Learning Analytics for Data-Driven Decision Making

Maintaining and cultivating student engagement is critical for learning. Understanding factors affecting student engagement can help in designing better courses and improving student retention. The large number of participants in massive open online courses (MOOCs) and data collected from their interactions on the MOOC open up avenues for studying student engagement at scale. In this work, we develop an interpretable statistical relational learning model for understanding student engagement in online courses using a complex combination of behavioral, linguistic, structural, and temporal cues. We show how to abstract student engagement types of active, passive, and disengagement as meaningful latent variables using logical rules in our model connecting student behavioral signals with student success in MOOCs. We demonstrate that the latent formulation for engagement helps in predicting two measures of student success: performance, their final grade in the course, and survival, their continued presence in the course till the end, across seven MOOCs. Furthermore in order to initiate better instructor interventions, we need to be able to predict student success early in the course. We demonstrate that we can predict student success early in the course reliably using the latent model. We also demonstrate the utility of our models in predicting student success in new courses, by training our models on one course and testing on another course. We show that the latent abstractions are helpful in predicting student success and engagement reliably in new MOOCs that have not yet gathered student interaction data. We then perform a closer quantitative analysis of different features derived from student interactions on the MOOC and identify student activities that are good indicators of student success at different points in the course. Through a qualitative analysis of the latent engagement variable values, we demonstrate their utility in understanding students' engagement levels at various points in the course and movement of students across different types of engagement.

Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic several studies on students' access to remote education and their perceptions of remote education have been conducted, but mixed-method studies on student engagement in an online setting are lacking. The aim of this study was to determine and compare the levels of school engagement in synchronous online classes and in face-to-face classes. Secondary school students (N = 132, 81.8% female, Mage = 16.3) filled out an online questionnaire comprising the School Engagement Measure Questionnaire (addressing online and face-to-face settings) and one open-ended question on the perception of differences between online and face-to-face classes. Statistical analyses showed that students were more engaged in face-to-face classes than in online classes (F (1, 131) = 106.316, p = .000, e2 = .448), with the best achievers having the highest decrease of engagement in online classes. A thematic analysis of answers yielded four themes, named: active learning (f = 42), learning strategies and resources (15), time organization (15) and assessment (6). Evaluative analysis showed that different students described the same themes in different ways - while in some cases active learning in online classes was higher, for the majority - it decreased; while some students organized their time for studying more effectively in an online setting, others were more efficient in a face-to-face setting. It can be concluded that negative effects of online classes on students' learning strategies and engagement prevail and that teachers need additional support in organizing individualized and differentiated teaching to encourage higher levels of engagement and self-regulation in emergency remote education.

BackgroundHigher education institutions (HEIs) shifted from in-person attendance to blended and online learning due to the COVID-19 lockdowns. ObjectiveThis study investigated the students' perception of satisfaction, convenience, engagement, and learning towards blended and online courses conducted before, during, and after the COVID-19 lockdowns. MethodsA longitudinal study design was adopted to examine the students' perception of online and blended learning courses before, during, and after the COVID-19 lockdowns. The subjects consist of Health science students (N = 130) belonging to two different colleges of a public university and the study period includes three academic years (i.e., six semesters) (2018–2021). A survey tool was developed to collect data from students studying the computer fundamentals course through blended and online learning modes from 2018 to 2021. ResultsOver 95% of students have been satisfied with the course offered through various blended learning formats since 2018. The blended 0.50-course format is the most preferred one for the students; however, the Blended 0.75-course format is highly rated by the students regarding their satisfaction and engagement than other learning formats during the COVID-19 lockdowns. Following adaption after COVID-19, the students reported a high perception of learning towards the course when delivered through 100% online learning mode. ConclusionStudents' achievement is significantly associated with the learning modes, exam modes, and various student batches. The blended 0.75-course format group shows a higher achievement than the other three-course format groups. Likewise, those students who appeared in their exams online showed higher achievement than those who appeared physically. Further, the students felt equally convenient with Blended 0.75 and 100% online learning course formats. These findings would also help HEIs choose appropriate learning and examination modes while designing courses.

The purpose of this descriptive study is to investigate students’ perceptions of online learning courses at a 4 year mid-level mid-western university and whether or not these perceptions influenced their decision to continue taking online courses or not. The findings of this study concur with Lim (2004) in that thorough preparation prior to online course work can help to curb dropout rates and can better prepare learners for successful completion of the course.

