Bart Rienties
Biographic Data
| ID | 1502532 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Bart Rienties |
| GIVEN NAMES | Bart |
| FAMILY NAME | Rienties |
| SIGNATURE | RIENTIES B |
| AFFILIATIONS | The Open University |
| ORCID | 0000-0003-3749-9629 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 33 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 59 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 33 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2012 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 4 |
Learning Analytics to Uncover Ethnic Bias in Educational Texts: An Ensemble Learning Approach
Online learning platforms have expanded access to education but also raise concerns about biased content, particularly in text-based learning materials such as textbooks, lesson plans, and course excerpts. Such biases can perpetuate discrimination, can harm student outcomes, and can often be difficult to detect, as identification typically relies on time-consuming human review. Learning analytics (LA) can enhance this process by supporting human …
From hype to evidence: Exploring large language models for inter-group bias classification in higher education
Inter-group biases can diminish student achievements in several ways. Yet, manually identifying those biases in vast learning texts is challenging because of their subtle nature. In the light of processing nuanced language, approaches based on large language models (LLMs) have emerged as promising mechanisms (e.g. ChatGPT). However, their potential for classifying bias in learning text seems under-explored. This study examines the ability of thre…
The promise and challenges of generative AI in education
Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools, such as large language models (LLMs), generate natural language and other types of content to perform a wide range of tasks. This represents a significant technological advancement that poses opportunities and challenges to educational research and practice. This commentary brings together contributions from nine experts working in the intersection of learning and technology and presents critical …
‘It's extremely weird to understand UK culture when you don't live there and just study from abroad’: An empirical investigation of internationalisation at a distance perspectives
Following the conceptualisation of a third space of internationalisation at a distance (IaD) in this study, we aim to explore how international students at the largest university in Europe, the Open University, might consider their own identities and perspectives. At present over 5000+ international students study at a distance at the Open University, whereby many are based in the UK. At the same time, hundreds of international students do not li…
Encouraging Intercultural Interaction by Cultural Specific Learning Design
Increased levels of internationalization have led to individuals working in multicultural organizations, a trend that is likely to continue for the foreseeable future. To navigate these environments successfully, more emphasis is being placed on the importance of higher education in preparing and arming the future workforce with the international competencies required to be successful in contemporary organizations. The aim of this research is to …
Supporting students’ basic psychological needs and satisfaction in a blended learning environment through learning analytics
Are Mooc learning designs culturally inclusive (enough)
How and with whom do educators learn in an online professional development microcredential
A claimed technological advantage of online professional development (OPD) is the flexibility for educators to learn at a time and space of their convenience. However, the question of how, and with whom educators learn in OPD has received limited empirical attention. Using a participatory design approach, we explored the lived experiences and social networks of 19 educators following a formal OPD in a microcredential format. The mixed method stud…
Transforming pre-service teacher education through virtual exchange: A mixed-methods analysis of perceived TPACK development
Across the globe teachers are increasingly using online communication tools to bring together learners from different countries, and offer them social interaction opportunities to learn a new language or a new skill via Virtual Exchange (VE). While there is some mostly anecdotal evidence of VE on satisfaction and improving language skills, few studies have investigated the impact of VE on pre-service teachers’ TPACK development using mixed method…
Online work-based learning: A systematic literature review
It is widely acknowledged that graduates need to develop skills and competences beyond the theoretical knowledge nurtured within higher education curricula. In the last twenty years there has been an increased interest in supporting learners with work-based learning (WBL) (e.g. apprenticeships, practice-based lab sessions, project-based learning). The experience of COVID-19-related lockdowns has ignited a push to support and provide these opportu…
Beyond one-size-fits-all in Moocs: Variation in learning design and persistence of learners in different cultural and socioeconomic contexts
Dispositional Learning Analytics for Supporting Individualized Learning Feedback
An important goal of learning analytics (LA) is to improve learning by providing students with meaningful feedback. Feedback is often generated by prediction models of student success using data about students and their learning processes based on digital traces of learning activities. However, early in the learning process, when feedback is most fruitful, trace-data-based prediction models often have limited information about the initial ability…
