Perspectives on learner engagement

Welcome to the third issue of Open Learning: The Journal of Open, Distance and e-Learning for 2024. This issue features articles broadly on the subject of learner engagement from different perspectives, with contributions from researchers based in Spain, New Zealand, Greece, the UK, Turkey, India and Canada.

The first paper, by Figueroa-Cañas and Sancho-Vinuesa (2021), from the Universtat Oberta De Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain, focuses on the use of learning analytics to develop targeted support aimed at reducing the dropout rate on an online statistics course. The authors take readers through two phases of their project: determination of an early classifier to identify students at risk of dropping out, and the subsequent design and implementation of an intervention based on the outcomes of the first phase. The article provides an extensive literature review exploring the use of interventions, and also shares insights into the nature of interventions from the student perspective, through analysis of interviews conducted with the target group. Readers may also be interested to read other related work around the use of learning interventions previously published in Open Learning, for example, Pinchbeck and Heaney’s (2017) case report focused on an intervention designed to encourage sport and fitness students to complete resubmissions, and a paper by Herodotou et al. (2017), on the use of randomised control trials to evaluate interventions focused on student completion of end-of-module speaking assessments in intermediate language courses.

Keeping with the subject of learning analytics, the next paper, a case report by Nichols (2021) from the Open Polytechnic of New Zealand, documents the development of an ethical framework for the use of analytics in higher education. Using global guidelines developed by Slade and Tait (2019), the article works through four steps in developing such a position: appraising existing compliance and policy statements; defining the use of student data; drafting an ethics position for learning analytics and approving the position and extending practice. A discussion focusing on the different categories of student data is presented, whilst the reader is also challenged to think about various ethical problems associated with using analytics, such as assigning numerical values to individuals, and profiling students on the basis of stereotype. Institutions considering their own position on this subject and who are looking to develop their own guidance should find this article useful.

The third paper, a case report by Mikroyannidis and Papastilianou (2021), focuses on the development of an Open Educational Resource (OER) authoring and sharing platform in the Greek public sector. The development and use of OERs is a popular topic for Open Learning, and this article will be of particular interest to any readers engaged in co-creation of resources and developing learning communities. The OER in question comprises a wide range of learning materials and resources, delivered via a host of pilot online, face-to-face and blended courses and face-to-face workshops to over 750 trainees. Salmon’s five stage model of teaching and learning online (2004) informed the training approach, with trainees engaged in a variety of learning activities, including collaborative creation of the OER. A three-phased approach to evaluation, based on Kirkpatrick and Kirkpatrick’s training evaluation model (2006), examines user feedback, learning reactions, impact assessment and results.

The fourth paper, by Rogers, Thomas and Holmes (2021) from The Open University UK, explores ways to encourage learner engagement and participation in synchronous – real-time – spaces, through research focused on the use of three different active learning approaches in online mathematics tutorials: solving mathematical problems via polling, on-screen activities on a shared whiteboard and the use of text-chat. Data and feedback are collected via a wide range of sources: tutorial observations; surveys with both students and tutors; semi-structured interviews with students, and a tutor focus group. The resultant analysis provides insights on levels of participation, perceptions of activities, benefits, and the kind of technological challenges both students and tutors face online. The authors draw some helpful conclusions on how to engage students in online spaces.

The final two articles focus on the important topic of learner interaction. Based on research conducted at Anadolu University, Turkey, Ozsari and Aydin’s (2021) paper examines the interaction preferences of almost 700 distance learning students and their demographic statistics. Using Anderson’s Interaction Equivalency Theorem (2003), the authors developed an online questionnaire to determine preferred interaction types (learner-content; learner-instructor; learner–learner) in different learning environments (online and face to face). The study provides a wide-ranging literature review and draws interesting conclusions about interaction preferences in different contexts as well as in relation to demographic and educational characteristics. This work prompts thinking about course design, and how best to engage with learners in online spaces.

The final paper, by Tirthali and Murai (2021), looks at learner behaviour in asynchronous online discussion forums, through the close analysis of participant-initiated discussion threads in Learning Creative Learning, a massive open online course (MOOC). The authors explore the type of posts that help or hinder continued conversation, as well as the ways in which discussion threads achieve depth, structurally as well as conceptually. Drawing on quantitative data analysis, using Jeong’s (2003) predictive Discussion Analysis Tool (DAT), and qualitative analysis, via the close reading of discussion threads, the authors provide insights into learner interactions, as well as sharing implications for design and facilitation of forums. Readers interested in this topic may also consider looking at other work already published in Open Learning, such as Griffin and Roy’s (2022) paper, which focuses on undergraduate and postgraduate students’ perceptions of using online forums.

This issue concludes with a book review by Strang (2022) who reviews Participant Experience in an Inquiry-based Massive Open Online Course by Nathaniel Ostashewski and Martha Cleveland-Innes (2022).

To complete this editorial, I would like to thank our hard-working editorial assistant Vicky Cole, and Paola Trimarco, our book reviews editor; I wouldn’t have been able to prepare this issue without you. I would also like to sincerely thank all our peer reviewers, whose contributions are always invaluable.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).