For Learning Analytics to Be Sustainable under GDPR—Consequences and Way Forward

Thashmee Karunaratne
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Thashmee Karunaratne: Department of Computer and Systems Sciences, Stockholm University, SE-146 07 Kista, Sweden

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 20, 1-19

Abstract: Personalized learning is one of the main focuses in 21st-century education, and Learning Analytics (LA) has been recognized as a supportive tool for enhancing personalization. Meanwhile, the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR), which concern the protection of personal data, came into effect in 2018. However, contemporary research lacks the essential knowledge of how and in which ways the presence of GDPR influence LA research and practices. Hence, this study intends to examine the requirements for sustaining LA under the light of GDPR. According to the study outcomes, the legal obligations for LA could be simplified to data anonymization with consequences of limitations to personalized interventions, one of the powers of LA. Explicit consent from the data subjects (students) prior to any data processing is mandatory under GDPR. The consent agreements must include the purpose, types of data, and how, when and where the data is processed. Moreover, transparency of the complete process of storing, retrieving, and analysing data as well as how the results are used should be explicitly documented in LA applications. The need for academic institutions to have specific regulations for supporting LA is emphasized. Regulations for sharing data with third parties is left as a further extension of this study.

Keywords: learning analytics; general data protection regulations; GDPR; policy; data processing; student consent (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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