Conceptualizing Internationalization at a Distance: A “Third Category” of University Internationalization
Internationalization efforts in higher education have often been categorized according to Jane Knight’s binary of “Internationalization at Home” (IaH) and “Internationalization Abroad” (IA). However, a rising number of technology-supported activities have created new opportunities for university internationalization. For example, students can now remain “at home” while using technology to study with an institution or program that is simultaneousl…
Migration intentions of international distance education students studying from a South African institution: Unpacking potential brain drain
The outward migration of skilled migrants has disproportionally affected the Global South, particularly in countries in Africa, producing what is commonly referred to as ‘brain drain’. Within this literature, there has been considerable focus on the future migration intentions of international students, who symbolise skilled migration. However, much previous literature assumes international education must be obtained through physical mobility, de…
Unpacking the dynamics of collegial networks in relation to beginning teachers’ job attitudes
Previous research has pointed at the pivotal role of professional collegial support relationships to keep beginning teachers in the profession. In this study, we build on previous research by using follow-up mixed-method social network data to explore (1) to what extent, in what ways and for which reasons beginning teachers’ work-related network (position) changes throughout a school year, and (2) how the network (position) of beginning teachers …
Complex Transitions of Early Career Academics (ECA): A Mixed Method Study of With Whom ECA Develop and Maintain New Networks
The purpose of this article is to explore how Early Career Academics (ECAs) cope with their complex and multiple transitions when starting their new role. By focussing on the participants’ lived experiences in a professional development (PD) training programme to discuss and share practice, we explored how ECAs developed and maintained social network relations. Using social network analysis (SNA) with web crawling of public websites, data was ana…
Defining the Boundaries Between Artificial Intelligence in Education, Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning, Educational Data Mining, and Learning Analytics: A Need for Coherence
This review aims to define the boundaries of four distinct research fields of Artificial Intelligence and EDucation (AIED), Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning (CSCL), Educational Data Mining (EDM), and Learning Analytics (LA). While all four fields are focused on understanding learning and teaching using technology, each field has a relatively unique or common perspective on which theoretical frameworks, methods, and ontologies might be ap…
The scalable implementation of predictive learning analytics at a distance learning university: Insights from a longitudinal case study
Learning relations of knowledge transfer (KT) and knowledge integration (KI) of doctoral students during online interdisciplinary training: An exploratory study
Interdisciplinary training for doctoral students is an emerging scenario in higher education. The learning relations of knowledge transfer (KT: transferring knowledge from one person to another) and knowledge integration (KI: integrating or synthesizing perspectives from different disciplines) built by doctoral students play an important role in the process of interdisciplinary training. This study explores how doctoral students from a wide range…
The role of gender, social class and ethnicity in participation and academic attainment in UK higher education: An update
A literature review published in 2008 outlined known relationships between gender, ethnicity, and academic attainment in UK higher education. In the period since this publication, many changes to the higher education sector have occurred, including raising tuition fees, an increased focus on widening participation, and an increasing interest in diversifying the curriculum. There is a need for an updated and expanded literature review to highlight…
Learning analytics to uncover inequality in behavioural engagement and academic attainment in a distance learning setting
Although the attainment gap between black and minority ethnic (BME) students and white students has persisted for decades, the potential causes of these disparities are highly debated. The emergence of learning analytics allows researchers to understand how students engage in learning activities based on their digital traces in a naturalistic setting. This study investigates the attainment gap by analysing the differences in behavioural engagemen…
Developing learning relationships in intercultural and multi-disciplinary environments: A Mixed Method Investigation of Management Students' Experiences
In this article, we suggest that competencies in working in intercultural and multidisciplinary environments are part of expected key skills in contemporary organisations. Higher educational institutions across the globe are pressured to contribute to the development of such key skills. Using social identity theory, through social network analysis of 113 postgraduate management students in one UK business school and follow-up focus group intervie…
Internationalisation at a Distance and at Home: Academic and social adjustment in a South African distance learning context
