Dr Doug Clow

At the moment, I'm particularly interested in learning analytics: using the traces learners leave behind to improve their learning. At the OU, we have unique challenges - for instance, we can't see our students most of the time. We also haveunique opportunities - for instance, they leave more online traces than most students, and there are more of them. So it's a great place to be working on analysing the data we have about students and using that to make their study experience better.

My career at the OU over the years has enabled me to explore the affordances of new and advanced technologies, particularly in the area of learning and education, but also in healthcare and medicine, science, engineering, and a range of more social sciences. My interests include online learning, including Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs); open educational resources (OER); the boundary between informal and HE learning; policy; mobile devices, mobile learners and mobile learning; virtual learning environments (VLE/CMS); learning technology standards; metadata; e-learning systems; educational multimedia; knowledge management and sharing; accessibility; usability; and student learning. I have very broad interests in most areas of learning and understanding, including personal ones in economics, law, policy, philosophy, politics, wine, and aviation. (Not all at the same time.)

I am a member of the Computers And Learning Research Group (CALRG), and help with PhD admissions to our area.

My broad interests and expertise have enabled me to be examiner for a wide range of PhD topics, and I enjoy giving keynote addresses.

Dr Doug Clow is a Senior Lecturer in the Institute of Educational Technology. He was Head of the Centre for the Study of Educational Technologies (CSET) between 2004 and 2008, and has over 25 years’ experience as a manager, contributor and Principal or Co-Investigator on technology-enhanced learning projects in science and other topic areas. He was PI on the software and evaluation component of iSpot (ispotnature.org), an award-winning citizen science initiative for identifying species, with over 40,000 participants (£500k share of £2m project). Most recently, he was PI on the Open Ed 2.0 project (LLP, 505667, €118k share of €530k project), and on the LACE project (FP7, 619424, €200k share of €1.2m project).

His current interests are particularly focused on learning analytics: using the traces learners leave behind to improve their learning. His career at the OU over the years has enabled him to explore the affordances of new and advanced technologies, particularly in the area of learning and education, but also in healthcare and medicine, science, engineering, and a range of more social sciences. His interests include online learning, including Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs);open educational resources (OER); the boundary between informal and HE learning; policy; mobile devices, mobile learners and mobile learning; virtual learning environments (VLE/CMS); learning technology standards; metadata; e-learning systems; educational multimedia; knowledge management and sharing; accessibility; usability; and student learning. 

Dr Clow is a member of the Computers And Learning Research Group (CALRG), and helps with PhD admissions.

He is a very experienced PhD examiner, on a wide range of topics, and is a popular and engaging keynote speaker.

Current PhD students (draft titles):

• Tina Papathoma,"How MOOC educators learn how to teach. A multi case study."
• Lesley Boyd, "Using technology-enabled learning networks in the not-for-profit sector to achieve practical improvement outcomes"
• Ralph Mercer, "Learning Informatics Framework: Learning Identity through Self-Awareness"
• Tony Coughlan, "How can educators safely participate in social media?"

Previous PhD students:

• Katy Jordan, "Understanding the structure and role of academics' ego-networks on social networking sites", 2017
• Chris Kubiak, "Work-based learning and contested work practices in health and social care", 2012
• Andreas Meiszner, "The impact of the organizational structure and operational organization on ICT enriched education", 2010
• Anesa Hosein, "The benefits of mathematical intermediate steps in educational software", 2010
• Sue Morón-García, "Using Web and Internet-based technologies to support teaching and learning in Higher Education", 2004

2019

• Clow, Doug; Coughlan, Tim; Cross, Simon; Edwards, Chris; Gaved, Mark; Herodotou, Christothea; Nguyen, Quan; Rienties, Bart; Thorne, Sam and Ullmann, Thomas (2019). Scholarly insight Winter 2019: a Data wrangler perspective. Open University, Milton Keynes.

2018

• Ullmann, Thomas; Lay, Stephanie; Cross, Simon; Edwards, Chris; Gaved, Mark; Jones, Edwina; Hidalgo, Rafael; Evans, Gerald; Lowe, Sue; Calder, Kathleen; Clow, Doug; Coughlan, Tim; Herodotou, Christothea; Mangafa, Chrysoula and Rienties, Bart (2018). Scholarly insight Spring 2018: a Data wrangler perspective. Open University UK, Milton Keynes.

