Online module login data as a proxy measure of student engagement: the case of myUnisa, MoyaMA, Flipgrid, and Gephi at an ODeL institution in South Africa

Abstract The current study employed online module login data harvested from three tools, myUnisa, MoyaMA and Flipgrid to determine how such data served as a proxy measure of student engagement. The first tool is a legacy learning management system (LMS) utilised for online learning at the University of South Africa (UNISA), while the other two tools are a mobile messaging application and an educational video discussion platform, respectively. In this regard, the study set out to investigate the manner in which module login data of undergraduate students (n = 3475 & n = 2954) and a cohort of Mathew Goniwe students (n = 27) enrolled for a second-level module, ENG2601, as extracted from myUnisa, MoyaMA, and Flipgrid served as a proxy measure of student engagement. Collectively, these students were registered for this second-level module at UNISA at the time the study was conducted. The online login data comprised myUnisa module login file access frequencies. In addition, the online login data consisted of the frequencies of instant messages (IMs) posted on MoyaMA by both the facilitator and Mathew Goniwe students, and video clips posted on and video clip view frequencies captured by Flipgrid in respect of the afore-cited module. One finding of this study is that student engagement as measured by login file access frequencies was disproportionally skewed toward one module file relative to other module files. The other finding of this study is that the overall module file access metrics of the Mathew Goniwe group were disproportionally concentrated in a sub-cohort of highly active users (HAU)

Evaluating a Structured Online Peer Evaluation System Among Graduate-Level Communication Capstone Students Through Action Research

Although enrollment in online courses continues to accelerate, challenges exist in online learning. A failure to experience collaboration and interaction can impact student retention and success. While peer review activity promotes student interaction, a collaborative community of learners, and critical thinking skills, higher education environments have failed to equip students with the knowledge and tools to ensure adept participation. As students offered limited participation and low-quality engagement in routine online peer review activities, the purpose of this action research was to implement and evaluate the impact of a structured online peer evaluation system for Graduate Communication Capstone students at the University of North Coast Muscari (UNCM). This study incorporated a structured peer evaluation system, including an interactive educational technology peer review tool kit innovation. The theoretical framework of the innovation was aligned to learning theory and grounded in Vygotsky’s zone of proximal development, cognitive and mind tools, and Constructivist theory of cognitive apprenticeship. Data collection offered seven methods and data analysis included quantitative and qualitative approaches as part of a triangulation mixed methods design. Community of Inquiry (CoI) deductive analysis was performed to denote social and cognitive presences, while further validating the themes that had emerged through qualitative data analysis. As an impact of this research study, students used the structured peer evaluation system to transform anxiety into social and cognitive freedom, producing a focused, responsible approach to peer learning

Fostering Emerging Online Learner Persistence In Teacher Candidates: The Role Of Online Discussions

As the popularity of online learning continues to grow, so do concerns about online student success. This study aims to contribute to the continuous improvement of online learning and improve outcomes for a distinct group of online learners. Utilizing social presence, the expectancy-value theory of motivation, and capitalizing on innovative technologies, I advance a new framework that expands online discussions for emerging online learners, undergraduates enrolled in online and on-campus courses, and the predominant consumer of online courses. The emerging online learners in this study were also prospective teachers (n=80) enrolled in a teacher preparation course at a small midwestern liberal arts college. The teacher candidates participated in two different online discussions using multimodal asynchronous and synchronous technologies and then completed a questionnaire with both Likert scale and open-ended items about their experiences. The results validate this novel framework for this group of teacher candidates and demonstrate (1) both types of discussions tend to support social presence, (2) outside of the factor of convenience; students value synchronous discussions over asynchronous discussions for the connection with peers that supports their learning, and (3) there are positive associations between social presence and values. The recommendations I share call for teacher educators to use a blended model of online discussion design that includes both asynchronous and synchronous opportunities. While the results of this study may not be generalizable in the traditional sense, they do have implications for the design of online discussions in other fields

Evaluating Impact and Perception of a Structured Online Peer Evaluation System Among Graduate Communication Capstone Students Through Action Research

Although enrollment in online courses continues to accelerate, challenges exist in online learning. A failure to experience collaboration and interaction can impact student retention and success. While peer review activity provides student interaction and the development of a collaborative community of learners, higher education environments have failed to equip students with the knowledge and tools to ensure adept participation. As students offer limited participation and low-quality engagement in routine online peer review activities, the purpose of this action research was to implement and evaluate the impact of a structured online peer evaluation system for Graduate Communication Capstone students at the University of North Coast Muscari (UNCM). An initial research question asked, “How does using a structured peer evaluation system impact the peer review process in an online Graduate Communication Capstone classroom at UNCM?” A second research question sought to discover, “What are the perceptions of students regarding a structured peer evaluation system in support of online asynchronous peer review activity in a Graduate Communication Capstone classroom at UNCM?” This study incorporated a structured peer evaluation system, including an interactive educational technology peer review tool kit innovation that delivered training, tools, prompts, examples, rubrics, and more. Data collection offered preterm and postterm questionnaires, observational field notes, one-on-one interviews, researcher’s handwritten interview notations, and student post artifacts. Data analysis included quantitative and qualitative approaches as part of a triangulation mixed methods research design, with findings integrated via a convergent process (Mertler, 2017). As an impact of this research study, the students used the structured peer evaluation system to transform excitement and anxiousness into social and cognitive freedom, producing a focused, responsible approach to peer learning. The study participants’ perceptions included their ability to use the peer review tool kit to experience confidence and empowerment as well as to experience a collaborative community of learners through peer review engagement. This research study offers implications for the continued integration of learning theory into educational technology, the placement of the structured approach earlier in the students’ learning pathway, and the incorporation of additional resources to assist students in overcoming anxiety associated with peer review participation