A Guide To eLearning Analytics: 5 Types Of Data To Track [Latest 2022]

To adequately support Learning and Development goals in the modern workplace, organizations have increasingly turned their attention to powerful Learning Management Systems (LMSs). As a result, companies are also in need of robust data and analytics from their LMSs to assess the value of these programs.

With several eLearning analytics to consider, we’re taking a closer look at the top 5 metrics to track for a better understanding of your workplace learners as well as the necessary steps to bring your training opportunities to the next level.

What Is eLearning Analytics?

Workers are increasingly in pursuit of sufficient Learning and Development opportunities at work, yet 29% of employees don’t feel optimistic about the programs available to them. [1] As a result, organizations are leveraging eLearning analytics as a key factor in elevating their learning and training opportunities at work.

eLearning analytics is essentially a data-driven model that companies can use to evaluate and assess the outcomes of learning and training opportunities—typically involving the measurement, collection, analysis, and reporting of data about learners and their contexts. Ultimately, this digital strategy is being increasingly introduced to understand and optimize the workplace learning experience while affirming the efficiency of these initiatives.

Leveraging powerful eLearning analytics can help organizations:

Promote the development of essential workplace skills—from critical thinking to communication
Support strategic alignment with organizational goals and substantiate return on investment (ROI)
Provide personalized and timely feedback to learners regarding their progress
Positively influence employee engagement and productivity
Leverage comprehensive data to improve the learning process moving forward

5 eLearning Analytics To Track In Your LMS

eLearning analytics provided by your Learning Management System is one of your most valuable tools to review, evaluate, and modify your learning and training opportunities in the workplace. This not only promotes employee engagement and satisfaction but ultimately helps your organization optimize integral processes and maintain a competitive edge.

The top 5 analytics to track in your LMS include:

1. Online Learner Proficiency

The goal of your online learning course likely isn’t solely completion, but rather to support learners in gaining new knowledge and sharpening their existing skills. eLearning analytics from an advanced LMS solution can provide real-time data surrounding learner proficiency—helping business leaders understand how workers are uniquely absorbing information throughout the process.

2. Learner Satisfaction Rating

Organizations can create rating polls or surveys for deeper learning insights into how workers feel about the course content. These learner satisfaction ratings will quickly reveal what learners agree is working and where the areas of improvement lie.

3. Course Engagement

Your completion rates may not always align with your learner engagement levels—meaning learners who have successfully completed a course in its entirety while demonstrating low engagement throughout the process. Analytics from your LMS can flag a lack of engagement for business leaders to respond to moving forward.

4. Learner Progress

Workplaces can use benchmarks and eLearning analytics to track how far learners are progressing in their courses. Individuals that are considerably further ahead might require harder course material to keep them engaged, while workers that are falling behind can receive the support and communication they need to drive progress.

5. Session Times

Taking advantage of comprehensive analytics provided by your LMS can give your Learning and Development leaders insight into user session times. This is not only a great indicator of interest in material with longer session times, but also the most favorable “learning windows.” Organizations can use this information to determine the optimum topic length moving forward.

How To Build An eLearning Analytics Framework

Establishing an eLearning analytics framework can provide teams with valuable guidance on evaluating and analyzing learners’ activities—where specific measures and dimensions are typically defined. The five pillars that are generally involved in fostering an effective eLearning analytics strategy within your organization include:

Collect data: Learning analytics is a data-driven process; therefore, collecting data is critical to provide business leaders, trainers, and content developers with actional metrics.
Create reports: After data is collected, reporting will help teams turn this knowledge into usable information.
Predict learner behavior: Teams can predict how learners will behave in the future based on reports about learner activity, performance, and feedback. Depending on your organizational goals, predictive requirements may vary.
Take action: By considering the above information, your framework should assist you in making decisions that encourage more successful learning outcomes in the future.
Review and refine the process: Improving your learning and training offerings is an ongoing process. For the most effective results, it will be essential to continuously review, evaluate, and refine your framework along the way.

What To Look For In Your LMS

It’s important that your organization can get the data it needs to make informed business decisions. The reporting and analytics dashboards available in Absorb LMS are designed to help organizations with the ability to:

Gain key insights that make sense for your specific business
Prove ROI for your learning program
Track learner progress
Take on the future with confidence—with valuable data at your disposal to streamline the process

With key analytics at your fingertips, you can ensure your workplace learners are getting the most out of your LMS.