We are living the end of a first wave of transformation of education caused by the incorporation of ICT to educational processes. In the time of MOOCs, informal and social learning, gamification, game-based learning, etc., we are facing a second wave of transformation. This time the wave is cross-technological, and focuses on the study, understanding and improvement of educational processes through the analysis of the educational data collected along such processes, in what is known as learning analytics (LA).
There are currently three main barriers to the diffusion and use of LA in educational institutions and companies: the dispersion and fragmentation of LA propositions and solutions, the lack of availability of resources for integration of LA, and the lack of professionals trained in the implementation of LA solutions. SNOLA (Spanish Network of Learning Analytics) emerges as a reflection of Spanish research groups focusing on learning analytics, and as a means to overcome these barriers in Spain from a multidisciplinary networking approach.
Caeiro-Rodríguez, M., Conde, M. Á., Guenaga, M., Hernández-García, Á., Larrañaga, M., Martínez-Monés, A., Muñoz-Merino, P. J., Pastor-Vargas, R., Perallos-Ruiz, A., & Rodríguez-Conde, M.-J. (2016). SNOLA: Spanish network of learning analytics. Proceedings of the Fourth International Conference on Technological Ecosystems for Enhancing Multiculturality.