The three videos by Kalantzis and Cope (2017) collectively emphasize a global shift toward learning analytics, continuous assessment, and data-informed instruction. These ideas closely connect to the role of the Learner Information System (LIS) in the Philippine basic education system. When examined together, they reveal both the potential and the limitations of the LIS as the country’s foundational data tool for improving learner outcomes.

The first video, Prospects for Learning Analytics, describes how modern learning environments use rich, ongoing data to monitor student progress, support timely interventions, and personalize instruction (Kalantzis & Cope, 2017a). This vision aligns with the intended purpose of the LIS, which tracks student demographics, enrollment histories, and final grades through each learner’s unique LRN. However, unlike the systems described by Kalantzis and Cope (2017a), the LIS primarily collects static or end-of-year data, limiting its capacity to support real-time instructional decisions. Nevertheless, its centralized design forms the groundwork for future learning analytics integration across the Philippine school system.

The second video, Visualizing Progress, highlights how dashboards and visual tools can help students and teachers interpret growth trends and identify learning challenges (Kalantzis & Cope, 2017b). While the LIS holds substantial amounts of data, it does not yet provide accessible visualizations that can guide classroom decision-making. Teachers lack dynamic dashboards to monitor student trajectories, and learners do not have tools that make their growth visible. As Kalantzis and Cope (2017b) emphasize, visual analytics empower students to take ownership of their learning an opportunity that the LIS has not yet fully realized.

In their third video, The Test Is Dead Long Live Assessment!, the authors argue that assessment must move beyond traditional tests toward more authentic, ongoing performance indicators, such as problem-solving, collaboration, and reflection (Kalantzis & Cope, 2017c). The Philippines’ LIS, however, focuses on quantifiable measures such as grades and attendance, which do not capture deeper learning outcomes. Consistent with the critique offered by Kalantzis and Cope (2017c), the LIS would need to broaden its scope to include portfolios, performance tasks, feedback loops, and competency-based progressions for it to support transformative assessment practices.

The challenges identified in the LIS study including the digital divide, limited metrics, data literacy gaps, and privacy concerns also resonate with the videos’ key themes. For instance, the heavy reliance on manual input and inconsistent connectivity contributes to teacher workload, contrasting with the automated systems envisioned in learning analytics research (Kalantzis & Cope, 2017a). Similarly, the absence of teacher training in data interpretation mirrors the broader call in the videos for developing educator data literacy so that analytical outputs can meaningfully inform instruction. Furthermore, the massive volume of personal data stored in the LIS reinforces the videos’ implicit reminder that robust security and ethical safeguards are essential in any large-scale analytics ecosystem.

Overall, the ideas presented in the videos provide a roadmap for what the LIS could become: a system that shifts from static recordkeeping to dynamic learning analytics, supports real-time decision-making, embeds formative assessment into daily practice, and empowers teachers and learners alike. While the LIS currently faces structural and implementation challenges, aligning it with the principles articulated by Kalantzis and Cope (2017a, 2017b, 2017c) could significantly transform assessment and instruction in Philippine schools.

Kalantzis, M., & Cope, B. (2017a). Prospects for learning analytics: A case study [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/kxd6-CIJIBI

Kalantzis, M., & Cope, B. (2017b). Visualizing progress [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/2ufRs9MLbIU

Kalantzis, M., & Cope, B. (2017c). The test is dead—Long live assessment! [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/qKvk6_aXBfY