Content strategy

A lesson from the industry for university learning analytics

Abstract

This paper proposes an industry paradigm, called content strategy, for identifying data that has yet to be explored in learning analytics: student engagement data with individual online learning resources in a particular week of a course. Industry examples (including nine.com.au and Buzzfeed) suggest that adopting a content strategy approach to course design could increase student engagement with learning resources, making them more likely to achieve learning outcomes. Furthermore, this paper argues that there is no time left for blindness to content strategy data. Given the online context of curriculum, universities need content strategy to better align themselves with the student of today's user-centred internet. Finally, this paper draws on a university case study to identify existing challenges with implementing content strategy at university, including the limited capabilities of university learning management systems, limited instructor knowledge and copyright issues.