Analysing digital usage and academic performance: a case study with university students

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1344/reire2020.13.229267

Keywords:

Records of uses, Learning, Skills, Learning analytics, Grades and marks

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: The study reports on the use made by a group of university students of digital technology during a face-to-face course by analysing the digital record they left in the virtual learning environments that were complementary to the course; it also reports on the grades and marks the students obtained in the formative and summative phases of the course assessment. The objective was to determine whether there is a positive relationship between the greater use digital platforms and higher grades and marks. METHOD: This quantitative study used non-experimental descriptive research to examine a population of economics undergraduates completing a course in advanced microeconomic analysis at the Universidad Complutense de Madrid. RESULTS: The students' use of digital technology was traditional and showed polarity, meaning that it was characterised by different typologies and patterns of learning. Usage was also very much conditioned by the programming of formative assessment and was positively correlated with grades and marks. DISCUSSION: There is a need for more research on the relationship between digital usage and learning outcomes. This research will contribute to teacher reflection and reorient the teaching process, ultimately helping students who are lagging behind in digital usage to keep abreast of their learning and achieve better academic results.

References

Amo, D., y Santiago, R. (2017). Learning Analytics. La narración del aprendizaje a través de los datos. Editorial UOC.

ANECA. (2017). Informe sobre el estado de la evaluación externa de la calidad en las universidades españolas 2017. ANECA. http://www.aneca.es/Documentos-y-publicaciones/Informes-sobre-calidad-universitaria

Asif, R., Merceron, A., Ali, S. A., y Haider, N. G. (2017). Analyzing undergraduate students’ performance using educational data mining. Computers & Education, 113, 177–194. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2017.05.007

Banihashem, S. K., Aliabadi, K., Ardakani, S. P., Delaver A., y Ahmadabadi, M. N. (2018). Learning Analytics: A Systematic Literature Review. Interdisciplinary Journal of Virtual Learning in Medical Science, 9(2), e63024. http://doi.org/10.2196/11241

Bates, A. W. (2015). Teaching in a Digital Age: Guidelines for designing teaching and learning. Tony Bates Associates. https://opentextbc.ca/teachinginadigitalage/

Bogarín, A., Cerezo, R., y Romero, C. (2018). Discovering learning processes using Inductive Miner: A case study with Learning Management Systems (LMSs). Psicothema, 30(3), 322–329. https://doi.org/10.7334/psicothema2018.116

Borrás Gené, O. (2017). Insignias digitales como acreditación de competencias en la Universidad. Gabinete de Tele-Educación, Vicerrectorado de Servicios Tecnológicos, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid. http://oa.upm.es/47460/1/Insignias%20digitales%20como%20acreditacion%20de%20competencias%20en%20la%20Universidad.pdf

Brown, M. (2012). Learning Analytics: Moving from concept to practice. EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative. https://library.educause.edu/resources/2012/7/learning-analytics-moving-from-concept-to-practice

Buckingham S., y Ferguson, R. (2012). Social Learning Analytics. Educational Technology & Society, 15(3), 3–26. https://drive.google.com/open?id=1fu8JL6t8pwfGSkAnktZ4AEWChPjRnbdI

Campbell, J. P. (2007). Utilizing Student Data within the Course Management System to Determine Undergraduate Student Academic Success: An Exploratory Study [Tesis doctoral, Purdue University]. https://docs.lib.purdue.edu/dissertations/AAI3287222/

Cerda, C., Huete-Nahuel, J., Molina-Sandoval, D., Ruminot-Martel, E., y Saiz, J. L. (2017). Uso de Tecnologías Digitales y Logro Académico en Estudiantes de Pedagogía Chilenos. Estudios pedagógicos (Valdivia), 43(3), 119–133. https://doi.org/10.4067/S0718-07052017000300007

Cerezo, R., Sánchez-Santillan, M., Paule-Ruiz, M. P., y Núñez, J. C. (2016). Students’ LMS interaction patterns and their relationship with achievement: a case study in higher education. Computers & Education, 96, 42–54. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2016.02.006

