Learning Analytics for Writing Competencies

Students are expected to be able to write effectively across a wide range of topics, yet seem to have difficulty achieving such a level of mastery. Despite this, effective writing skills continue to be important in school, in the [Page 454]workplace, and in social contexts. To address this gap, many schools and universities have developed specialized techniques to help improve writing skills. These range from providing writing support from peers, professional tutors, or reviewers, to providing explicit strategy instruction, to requiring all students to take a single course focused on the basics of writing, to integrating writing-intensive courses into the disciplines. In this way, students have multiple exposures to writing techniques. However, given the volume of data generated, it can be difficult to assess the ...