Driven by the increased availability of Learning Management System data, this study explored its value and sought understanding of student behaviour through the information contained in activity level log data. Specifically, this study examined analytics data to understand students’ engagement with online videos. Learning analytics data from the MoodleTM and Vimeo® platforms were compared. The research also examined the impact of video length on engagement, and how engagement with videos changed over the course of a semester when multiple video resources were used in a course. The comparison in platform learning analytics showed differences in metrics thus offering a caution to users relying on unidimensional metrics. While the results support the notion that log data do provide educators with an opportunity for review, the time and expertise in extracting, handling, and using the data may stifle its widespread adoption.

This paper reports on research that extends knowledge about higher education students’ perceptions of online engagement. In particular, the study aimed to identify what students thought engagement was and how they experienced it. Understanding students’ views about online engagement will provide a more comprehensive understanding of the topic and should assist instructional designers to support academic staff to develop online courses that are more likely to engage their students. Using a mixed-methods approach, the study found that students felt most engaged with learning when doing practical, hands-on activities. Additional findings from the qualitative and quantitative data are highlighted, with some differences between the students’ perceptions in the different types of data, particularly concerning social engagement. This suggests that further research is warranted. The paper offers several practical implications for student learning.

Low levels of online student engagement impact negatively on student success and adversely affect attrition. Course learning analytics data (CLAD), combined with nudging initiatives, have emerged as strategies for engaging online students. This paper presents a mixed method case study involving a staged intervention strategy focussing on the employment of timely, strategic communication interventions conducted across 19 courses and six disciplines. The research methodology utilised CLAD, online surveys, student interviews and student evaluations of teaching. The findings substantiate benefits for both academics and students. Academics benefitted from the provision of a relatively simple, accessible and proactive intervention for increasing students’ capacities to be more in control and engaged in their learning. Students benefitted as the intervention accentuated critical resources to assist them to better address assessment requirements, align their expectations more realistically with those of the course, and more readily demonstrate their learning obligations and responsibilities.

Australia's retirement system is often heralded as world-class. Yet research investigating the superannuation system has reported highly gendered outcomes even in the university sector, which has generous superannuation provisions and established career management practices. This study investigates gender differences in retirement transition goals and barriers in the sector. Data from university employees who are 50 years or older show that gender differences exist. Women are more likely than men to be frustrated in their attempts to transition into retirement as desired and are more likely to desire a reduction in workdays per week. Men are more likely to prefer to continue working as currently or to reduce responsibility. Economic reasons are more likely to be the barrier for women, while organisational reasons are more likely to be the barrier for men.