A workshop on Learning Analytics will be held at the 45th Hawaii International Conference of the System Sciences, January 4-7, 2012, Grand Wailea, Maui (http://www.hicss.hawaii.edu/hicss_45/apahome45.htm). Learning analytics is the measurement, collection, analysis and reporting of data about learners and their contexts, for purposes of understanding and optimizing learning and the environments in which it occurs.

Participation submissions are not due until November 30, 2011 (see appended call), but to maximize you return on investment for this trip you may want to submit to one of the HICSS mini-tracks that are on related topics. Mini-track papers are due June 15, 2011. The Learning Analytics workshop organizers encourage you to submit a paper to one or more of the following mini-tracks (particularly the mini-track on Learning Analytics).

Advances in Teaching and Learning Technologies:
* technology and its support of improving teaching and learning ... Special interest continues to focus on innovative ways of using social media to facilitate learning. ... all aspects of teaching and learning technologies from the original inceptions of theories and tools through the measurement of learning outcomes
* Chairs: Spencer & Santanen
* http://www.hicss.hawaii.edu/hicss_45/45cl.htm#CL1

Communication and Social Networks
* Communication network analysis identifies the communication structure shaped by the flows of information or other material/nonmaterial resources. ... the current minitrack focuses on the structures and patterns of association that emerges from the flow of information, broadly defined, and is particularly well suited for dynamic network data. Units of analysis and form of flow are scaleable, and this track welcomes a wide range of communication network conceptualizations.
* http://www.hicss.hawaii.edu/hicss_45/45os.htm#os5
* Chairs: Rosen & Barnett

Learning Analytics & Networked Learning
* technology or system design to analyze, support, and/or create learning and learning environments ... particular interest are papers that capture, analyze and show novel use of data produced from online learning environments, develop and/or test methodologies for analyzing online learning, address automated data collection and analysis in support of learning, professional development and knowledge creation, and discuss [related] issues and opportunities ...
* http://www.hicss.hawaii.edu/hicss_45/45in.htm#IN5
* Chairs: Haythornthwaite, de Laat, Dawson

Social Media in Social Informatics
* Explore the impacts of social media, such as BBS, Wiki, blog, SNS, twitter and so on, with respect to human behavior and choices in everyday life. Develop the concepts and technologies, such as knowledge creation, data-mining, and so on, for effective sharing of information and knowledge among people by the social media.
* http://www.hicss.hawaii.edu/hicss_45/45dm.htm#DM5
* Chairs: Ohta, Okada, Yamamoto, Suwa

Social Networking and Communities
* social media and their interrelations with communities (online and offline) in the context of work, personal life, and education ... address issues of social networking and online communities of practice, inquiry and interest; political, social, and gaming communities ...
* http://www.hicss.hawaii.edu/hicss_45/45in.htm#IN7
* Chairs: Nahon & Haythornthwaite

Social Networks and Collaboration
* explore social networks, the social graph and social influence ... explore unusual ways of modelling social networks ... open to analysis of collective intelligence web sites, new knowledge creation, collaboration, persuasive technology, analysis of social graphs, crowd-sourcing as well as ad hoc social networks formed in response to pressing social needs ...
* http://www.hicss.hawaii.edu/hicss_45/45cl.htm#CL13
* Chairs: Steiny, Oinas-Kukkonen, Nickerson

----- Learning Analytics Workshop -----

The Learning Analytics workshop description follows, and is also available in PDF at (http://www.hicss.hawaii.edu/hicss_45/45swt/WS/Learning-Analytics-Web.pdf)

Learning analytics is the measurement, collection, analysis and reporting of data about learners and their contexts, for purposes of understanding and optimizing learning and the environments in which it occurs.

Advances in knowledge modeling and representation, the semantic web, data mining, analytics, and open data form a foundation for new models of knowledge development and analysis. The technical complexity of this nascent field is paralleled by a transition within the full spectrum of learning (education, work place learning, informal learning) to social, networked learning. These technical, pedagogical, and social domains must be brought into dialogue with each other to ensure that interventions and organizational systems serve the needs of all stakeholders.

This workshop will focus on online or technology mediated settings in which learner interaction data can be collected automatically. The growth of this kind of data currently surpasses the ability of organizations to make sense of it. This concern is particularly pronounced in relation to knowledge, teaching, and learning in educational, work place, and informal settings. Learning institutions and corporations make little use of the data learners generate in the process of accessing learning materials, interacting with educators and peers, and creating new content. Tools that build on theoretical and methodological principles of learning analytics, and that harness the rapidly emerging developments in analytics in general, promise important applications in educational planning, whether for change at course and institutional levels, or for generating insights for the learning sciences. Such applications also extend beyond educational institutions as corporations face pressure!
for increased competitiveness and productivity, a challenge that requires important contributions in organizational capacity building from workplace, formal, informal, and non-formal learning. Also, as we witness the expansion of learning and knowledge work beyond formal institutional boundaries onto the Internet, we will also find that myriad platforms in the cloud that host learning activity by individuals as a core or side consideration will be able to make use of learning analytics applications and ideas.

This will be a "working-shop", not a mini-conference of paper presentations. We will begin with introductions and two or three presentations that frame the emerging area of Learning Analytics. The rest of the day will include brief presentations on key issues and substantial opportunities for panel, full group and small group discussion. The final format and schedule will be determined based on participant proposals. Our objective is twofold: 1) to recruit members of the HICSS community to this new international community initiative, and 2) to further identify and organize research strands around which future collaborations might form. The workshop will also prepare participants for the Learning Analytics & Networked Learning minitrack and related minitracks, in terms of both content and familiarity with each other.

All interested participants are welcome. We ask participants to prepare a 1-page paper summarizing their backgrounds and interests in attending this workshop. Optionally, a second separate page may be added to propose activities participants would like to engage in at the workshop, and their role in these activities. Submissions should be sent to the lead workshop organizers, George Siemens (gsiemens@gmail.com) and Dan Suthers (suthers@hawaii.edu) by November 30, 2011. The background/interest pages will be circulated to all participants at the workshop, and used to frame presentations and discussions.

Workshop Organizers:

Dan Suthers
Professor, Department of Information and Computer Sciences
Chair, Communication and Information Sciences PhD Program
University of Hawai'i at Manoa
(808) 956-3890 voice
(808) 956-3548 fax
Email: suthers@hawaii.edu

George Siemens
Researcher, Technology Enhanced Knowledge Research Institute
Athabasca University
Email: gsiemens@gmail.com

Caroline Haythornthwaite
Director and Professor
School of Library, Archival & Information Studies
University of British Columbia
Email: c.haythorn@ubc.ca

Maarten de Laat
Director, Networked Learning Program,
Management Ruud de Moor Centre,
Open University of the Netherlands
Email: maarten.delaat@ou.nl

Erik Duval
Professor, Computer Science
Katholieke Universiteit Leuven
Email: Erik.Duval@cs.kuleuven.ac.be

Shane Dawson
Director, Arts Instructional Support and Information Technology
University of British Columbia
Email: sdawson@exchange.ubc.ca