Use of activity logs to improve online collaboration

Abstract

This article presents a review of works that center their interest in eLearning platforms and the data mining of participants’ activity. The studies in this research area generate information, through the analysis of such logs and data, that is provided to the students in real time to help them to collaborate and learn through collaboration on the platform. There are studies from different areas of study such as Learning Analytics, Educational Data Mining, Group Awareness Tools or Interaction Analysis Tools. The review takes a double perspective: i) to analyze the data extracted from activity logs, their processing, the information generated and the ways to communicate it; and ii) to explorer the model and the instruments used to assess how the information provided impact on online collaborative processes and/or the learning. The conclusions emphasize that the models of collaborative learning that justifies the selection of the data extracted from the activity logs, the processing, the information generated and provided to the students and the way of communicating it, are not explicitly stated. In addition, important biases are detected because of not considering the multidimensional nature of the collaborative learning processes. Also, few studies analyze the relations between students' uses of the information provided and the quality of their collaborative processes and learning results. The very few studies that do analyze such relation do not go into depth on the changes in group dynamics caused by information.

Keywords

• analíticas de actividad
• aprendizaje en línea
• CSCL
• enseñanza superior
• registros de actividad.