This study explores the integration of Technology-Enhanced Active Learning (TEAL) strategies in enhancing Grade 8 students’ understanding of ecosystems. Recognizing the importance of interactive and engaging instructional methods in science education, the study implements a variety of TEAL tools, including multimedia simulations, collaborative group activities and real-time formative assessments to facilitate deeper learning. The research aims to assess whether these TEAL strategies can improve students’ conceptual understanding of ecosystems while increasing their level of engagement in the learning process. A total of 10 Grade 8 students from a local school participated in the study. Data were collected through pre and post-test assessments, a student engagement survey and observation of class participation. Statistical analysis, including descriptive statistics, correlation and regression analyses was used to evaluate changes in students’ conceptual understanding of ecosystems and their engagement levels. The results of the study revealed a significant improvement in students’ knowledge of ecosystems, particularly in their understanding of ecological interactions and energy flow. Additionally, the integration of TEAL strategies resulted in increased student engagement, both emotionally and cognitively, with students expressing higher enthusiasm and participation in lessons that utilized technology. The study concludes that TEAL strategies can be effective tools for enhancing both student learning outcomes and engagement in science education, specifically in the context of teaching complex environmental concepts.

Student Engagement has become a subject of importance and discussion in the academic domain. Much of the academic fraternity today is worried because of the lackluster approach of the students - taking classroom or academic institution's learning as a burden and formality which must be completed! This research paper defines the level of student engagement in Ramanujan College, University of Delhi. Online survey of the students of Ramanujan College was taken to infer the level of student engagement in terms of - Spirituality and Alignment, Psychological meaningfulness, and Student-teacher relationship. In addition, various questions which lead to student engagement were also included. The survey was circulated among the students of the college and 240 responses were received, out of which 221 responses were deemed fit for analysis. According to the findings of the study, the students of the college are satisfied with the system of education; they also realize and appreciate the education they are getting. The students believe that they get full support from the college in terms of resources and the faculty members of the college are helpful and trustworthy. The study has also underpinned certain factors which lead to student engagement, such as institution's role in personality development of the student, teaching pedagogy, infrastructural facilities, systematic examination procedures, and extra and co-curricular activities. This paper would help Ramanujan College in particular and other educational institutions in general to study and understand the concept of student engagement. The paper also recommends ways to improve the level of engagement among students. This study would give a broad view of the student engagement in the current system of education. Scale of 'Student Engagement' could be further tested in other samples. The researchers have studied the level of engagement in a particular college of the University of Delhi. The results of this study may not be generalized for all the educational institutions.

We are currently experiencing the rapid growth of technology-based distance learning courses and programs in higher education, K-12 education, training, and other non-traditional learning contexts. With the proliferation of e-Learning courses and programs, it is important that instructional designers, instructional technologists, and others think critically about the nature of their research and practice. A number of questions and issues need to be addressed. For example, many individuals use the terms virtual space, virtual learning, and virtual learning communities when discussing e-Learning design and development. Do we all attach the same meaning to these terms? Probably not. As we design Web-based courses, should we try and use the structure of the traditional classroom as the metaphor for the “online” classroom? This is certainly an open question, given the criticisms that many students and trainees voice concerning traditional classroom instruction and training. Are the relevant instructional design, development, and policy issues the same for higher education, K-12 education, and training in the private sector? What are the implications and effects of using templates and various server software including WebCT, Blackboard, and other programs when designing and developing e-Learning programs? Finally, what can be learned from those individuals who have made pioneering efforts to design and develop online courses? The contributors to this issue of the Quarterly Review of Distance Education directly address many of these questions.Richard Schwier discusses the concept of learning communities in general and virtual learning communities in particular. Schwier describes three aspects of virtual learning communities including the elements, purposes, and the catalysts of virtual learning communities. The catalysts discussed include alignment, engagement, and interaction. In addition, a number of research issues concerning virtual learning communities are presented.The implications of the rapid growth of e-Learning in training, academic education, and non-traditional learning environments for instructional designers are discussed by Wellesley (“Rob”) Foshay, who argues that each context will place different demands on instructional designers. In particular, Foshay discusses the issues and events that are affecting academic organizations, training organizations, and non-traditional educational settings, and the implications for instructional design research and practice in each of the three environments.The implications of using various server-based courseware tools for developing Web-based courses are discussed by Douglas Harvey and Jung Lee. Certainly, courseware tools can help instructional designers and developers be more efficient when developing online courses. But at what cost? Harvey and Lee provide a critical discussion of how effective template-based approaches are for the development of online learning courses. In particular, some of the specific issues discussed include the pedagogical impact of courseware tools, the visual interface, navigation layout, and interaction implications for online courses. Finally, the instructional design implications when using online development tools and server software are discussed.In the final two articles in this issue, the authors identify some lessons learned from the development and delivery of online courses. Barbara Bichelmeyer, Melanie Misanchuk, and Larissa Malopinsky discuss the adaptation of an existing residential course to a Web-based course. Lessons learned from three different literature bases and results of the adaptation, design, and development processes are also analyzed. Tiffany Koszalka and Mary Beth Bianco focus on the importance of instructors in online learning courses. Specific issues and lessons learned by instructors who have “taught” online courses are described and specific areas and questions for research in online learning environments are presented.Critical issues, both for research and development, that instructional designers and instructional technologists will need to think about as they transition their work to e-Learning environments are identified and discussed in this issue of the Quarterly Review of Distance Education. Much potential as well as problems exist for the design of instruction in an e-Learning environment. Critically important is that individuals in the field of instructional design and technology be actively involved in theory development, research, and the design and development of online learning courses and programs.

