Review
A systematic review of the role of learning analytics in enhancing feedback practices in higher education

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.edurev.2022.100489Get rights and content
Under a Creative Commons license
open access

Highlights

  • LA has an important role for enhancing feedback practices in classrooms.

  • Information visualization is the most commonly employed method in LA-based feedback systems.

  • Using LA to support feedback goes far beyond simply making feedback manageable for busy and overworked educators.

  • LA-based feedback serves educators and students in different ways at different levels.

  • The choice of analytic method must necessarily be guided by the feedback objectives.

Abstract

Learning analytics (LA) offers new opportunities to enrich feedback practices in higher education, but little is understood about the ways different LA can enhance feedback practices for educators and students. This systematic literature review maps the current state of implementation of LA to improve feedback practices in technology-mediated learning environments in higher education. We used strict inclusion criteria to select relevant studies that have investigated the role of LA on feedback practices. To identify common features of LA for feedback studies, we coded relevant publications using an analytical framework that identifies four key dimensions of LA systems: what (types of data), how (analytic methods), why (objectives), and how educators and students are served by LA (stakeholders). Based on findings, we propose a conceptual framework that can guide the implementation of LA for feedback systems and also suggest future empirical research in this area.

Keywords

Conceptual framework
Higher education
Learning analytics
Feedback
Systematic review

Data availability

Data will be made available on request.

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