With the rise of technology and distance learning, a recently new type of internationalisation of higher education seems to be emerging in Southern Africa higher education, which we coin as Internationalisation at a Distance. In this empirical study, we aim to provide an initial attempt to theorise this form of Internationalisation at a Distance through an in-depth analysis of 1141 students’ experiences while studying at the largest distance lear…
Enhancing (in)formal learning ties in interdisciplinary management courses: A Quasi-Experimental Social Network Study
While interdisciplinary courses are regarded as a promising method for students to learn and apply knowledge from other disciplines, there is limited empirical evidence available whether interdisciplinary courses can effectively ‘create’ interdisciplinary students. In this innovative quasi-experimental study amongst 377 Master’s students, in the control condition students were randomised by the teacher into groups, while in the experimental condi…
Online learning experiences of new versus continuing learners: A large-scale replication study
A vast body of research has indicated the importance of distinguishing new vs. continuing students’ learning experiences in blended and online environments. Continuing learners may have developed learning and coping mechanisms for ‘surviving’ in such learning environments, while new learners might still need to adjust their learning approaches to the new learning context. In this large-scale replication study, we investigated whether and how the …
Understanding friendship and learning networks of international and host students using longitudinal Social Network Analysis
The role of cultural dimensions of international and Dutch students on academic and social integration and academic performance in the Netherlands
Understanding (in)formal learning in an academic development programme: A social network perspective
The effects of online professional development on higher education teachers' beliefs and intentions towards learning facilitation and technology
The Pivotal Role of Effort Beliefs in Mediating Implicit Theories of Intelligence and Achievement Goals and Academic Motivations
Enhancing (in)formal learning ties in interdisciplinary management courses: A Quasi-Experimental Social Network Study
While interdisciplinary courses are regarded as a promising method for students to learn and apply knowledge from other disciplines, there is limited empirical evidence available whether interdisciplinary courses can effectively ‘create’ interdisciplinary students. In this innovative quasi-experimental study amongst 377 Master’s students, in the control condition students were randomised by the teacher into groups, while in the experimental condi…
Migration intentions of international distance education students studying from a South African institution: Unpacking potential brain drain
The outward migration of skilled migrants has disproportionally affected the Global South, particularly in countries in Africa, producing what is commonly referred to as ‘brain drain’. Within this literature, there has been considerable focus on the future migration intentions of international students, who symbolise skilled migration. However, much previous literature assumes international education must be obtained through physical mobility, de…
Internationalisation at a Distance and at Home: Academic and social adjustment in a South African distance learning context
With the rise of technology and distance learning, a recently new type of internationalisation of higher education seems to be emerging in Southern Africa higher education, which we coin as Internationalisation at a Distance. In this empirical study, we aim to provide an initial attempt to theorise this form of Internationalisation at a Distance through an in-depth analysis of 1141 students’ experiences while studying at the largest distance lear…
A dynamic analysis of social capital-building of international and UK students
Although many international students experience transitional issues, most research assumes these issues will disappear over time. Using principles of social capital theory, this study addressed whether after three years of study students were able to build multi-national and host social capital links. In this quantitative study of 81 students from 28 nationalities, the results indicate that Confucian Asian students lived in separate social worlds…
Unpacking the dynamics of collegial networks in relation to beginning teachers’ job attitudes
Previous research has pointed at the pivotal role of professional collegial support relationships to keep beginning teachers in the profession. In this study, we build on previous research by using follow-up mixed-method social network data to explore (1) to what extent, in what ways and for which reasons beginning teachers’ work-related network (position) changes throughout a school year, and (2) how the network (position) of beginning teachers …
Developing learning relationships in intercultural and multi-disciplinary environments: A Mixed Method Investigation of Management Students' Experiences
In this article, we suggest that competencies in working in intercultural and multidisciplinary environments are part of expected key skills in contemporary organisations. Higher educational institutions across the globe are pressured to contribute to the development of such key skills. Using social identity theory, through social network analysis of 113 postgraduate management students in one UK business school and follow-up focus group intervie…
Understanding academic performance of international students: The role of ethnicity, academic and social integration
