  In this paper we introduce the new and planned features of Easy
Java/JavaScript Simulations (EJS) to support Learning Analytics (LA) and
Educational Data Mining (EDM) research and practice in the use of simulations
for the teaching and self-learning of natural sciences and engineering.
Simulations created with EJS can now be easily embedded in a popular Learning
Management System using a new plug-in that allows creation of full-fledged
instructional units that also collect and record fine-grained,
instructional-savvy data of the students interaction with the simulation. The
resulting data can then be mined to obtain information about students
performance, behaviors, or learning procedures with the intention to support
student learning, provide instructors with timely information about student
performance, and also help optimize the pedagogic design of the simulations
themselves. We describe the current development and architecture, as well as
future directions for testing and extending the current capabilities of EJS as
a modelling and authoring tool to support LA and EDM research and practice in
the use of simulations for teaching science, in particular in the context of
the increasingly popular online learning platforms.
