Learning Analytics in Mobile and Ubiquitous Learning Environments

Learning analytics (LA) is one of the promising techniques that has been developed in recent times to effectively utilise the astonishing volume of student data available in higher education. Despite many difficulties in its widespread implementation, it has proved to be a very useful way to support failing learners. An important feature of the literature review of LA is that LA has not provided a significant benefit in terms of learner mobility to date since not much research has been carried out to determine the importance of LA in facilitating or enhancing the learning experience of mobile learners. Therefore, this paper describes the potential advantages of using LA techniques to enhance learning in mobile and ubiquitous learning environments from a theoretical perspective. Furthermore, we describe our simplified Mobile and Ubiquitous Learning Analytics Model (MULAM) for analysing mobile learners’ data which is based on Campbell and Oblinger’s five-step model of learning analytics. Finally, we answer the question why now might be the most suitable time to consider analysing mobile learners’ data.