More than 3 million students study outside their home country, primarily at a Western university. A common belief among educators is that international students are insufficiently adjusted to higher education in their host country, both academically and socially. Furthermore, several groups of international students experience considerable amounts of stress while adapting to the culture of the host-institute. Several researchers argue that studie…
The effects of online professional development on higher education teachers' beliefs and intentions towards learning facilitation and technology
The role of cultural dimensions of international and Dutch students on academic and social integration and academic performance in the Netherlands
Understanding academics’ resistance towards (online) student evaluation
Many higher educational institutions and academic staff are still sceptical about the validity and reliability of student evaluation questionnaires, in particular when these evaluations are completed online. One month after a university-wide implementation from paper to online evaluation across 629 modules, (perceived) resistance and ambivalence amongst academic staff were unpacked. A mixed-method study was conducted amongst 104 academics using s…
The Pivotal Role of Effort Beliefs in Mediating Implicit Theories of Intelligence and Achievement Goals and Academic Motivations
Understanding (in)formal learning in an academic development programme: A social network perspective
Understanding friendship and learning networks of international and host students using longitudinal Social Network Analysis
A dynamic analysis of social capital-building of international and UK students
Although many international students experience transitional issues, most research assumes these issues will disappear over time. Using principles of social capital theory, this study addressed whether after three years of study students were able to build multi-national and host social capital links. In this quantitative study of 81 students from 28 nationalities, the results indicate that Confucian Asian students lived in separate social worlds…
Online learning experiences of new versus continuing learners: A large-scale replication study
A vast body of research has indicated the importance of distinguishing new vs. continuing students’ learning experiences in blended and online environments. Continuing learners may have developed learning and coping mechanisms for ‘surviving’ in such learning environments, while new learners might still need to adjust their learning approaches to the new learning context. In this large-scale replication study, we investigated whether and how the …
Enhancing (in)formal learning ties in interdisciplinary management courses: A Quasi-Experimental Social Network Study
While interdisciplinary courses are regarded as a promising method for students to learn and apply knowledge from other disciplines, there is limited empirical evidence available whether interdisciplinary courses can effectively ‘create’ interdisciplinary students. In this innovative quasi-experimental study amongst 377 Master’s students, in the control condition students were randomised by the teacher into groups, while in the experimental condi…
Internationalisation at a Distance and at Home: Academic and social adjustment in a South African distance learning context
With the rise of technology and distance learning, a recently new type of internationalisation of higher education seems to be emerging in Southern Africa higher education, which we coin as Internationalisation at a Distance. In this empirical study, we aim to provide an initial attempt to theorise this form of Internationalisation at a Distance through an in-depth analysis of 1141 students’ experiences while studying at the largest distance lear…
Complex Transitions of Early Career Academics (ECA): A Mixed Method Study of With Whom ECA Develop and Maintain New Networks
The purpose of this article is to explore how Early Career Academics (ECAs) cope with their complex and multiple transitions when starting their new role. By focussing on the participants’ lived experiences in a professional development (PD) training programme to discuss and share practice, we explored how ECAs developed and maintained social network relations. Using social network analysis (SNA) with web crawling of public websites, data was ana…
Defining the Boundaries Between Artificial Intelligence in Education, Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning, Educational Data Mining, and Learning Analytics: A Need for Coherence
This review aims to define the boundaries of four distinct research fields of Artificial Intelligence and EDucation (AIED), Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning (CSCL), Educational Data Mining (EDM), and Learning Analytics (LA). While all four fields are focused on understanding learning and teaching using technology, each field has a relatively unique or common perspective on which theoretical frameworks, methods, and ontologies might be ap…
The scalable implementation of predictive learning analytics at a distance learning university: Insights from a longitudinal case study
Learning relations of knowledge transfer (KT) and knowledge integration (KI) of doctoral students during online interdisciplinary training: An exploratory study
Interdisciplinary training for doctoral students is an emerging scenario in higher education. The learning relations of knowledge transfer (KT: transferring knowledge from one person to another) and knowledge integration (KI: integrating or synthesizing perspectives from different disciplines) built by doctoral students play an important role in the process of interdisciplinary training. This study explores how doctoral students from a wide range…
