Although the publication was delayed, the special issue of the Japan Journal of Educational Technology titled “Learning Analytics in the Era of Educational Informatization” has been published.

Professor Nagaoka from Waseda University served as the chair, with Professor Matsuda from Tokyo Metropolitan University and Professor Morimoto from Tokyo Gakugei University as vice-chairs. Professor Watanabe from Tokyo Institute of Technology, Professor Miyazawa from Tokyo Gakugei University, and I served as secretaries. I would like to express my gratitude to everyone who submitted their work, and to the fellow secretaries, especially Professor Watanabe and Professor Miyazawa, who handled the editorial proofreading until the final week of December, for making this publication possible.

The published papers and materials are diverse, covering various perspectives on Learning Analytics, ranging from research conducted in primary and secondary education, higher education, and MOOCs, to the analysis of entrance examination data and log analysis. I hope that researchers and practitioners interested in Learning Analytics will take the time to read them.

I had the honor of contributing a review article. I conducted a review focusing on the Journal of Learning Analytics, a specialized journal for Learning Analytics, and examined the trends in Learning Analytics research both domestically and internationally. Professor Matsuda and Professor Watanabe summarized perspectives from the viewpoint of Institutional Research (IR), which has been gaining importance in recent years, while Professor Morimoto and Professor Inagaki from Tohoku Gakuin University compiled a review article on the research and practical trends of Learning Analytics in primary and secondary education. As we move forward with the introduction of digital textbooks, the development of Wi-Fi environments, and the promotion of BYOD, this issue contains content that should be considered in practice.

We also invited Professor Ogata from Kyoto University to contribute a review article as a guest. Professor Ogata reviewed the current state of Learning Analytics research from the perspective of information engineering, focusing on insights from Learning Analytics research at Kyushu University.

For now, I am relieved that it has been published successfully.

This was my third time serving on the editorial board for a special issue, and although I thought it might be time to step aside, I have been appointed to the editorial board for the next special issue, “Design, Practice, and Evaluation of Active Learning.” New submissions have already closed, and we are currently in the manuscript revision period. I will be serving as a vice-chair for this issue. I will do my best to ensure it is published successfully and becomes a high-quality journal.

Thank you for your continued support.