Skip to main content
Book cover

European Conference on Technology Enhanced Learning

EC-TEL 2020: Addressing Global Challenges and Quality Education pp 274–287Cite as

Assessing the Impact of the Combination of Self-directed Learning, Immediate Feedback and Visualizations on Student Engagement in Online Learning

Part of the Lecture Notes in Computer Science book series (LNISA,volume 12315)

Abstract

This paper introduces OPEL, a novel Online Learning Environment currently used by undergraduate university students to learn SQL programming and database design as part of their degree program. As student engagement in online learning remains a key challenge faced by researchers, this work aims to support learner engagement through self-directed learning coupled with immediate student feedback and personalized visual dashboards. The self-directed learning supported by OPEL enables students to find and use online resources of their choice, including papers, books, tutorials, and videos to study the topics defined in the course curriculum. The feedback provides learners with advice immediately after exercises are submitted and the personalized visual dashboards enable the students to scrutinize and explore their learning activity data and their knowledge models. An evaluation is discussed which compares the engagement of the students using OPEL against its predecessor (an online learning environment used for the same module in previous years but did not support self-directed learning or immediate feedback).

Keywords

  • Self-directed learning
  • Student feedback
  • Personalized visualizations

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-57717-9_20
  • Chapter length: 14 pages
  • Instant PDF download
  • Readable on all devices
  • Own it forever
  • Exclusive offer for individuals only
  • Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout
eBook
USD   79.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • ISBN: 978-3-030-57717-9
  • Instant PDF download
  • Readable on all devices
  • Own it forever
  • Exclusive offer for individuals only
  • Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout
Softcover Book
USD   99.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
Learn about institutional subscriptions
Fig. 1.
Fig. 2.
Fig. 3.

References

  1. Arroyo, I., et al.: Repairing disengagement with non-invasive interventions. In: AIED, June 2007, vol. 2007, pp. 195–202 (2007)

    Google Scholar 

  2. Azcona, D., Hsiao, I.-H., Smeaton, A.: An exploratory study on student engagement with adaptive notifications in programming courses. In: Pammer-Schindler, V., Pérez-Sanagustín, M., Drachsler, H., Elferink, R., Scheffel, M. (eds.) EC-TEL 2018. LNCS, vol. 11082, pp. 644–647. Springer, Cham (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-98572-5_64

    CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  3. Barolli, L., Koyama, A., Durresi, A., De Marco, G.: A web-based e-learning system for increasing study efficiency by stimulating learner’s motivation. Inf. Syst. Front. 8(4), 297–306 (2006)

    CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  4. Blei, D.M., Ng, A., Jordan, M.: Latent dirichlet allocation. J. Mach. Learn. Res. 3, 993–1022 (2003)

    MATH  Google Scholar 

  5. Bodily, R., et al: Open learner models and learning analytics dashboards: a systematic review. In: Proceedings of the 8th International Conference on Learning Analytics and Knowledge, March 2018, pp. 41–50 (2018)

    Google Scholar 

  6. Bonk, C.J., Lee, M.M.: Motivations, achievements, and challenges of self-directed informal learners in open educational environments and MOOCs. J. Learn. Develop. (JL4D) 4(1), 36–57 (2017)

    Google Scholar 

  7. Chen, X., DeBoer, J.: Checkable answers: understanding student behaviors with instant feedback in a blended learning class. In: 2015 IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference (FIE), October 2015, pp. 1–5. IEEE

    Google Scholar 

  8. Cutumisu, M., Schwartz, D.L.: Choosing versus Receiving Feedback: The Impact of Feedback Valence on Learning in an Assessment Game. International Educational Data Mining Society (2016)

    Google Scholar 

  9. Dixson, M.D.: Measuring student engagement in the online course: the online student engagement scale (OSE). Online Learn. 19(4), n4 (2015)

    CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  10. Do, C.B., Chen, Z., Brandman, R., Koller, D.: Self-driven mastery in massive open online courses. In: MOOCs Forum, September 2013, vol. 1, no. P, pp. 14–16. Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., New York (2013)

    Google Scholar 

  11. Epstein, M.L., Epstein, B.B., Brosvic, G.M.: Immediate feedback during academic testing. Psychol. Rep. 88(3), 889–894 (2001)

    CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  12. Gibson, L.: Student-directed learning: an exercise in student engagement. Coll. Teach. 59(3), 95–101 (2011)

    CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  13. Govaerts, S., Verbert, K., Duval, E., Pardo, A.: The student activity meter for awareness and self-reflection. In: Extended Abstracts on Human Factors in Computing Systems, CHI’12, pp. 869–884 (2012)

    Google Scholar 

  14. Grann, J., Bushway, D.: Competency map: visualizing student learning to promote student success. In: Proceedings of the Fourth International Conference on Learning Analytics and Knowledge, March 2014, pp. 168–172 (2014)

    Google Scholar 

  15. Harrold, J.W., Sandland, J.: The influence of immediate homework feedback on student performance and satisfaction in an engineering MOOC. In: 2018 Learning With MOOCS (LWMOOCS), September 2018, pp. 90–93. IEEE (2018)

    Google Scholar 

  16. Hattie, J., Timperley, H.: The power of feedback. Rev. Educ. Res. 77(1), 81–112 (2007)

    CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  17. Hsiao, I.H., Bakalov, F., Brusilovsky, P., König-Ries, B.: Progressor: social navigation support through open social student modeling. New Rev. Hypermedia Multimed. 19(2), 112–131 (2013)

    CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  18. Hung, M.L., Chou, C., Chen, C.H., Own, Z.Y.: Learner readiness for online learning: scale development and student perceptions. Comput. Educ. 55(3), 1080–1090 (2010)

    CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  19. Jivet, I., Scheffel, M., Drachsler, H., Specht, M.: Awareness is not enough: pitfalls of learning analytics dashboards in the educational practice. In: Lavoué, É., Drachsler, H., Verbert, K., Broisin, J., Pérez-Sanagustín, M. (eds.) EC-TEL 2017. LNCS, vol. 10474, pp. 82–96. Springer, Cham (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-66610-5_7

    CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  20. Jordan, K.: Initial trends in enrolment and completion of massive open online courses. Int. Rev. Res. Open Distrib. Lear. 15(1), 133–160 (2014)

    Google Scholar 

  21. Kim, R., Olfman, L., Ryan, T., Eryilmaz, E.: Leveraging a personalized system to improve self-directed learning in online educational environments. Comput. Educ. 70, 150–160 (2014)

    CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  22. Knowles, M.S.: Self-Directed Learning: A Guide for Learners and Teachers. Association Press, New York (1975)

    Google Scholar 

  23. Kuh, G.D.: Assessing what really matters to student learning inside the national survey of student engagement. Change Mag. High. Learn. 33(3), 10–17 (2001)

    CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  24. Lin, B., Hsieh, C.T.: Web-based teaching and learner control: a research review. Comput. Educ. 37(3–4), 377–386 (2001)

    CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  25. Lubega, J., Sun, L., Williams, S.: A design for generating personalised feedback in knowledge construction. In: Lau, R.W.H., Li, Q., Cheung, R., Liu, W. (eds.) ICWL 2005. LNCS, vol. 3583, pp. 302–310. Springer, Heidelberg (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/11528043_30

    CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  26. Santos, J.L., Govaerts, S., Verbert, K., Duval, E.: Goal-oriented visualizations of activity tracking: a case study with engineering students. In: Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Learning Analytics and Knowledge, April 2012, pp. 143–152 (2012)

    Google Scholar 

  27. Santos, J.L., Verbert, K., Govaerts, S., Duval, E.: Addressing learner issues with StepUp! an evaluation. In: Proceedings of the Third International Conference on Learning Analytics and Knowledge, April 2013, pp. 14–22 (2013)

    Google Scholar 

  28. Song, D., Bonk, C.J.: Motivational factors in self-directed informal learning from online learning resources. Cogent Educ. 3(1), 1205838 (2016)

    CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  29. Staikopoulos, A., et al.: AMASE: a framework for supporting personalised activity-based learning on the web. Comput. Sci. Inf. Syst. 11(1), 343–367 (2014)

    CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  30. Staikopoulos A., OKeeffe, I., Yousuf, B., Conlan, O., Walsh, E., Wade, V.: Enhancing student engagement through personalized motivations. In: 2015 IEEE 15th International Conference on Advanced Learning Technologies, pp. 340–344. IEEE (2015)

    Google Scholar 

  31. Steele, J., Holbeck, R.: Five elements that impact quality feedback in the online asynchronous classroom. J. Educators Online 15(3), n3 (2018)

    CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  32. Vasilyeva, E., De Bra, P., Pechenizkiy, M., Puuronen, S.: Tailoring feedback in online assessment: influence of learning styles on the feedback preferences and elaborated feedback effectiveness. In: 2008 Eighth IEEE International Conference on Advanced Learning Technologies, July 2008, pp. 834–838. IEEE (2008)

    Google Scholar 

  33. Walonoski, J.A., Heffernan, N.T.: Detection and analysis of off-task gaming behavior in intelligent tutoring systems. In: Ikeda, M., Ashley, K.D., Chan, T.-W. (eds.) ITS 2006. LNCS, vol. 4053, pp. 382–391. Springer, Heidelberg (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/11774303_38

    CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  34. Yousuf, B., Staikopoulos, A., Conlan, O.: Motivating students to enhance their knowledge levels through personalized and scrutable visual narratives. In: Pammer-Schindler, V., Pérez-Sanagustín, M., Drachsler, H., Elferink, R., Scheffel, M. (eds.) EC-TEL 2018. LNCS, vol. 11082, pp. 136–150. Springer, Cham (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-98572-5_11

    CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  35. Yousuf, B., Conlan, O.: Supporting student engagement through explorable visual narratives. IEEE Trans. Learn. Technol. 11(3), 307–320 (2017)

    CrossRef  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This research is supported by the Science Foundation Ireland through the CNGL program (Grant 12/CE/I2267) in the ADAPT Center (www.adaptcentre.ie) at Trinity College Dublin.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. ADAPT Centre, School of Computer Science and Statistics, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland

    Bilal Yousuf, Owen Conlan & Vincent Wade

Authors
  1. Bilal Yousuf
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Owen Conlan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Vincent Wade
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Bilal Yousuf , Owen Conlan or Vincent Wade .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, Leganés (Madrid), Spain

    Carlos Alario-Hoyos

  2. Tallinn University, Tallinn, Estonia

    María Jesús Rodríguez-Triana

  3. Open University Netherlands, Heerlen, The Netherlands

    Maren Scheffel

  4. Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland

    Inmaculada Arnedillo-Sánchez

  5. Graz University of Technology and Know-Center, Graz, Austria

    Sebastian Maximilian Dennerlein

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

Copyright information

© 2020 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this paper

Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this paper

Yousuf, B., Conlan, O., Wade, V. (2020). Assessing the Impact of the Combination of Self-directed Learning, Immediate Feedback and Visualizations on Student Engagement in Online Learning. In: Alario-Hoyos, C., Rodríguez-Triana, M.J., Scheffel, M., Arnedillo-Sánchez, I., Dennerlein, S.M. (eds) Addressing Global Challenges and Quality Education. EC-TEL 2020. Lecture Notes in Computer Science(), vol 12315. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-57717-9_20

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-57717-9_20

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-57716-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-57717-9

  • eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)