As the digital transformation of education continues to accelerate, there is a critical need to understand how different learning behaviors impact student outcomes in online courses. This research aims to understand the correlation between learning patterns and performance in an 8-week, instructor-paced online Python programming course designed for year-1 business major students. The course employs CSCircles, a comprehensive learning platform that offers course materials, exercises, automated code grading, and learning support. By harnessing learning analytics techniques, this study analyzes students' activities on CSCircles, focusing on the frequency, duration, and sequence of their engagement with course resources.

The primary objective is to identify learning patterns that correlate with higher performance in the final test administered in week 8. The research explores the following questions: How do students' learning patterns vary in an online Python programming course? Which learning patterns are associated with better test scores? And how can these insights inform future instructional design and support strategies? The study examines various aspects of student engagement, including login frequency, time spent on exercises, code submission count, and platform feature utilization.

Through learning analytics, this research seeks to reveal correlations between specific learning behaviors and academic achievement. The findings hold the potential to guide the design of future online courses and personalized learning interventions, thereby enhancing student success in introductory programming courses. By understanding and accommodating diverse learning patterns, educators and course designers can create more effective and engaging online learning environments.

Authors:
Samuel Ping-Man Choi, Hong Kong Metropolitan University, Hong Kong
Sze-Sing Lam, Hong Kong Metropolitan University, Hong Kong
Eva Yuen-Mei Tsang, Hong Kong Metropolitan University, Hong Kong

About the Presenter(s)
Dr. Samuel Ping-Man Choi is currently an assistant professor of Lee Shau Kee School of Business and Administration at Hong Kong Metropolitan University.

See this presentation on the full schedule – Saturday Schedule

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