<< Background >>For higher education institutions, the change from traditional, face-to-face learning to distance learning has been an opportunity to develop and include flexible learning modalities, including sustainable online learning models for the future. Two main modes of distance learning delivery in higher education have distinguished themselves during the COVID-19 crisis – full online learning and blended (hybrid) learning modes. Both require innovative tools to support teaching and learning, in offering flexible learning pathways, which include a mix of digital solutions for different pedagogies, approaches and technological platforms. Inclusion of online and blended learning in higher education has posed many challenges, however, it has also presented a great opportunity to develop sustainable learning models for the future, which are a step towards developing learning models which will include new and adequate teaching models for the digital era, new effective teaching practices, and an overall supportive learning environment. Student retention in online and blended courses is critical, as shown in different studies about e-learning. This means that an important effort is needed to include learning analytics to improve student monitoring in real time during the semester, which is the aim of ILEDA.As Universities increasingly use digital tools in their everyday activities, they gather a big amount of data. This data can be used for various purposes, e.g. for research, and yet it can also be used for improving the education process. This data, in the form of learning analytics can unveil previously hidden information from educational data to gain new insights to different educational stakeholders (learners, trainers and managers). This new kind of information can support individual learning, enhance facilitation and teaching quality overall. The possibilities of learning analytics look very positive indeed, both for students, teachers, researchers and universities. However, we also need to have an eye on the downside and treat the privacy of all concerned with the utmost respect.Rapid technological development and the constant change of needs in new generations of learners has also caused the need for teachers to adapt to new teaching modalities. This involved not only presenting the learning content, but also includes keeping student motivation, as well as monitoring and assessing the students in new learning environments. Future digital learning modes need to include relevant content, adequate instructional models, effective teaching practices, and a supportive learning environment. All of which are addressed through activities and project results of the proposed ILEDA project.Institutions in Europe are undertaking several sub projects that link with learning analytics. ILEDA consortium is contributing with the digital transformation of its partners’ countries. The Digital Transformation of Bulgaria 2020-30 plans to implement modern and flexible platforms for all levels of education, including life-long learning. This inevitably requires the development, adaptation, implementation of digital educational content, as well as the identification and validation of valuable interactive multimedia e-learning resources, enabling blended, distance learning (both synchronous and asynchronous) for learning purposes. Serbia’s Smart Specialization Strategy 2020-27 has the goal to implement digital platforms, with priority given to the digital transformation of higher education.Finland’s Vision 2030 for higher education and research document focuses on boosting lifelong learning, leveraging digitalization. By including through modular approaches to learning and embracing co-operation and transparency in research and innovation governance, their goal is to make HEIs more attractive, developmental workplaces.The digitization plan for the Spanish university system is to be carried out through the Uni Digital Plan as a part of the National<< Objectives >>Blended and online learning has shown its necessity and benefits in educational systems. The need has identified itself through the necessity to have different flexible teaching modalities that can be included in different settings and study fields, as well as in different learning styles. A demand for a set of instructional methods arises, covering flexible and sustainable teaching environments. ILEDA aims to help online/blended learning in enhancing education quality. The emphasis is put on responsible and effective adoption of new teaching methodologies, while keeping students engaged and motivated.The goals of ILEDA focus on activities that include firstly the development and application of tools for teaching, including the development of educational resources, with the goal to set a solid foundation for a responsive, adaptable, and flexible educational system with innovative practices for the digital era.The project aims to solve problems of higher participation in online and blended courses, and provide support to learning environments that are in use in different educational institutions. The support to learning environments is planned through the design and implementation of the open learning analytics software tool that can be integrated in any learning environment and used to actively monitor student performances. Pragmatic pedagogical and educational methods need to be improved in favor of instructional methods more suited for online platforms, both in situations when courses are thought fully online, or when students are in a blended modes – partly online and partly in the classroom.ILEDA aims to achieve the following goals through six main objectives:1. Develop adequate instructional models, including appropriate pedagogical methods and innovative practices, suitable to support blended/online learning,2. Design the framework for developing and integrating existing learning environments with digital tools in order to support online and blended learning with learning analytics,3. Identify learning analytics metric that can be used to monitor learning performance, with the goal to identify at risk students of dropping out,4. Design and develop software tool that collects and provides analysis on student learning activities and is open so that each institution can use it for their learning analytics with institutional learning management systems,5. Conduct case studies for the proposed framework's development, implementation, and evaluation in different institutions and learning environments,6. Document experience gained in applying the framework in different institutions' environments with analyzed identified barriers and addressed strategies for their solving.