Assistant Professor Kyle Jones recently presented at Indiana Online User Group’s Fall 2016 conference. This year’s theme, “Let Our Powers Combine: Engage. Partner. Inspire,” brought together a range of academic library professionals from Indiana, Illinois, and even Nevada. Dr. Jones addressed the ethical issues that are emerging when academic libraries participate in learning analytics projects. About his talk, Dr. Jones said:
It was a great experience to discuss what is a very tricky area. Librarians want to prove the worth of their programs and the value of their libraries by assessing student learning outcomes. But these types of assessment practices, especially the ones that track library usage in information systems, bring about serious issues related to information privacy and intellectual freedom. Speaking with library professionals was a great benefit to my research perspective and the discussions I will hold in class. Their stories and concerns will guide what I do in the coming months.
Dr. Jones is currently working on two papers in this area. One of which addresses specific conflicts with ALA’s Code of Ethics. Another addresses how learning analytics is a form of technological paternalism.
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