Monitoring user patterns in school information systems using logfile analysis

Abstract

Analyzing user patterns in school information systems can be difficult as several methods (e.g. interviews, surveys, and observations) can be time-consuming. We propose logfile analysis as a method that offers several advantages, primarily non-reactive data capture. With logfiles from a school with over 100 teachers over a seven month period, we try to get a deeper insight about the system’s usage and the interactions between users. The results show that three user groups can be identified, classified by the intensity of usage. Network graphs helped us to visualize a complex system and helped us to identify important subjects and categories. Nevertheless, logfiles alone lack in providing information giving deeper insights about uses of the system like user goals and aims.