Beyond Compliance: A Proposed Framework for Ethical Governance of Student Data in Learning Analytics
2026-08-04 • Computers and Society
Computers and Society
AI summaryⓘ
The authors discuss how colleges use student data to help with things like spotting learning problems early, but they note that just following the law isn't enough to make sure this data is used fairly and responsibly. They created the LEAGUE framework, which focuses on six important ideas: Lawfulness, Equity, Agency, Governance, Utility, and Ethics by Design. This framework helps schools think about ethical and fair ways to handle student data beyond just legal rules. They also show how this can work in real life using an example about early alerts for students needing help.
Learning AnalyticsFERPAGDPRData EthicsEducational JusticeValue-Sensitive DesignStudent AgencyGovernanceEarly Alert Systems
Authors
Sahana Varadaraju, Bharathwaj Vijayakumar
Abstract
The rapid growth of learning analytics (LA) in higher education has expanded institutional capacity to monitor engagement, predict academic difficulty, and target support using student data. While these practices offer important educational benefits, governance has often remained compliance-first, centered on meeting baseline legal requirements such as the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Legal compliance is necessary, but it does not by itself resolve questions of fairness, student agency, accountability, or educational purpose. This paper proposes the LEAGUE framework, a six-pillar model for ethical governance of student data in LA: Lawfulness, Equity, Agency, Governance, Utility, and Ethics by Design. The framework is developed through a conceptual synthesis of scholarship in learning analytics, educational data mining, data ethics, educational policy, value-sensitive design, and capability-oriented approaches to educational justice. Its practical value is demonstrated through an illustrative early alert case that shows how institutions can review learning analytics in a more transparent and educationally meaningful way.