Coll, C., Engel, A., y Niño, S. (2017). La actividad de los participantes como fuente de información para promover la colaboración. Una analítica del aprendizaje basada en el modelo de Influencia Educativa Distribuida. RED Revista de Educación a Distancia, 53, 1–36. http://doi.org/10.6018/red/53/2

Dawson, S., Gašević, D., Siemens, G., y Joksimovic, S. (2014). Current State and Future Trends: A Citation Network Analysis of the Learning Analytics Field. En Proceedings of the Fourth International Conference on Learning Analytics and Knowledge, 231–240. ACM. https://doi.org/10.1145/2567574.2567585

Díaz-Barriga, Á. (2011). Competencias en educación. Corrientes de pensamiento e implicaciones para el currículo y el trabajo en el aula. Revista Iberoamericana de Educación Superior, II(5), 3–24. http://www.scielo.org.mx/pdf/ries/v2n5/v2n5a1.pdf

Durall, E., y Gros, B. (2014). Learning analytics as a metacognitive tool. En Proceedings of the 6th International Conference on Computer Supported Education (Vol. 1, pp. 380–384). https://doi.org/10.5220/0004933203800384

ENQA. (2018). Considerations for quality assurance of e-learning provision. Report from the ENQA Working Group VIII on quality assurance and e-learning. https://enqa.eu/indirme/Considerations%20for%20QA%20of%20e-learning%20provision.pdf

Ferguson, R. (2012). Learning analytics: drivers, developments and challenges. International Journal of Technology Enhanced Learning, 4(5/6), 304–317. https://doi.org/10.1504/IJTEL.2012.051816

Ferguson, R., Brasher A., Clow, D., Cooper, A., Hillaire, G., Mittelmeier, J., Rienties, B., y Ullmann, T. (2016). Research Evidence on the Use of Learning Analytics - Implications for Education Policy (R. Vuorikari y J. Castaño Muñoz, eds.). Joint Research Centre Science for Policy Report. https://doi.org/10.2791/955210

Ferguson, R., y Clow, D. (2017). Where is the evidence? A call to action for learning analytics. En LAK ’17. Proceedings of the Seventh International Learning Analytics & Knowledge Conference, International Conference Proceeding Series (pp. 56–65). ACM. https://doi.org/10.1145/3027385.3027396

Ferrari, A. (2013). DIGCOMP: A Framework for Developing and Understanding Digital Competence in Europe. Institute for Prospective Technological Studies. https://doi.org/10.2788/52966

Fidalgo-Blanco, A., Sein-Echaluce, M. L., García-Peñalvo, F. J., y Conde, M. Á. (2015). Using Learning Analytics to improve teamwork assessment. Computers in Human Behavior, 47, 149–156. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2014.11.050

Florido, C., Jiménez, J. L., y Navarro, Y. (2019). Normas de permanencia y calendario de exámenes: ¿afectan al rendimiento académico universitario? Cultura y Educación, 31(1), 93–119. https://doi.org/10.1080/11356405.2018.1564571

Fuente-Valentín, L., y Burgos, D. (2015). A4Learning: An iterative methodological approach to support better learning and teaching. IEEE Latin America Transactions, 13(2), 483–489. https://doi.org/10.1109/TLA.2015.7055568

Fuente-Valentín, L., Pardo, A., López, F., y Burgos, D. (2015). A Visual Analytics Method for Score Estimation in Learning Courses. Journal of Universal Computer Science, 21(1), 134–155. https://doi.org/10.3217/jucs-021-01-0134

García-Valcárcel Muñoz-Repiso, A., y Tejedor Tejedor, F. J. (2017). Percepción de los estudiantes sobre el valor de las TIC en sus estrategias de aprendizaje y su relación con el rendimiento. Educación XX1, 20(2), 137–159. https://doi.org/10.5944/educxx1.19035

Gros, B. (2016). The design of smart educational environments. Smart Learning Environments, 3(15), 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40561-016-0039-x

