Mobile Learning: A Handbook for Developers, Educators, and Learners

CHAPTER 10

Data, Evaluation, and Learning Analytics

Data drives the modern world. As we continue to monitor and store it, the amount of data available is growing at a rapid pace. In fact, in 2013 it was noted that 90 percent of the world's data was generated between 2012 and 2013.¹ The growth in data has been powered both by new technologies that make it easier to collect, store, and analyze, as well as a growing demand for data. Data has proven to be, if properly analyzed, an incredibly powerful tool for providing insights about how the world operates and how its people act. This is true both in the business world and for education. Data on how students use educational technologies help tech companies improve the usability and effectiveness of their apps. It can also inform changes to pedagogy and be used to create more sophisticated learning systems. Developing mobile learning apps is an ongoing process, and simply creating the app and distributing it is not enough; an ongoing evaluation and improvement process is necessary. Here we discuss the important steps for evaluating an educational app. They involve first identifying the questions to answer, then collecting the necessary data, then using data analytics to gain actionable insight for improving the app.

ASKING THE QUESTIONS

To evaluate an app, keep in mind which aspects are being evaluating and why. Is it primarily for product improvement? Is it to enable evidence-based claims about an app's effectiveness? In Table 10.1 ...