Big Data in Learning Design
In 2021, Xiaomei Bai and their research team stated that the term educational big data stems from the rapidly growing educational data development, including students' inherent attributes, learning behavior, and psychological state. Big Data analyzes individual and group behavior as they interact with a course (Arshavskiy, 2021). Figure 1 (below) shows a graphic to display learner behaviors followed by their computer response to display Big Data interactions.
Figure 1
Source: Lawson, L. (2024). [Big Data: Learner & Computer Interactions]. Canva. Link here.
Computer-generated responses, while objective and timely, can inadvertently increase student stress and urgency and negatively impact students’ mental health. Conversely, such responses may foster a behaviorally positive environment. In 2020, Brau, Fox, and Robinson emphasized that behaviorism, a branch of psychology, examines how controlled environmental changes influence behavior.
Big Data displays brutal honesty and strict objectivity offering robot-like accuracy and emotionless feedback. This objectivity is valuable in many contexts; for instance, musicians seeking measurable improvement during high-pressure situations (e.g., auditions) can benefit from its analytical precision. However, it lacks the nuanced human interpretation critical for deeply emotional or artistic disciplines, such as the affective depth of the music theory and humanistic qualities that bring the emotions that Johannes Brahms’ compositions provide. Big Data is cyclical, similar to other technological tools. If we, as managers and users, run towards the benefits to uphold the integrity of the technology, we will see beyond the initial positive outcomes. For example:
Big Data assisted disaster management during Hurricane Sandy in 2012 in the US
It was used to gain a better understanding of the storm’s effect
It could predict the hurricane’s landfall 5 days in advance, which wasn’t possible before Big Data (Simplilearn, 2019).
Big Data in healthcare provides electronic health records (EHRs) containing a patient’s medical history, demographic information, medications, immunizations, test results, and progress notes.
In the past, this information was put down in hand-written files that were easily misplaced, difficult to share, and occasionally illegible. Today, EHRs allow healthcare professionals to easily access a patient’s pertinent medical information and provide the best possible care (Coursera, 2023).
Big Data provides many benefits. However, we have been without Big Data for multiple generations and upheld successful learning opportunities, goals, and accomplishments. Therefore, while some institutions are data-rich, others are data-poor. If the resources that data-poor institutions do hold are utilized increasingly well, those institutions do not “need” data-rich resources. It is the way you use technology, not what technology you have. In 2020, Emily Vogel and her research team at the Pew Research Center emphasized that technology itself is neutral, acting as a tool whose impact depends on its use. Experts highlight that it can drive positive change or cause harm based on how it is wielded. External factors, such as societal context and human choices, often play a more significant role than technological advancements in shaping outcomes and the future.
Sources:
Arshavskiy, M. (2021, May 12). Big data in eLearning: Relevance, importance, and opportunities. Retrieved November 15, 2024, from https://elearningindustry.com/big-data-in-elearning-opportunities
Bai, X., Zhang, F., Li, J., Guo, T., Aziz, A., Jin, A., & Xia, F. (2021). Educational big data: Predictions, applications and challenges. Big Data Research, 26, 100270. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bdr.2021.100270
Brau, B., Fox, N., & Robinson, E. (2020). Behaviorism. In R. Kimmons & S. Caskurlu (Eds.), The students' guide to learning design and research. EdTech Books. https://edtechbooks.org/studentguide/behaviorism
Coursera. (2023). Big data in healthcare: Benefits, challenges, and opportunities. Retrieved November 15, 2024, from https://www.coursera.org/articles/big-data-in-healthcare
Lawson, L. (2024). Big Data: Learner & Computer Interactions. Canva. Link here.
Simplilearn. (2019). Big Data In 5 Minutes | What Is Big Data?| Big Data Analytics | Big Data Tutorial | Simplilearn [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bAyrObl7TYE
Vogels, E., Rainie, L., & Anderson, J., (2020, June 30). Tech is just a tool. Pew Research Center: Internet & Technology. https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2020/06/30/tech-is-just-a-tool/
Thank you for joining me today! Let’s keep learning altogether, as lifelong #LearningMatters.
Best,
Laura Lawson
LearningMatters, LLC
Instructional Designer
