Teachers´ learning analytics tools in a social media enhanced learning environment

In this paper, we introduce the results of a study concerning the usefulness of learning analytics tools implemented in the TUT Circle, a social media enhanced learning environment, from the teachers´ point of view. According to the results of the study, learning analytics tools with interactive visualizations can help teachers utilize data about students´ actions recorded in log files of learning environments for didactical purposes. The tool can help teachers to make decisions regarding potential pedagogical strategies, instructional guidance, actions, and interventions that may be used to support student participation and activity. The ability to access real time information about students´ actions, compare students´ activities during the course, and identify students who might be at risk of failing or dropping out are of significant benefit to the teachers. However, in order to support teachers in obtaining more practical value from the learning analytics tools the controls for specifying the data and manipulating views need to be developed further.