What is Discrete Time

This chapter introduces the use of basic time-to-event analysis (a variation of “survival analysis”) to identify time-series patterns from learning management system (LMS) data portal datasets to enable empirical-based theorizing and interpretation. This approach addresses questions such as How long does it usually take before a particular event occurs? What time patterns may be seen in empirical data? What sorts of analysis and decision making can be understood from the time patterns? This chapter uses multiple datasets—related to assignment submittals and their time to grading, learner enrollments and the updates to those enrollments, and group membership and how long groups last, and other data—to demonstrate this process.