How can you protect privacy when using learning analytics tools in HR?

1 Understand the data

Before you use any learning analytics tool, you need to understand what data it collects, how it collects it, and what it does with it. You should also know the purpose and value of the data for your learning goals and outcomes. For example, do you need to track the time spent on each module, the number of attempts, the scores, the feedback, or the engagement levels? How will this data help you improve the learning design, delivery, or evaluation? How will this data benefit the learners and the organization?

2 Follow the laws and regulations

Depending on your location and industry, you may need to comply with various laws and regulations regarding data protection and privacy, such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in the European Union, or the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) in the United States. You should familiarize yourself with the relevant rules and obligations, and ensure that your learning analytics tools meet the standards and requirements. For example, you may need to obtain consent from the learners, inform them about their rights and options, provide them with access and control over their data, or delete their data upon request.

3 Apply the principles of privacy by design

Privacy by design is a concept that advocates for the integration of privacy into the design and development of products, services, and systems. You can apply this concept to your learning analytics tools by following some best practices. These include minimizing data collection and retention, securing data storage and transmission, limiting data access and sharing, and educating stakeholders. Regarding the former, only collect and keep data necessary for your learning objectives, and delete or anonymize the data when it is no longer needed. As for security measures, use encryption, authentication, and other security measures to protect the data from unauthorized access, modification, or disclosure. Furthermore, only grant access and share the data with people who need it for legitimate purposes, and respect the preferences and permissions of the learners. Finally, inform and train learners, instructors, managers, and other stakeholders about the benefits and risks of learning analytics, as well as how to use the tools responsibly and ethically.

4 Respect the learners' autonomy and dignity

Learning analytics tools can provide valuable insights and feedback to the learners, but they can also create some ethical dilemmas. To respect the learners' autonomy and dignity, you should involve them in the decision-making process, empower them with access and ownership of their data, support them with constructive and personalized feedback, and evaluate the impact of the data on their outcomes, behaviors, and emotions. This way, you can protect the privacy of your learners and your organization while still leveraging the potential of learning analytics.

5 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?