Prototyping the Learning Analytics Dashboards of an Adaptive Learning Platform: Faculty Perceptions Versus Designers’ Intentions

This study contributes with a case study on redesigning three Learning Analytics Dashboards (LADs) of the adaptive learning platform Rhapsode™ with instructions for pedagogical actions. Applying self determination theory’s elements of competence and relatedness and mental models in a design thinking process, the differences among the teachers perceptions and the designers intentions are highlighted through several methods to answer the questions of: How might we improve the learning analytics dashboards by prioritizing course instructors’ perceived competence and relatedness? and How might we redesign learning analytics dashboards by including course instructors’ purpose, insights, and recommending actions? 

These questions are answered first by developing three Role-based Personas of Alina Action, Niels Novice, and Paul Privacy along with scenarios and user stories. Second, prototypes of interfaces are designed and tested in three iterations showing insights, recommended actions, and explanation of mechanics. Feedback from the tests on the prototypes receives positive feedback from all teacher personas. The teacher persona of Niels Novice also supplies a criticism of the insights and recommended actions on the basis of creating undesired interpretation, potential bias, taking away freedom of interpretation, and authoritative system that “instructs/orders” action. Additionally, the scope of the study cannot meet the persona of Paul Privacy’s reservations on students’ possible experience of surveillance.