Personalising Learning: Big Data's Role in Evolving Education Environments

In recent years, there has been a shift towards personalised learning, tailoring educational experiences to meet the unique needs and interests of each student. With advancements in technology and the ability to collect and analyse vast amounts of information, big data has emerged as an invaluable tool in this evolving education environment. By analysing data, educators and curriculum/instructional designers can gain insights into student performance, identify areas for improvement, and develop strategies to enhance teaching and learning.

Big data consists of petabytes (more than 1 million gigabytes) and exabytes 
(more than 1 billion gigabytes), as opposed to the gigabytes common for 
personal devices.

Google Cloud        

One of the key benefits of big data in education is its ability to provide individualised and adaptive learning experiences. Through the analysis of a variety of student data, we can identify individual learning styles, strengths, and weaknesses. This information can be used to create personalised learning plans that cater to the specific needs of each student. For example, the Summit Learning platform, used in schools across the United States, collects data on student progress, engagement, and collaboration. This data analysis informs teachers and parents about students' areas of struggle, enabling them to provide targeted interventions and support.

Big data can also facilitate early identification of at-risk students, leading to timely interventions. By analysing key data points such as attendance, grades, and behaviour, stakeholders can identify students who may be at risk of falling behind academically or experiencing social-emotional challenges. The US state of Wisconsin's WISEdash system is an initiative that uses big data to track student performance and identify potential at-risk students. This enables participating schools to implement intervention strategies, ultimately improving attendance, graduation rates and student outcomes.

Big data is also instrumental in developing evidence-based strategies. By studying educational data on a large scale, researchers can identify patterns and trends, which can inform teaching strategies and curriculum development. One notable example is Learning Analytics at Stanford University, which uses big data to improve educational outcomes. By studying the interactions between students, teachers, and digital learning platforms, they can identify effective instructional strategies and develop evidence-based interventions.

In addition to its role in personalising learning, big data from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) is also being used to inform government-level policy-making and strategy across the assessed areas of reading, mathematics, and science. Governments and education authorities across the world use PISA data to benchmark their education systems, identify areas of improvement, and inform policy decisions. For example, Finland, renowned for its strong educational system, has long used PISA data to inform its policies on teacher training and curriculum development.

Here in the GCC countries, big data is also being used in the education sector. In the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the Ministry of Education introduced the "Education Data Hub" initiative, which collects and studies data on students' academic performance, attendance, behaviour, and well-being. This data-driven approach enables educators to identify areas for improvement, measure the impact of educational interventions, and monitor student progress effectively.

In Saudi Arabia, the Ministry of Education has partnered with technology companies to develop an integrated education management system. This system utilises big data analytics to gather real-time information on students' academic performance, attendance, and behaviour. By monitoring these metrics, educators can identify early warning signs and provide timely support to struggling students, helping them stay on track and thrive. 

Other countries in the region, such as Qatar and Bahrain, are also investing in big data initiatives within their education sectors. These efforts focus on improving data collection, analysis, and utilisation to enhance teaching and learning experiences for students and educators alike

There is no doubt that as the field of education continues to evolve, the analysis of big data will play an increasingly important role in enhancing strategy and approaches to teaching and contribute to improved learning outcomes.

Thanks for reading! I will unveil another edition in two weeks, amplifying current global education conversations with a MENA perspective.

Paul Edmunds paul@arddel.com or paul.edmunds@pwc.com