SoLAR Position Papers

Reimagining Learning Analytics: Final Report to the SoLAR Community

Authors: Catherine Manly, Blaženka Divjak, Maurice Boothe Jr., Rebecca Ferguson, Nicole Hoover, Ioana Jivet, Rogers Kaliisa, Mohammad Khalil, Grace Lynch, Mladen Raković

Publication Date: June 2026

Learning analytics is both an academic field and a commercial marketplace which has taken rapid shape over the last decade. As a research and teaching field, learning analytics sits at the convergence of Learning (e.g. educational research, learning sciences and assessment, educational technology), Analytics (e.g. statistics, visualization, computer/data sciences, artificial intelligence), and Human-Centered Design (e.g. usability, participatory design, sociotechnical systems thinking). The original definition, written in 2011, was: Learning analytics is the measurement, collection, analysis and reporting of data about learners and their contexts, for purposes of understanding and optimising learning and the environments in which it occurs. After 15 years, it was timely to revisit the definition to ensure that it was accurate following the growth of the field and other advancements. This check was necessary because it had become increasingly difficult for authors and reviewers of the Journal of Learning Analytics (JLA) and the International Learning Analytics and Knowledge Conference (LAK) to agree on what was in or out of scope for submissions. 2In March 2025 the Executive Committee of the Society for Learning Analytics Research (SoLAR) formed an LA Task Force to take stock and reimagine the definition of Learning Analytics. The initial outcome of this work informed the call for papers and submission scope for the LAK26 conference. This report is the culmination of the Task Force mission.

Creating Data for Learning Analytics Ecosystems

Authors: Kirsty Kitto, John Whitmer, Aaron E. Silvers, and Michael Webb

Publication Date: September 2020

Learning is a complex process that involves rich interactions between people, politics, places, and increasingly, technology. Using clickstream data to provide deep insights into learning requires care and a system-wide approach. We need learning analytics ecosystems. This position paper discusses the challenges faced by institutions as they seek to wrangle data from a portfolio of technology products and services to deliver rich learning experiences. It identifies a number of systemic failures that are leading many institutions to collect a large quantity of data that yields very few educationally relevant insights; from a lack of data policies to competition between vendors and standards. This position paper provides several high-level recommendations for three different sets of stakeholders to consider as they move towards a more mature implementation of LA: (i) Institutions procuring EdTech products; (ii) EdTech vendors seeking to deliver analytics products, and (iii) The LA community of practitioners. We also provide detailed evidence and examples in a series of appendices that are pitched at more technical members of your organisation as you seek to build a robust and useful learning analytics ecosystem.

Open Learning Analytics: an integrated & modularized platform

Authors: George Siemens, Dragan Gasevic, Caroline Haythornthwaite, Shane Dawson, Simon Buckingham Shum, Rebecca Ferguson, Erik Duval, Katrien Verbert, Ryan S. J. d. Baker

Publication Date: July 2011

Proposal to design, implement and evaluate an open platform to integrate heterogeneous learning analytics techniques

Significant potential exists for analytics to guide learners, educators, administrators, and funders in making learning-related decisions. Learning analytics represent the application of “big data” and analytics in education. This proposal expresses the importance of a planned and integrated approach to developing insightful and easy-to-use learning analytics tools.