<< Implementation >>The objectives of ILEDA will be achieved through various activities. These activities are in line with the project’s results and are as follows:•Project result 1 (PR1) - Research studies Act1.1 - Systematic literature review Act1.2 - Systematic mapping review•Project result 2 (PR2) - Innovative instructional models Act2.1 - Gap analysis between the existing and new requirements for online/blended learning teaching materials at each PU Act2.2 - Defining appropriate pedagogical methods and innovative practices, suitable to support both blended and online learning Act2.3 – Defining framework for integrating learning analytics models in online and blended courses •Project result 3 (PR3) - Designed teaching and learning materials for blended and online courses based on the developed framework Act3.1 – Designing curricula for the pilot courses Act3.2 - Designing instructional teaching materials•Project result 4 (PR4) - Digital learning analytics tool Act4.1 - Defining requirements for learning analytics software tool Act4.2 – Compiling and adapting existing learning analytics tools Act4.3 – Defining ethical requirements for the usage of learner data Act4.4 - Developing learning analytics software tool Act4.5 - Integration developed learning analytics tool with LMS at each PU Act4.6 - Proof of concept of implementation of framework in pilot courses Act4.7 - Analyzing the impact and effects of the pilot courses •Project result 5 (PR5) - Guideline and recommendations for the framework application in different educational contexts Act5.1 - Analyzing the impact and effects of the pilot courses Act5.2 - Identifying benefits and barriers of the developed and piloted framework Act5.3 - Guidelines for developing of courses not included in pilot coursesIn order to ensure overall rounded activities of the project and to ensure continuity and preparedness of teaching staff at each partner universities, two learning, teaching and training activities are planned: -Training on implementing newly developed instructional models for online and blended learning courses -Training on implementation of learning analytics models.In addition, eleven multiplier events are planned, and are grouped in the thematic categories. Most are planned to be held at each partner university (PU): ME1-ME2: e-Learning conference in Belgrade (thematic workshop) ME3-ME6: Educational hackathon @ each PU ME7-ME10: Teach the teachers @ each PU ME11: Final multiplier event in Bulgaria<< Results >>The rapid technological development and constant change of needs of new generations of learners, caused the need for teachers to adapt to new teaching modalities. This involves not only presenting the learning content, but also keeping student motivation as well as monitoring and assessing the students in new learning environments. Part of the problem comes from the educational institutions in which they work, where the rigidly set educational system at some HEIs are not allowing for easy adoption of new teaching modalities. This is the reason why HEIs should be more familiarized on ways to maintain their system flexible so that new teaching modalities can be implemented responsibly and effectively. ILEDA stakeholders will be able to benefit from the ILEDA project in terms of having the access to systematic review of current achievements in the field, good practices with its benefits and barriers in terms of implementing student monitoring with innovative instructional methods and tools. Institutions in Europe are undertaking several sub projects that link with learning analytics. ILEDA consortium is contributing with the digital transformation of its partners’ countries. The Digital Transformation of Bulgaria 2020-30 plans to implement modern and flexible platforms for all levels of education, including life-long learning. This inevitably requires the development, adaptation, implementation of digital educational content, as well as the identification and validation of valuable interactive multimedia e-learning resources, enabling blended, and distance learning for learning purposes. Serbia’s Smart Specialization Strategy 2020-27 has the goal to implement digital platforms, with priority given to the digital transformation of higher education.Finland’s Vision 2030 for higher education and research document focuses on boosting lifelong learning, leveraging digitalization. By including through modular approaches to learning and embracing co-operation and transparency in research and innovation governance, their goal is to make HEIs more attractive, developmental workplaces.The digitization plan for the Spanish university system is to be carried out through the Uni Digital Plan as a part of the National Plan for Digital Competences, significantly improving the relationship between the digital world and the academic world.Planned project results (PR) are:PR1 - Research studies -Systematic literature review on instructional teaching methods for blended and online courses including the usage of learning analytics -Systematic mapping review on usage of learning analytics models for monitoring student activity for different instructional teaching models.PR2 - Innovative instructional models-Set of pedagogical methods for blended/online courses -1 framework for integrating learning analytics models for online/blended courses PR3 - Designed teaching and learning materials for blended and online courses based on the developed framework-Developed curricula and instructional materials for 8 courses – 2 per each institutionPR4 - Digital learning analytics tool-Developed 1 software learning analytics tool that can be used by all participants and will be shared as an open source code for the wider audience -Collection of existing learning analytics tools that can be integrated with the existing learning management system for each institution PR5 - Guideline and recommendations for the framework application in different educational contexts-Conducted 8 pilot courses with approximately 850 students-Collected learning analytics from 8 courses that will be shared as an open dataset for the wider audience -Developed guidelines and recommendation for developing online/blended courses that is aimed for the courses not included in the pilot evaluation-Trained teachers on innovative methods of teaching, learning analytics models, tools, ethical guidelines of educational data usage, within and outside the consortium.