Towards a Genealogical Critical Theory of Learning Analytics

This chapter makes a distinction between two approaches to theory in Learning Analytics (LA). The first approach pursues the identification of suitable theories ‘for’ LA and requires a commitment to the scientific study of learning. The second approach rests upon a broader sociological outlook on Learning Analytics as a field of knowledge. The chapter is concerned with the second approach and proposes a sociological theory of the ‘LA Gaze’. It examines the underlying principles of a theory of the LA Gaze and explores, using a genealogical approach informed by the sociology of scientific knowledge, the social, historical, and material relations between Learning Analytics and contiguous epistemic fields: computer and data science, Educational Data Mining (EDM) and educational research. The chapter contributes to the LA field by encouraging a historical and critical reflection on its origins and its future directions.