Guitert, M., Romeu, T., y Pérez-Mateo, M. (2007). Competencias TIC y trabajo en equipo en entornos virtuales. RUSC Universities and Knowledge Society Journal, 4(1), 1–12. https://doi.org/10.7238/rusc.v4i1.289

Gutiérrez Martín, A., Palacios Picos, A., y Torrego Egido, L. (2010). Tribus digitales en las aulas universitarias. Comunicar, 17(34), 173–181. https://doi.org/10.3916/C34-2010-03-17

Harrison, C., y Killion, J. (2007). Ten roles for teacher leaders. Educational Leadership, 65(1) 74–77. http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/sept07/vol65/num01/ten-roles-for-teacher-leaders.aspx

Haya, P. A., Daems, O., Malzahn, N., Castellanos, J., y Hoppe, H. U. (2015). Analysing Content and Patterns of Interaction for Improving the Learning Design of Networked Learning Environments, British Journal of Educational Technology, 46(2), 300–316. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjet.12264

Herrero Martínez, R. (2014). El papel de las TIC en el aula universitaria para la formación en competencias del alumnado. Píxel-Bit. Revista de Medios y Educación, 45, 173–188. https://recyt.fecyt.es/index.php/pixel/article/view/61639/37650

Iglesia Villasol, M. C. (2018). Aprendizaje Basado en un Proyecto Docente: Aprendizaje, creatividad, innovación y nuevos roles en la formación de profesorado en la era digital. Revista Complutense de Educación, 29(4), 1253–1278. https://doi.org/10.5209/RCED.55256

Iglesia Villasol, M. C. (2019). Learning Analytics para una visión tipificada del aprendizaje de los estudiantes. Un estudio de caso. Revista Iberoamericana de Educación, 80(1), 55–87. https://doi.org/10.35362/rie8013444

Kaur, P., Singh, M., y Josan, G. S. (2015). Classification and prediction based data mining algorithms to predict slow learners in education sector [Comunicación presentada]. 3rd International Conference on Recent Trends in Computing (ICRTC-2015). https://library.educause.edu/-/media/files/library/2012/7/elib1203-pdf.pdf

Kruse, A., y Pongsajapan, R. (2012). Student-Centered Learning Analytics. CNDLS Thought Papers. https://cndls.georgetown.edu/m/documents/thoughtpaper-krusepongsajapan.pdf

Lodge, J. M., y Corrin, L. (2017). What data and analytics can and do say about effective learning. Npj Science of Learning, 2(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41539-017-0006-5

Long, Ph., y Siemens, G. (2011). Penetrating the Fog: Analytics in Learning and Education. EDUCAUSE Review, 46(5), 30–40. https://er.educause.edu/~/media/files/article-downloads/erm1151.pdf

Macfadyen, L. P., y Dawson S., (2010). Mining LMS Data to Develop an ‘Early Warning System’ for Educators: A Proof of Concept. Computers & Education, 54(2), 588–599. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2009.09.008

Martín, M. A., Arranz, G., González, M. A., Páramo, R., Alarcia, E., Fernandoz, M. L., y González, M. L. (2003). Análisis del fracaso escolar y desarrollo de acciones de mejora [Comunicación presentada]. XI Congreso Universitario de Innovación Educativa en las Enseñanzas Técnicas, Barcelona.

Martínez Rodríguez, E., Arteaga Martínez, B., y Pérez Martín, M. (2017). Description of an experience in university classroom teaching-learning: can the learning of statistics be improved through virtual forums? [Comunicación presentada]. ICERI2017, 10th annual International Conference of Education, Research and Innovation. https://doi.org/10.21125/iceri.2017.1105

Mazza, R., y Botturi, L. (2007). Monitoring an Online Course with the GISMO Tool: A Case Study. Journal of Interactive Learning Research, 18(2), 251–265.

Mazza, R., y Dimitrova, V. (2003). Informing the design of a course data visualisator: An empirical study. En C. Jutz, F. Flückiger, y K. Wäfler (Eds.), 5th International Conference on New Educational Environments (ICNEE 2003) (pp. 215–220). Sauerländer Verlage AG.

