Home - Learning Analytics Unit

The learning analytics (LA) unit at the University of Eastern Finland (UEF) is a vibrant, dynamic and highly innovative research group. According to Scopus and Web of Science, the UEF LA unit was the most productive research group in Europe during the last five years. Given the fact that analytics (LA) is an interdisciplinary field at the intersection of computer science, education technology, and statistics, our research group is diverse, with an extensive skill set, wide array of research interests and varying domains of expertise. We also collaborate with a vast network of collaborators at UEF, Finland, and the world at large that include Spain, Sweden, Norway, UK, the Netherlands, Australia, USA, Italy, Serbia to mention a few.

Research Interests

While our research is vastly diverse, we are particularly working on pushing the boundaries of methodological innovations in learning analytics and have worked to advance several methods beyond the state of the art, e.g., temporal network analysis, sequence analysis, multichannel sequence mining, Markvoian method, temporal analytics in general, and within-person methods. In general, the research interests we work with include:

Machine Learning and predictive modeling in general, topic models.
Dissimilarity-based and Model-based Clustering .
Temporal methods e.g., Sequence analysis, VaSSTra, Markov models, Multi-channel sequences, Process mining.
Network analysis, e.g., Community detection and Temporal Networks.
Psychometrics e.g., Psychological networks, Factor analysis, Structural Equation Modeling.

Regarding the topics, we work intensively on collaborative learning, engagement, game-based learning, self-regulated learning, computational thinking, problem-based learning, academic achievement, medical education and privacy and ethics.

→ Browse through our Publications Here

Awards and Fundings

Researchers in our group were awarded several awards for best papers, best thesis, emerging scholars as well as other prestigious peer-recognition awards (e.g., Royal Academy of Doctors of Spain). Members of the group have also obtained the highest prestigious funding in Finland (Finland Academy research council), and Sweden (Swedish research council) as well as several other grants in learning analytics and artificial intelligence in education.

Awards in 2023

(2023) Europe Emerging Scholar Award by the the Society of Learning Analytics Research (SOLAR) for noteworthy research leading to significant knowledge and understanding of learning analytics and the impact of their research on learning analytics application, adoption, and professional development in Europe.
(2023) Best paper award at the TEEM 2023 conference (Bragança, Portugal). Track “Gamification and Games for Learning (GAMILEARN)”
(2023) Best paper award at the TEEM 2023 conference (Bragança, Portugal). Track “Data-Driven Education: Overcoming Hurdles for the Future of Learning Analytics”

→ Explore our awarded achievements Here

Ongoing Projects

ISILA : Funded by European Council Erasmus+ (2023)
BalticSeaBioMed : funded by Nordplus (2023)
TOPEILA : Funded by Finnish Academy of Science (2022)
Generation AI: Funded by Finnish Academy of Science (2022)

→ Explore our projects in detail Here

Empowering Future Scholars

We have more than 15 PhD students from Finland, Canada, Nigeria, Uganda, Ethiopia, Egypt, India and Palestine and others working on diverse topics ranging from game-based learning analytics, collaborative learning, artificial intelligence, machine learning education and idiographic learning analytics. We have also received and continue to receive a considerable number of researchers and trainees from Turkey, France, Spain, USA, Belgium and Finland. Our international summer course in learning analytics has been attended by students from more than 20 countries across the globe.

Learning Analytics Unit