Bill Cope and Mary Kalantzis explain that there are four ways in which Big Data would aid in the field of education in recording and analysing data that is digitally accessed by the students for education purposes. They say that these data points can be used to understand the learner better, profile them and guide them suitably. Also, these data will, I agree help in the assessment, formative or summative. Patterns that are identified from the data can be used for ‘learner analytics’ too.

Another way I believe that Big Data can help is by personalising learning. Having joined the L&D industry as an Instructional designer, this is something that caught my eye and I believe that Big Data can aid in creating ‘personalised’ courses. Also, from a school or university administration point of view, it can aid a lot in the student application process, identifying their academic proficiency and helps in improving teaching efficiency. As an academician, another great potential that I think big data would have is its ability to amass and collate research. Just look at the metrics, the analytical potential of databases like Academia, Questia, Research Gate and Google Scholar on the whole!

References:

1. Big DATA Better LEARNING. (2015, May 11). Retrieved April 3, 2020, from Digital Learning website: https://digitallearning.eletsonline.com/2015/05/big-data-better-learning/

2. Big Data means Big Opportunity to Reform Indian Education |. (n.d.). Retrieved April 3, 2020, from IctPost website: http://ictpost.com/big-data-means-big-opportunity-to-reform-indian-education/

3. Cope, B., & Kalantzis, M. (2016). Big Data Comes to School. AERA Open, 2(2), 233285841664190. https://doi.org/10.1177/2332858416641907

4. Rao P N, A., & Baglodi, K. (2018). ROLE OF BIG DATA IN EDUCATION SECTOR: A REVIEW. International Journal of Advances in Science Engineering and Technology, ISSN(1), 2321–9009. Retrieved from http://www.iraj.in/journal/journal_file/journal_pdf/6-445-15245677381-3.pdf

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