Improving schools’ setting and climate: what role for the National Operative Programme? Some empirical insights from a Learning Analytics perspective

Abstract

Although students are increasingly involved in extra learning activities aimed at enriching the attributes and the contents of conventional educational programmes, still little is known on the main implications of these initiatives. Embracing a Learning Analytics (LA) perspective, the article sheds light on the effects triggered by students’ involvement in innovative educational activities and learning processes co-financed by the Call no. 10862/2016 issued by the National Operative Programme (PON) 2014/2020. We implemented a three-step study design, which consisted of: 1) a descriptive analysis; 2) a principal component analysis; and 3) a discrete choice regression analysis. Our findings pointed out that educational activities and learning processes were especially effective in improving social relationships at school; moreover, they contributed in increasing the students’ willingness to expand their horizons. © 2019, Italian e-Learning Association. All rights reserved.