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Design-based Research - Designing Dashboards that Help Students Make Sense of their Learning Data

Updated: Aug 31

For my Master’s thesis, I explored how Learning Analytics Dashboards (LADs) can go beyond data visualization and truly support learners in simulation-based training.



🚢 The Context

Simulation-based Maritime education and training, where students train with radio simulators to practice maritime communication at sea


📊 The Challenge

Multimodal learning analytics data can often become complex and challenging to interpret. Previous studies have shown that students struggle to understand how learning data relates to their performance and learning goals.


💡 My Approach

A design-based research process, grounded in human-centered learning analytics and educational data storytelling.


I conducted classroom observations and participatory workshops with instructors, developed a prototype dashboard, and evaluated it with experts in learning sciences and technology.
I conducted classroom observations and participatory workshops with instructors, developed a prototype dashboard, and evaluated it with experts in learning sciences and technology.


✨ The Outcome

  • Tangible prototype designs (Figma Prototype) for explanatory dashboards in simulation-based learning, contributing to a human-centered design methodology and pedagogical research in the field of Learning Analytics Dashboards

  • Pedagogical evaluation of narrative feedback elements of the prototype


    You can explore the prototype below





Key insights:

  • Learning Analytic Dashboards are most effective when it is contextualized (linked to actual learning activities).

  • Narrative and explanatory elements in dashboards demonstrate pedagogical value in supporting students' sense-making and closing the learning analytics loop.

  • Features like self-assessment, delayed access to data, and detailed explanations promote deeper sensemaking rather than superficial monitoring.




Impact

  • Results transformed into a research article (preprint)

  • Findings presented to maritime communication specialists, ensuring direct relevance to practice

  • Designs adopted by the research team to further develop the prototype of the EU-funded i-MASTER research project


Further Resources

🎤 Presentation for Maritime Communication Specialists (slides)


ℹ️ This blogpost was improved through ChatGPT. For more information on how I work with GenAI, read this article or contact me.


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