"Yes, and …" Exploring the Future of Learning Analytics in Medical Education

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Educational Technology
• Learning Analytics

Background:

• The 2017 Association of American Medical Colleges Northeastern Region Group on Educational Affairs meeting featured a research abstract on learning analytics.
• Expert commentary was solicited to stimulate discussion on the future of the field.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a research abstract on learning analytics in medical education.
• To gather expert insights on the future directions and applications of learning analytics.

Main Methods:

• A selected research abstract was presented.
• Three experts provided integrative commentary and brainstormed future research directions.
• Discussions focused on advancements in interaction metrics and interactivity analysis.

Main Results:

• Experts identified key areas for advancement in learning analytics.
• The commentary highlighted the potential of interactivity analysis to deepen understanding of learning processes.
• Future directions included refining interaction metrics and applying analysis to perceptual, cognitive, and social learning.

Conclusions:

• Learning analytics holds significant potential for advancing medical education.
• Further research into interaction metrics and interactivity analysis is crucial.
• Understanding perceptual, cognitive, and social learning transfer is a key goal for future applications.