You probably have heard the phrase: "sometimes the best solution is the simple one." Choosing to use analytics to help solve a problem or answer a question comes down to the question and if the time and resources required to collect and analyze the data will help answer the question more effectively than other methods.

Analytics are particularly useful for building and analyzing questions based upon predictive and prescriptive instruction models. These models help focus on capturing useful information for application in the classroom to predict progress and outcomes for individual students. The models also use data to identify individual learning needs for students and help teachers address them more quickly than is possible with current assessment methods.

Keeping Your Focus Throughout Project

However, sometimes a question regarding student learning or instruction might be better answered with other means that require less time and resources. There is a nice reading as the next item in this Module about keeping your focus on what's important, with the questions being asked: Let's not forget: Learning analytics is about learning.