As defined in A Beginner’s Guide to Learning Analytics, “Learning analytics is the measurement, collection, analysis, and reporting of data about learners and their contexts, for purposes of understanding and optimizing learning and the environments in which it occurs.” (K G, S., Kurni, M. 2021, pg 3).
There are three components in the process: data or “raw material”, the starting point of the process; Analysis,  or algorithms used to analysis the data; and Action or decisions to make changes based on the data analysis (K G, S., Kurni, M. 2021, page 4).

The goal of Learning Analytics is to make evidence-informed decisions about teaching and learning and better serve the learners community (Pelletier, K. et al. 2021, page 19)

2. What are the advantages of using learning analytics?

According to KGand Kurni, learning analytics can help in the design of curricula with the sequence and content, and also offering insights on the learning process. (K G, S., Kurni, M. 2021, page 13). 

In the 2021 Educause Horizon Report, Pelletier mentions the use of learning analytics “to better understand and interpret the needs and challenges of learner populations”. (Pelletier, K. et al. 2021, page 19)

3. How do you see yourself personally using learning analytics?
As an ESL teacher I am involved in administering WIDA Testing for Multilingual students every year. The test evaluates the four communicative skills of multilingual students (listening, speaking, reading and writing). ESL teachers receive the report with a lot of data to analyze. I am able to see patterns of students individually and collectively and we can compare with results from previous years. In fact, I am currently involved in this process of analysis. I see for example that 6th graders consistently score lower than the previous year, or that a high percentage of students score the lowest in the speaking test. Numbers do not give me an explanation, but to me they are an opportunity to reflect and discuss factors that can affect the results, and try to use them to improve those results in the future.

K G, S., Kurni, M. (2021). Introduction to Learning: A Beginner’s Guide to Learning Analytics. Advances in Analytics for Learning and Teaching. Springer.

Learning Analytics. (pp. 19-21)
Pelletier, K. et al. (2021). 2021 EDUCAUSE Horizon Report, Teaching and Learning Edition. EDUCAUSE.