Handbook of learning analytics

This is a book that should not be missed by anyone!
https://www.solaresearch.org/publications/hla-17/
DOI: 10.18608/hla17

"Epistemology — What Are We Measuring? The first provocation invites the analytic designer to consider what “knowledge” looks like within the analytic approach being developed, asking, What we trying to measure? We pose this question to prompt consideration of the connection between a conceptual account of the object of measurement (the knowledge being assessed), and a practical account of the methods and measures used to quantify activity and outputs within particular tasks. Asking : What are we trying to measure? encourages us to consider our learning design, the skills and facts we want our students to learn, and what it means for students to “come to know.” This is a question of epistemology; concerns the nature of the constructs, why they “count” as knowledge, the evidentiary standard, and kind required for a claim of knowledge to be made."
"Epistemology — How Are We Measuring? Closely related to this conceptual question regarding the epistemological status of the object of analysis a question regarding our access — as researchers and educators — to that knowledge. This is a question regarding the epistemological underpinning of our research and assessment methods. There is a rich literature on the various epistemological concerns around quantitative and qualitative research methods, with a growing specific interest in digital research methods. In addition, there is focused literature in the philosophy of assessment, exploring the epistemological concerns in assessment methods (Davis, 1999). Across this literature, issues concerning the subjectivity of approaches, and the ability of methodologies to give insights, are central. The question invites considerations regarding the ways in which analytic methods imply particular epistemologies. "
"Pedagogy — Why is this Knowledge Important to Us? The development of analytic approaches in learning contexts involves making decisions about what knowledge will, and will not, be focused on; to measure what we value rather than value merely that which is easily measured (Wells & Claxton, 2002). This is, of course, in addition to a conceptual account of the nature of that knowledge. These decisions in part relate to debates around the kinds of important (or powerful) knowledge in society (see, for example, Young & Muller, 2015) and the role of knowledge-based curricula, including discussions around employability (or the balance of vocational and liberal educational aims), century skills, and so on. This question asks, Why does this analytic matter to educators and learners?"