We know what you did last semester: Learners’ perspectives on screen recordings as a long-term data source for learning analytics

Abstract

Students are an important stakeholder in the learning analytics process. Their perspective on data collection is highly relevant for developing and implementing successful learning analytics, especially if the data collection goes beyond anonymized learning management system (LMS) data. We use screen recordings and LMS log files as an unobtrusive and long-term method of collecting data. This way of collecting field data is highly invasive and conflicts with the privacy of participating students. It is important not just to realize a technical solution of data collection but to keep up with implications for participants and their expectations. We evaluate our research set-up and data collection method by conducting qualitative interviews with 15 participants on how they perceived this means of data collection, and derived implications and requirements in terms of what is relevant for students, to agree on this way of data collection and which aspects can be problematic.