[kictanet] Fwd: [Internet Policy] Privacy and Learning Platforms

[Benson Muite]

This is an interesting topic. There are a number of open source Learning 
Management Systems, probably most famous is Moodle.  This can be 
self-hosted and it is possible to check the software to see what is 
typically recorded and other online services it communicates with. Data 
collected can be used to improve learning outcomes. For example it is 
possible to automate user engagement on the platform from logins and 
other activity and thus catch students who are not engaged early and 
automate measures that gently nudge increased engagement. There also 
needs to be a balance with privacy and risks associated with keeping 
data lakes.


On 9/16/21 10:31 AM, Kathy Mwai via KICTANet wrote:
> Hello Barrack,
> 
> This piqued my interest because we have recently partnered with a local 
> LMS provider to provide an internal learning platform to our clients 
> (well, they'll host their courses on our platform and then their staff 
> access it through our website). But there's close to nil user data that 
> we are collecting, as we issue them with user codes to access the 
> platform. And so I don't see how LMS's could be compared with data 
> harvesting by Facebook et al? I don't recall now what data I provided at 
> Udemy for example but surely it must have just been first name, last 
> name and email address?
> 
> Regards,
> 
> Kathy
> 
> On Thu, 16 Sept 2021 at 09:40, Barrack Otieno via KICTANet 
> <kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke <mailto:kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke>> 
> wrote:
> 
>     Listers,
> 
>     Might be of interest even as we look forwad to the conversation
>     during the Kenya IGF week.
> 
>     Thank you
> 
>     Best Regards
> 
>     ---------- Forwarded message ---------
>     From: *Winthrop Yu via InternetPolicy*
>     <internetpolicy at elists.isoc.org <mailto:internetpolicy at elists.isoc.org>>
>     Date: Thu, Sep 16, 2021 at 8:47 AM
>     Subject: [Internet Policy] Privacy and Learning Platforms
>     To: internetpolicy at elists.isoc.org
>     <mailto:internetpolicy at elists.isoc.org>
>     <internetpolicy at elists.isoc.org <mailto:internetpolicy at elists.isoc.org>>
> 
> 
>     While everyone is looking at Facebook et al. ... has there been any
>     oversight or concern over data harvesting by Learning Platforms (LMS)?
> 
>     Obviously, students, teachers, and other stakeholders have hardly
>     any say in the matter.
> 
>     https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13562517.2020.1739641
>     <https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13562517.2020.1739641>
> 
>     "We conclude that institutions of higher education are currently
>     ill-equipped to protect students and faculty required to use the
>     Canvas Instructure LMS from data harvesting or exploitation.
> 
>     We challenge inevitability narratives and call for greater public
>     awareness concerning the use of predictive analytics, impacts of
>     algorithmic bias, need for algorithmic transparency, and enactment
>     of ethical and legal protections for users who are required to use
>     such software platforms."
> 
>     WYn
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> 
>     -- 
>     Barrack O. Otieno
>     +254721325277
>     +254733206359
>     Skype: barrack.otieno
>     PGP ID: 0x2611D86A
> 
> 
> 
> 
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