The role of gender, social class and ethnicity in participation and academic attainment in UK higher education: An update
A literature review published in 2008 outlined known relationships between gender, ethnicity, and academic attainment in UK higher education. In the period since this publication, many changes to the higher education sector have occurred, including raising tuition fees, an increased focus on widening participation, and an increasing interest in diversifying the curriculum. There is a need for an updated and expanded literature review to highlight…
Learning analytics to uncover inequality in behavioural engagement and academic attainment in a distance learning setting
Although the attainment gap between black and minority ethnic (BME) students and white students has persisted for decades, the potential causes of these disparities are highly debated. The emergence of learning analytics allows researchers to understand how students engage in learning activities based on their digital traces in a naturalistic setting. This study investigates the attainment gap by analysing the differences in behavioural engagemen…
Developing learning relationships in intercultural and multi-disciplinary environments: A Mixed Method Investigation of Management Students' Experiences
In this article, we suggest that competencies in working in intercultural and multidisciplinary environments are part of expected key skills in contemporary organisations. Higher educational institutions across the globe are pressured to contribute to the development of such key skills. Using social identity theory, through social network analysis of 113 postgraduate management students in one UK business school and follow-up focus group intervie…
Dispositional Learning Analytics for Supporting Individualized Learning Feedback
An important goal of learning analytics (LA) is to improve learning by providing students with meaningful feedback. Feedback is often generated by prediction models of student success using data about students and their learning processes based on digital traces of learning activities. However, early in the learning process, when feedback is most fruitful, trace-data-based prediction models often have limited information about the initial ability…
Conceptualizing Internationalization at a Distance: A “Third Category” of University Internationalization
Internationalization efforts in higher education have often been categorized according to Jane Knight’s binary of “Internationalization at Home” (IaH) and “Internationalization Abroad” (IA). However, a rising number of technology-supported activities have created new opportunities for university internationalization. For example, students can now remain “at home” while using technology to study with an institution or program that is simultaneousl…
Migration intentions of international distance education students studying from a South African institution: Unpacking potential brain drain
The outward migration of skilled migrants has disproportionally affected the Global South, particularly in countries in Africa, producing what is commonly referred to as ‘brain drain’. Within this literature, there has been considerable focus on the future migration intentions of international students, who symbolise skilled migration. However, much previous literature assumes international education must be obtained through physical mobility, de…
Unpacking the dynamics of collegial networks in relation to beginning teachers’ job attitudes
Previous research has pointed at the pivotal role of professional collegial support relationships to keep beginning teachers in the profession. In this study, we build on previous research by using follow-up mixed-method social network data to explore (1) to what extent, in what ways and for which reasons beginning teachers’ work-related network (position) changes throughout a school year, and (2) how the network (position) of beginning teachers …
Beyond one-size-fits-all in Moocs: Variation in learning design and persistence of learners in different cultural and socioeconomic contexts
How and with whom do educators learn in an online professional development microcredential
A claimed technological advantage of online professional development (OPD) is the flexibility for educators to learn at a time and space of their convenience. However, the question of how, and with whom educators learn in OPD has received limited empirical attention. Using a participatory design approach, we explored the lived experiences and social networks of 19 educators following a formal OPD in a microcredential format. The mixed method stud…
Transforming pre-service teacher education through virtual exchange: A mixed-methods analysis of perceived TPACK development
Across the globe teachers are increasingly using online communication tools to bring together learners from different countries, and offer them social interaction opportunities to learn a new language or a new skill via Virtual Exchange (VE). While there is some mostly anecdotal evidence of VE on satisfaction and improving language skills, few studies have investigated the impact of VE on pre-service teachers’ TPACK development using mixed method…
Psychology (27 works) · Pedagogy (20 works) · Computer Science (18 works) · Mathematics education (17 works) · Sociology (16 works) · Higher education (14 works) · Political science (14 works) · Online and Blended Learning (11 works) · International Student and Expatriate Challenges (10 works) · Social science (10 works)