Learning – Data and Graphs

13Aug 2018 by Mike Sharkey 7 Comments

The Bastardization of Bloom’s Two Sigma

I'm really torn over this blog post. One one hand, it can be an insightful commentary about how the goal of attaining benefits comparable to Bloom's two sigma findings has been a negative catalyst in the higher ed tech space. On the other hand, it can be an AWESOME title for a Hollywood screenplay treatment. "The Bastardization of Bloom's Two Sigma" is the story of an over the hill spy who comes out of retirement when he finds out the son he never knew he had has developed super powers as an adult. The crafty old spy needs to work his magic to get his prodigy on the right track. Starring Michael Douglas as Boris Von Bloom and Dustin Diamond (Screech from Saved by the Bell) as Charlie...the son who…

No…Learning Is Not Like Madden

Analytics, Learning

I've previously written about sports analytics and parallels to learning analytics in higher ed. So I was obviously excited to see this FiveThirtyEight article -- a behind-the-scenes writeup of the data behind player ratings in the Madden NFL video game. With the 'gamification' thread that's picked up steam in higher ed over the last few years, it makes sense to keep an eye out for connections like this. While there are definitely learnings between the gaming space and the learning space, there are also vast gaps that should not be glossed over. Let me point out a few ways that learning is not like the Madden NFL game. 1. It's REALLY HARD (if not impossible) to simulate a learner .Let's unpack this statement by first talking about how Madden simulates players.…

Three Dimensions of Student Success

Analytics, Engagement, Learning, Progression

I like frameworks. I like them because they help align conversations. When folks talk about a topic as amorphous as analytics, a framework helps to get everyone on the same page and have them using the same language. When we talk about analytics in Higher Education, the conversation usually goes something like this: "So, you want to use analytics at your institution. What do you hope to achieve?" "Well, I want to use data and analytics to help my students succeed." "Got it. What do you mean by 'student success'?" "Well...ummm...I mean that they should...ummm. I'm not sure." So, here's the framework I use to address this conversation. It breaks student success down into three orthogonal dimensions: Progression: This is milestone-based success. Will the student pass this class? Will the…