Quality assurance as a tool for different kinds of actions: interplays with learning analytics approaches

Literature describes that the quality assurance (QA) of higher education may be used as a tool for different kinds of action: information, compliance, substitute for trust, innovation, improvement or supranational quality tool. This chapter intends to further study of these uses of QA through the analysis of a recent development, the interplay between internal QA systems and Learning Analytics (LA) approaches. Discussion is based on the case of one Portuguese public university, using data collected through focus groups run with institutional actors. Results show that actors perceive an LA approach exists in their university to a certain extent, mainly due to the mechanisms and tools implemented under its internal QA system. So, these systems can work as ‘baby cribs’ for the implementation of LA approaches. Interestingly though, we can conclude that LA approaches may contribute to developments on QA purposes, namely strengthening its use as a tool for learning and teaching innovation.