Palazón-Herrera, J. (2015). Motivación del alumnado de educación secundaria a través del uso de insignias digitales. Opción, 31(1), 1059–1079. https://produccioncientificaluz.org/index.php/opcion/article/view/20164/20088

Plaza de la Hoz, J. (2014). Cómo afecta el uso de Internet a los estudiantes adolescentes [Comunicación presentada]. III Congresso Internacional das TIC na Educação, Lisboa.

Prensky, M. (2013). Enseñar a nativos digitales. SM Ediciones.

Rodríguez-Triana, M. J., Martínez-Monés, A., Asensio-Pérez, J. L., y Dimitriadis, Y. (2015). Scripting and monitoring meet each other: Aligning learning analytics and learning design to support teachers in orchestrating CSCL situations. British Journal of Educational Technology, 46(2), 330–343.

Romero, C., y Ventura, S. (2007). Educational data mining: A survey from 1995 to 2005. Expert Systems with Applications, 33(1), 135–146. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eswa.2006.04.005

Romero, C., Ventura S., y García, E. (2008). Data mining in course management systems: Moodle case study and tutorial. Computers & Education, 51(1), 368–384. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2007.05.016

Sabariego, M. (2012). El proceso de investigación (parte 2). En R. Bisquerra (coord.), Metodología de la investigación educativa (3ª ed., pp. 127–163). La Muralla.

Sampson, D. (2017). Teaching and learning analytics to support teacher inquiry. En 2017 IEEE Global Engineering Education Conference (EDUCON), Atenas, Grecia. https://doi.org/10.1109/EDUCON.2017.7943109

Sánchez-Acosta, E., Escribano-Otero, J. J., y Valderrama, F. (2014). Motivación en la educación masiva online Desarrollo y experimentación de un sistema de acreditaciones para los MOOC. Digital Education Review, 25, 18–35. http://revistes.ub.edu/index.php/der/article/view/11326

Saqr, M., Fors, U., y Tedre, M. (2017). How learning analytics can early predict under-achieving students in a blended medical education course. Medical Teacher, 39(7), 757–767. https://dx.doi.org/10.1080/0142159X.2017.1309376

Siemens, G. (2013). Learning Analytics: The Emergence of a Discipline. American Behavioral Scientist, 57(10), 1380–1400. https://doi.org/10.1177/0002764213498851

Siemens, G., y Baker, R. S. J. (2012). Learning analytics and educational data mining: towards communication and collaboration. En S. Buckingham, D. Gasevic y R. Ferguson (eds.), Proceedings of the II International Conference on Learning Analytics and Knowledge (LAK '12) (pp. 252–254). ACM. https://dx.doi.org/10.1145/2330601.2330661

Stewart, C. (2017). Learning Analytics: Shifting from theory to practice. Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence, 1(1), 95–105. https://doi.org/10.15142/T3G63W

Suthers, D., y Verbert, K. (2013). Learning analytics as a “middle space”. En Proceedings. Third International Conference on Learning Analytics and Knowledge (pp. 1–4). ACM. https://doi.org/10.1145/2460296.2460298

Vela-Pérez, M., Hernández-Estrada, A., Tirado-Domínguez, G., Martínez-Rodríguez, M. E., y Peñaloza-Figueroa, J. L. (2017). Learning Analytics to classify students according to their activity in Moodle. EDULEARN17 Proceedings (pp. 1166–1172). https://doi.org/10.21125/edulearn.2017.1241

Viñals Blanco, A., y Cuenca Amigo, J. (2016). El rol del docente en la era digital. Revista Interuniversitaria de Formación del Profesorado, 86(30.2), 103–114. http://www.redalyc.org/pdf/274/27447325008.pdf

Published

2020-07-01

How to Cite

de la Iglesia Villasol, M. C. (2020). Analysing digital usage and academic performance: a case study with university students. REIRE Revista d’Innovació I Recerca En Educació, 13(2), 1–20. https://doi.org/10.1344/reire2020.13.229267

Issue

Section

Research Articles