Introduction
Staff in PolyU are encouraged to use learning analytics (LA) in improving learning and teaching (L&T) and conducting related research (e.g., through collaborative research) and to share their research results and experience during Community of Practice (CoP) meetings/sessions. To support this initiative, the Community of Practice on Learning Analytics (CoP LA) is organising a Paper Award to recognise PolyU Staff who use LA in enhancing L&T.

To participate in the Paper Award, applicants must submit a paper detailing one of their learning and teaching (L&T) studies that utilise learning analytics (LA). A panel will review all submissions based on established selection criteria, determining the first, second and third prize winners. Award recipients will be invited to present their papers at a future Community of Practice on Learning Analytics (CoP LA) meeting or sharing session. Additionally, certificates of merit will be awarded to selected participants.

What is LA?
According to the Society for Learning Analytics Research (SOLAR), “LEARNING ANALYTICS is the collection, analysis, interpretation and communication of data about learners and their learning that provides theoretically relevant and actionable insights to enhance learning and teaching.”
Reference: https://www.solaresearch.org/about/what-is-learning-analytics/

Eligibility for participation

Selection criteria to win the Award

• The paper must be related to using LA in learning and teaching.
• The paper must be received by the deadline specified below.
• The paper should be well written.
• The paper can be already submitted for publication, one that has been accepted for publication/presentation or a paper that has been published in 2023, 2024 or 2025.
• The author(s) or delegates must agree to present the paper at a later CoP LA sharing/meeting.

Requirements on the theme and topic of the Paper
You are required to address some of the following questions about your use of learning analytics from 2023 up to now in your paper for submission to this Award:

• What was the learning context for your work?
• How did you apply learning analytics in learning and teaching?
• What and how data were collected and analysed in your work?
• What is the most powerful or surprising part of the results from learning analytics?
• How are teachers or students impacted by the use of learning analytics and in what ways?
• What are the changes implemented in learning and teaching as a result of the findings?
• What are the lessons learned from using learning analytics?

Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, understanding, tracing, impacting and implementing changes in learning and teaching through the use of learning analytics.

Submission guidelines
Your submission should include but not limited to the followings:

• Author(s) of your paper with their contact information, i.e., name, department, telephone, email (Please indicate the correspondence author for contact)
• Title
• Introduction/Background
• Methodology/Implementation
• Results/Findings
• Impact on learning and teaching
• Enhancement made in learning and teaching

The paper should be at least two pages of A4 paper, with font size not less than 11. Figures, charts and/or tables can be put in the Appendix and are not counted in the two-page limit.
Please submit the paper using PDF through this MS Forms (limited to 10MB)  https://forms.office.com/r/teQ3Nrmckz before the deadline.

Deadline of paper submission: 23:59, 31 July 2025 (Thursday)
Notification of results: August 2025

Review process
A selection panel for the Paper Award, consisting of experts from relevant fields, will be formed by the CoP LA. The evaluation criteria are:

• Impact: The extent to which the use of learning analytics brings impacts to teachers or students and changes in learning and teaching.
• Methodology: The extent to which the methods and approach are appropriate.
• Originality: The extent to which the paper is innovative in terms of its sources of information, design, analysis and/or discussion approach.

Prizes for shortlisted participants: Smart Watch

Invited presentation by shortlisted participants
Shortlisted participants will be invited to present their award-winning paper at a CoP LA session tentatively in the August/September of 2025. Details will be confirmed and announced later.

Preliminary registration/enquiry
If you are interested, please email to Albert Chan (ak.chan@polyu.edu.hk) so that further information can be provided to you.