LEAF (Learning & Evidence Analytics Framework): Research and Practice in International Collaboration

Abstract

Learning analytics (LA) is maturing as a research discipline in its own terms, focusing on multiple perspectives of data-informed understanding and supporting teaching and learning activities in different educational contexts. With the development of learning technology platforms, it is now possible to gather users’ interaction traces in a standardized format as teaching and learning logs during such educational activities. At the Learning and Educational Technology Research Unit at Kyoto University, we developed a learning and evidence analytics framework (LEAF), an integrated technology framework that incorporates methods and tools in learning platforms that are implemented at an institutional level. We conducted research to investigate learning episodes and their effects to systematically inform practice. In this study, we present LEAF and the overall approach of the research and outreach that was achieved toward supporting evidence-based practices in education with the LA framework within Japan and internationally, with collaborators from Taiwan and India. LEAF enables a sustainable way to continue collecting learning logs, create data-driven services to support and improve teaching and learning practices while collaborating with researchers to share data and report internationally co-authored papers.