knowledge and skills. On the other hand, massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) give students, who have to fulfil multiple roles and are affected by the barriers of distance, cost and time, an opportunity to pursue their studies online.”

Humanistic learning theory emphasises a shift towards considering students, their characteristics, and their influence on learning. In addressing the gap created by assessments that were not focused on the specific human capabilities, including creativity, personal growth, and choice, this chapter first presents principles of HLT linking them with
the form of assessments in MOOCs. Secondly, the ways to assess a large number of students in ODeL MOOCs are outlined. Lastly, various digital tools that can assess a large number of students are discussed, considering students as sources of authority. Please complete with the List of competences to be achieved”