Using Learning Analytics to Improve the Efficacy of Mobile Authoring Tools

Abstract

With the ongoing penetration rate of smart devices, their use is becoming popular in many areas, such as in the field of education. Recently, there has been an increasing demand for digital learning based on mobile devices, namely m-Learning. The development of an effective mobile authoring tool which provides the ability to instructors to manage the learning content with the intention not only to facilitate the content delivery, but also to improve the learning process by adapting content to students’ needs, is a critical task. To this direction, this paper presents the development of a novel mobile content authoring tool which incorporated dynamic reports on refining teaching strategies according to Learning Analytics; i.e. the analysis of the large amount of information resulting from the interaction of students with the m-learning app. The goal of this authoring tool is to support an m-learning system and help teachers to improve their instruction through personalized suggestions on the design and revision of the provided learning content. The developed authoring tool was used by teachers in secondary schools and was evaluated by them. The results of the evaluation showed that the incorporation of Learning Analytics is indeed considered as useful for the tutors supporting them through efficient authoring tools in m-learning environments.