Using Prior Knowledge and Student Engagement to Understand Student Performance in an Undergraduate Learning-to-Learn Course

This study examined prior knowledge and student engagement in student performance. Log data were used to explore the distribution of final grades (i.e., weak, good, excellent final grades) occurring in an elective under-graduate course. Previous research has established behavioral and agentic engagement factors contribute to academic achievement (Reeve, 2013). Hierarchical logistic regression using both prior knowledge and log data from the course revealed: (a) the weak-grades group demonstrated less behavioral engagement than the good-grades group, (b) the good-grades group demonstrated less agentic engagement than the excellent-grades group, and (c) models composed of both prior knowledge and engagement measures were more accurate than models composed of only engagement measures. Findings demonstrate students performing at different grade-levels may experience different challenges in their course engagement. This study informs our own instructional strategies and interventions to increase student success in the course and provides recommendations for other instructors to support student success

Explorer les facteurs d’engagement des étudiants et des étudiantes dans un cours d’apprentissage hybride de premier cycle

Student engagement is an important factor in academic performance and comprises four dimensions: behavioural, cognitive, emotional (Fredericks et al., 2004), and agentic (Reeve, 2013). Blended courses provide unique opportunities for instructors to use trace data collected during learning to understand and support student engagement. This mixed-methods case study compared the student engagement of two groups of students with a history of low prior academic achievement. The groups were (a) students who ultimately did well in the course and (b) students who did poorly. Data came from two primary sources: (a) log file data from the course LMS, and (b) trace data derived from authentic learning tasks. Data represented five indicators: (a) behavioural engagement, (b) cognitive engagement, (c) emotions experienced during learning, (d) agency or proactive approaches to studying, and (e) overall academic engagement. Findings indicated students who moved achievement groups showed higher levels of behavioural engagement, cognitive engagement, and agentic or proactive approaches to studying and overall engagement. Additionally, students who remained in the low achievement group showed higher levels of positive deactivating emotions (e.g., relief). Implications for future research on student engagement and designing teaching to increase engagement in blended courses are discussed.L’engagement des étudiants et des étudiantes est un facteur important dans la performance des étudiants et des étudiantes et comprend quatre dimensions : comportementale, cognitive, émotionnelle (Fredericks et al, 2004) et agentique (Reeve, 2013). Les cours hybrides fournissent aux instructeurs et aux instructrices des occasions uniques d’utiliser les données rassemblées au cours de l’apprentissage pour comprendre et soutenir l’engagement des étudiants. Dans cette étude de cas à méthodes mixtes, nous avons comparé l’engagement des étudiants et des étudiantes de deux groupes qui avaient eu antérieurement de faibles résultats académiques. Les groupes consistaient (a) d’étudiants et d’étudiantes qui, en fin de compte, avaient réussi le cours et (b) d’étudiants et d’étudiantes qui avaient obtenu des résultats médiocres. Les données provenaient de deux sources principales : (a) les données du fichier journal du cours LSM et (b) les données de traces dérivées de tâches d’apprentissage authentique. Les données représentaient cinq indicateurs : (a) l’engagement comportemental, (b) l’engagement cognitif, (c) l’expérience émotionnelle durant l’apprentissage, (d) les approches proactives à l’apprentissage et (e) l’engagement académique général. Les résultats ont indiqué que les étudiants et les étudiantes qui avaient fait bouger les groupes de réussite avaient des niveaux supérieurs d’engagement comportemental, d’engagement cognitif et d’approches proactives à l’apprentissage et à un engagement général. De plus, les étudiants qui étaient restés dans le groupe à faibles résultats avaient démontré des niveaux plus élevés d’émotions désactivantes positives (par ex. le soulagement). Les implications pour des recherches futures sur l’engagement des étudiants et la conception de cours pour augmenter l’engagement dans les cours hybrides sont discutées

Eat, play, live: a randomized controlled trial within a natural experiment examining the role of nutrition policy and capacity building in improving food environments in recreation and sport facilities

Background: Recreation and sport facilities often have unhealthy food environments that may promote unhealthy dietary patterns among children. In response, some Canadian provinces have released voluntary nutrition guidelines for recreation and sport facilities, however implementation has been limited. Organizational capacity building may overcome barriers to implementing guidelines. Eat, Play, Live was a randomized controlled trial embedded within a natural experiment that tested the impact of an 18 month capacity building intervention (CBI) in enhancing implementation of provincial nutrition guidelines, and whether nutrition guidelines were associated with positive changes. Primary outcomes were facility capacity, policy development and food environment quality. Methods: Recreation and sport facilities in three guideline provinces were randomized into a guideline + CBI (GL + CBI; n = 17) or a guideline only comparison condition (GL-ONLY; n = 15). Facilities in a province without guidelines constituted a second comparison condition (NO-GL; n = 17). Facility capacity, policy development, and food environment quality (vending and concession) were measured and compared at baseline and follow-up across conditions using repeated measures ANOVA and Chi-square statistics. Healthfulness of vending and concession items was rated as Do Not Sell (least nutritious), Sell Sometimes or Sell Most (most nutritious). Results: There were significant time by condition effects, with significant increases in facility capacity (mean ± SD: 30.8 ± 15.6% to 62.3 ± 22.0%; p <  0.01), nutrition policy development (17.6% developed new policies; p = 0.049), overall quality of the concession food environment (14.7 ± 8.4 to 17.5 ± 7.2; p <  0.001), and in the proportion of Sell Most (3.7 ± 4.4% to 11.0 ± 9.0%; p = 0.002) and Sell Sometimes vending snacks (22.4 ± 14.4% to 43.8 ± 15.8%; p <  0.001) in GL + CBI facilities, with a significant decline in Do Not Sell vending snacks (74.0 ± 16.6% to 45.2 ± 20.1%; p <  0.001). Conclusions: Significant improvements in facility capacity, policy development and food environment quality occurred in recreation and sport facilities that were exposed to nutrition guidelines and participated in a CBI. Outcomes did not improve in facilities that were only passively or not at all exposed to guidelines. Ongoing capacity building may enhance implementation of voluntary nutrition guidelines, however food environments remained overwhelmingly unhealthy, suggesting additional scope to enhance implementation. Trials registration Clinical trials registration (retrospectively registered): ISRCTN14669997 Jul 3, 2018.Medicine, Faculty ofOther UBCNon UBCPopulation and Public Health (SPPH), School ofReviewedFacult