2017

• Clow, Doug; Ferguson, Rebecca; Kitto, Kirsty; Cho, Yong-Sang; Sharkey, Mike and Aguerrebere, Cecilia. (2017). Beyond Failure: The 2nd LAK Failathon Poster. In: LAK '17 Proceedings of the Seventh International Learning Analytics & Knowledge Conference, ACM, New York, USA, 540-541.

• Clow, Doug; Ferguson, Rebecca; Kitto, Kirsty; Cho, Yong-Sang; Sharkey, Mike and Aguerrebere, Cecilia. (2017). Beyond failure: the 2nd LAK Failathon. In: LAK '17 Proceedings of the Seventh International Learning Analytics & Knowledge Conference, ACM, New York, USA, 504-505.

• Ferguson, Rebecca and Clow, Doug. (2017). Where is the evidence? A call to action for learning analytics. In: LAK '17 Proceedings of the Seventh International Learning Analytics & Knowledge Conference, ACM, New York, USA, 56-65.

• Ferguson, Rebecca and Clow, Doug. (2017). Learning Analytics: Avoiding Failure. Educause Review Online.

• Rienties, Bart; Rogaten, Jekaterina; Nguyen, Quan; Edwards, Chris; Gaved, Mark; Holt, Deborah; Herodotou, Christothea; Clow, Doug; Cross, Simon; Coughlan, Tim; Jones, Jan and Ullmann, Thomas (2017). Scholarly insight Spring 2017: A Data Wrangler Perspective. Open University UK.

• Rienties, Bart; Clow, Doug; Coughlan, Tim; Cross, Simon; Edwards, Chris; Gaved, Mark; Herodotou, Christothea; Hlosta, Martin; Jones, Jan; Rogaten, Jekaterina and Ullmann, Thomas (2017). Scholarly insight Autumn 2017:a Data wrangler perspective. Open University UK.

2016

• Clow, Doug; Ferguson, Rebecca; Macfadyen, Leah; Prinsloo, Paul and Slade, Sharon. (2016). LAK Failathon. In: 6th International Learning Analytics and Knowledge (LAK) Conference, 25-29 Apr 2016, Edinburgh, Scotland.

• Ferguson, Rebecca; Brasher, Andrew; Clow, Doug; Cooper, Adam; Hillaire, Garron; Mittelmeier, Jenna; Rienties, Bart; Ullmann, Thomas and Vuorikari, Riina (2016). Research Evidence on the Use of Learning Analytics: Implications for Education Policy. Joint Research Centre, Seville, Spain.

• Ferguson, Rebecca; Brasher, Andrew; Clow, Doug; Griffiths, Dai and Drachsler, Hendrik. (2016). Learning Analytics: Visions of the Future. In: 6th International Learning Analytics and Knowledge (LAK) Conference, 25-29 Apr 2016, Edinburgh, Scotland.

• Ferguson, Rebecca and Clow, Doug. (2016). Learning Analytics Community Exchange: Evidence Hub. In: 6th International Learning Analytics and Knowledge (LAK) Conference, 25-29 Apr 2016, Edinburgh, Scotland.

• Rienties, Bart; Edwards, Chris; Gaved, Mark; Marsh, Vicky; Herodotou, Christothea; Clow, Doug; Cross, Simon; Coughlan, Tim; Jones, Jan and Ullmann, Thomas (2016). Scholarly insight 2016: a Data wrangler perspective. Open University UK.

2015

• Ferguson, Rebecca and Clow, Doug. (2015). Examining engagement: analysing learner subpopulations in massive open online courses (MOOCs). In: 5th International Learning Analytics and Knowledge Conference (LAK15), 16-20 Mar 2015, Poughkeepsie, NY, USA.

• Ferguson, Rebecca and Clow, Doug. (2015). Consistent Commitment: Patterns of Engagement across Time in Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs). Journal of Learning Analytics, 2 (3) pp. 55-80.

• Ferguson, Rebecca; Clow, Doug; Beale, Russell; Cooper, Alison J; Morris, Neil; Bayne, Siân and Woodgate, Amy. (2015). Moving through MOOCS: pedagogy, learning design and patterns of engagement. In: Design for Teaching and Learning in a Networked World, Springer International Publishing Switzerland, 70-84.

• Ferguson, Rebecca; Macfadyen, Leah P.; Clow, Doug; Tynan, Belinda; Alexander, Shirley and Dawson, Shane. (2015). Setting learning analytics in context: overcoming the barriers to large-scale adoption. Journal of Learning Analytics, 1 (3) pp. 120-144.

• Papathoma, Tina; Blake, Canan; Clow, Doug and Scanlon, Eileen. (2015). Investigating Learners’ Views of Assessment Types in Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs). In: Design for Teaching and Learning in a Networked World, Springer, 617-621.