This study was designed to explore the relationship between teacher practices and levels of student engagement in secondary agricultural education programs. Most researchers have agreed that student engagement at the secondary level may be measured through three constructs: cognitive engagement, behavioral engagement, and emotional engagement. The intra-curricular components, namely the FFA organization and Supervised Agricultural Experience Program, make secondary agricultural education unique when compared to the foundational classes of math, science, and English. Respondents included a total of 152 agricultural education programs, which were randomly selected within 11 states to participate in the study. One class in each program was surveyed, which totaled 2,106 student respondents. Relationships were identified between specific teaching and advising practices performed by the secondary agricultural educator and their students’ level of engagement in classroom, FFA, and SAE activities. Each state is encouraged to replicate this study to determine student engagement levels in classroom, FFA and SAE activities, and then identify the causes and conditions leading to higher and lower levels of student engagement.

The influence of computer self-efficacy, metacognitive self-regulation and self-esteem on student engagement in online learning programs: Evidence from the virtual world of Second Life

Advances in technology offer opportunities for many varieties of online learning but much online learning design is based on past practices and technologies (Hirumi, 2013). This practice could prove to be particularly detrimental for competency-based education (CBE) given its unique profile as a form of online learning that is self-driven and asynchronous. Furthermore, the majority of CBE students in higher education are non-traditional adult learners who require a high level of support and engagement from their educational experiences. One instructional technique that has proven to be effective for promoting student engagement in online learning is interaction (Wang, Chen, & Anderson, 2014; Hirumi, 2006; Anderson, 2003). This chapter draws from Hirumi's (2002, 2006, 2013) framework for designing interaction in online learning courses to provide suggestions for creating online CBE instruction that engages and motivates non-traditional students in higher education.

The goal of the study was to investigate the impact of the use of social media on student learning, specifically, the level of engagement and collaboration between them while using Facebook. Students enrolled for the module 'Foundation Information Technology (FIT)' at one South African University were exposed to the Facebook social network as a platform for various academic activities. Grounded in the quantitative paradigm, a semi-structured questionnaire was administered to the students at the beginning of the course to find out their familiarity with Facebook and at the end of the module to measure impact. The results obtained showed that Facebook use has a significantly increased impact on student's collaboration and engagement. This paper concludes that social media can be used as an educational tool to help students to collaborate and engage and recommends that universities embrace the uses of social media for teaching and learning..

This research combines computer self-efficacy, computer anxiety, innovation diffusion theory, the technology acceptance model, and a proposed new hybrid technology acceptance model to study adolescents' behavioral intentions to use online learning courses. The results of the study show computer self-efficacy, compatibility, perceived usefulness, and perceived ease of use have a great positive effect, and computer anxiety has a great negative effect, on the behavioral intention to use online learning courses. By explaining adolescents' behavioral intentions from a user's perspective, the findings of this research provide insight into the best way to promote new e-learning tools for adolescents.

It can be challenging for teachers to engage students online; to know whether students are engaged or not. Online engagement can be perceived differently than in-class engagement. Research has shown that teacher perceptions of student engagement affect how they interact with students as well as students' grades. It is critical to understand how teachers perceive engagement, not least in an online setting, to inform practices and research. This study explores Swedish teachers' understanding of student online engagement and disengagement. A Mixed Method Grounded Theory study was designed as an intervention with an interview-diary-interview format. Twenty interviews with teachers (n = 10) who regularly teach hybrid, remote or distance classes in K-12 education were analysed using descriptive statistics and content analysis. The results show that teachers express understanding at the macro and micro level of engagement and would report different combinations of engagement and disengagement at different levels of engagement. The results informed an engagement model with a complex construct without inherent boundaries; teachers rated student engagement both below and above the suggested scale. The contribution to theory with included models is discussed.

Evaluating online learning engagement of nursing students

Academic self-concept mediates the effect of online learning engagement on deep learning in online courses for Chinese nursing students: A cross-sectional study