Data for Learning in Engineering Education
White paper ‘100 DAYS OF… Data for Learning’
Written by Marcus Specht, Selma van Esveld, Jacopo De Stefani, Ted Adrichem and Andra Gherghiceanu to combine the insights and findings from the 2022/2023 event series 100 DAYS OF… Data for Learning.
Summary
For the past decades, the role of data has been ever growing in almost all fields – learning (and education) not excluded. But what is actually meant by ‘Data for Learning’? What data is available at TU Delft to support teaching and learning? In what way is it being used? For what purpose – and with which impact? And what are the challenges involved? These have been the questions which motivated the team of ‘100 DAYS OF… DATA FOR LEARNING’ to shape the program.
This paper outlines the findings of our 100+ days’ exploration. The aim of this paper is to raise awareness, understand conditions and needs, and discuss concerns and opportunities of (further) development of using ‘Data for Learning’ within the context of TU Delft Education.
In the ‘100 DAYS OF… DATA FOR LEARNING’ we have organised peer exchange among scientific staff and educational support, students, and lecturers. We have held journal clubs, invited science speaker sessions, and a hackathon event to understand the role and potential of data to support teaching and learning. In detail this included twelve Science speaker sessions in which a variety of topics has been presented and discussed about current applications of data in teaching and learning support as also fields of tension and challenges. In the 2022 CEL (Centre for Education and Learning) annual meeting, experts and interested participants convened for three keynotes and eight workshops on the topics of Learning Analytics and Data for Teaching and Learning.
In the hackathon initiative a dataset of real student data from a higher education institution in the Netherlands was collected and presented to different stakeholders for discussion and analysis. On one hand, students had the possibility to analyse the data to extract insights that could support the work of educational advisors. On the other hand, practitioners reflected on the current status of learning data and discussed improvements or potential future projects.
Overall, a variety of stakeholders from the TU Delft, on a national and international level, have been involved and contributed to the 100 Days. This has created awareness and new initiatives about the potential and challenges of ‘Data for Learning’. This brochure gives background, details, and starting points for further exploration of this important topic for the future of education.
Keywords
Data for learning, learning analytics, Data for teaching and learning, white paper, engineering education
Reference
Specht, M., van Esveld, S. L., De Stefani, J., Gherghiceanu, A., Adrichem, T. (2023). DATA FOR LEARNING IN ENGINEERING EDUCATION. WHITE PAPER ‘100 DAYS OF… DATA FOR LEARNING’.
Delft University of Technology.
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