The quality of metrics matters: how we measure the impact of research in Learning Technology

In Learning Technology we need to keep informed about new developments in order to make informed choices about how to enhance the quality of learning, teaching and assessment. Sharing knowledge is key if we don’t want to... [ view full abstract ]

In Learning Technology we need to keep informed about new developments in order to make informed choices about how to enhance the quality of learning, teaching and assessment. Sharing knowledge is key if we don’t want to keep reinventing the same old mistakes. As Learning Technology evolves across sectors, so does the way we share our output, enable others to make use of it and gain recognition for it.

For example, much of the most cutting edge research and practice in Learning Technology is not published in formal journals. Even the most responsive Open Access peer-review system can’t easily keep pace with the quickly changing technology landscape and so less formal, more immediate forms of knowledge exchange can become more important and useful.

Secondly, ideas may be shared as videos, drawings, data visualisations and so on, in short, they may not easily fit into the traditional formats measures like the established impact factor were designed for. As we use new technologies to communicate and share information the metrics we use to measure impact need to be fit for purpose.

Another aspect of what makes measuring impact interesting in Learning Technology is the way we cross boundaries of disciplines in research, policy and practice.

With that in mind, this short talk with explore the questions:

• How is research in Learning Technology evolving? 
• Is how we measure it fit for purpose?
• What does the future of measuring impact look like?

Drawing on policy publications about the traditional impact factor and alternative ways of measuring impact, we’ll explore how things are changing for research in Learning Technology, using examples such as altmetrics, EigenFactor and the H-Index.

References

1. DOAJ (2018) DOAJ Best Practice Guidehttps://www.doajbestpracticeguide.org/
2. Altmetrics & Scholastica (2018) The Evolution of Impact Factors https://scholasticahq.com/altmetrics-the-evolution-of-impact-indicators 
3. HEFCE (2014) The Metric Tide http://www.hefce.ac.uk/pubs/rereports/year/2015/metrictide/#alldownloads