ERIC Number: EJ1454947
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2024
Pages: 31
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: EISSN-2196-7822
Available Date: N/A
Subtopic-Specific Heterogeneity in Computer-Based Learning Behaviors
HaeJin Lee; Nigel Bosch
International Journal of STEM Education, v11 Article 61 2024
Self-regulated learning (SRL) strategies can be domain specific. However, it remains unclear whether this specificity extends to different subtopics within a single subject domain. In this study, we collected data from 210 college students engaged in a computer-based learning environment to examine the heterogeneous manifestations of learning behaviors across four distinct subtopics in introductory statistics. Further, we explore how the time spent engaging in metacognitive strategies correlated with learning gain in those subtopics. By employing two different analytical approaches that combine data-driven learning analytics (i.e., sequential pattern mining in this case), and theory-informed methods (i.e., coherence analysis), we discovered significant variability in the frequency of learning patterns that are potentially associated with SRL-relevant strategies across four subtopics. In a subtopic related to calculations, engagement in coherent quizzes (i.e., a type of metacognitive strategy) was found to be significantly less related to learning gains compared to other subtopics. Additionally, we found that students with different levels of prior knowledge and learning gains demonstrated varying degrees of engagement in learning patterns in an SRL context. The findings imply that the use--and the effectiveness--of learning patterns that are potentially associated with SRL-relevant strategies varies not only across contexts and domains, but even across different subtopics within a single subject. This underscores the importance of personalized, context-aware SRL training interventions in computer-based learning environments, which could significantly enhance learning outcomes by addressing the heterogeneous relationships between SRL activities and outcomes. Further, we suggest theoretical implications of subtopic-specific heterogeneity within the context of various SRL models. Understanding SRL heterogeneity enhances these theories, offering more nuanced insights into learners' metacognitive strategies across different subtopics.
Descriptors: Computer Assisted Instruction, Self Management, Intellectual Disciplines, College Students, Educational Environment, Introductory Courses, Statistics, Data Use, Learning, Student Behavior, Learning Processes, Metacognition, Learning Activities, Student Attitudes, Student Characteristics
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: National Science Foundation (NSF)
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: 2202481
Author Affiliations: N/A