Chapter 1: Inferential Foundations for Learning Analytics in the Digital Ocean

In this chapter we address core challenges and fundamental conceptual lenses for educational researchers and practitioners in the field of learning analytics in four sections. First we address the emerging sociotechnical context brought on by the ubiquity of data generating computing devices and the shift toward continuous human–digital interaction. This is addressed in terms of the shift from digital desert to digital ocean described by DiCerbo and Behrens (2012, 2014). Next we introduce cultural historical activity theory (CHAT) as a general tool to understand analytic social contexts. This is followed by a treatment of the fundamental logics of inference as presented in evidence centered design (ECD). The fourth concern is the general approach to working with quantitative models which we base on the work of John Tukey and the traditions of data analysis (DA) and exploratory data analysis (EDA). We aim to have an integrated dialog amongst these different traditions to inform the work of learning analysts and educational data scientists, a new profession focused on developing the capacity for data-informed educational systems (Piety, Behrens, & Pea, 2013; Piety, Hickey, & Bishop, 2014).

It is this fundamental shift from data as the goal of our activity to data as a side effect of our activity that opens new doors to understanding and improving education, and offers the promise of and support for new models of learning interactions. (DiCerbo & Behrens, 2014, p. 27)