Power, Privacy, and Transparency in Communicating Learning Analytics in Higher Education: A Critical Discourse Analysis

This study explores the complex dynamics of learning analytics within online higher education, focusing on power disparities, ethical implications, and the role of communication in shaping perceptions and responsibilities among institutional members. Using critical discourse analysis, we investigate how strategic ambiguity in communication enables institutions to navigate uncertainty and sustain control over data practices, drawing on perspectives from 32 participants, including Administrative Leaders, Data Analysts, and Online Students representing eight institutions in the United States. Findings indicate that strategically ambiguous communication practices strengthen hierarchical power structures, reduce transparency, and disable informed consent. Students place blind trust in their institutions and lack ownership over how their learning data is collected, utilized, and governed, suggesting a breach of their privacy and ethical misuse of their information. We conclude by emphasizing the importance of participatory learning analytics frameworks grounded in democratic principles and informed consent. By integrating significant choice and consensual technology, we offer insights that promote collective ethical responsibility, emphasizing transparency, fairness, and accountability in the collection, use, and governance of learning data in higher education.