2014

• Pinto, Ana; Thompson, Kate; Jones, Chris and Clow, Doug (2014). iSpot: your place to share nature. In: Carvalho, Lucila and Goodyear, Peter eds. The Architecture of Productive Learning Networks Abingdon: Routledge, pp. 225-238.

• Clow, Doug. (2014). Data wranglers: human interpreters to help close the feedback loop. In: LAK '14 Proceedings of the Fourth International Conference on Learning Analytics And Knowledge, ACM Press, 49-53.

• Ferguson, Rebecca; Clow, Doug; Macfadyen, Leah; Essa, Alfred; Dawson, Shane and Alexander, Shirley. (2014). Setting learning analytics in context: overcoming the barriers to large-scale adoption. In: LAK '14 Learning Analytics and Knowledge Conference 2014, 24-28 Mar 2014, Indianapolis, IN, USA.

• Scanlon, Eileen; Woods, William and Clow, Doug. (2014). Informal participation in science in the UK: identification, location and mobility with iSpot. Journal of Educational Technology and Society, 17 (2) pp. 58-71.

2013

• Clow, Doug. (2013). MOOCs and the funnel of participation. In: Third Conference on Learning Analytics and Knowledge (LAK 2013), 8-12 Apr 2013, Leuven, Belgium.

• Clow, Doug. (2013). An overview of learning analytics. Teaching in Higher Education, 18 (6) pp. 683-695.

2012

• Clow, Doug. (2012). The learning analytics cycle: closing the loop effectively. In: Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Learning Analytics and Knowledge - LAK '12, 134.

2011

• Clow, Doug and Makriyannis, Elpida. (2011). iSpot Analysed: Participatory Learning and Reputation. In: Proceedings of the 1st International Conference on Learning Analytics and Knowledge, 28 Feb - 01 Mar 2011, Banff, Alberta, Canada.

• Aczel, James; Cross, Simon; Meiszner, Andreas; Hardy, Pascale; McAndrew, Patrick and Clow, Doug. (2011). Some issues affecting the sustainability of open learning courses. In: EDEN 2011 Annual Conference: Learning and Sustainability: The New Ecosystem of Innovation and Knowledge, 19-22 Jun 2011, Dublin, Ireland.

2010

• McAndrew, Patrick; Scanlon, Eileen and Clow, Doug. (2010). An Open Future for Higher Education. Educause Quarterly.

• McAndrew, Patrick; Taylor, Josie and Clow, Doug. (2010). Facing the challenge in evaluating technology use in mobile environments. Open Learning: The Journal of Open and Distance Learning, 25 (3) pp. 233-249.

2008

• Hosein, Anesa; Aczel, James; Clow, Doug and Richardson, John T. E.. (2008). Mathematical thinking of undergraduate students when using three types of software. In: The 11th International Congress on Mathematics Education, 06-13 Jul 2008, Monterrey, Mexico.

• Hosein, Anesa; Aczel, James; Clow, Doug and Richardson, John T. E.. (2008). Comparison of black-box, glass-box and open-box software for aiding conceptual understanding. In: Proceedings of the 32nd Annual Conference of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education (PME 32), 17-21 Jul 2008, Morelia, Mexico.

2007

• Hosein, Anesa; Aczel, James; Clow, Doug and Richardson, John T. E.. (2007). An Illustration of Students’ Engagement with Mathematical Software using Remote Observation. In: 31st Conference of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education, 8-13 Jul 2007, Seoul.

• Hosein, Anesa; Aczel, James; Clow, Doug and Richardson, John T. E.. (2007). Technology - Empowering the Educational Researcher through Remote Observation. In: Computer Assisted Learning (CAL '07), 26-28 Mar 2007, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland.

2006

• Hosein, Anesa; Aczel, James and Clow, Doug. (2006). The teaching of linear programming in different disciplines and in different countries. In: 3rd International Conference on the Teaching of Mathematics at Undergraduate Level, 30 Jun - 5 Jul 2006, Istanbul, Turkey.

2004

• McAndrew, Patrick; Clow, Doug; Taylor, Josie and Aczel, James. (2004). The evolutionary design of a Knowledge Network to support knowledge management and sharing for lifelong learning. British Journal of Educational Technology, 35 (6) pp. 739-746.

Completed

	LACE (Learning Analytics Community Exchange)	2014 - 2016
	LAEP (The implications and opportunities of learning analytics for European educational policy)	2015 - 2016