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Big data is created daily, and as we speak, enormous amounts of data are being generated, but what does this mean? As explained in the video created by Let’s Summarize Ed. (2021), “Big data differs from your regular data because it comes from large volumes, it comes from different places, yet at the same time comes in a very speedy manner." This massive amount of information is generated and collected daily from various sources. This can be from software programs, social media applications, school learning programs, and company databases, to name a few. According to the video created by Simplilearn 2019 titled "Big Data In 5 Minutes," there is a way to classify data as big using the 5Vs method: volume, velocity, variety, veracity, and value. After the data has been analyzed and processed, it can be used to see how change can be made. Big data is a critical issue in educational technology as it can potentially transform how students are taught in schools. As educational technology is growing at a fast rate, the amount of data is increasing as well. This data can be analyzed to gain insights to see how students are performing and help teachers make decisions about instruction.
Take a look at this video explaining what big data is and how it works.
Learn more in detail about the 5vs of big data.
How does big data relate to Education?
As mentioned above, the results of big data can be used to create change, and the education field is no exception. One of the main benefits of big data in education is the ability to modify learning for each student. The video created by Let’s Summarize Ed. In 2021 Big Data: Shaping the Future of Education explains how student information systems help identify how students are doing in the classes and can even provide information such as previous academic backgrounds and demographics. The video also talks about Learning Management Systems (LMS) such as Blackboard, Canvas, and Noodle and how they are essential as they provide information that can be used as data points. Educators can review the data by showing each student's needs. For instance, if a student struggles with a specific term definition, the teacher can identify what the student needs help with and make the necessary changes to help that specific student understand better. Another advantage of using big data in education technology is learning how to keep students engaged. They are using the data and looking at factors such as time spent on a particular task and what students use to complete their assignments. As Drigas and Leliopoulos state in the reading “The use of big data in Education in 2014”, “Big Data can really improve the education. Can afford to shape a modern and dynamic education system which every individual student can have the maximum benefit from that. Furthermore, teachers have valuable tools, they did not have before, which can make their decisions more specific and are able to choose a wide variety of new learning methods” (p.62). This can help teachers design and create interactive lessons that motivate students to learn.
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One of the challenges
Even though big data can be beneficial to create change, it also comes with issues that can be critical later on. Privacy is one of the first issues to be considered. In the article, “The rise of Big Data: what does it mean for education, technology, and media research?” Evron states, "Big Data represents a number of ethical considerations, particularly around privacy, informed consent, and protection of harm, and raises wider questions of what kinds of data should be combined and analyzed, and the purposes to which this should be put” (2013).
Another issue that may arise when starting to use big data comes from the people that will be responsible for interpreting this data. There must be clear policies about what data are collected, who is responsible for securing it, and who is involved in the procedures.
It is essential to understand the differences between data privacy and data. Even though they are similar, they are different at the same time. As the Southern Regional Education Board mentions in their report, "Data security is about protecting technology systems against unauthorized access and maintaining the integrity of the data within those systems. Data privacy is about the confidentiality rights of the individuals involved, the types of data collected, and how it is used and shared” (2015). Another issue that may arise can be that sometimes there needs to be more funding to implement all these new approaches in the schools. SREB. (2015) states, "Policies schools and colleges need adequate funding to train users, secure data systems, provide technical support, and purchase sufficient data monitoring and security tools should be clear that everyone responsible for data privacy and governance must be properly trained, and whenever policies change, those involved in implementing the changes should be thoroughly briefed." These are some of the issues that are arising as big data starts to be used in the school system. As more innovations emerge, the number of issues may also increase.
Reflection
Big data can significantly help develop solutions in different fields, not just education. At my current workplace, I get to work with an immense amount of data, and we work based on the results. For instance, a survey is sent at a specific time during the year to ensure the center is working towards its goal: to help the community. This survey helps identify what training topics the community wants to see. One of the challenges of working with a large amount of data is that we must ensure no personal information is shared with others, as everything is confidential. In the future, I want to have the opportunity to be trained to understand results better and come out with better solutions that will benefit the community members. I can tailor this to the education field. As a future educator, I aspire to learn as much as possible about big data and how I can apply it to make learning more effective for my students, more engaged, and personalized to help them succeed. I want to interpret and analyze data correctly and create a change in the future.
References
Drigas, A. S., & Leliopoulos, P. (2014). The use of big data in education. International Journal of Computer Science Issues (IJCSI), 11(5), 58.
Eynon, R. (2013). The Rise of Big Data: what does it mean for education, technology, and media research? Learning, Media and Technology, 38(3), 237-240.
Let’s Summarize Ed. (2021, April 6). Big Data: Shaping the future of education [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8dm6YHVIXFM
Simplilearn. (2019, December 10). Big Data In 5 Minutes | What Is Big Data? | Big Data Analytics | Big Data Tutorial | Simplilearn [Video]. YouTube.
SREB. (2015). Data Privacy – Southern Regional Education Board
[Review of 10 Issues in Educational Technology]. Southern Regional Education Board.
How do we mitigate these challenges? I appreciate the strong overview of issues big data presents and wonder how we as digital leaders might help to better utilize data visualization.