Data Literacy and Data Usage Amongst Teaching Staff in UK Higher Education Institutions: Current Practices, Challenges, and Aspirations

Abstract

While research on Learning Analytics (LA) is plentiful, it often prioritises perspectives on LA systems over the practical ways instructors use data to analyse and refine the learning process per se. The present study addresses this inadequacy by investigating how student data is employed by educators in UK Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and how it could be optimised. Specifically, a mixed-methods approach was employed combining survey data, mainly from one institution (N = 85) with insights gleaned from interviews with academics (N = 11). The findings reveal a real desire for better data capabilities and access, underscoring the need for HEIs to enhance data capture, better integrate systems and invest in professional development to enhance data literacy and foster a culture of data-driven decision-making. Importantly, a similar emphasis to that given to assessment and attendance needs to be given to data for the differentiation and personalisation of learning.