Big Data and Learning Analytics

The topic of Big Data and Learning Analytics is one that has risen in popularity recently, however this is also a topic that is riddled in controversy.  It is a well known documented fact that many high profile retailers such as Target use big data and learning analytics to predict critical information about its shopper such as age, sex, socioeconomic status and even whether a person may be pregnant or not.  This cyber information is can be track, recorded and accessed easily through database storage and retrieval.

This information can be critical for the success and profitability online business and retailers.  Companies can adapt and custom tailor their sales, marketing and advertising strategies according to each particular persons demographic information and shopping interests.  This can obviously result in increased sales and profit margins.

However Big Data and Learning Analytics may also used effectively in the context of education.  There are certain test such as the GRE (Graduate Record Examination) and the GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test) that are known as CAT (Computer Adaptive Tests).  These tests base the difficulty of future questions on a participants correct or incorrect responses to priors questions.  These tests have been shown to be much more accurate and precise than traditional tests.

However educators can take this even further.  Teacher and administrators can examine students behaviors and responses to particular questions online via the internet.  This information can be dissected, compiled and examined.  Then concepts and topics that each particular student struggles with can be identified, and further instruction, remediation or action can be taken.