New Methods, New Needs: Preparing Academic Library Practitioners to Address Ethical Issues Associated with Learning Analytics

Abstract

Academic libraries are participating in the collection and analysis of student data. Under the umbrella of learning analytics, these practices are directed toward developing an understanding of how libraries contribute to student learning, the educational experience, and efficient operations of academic institutions. Learning analytics, however, is loaded with ethical issues, which are complicated by privacy-related values espoused by library practitioners. This work-in-progress paper discusses emerging findings from a survey of academic library practitioners. The survey identifies what ethical issues practitioners associate with leaning analytics and the degree to which they are prepared to address such issues.