ASEE PEER - Student Earnestness in an Interactive Online Controls Textbook When Answers are Available
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Student Earnestness in an Interactive Online Controls Textbook When Answers are Available

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Conference

2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Location

Portland, Oregon

Publication Date

June 23, 2024

Start Date

June 23, 2024

End Date

July 12, 2024

Conference Session

Advancing Online and Hybrid Learning in Engineering Education

Tagged Division

Electrical and Computer Engineering Division (ECE)

Permanent URL

https://peer.asee.org/48007

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Paper Authors

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Jenny Welter Wiley

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Mohsen Sarraf zyBooks, A Wiley Brand

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Ryan Barlow zyBooks, A Wiley Brand

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Ryan Barlow obtained his Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Utah in 2012, his Master's Degree in Science Education from the University of Maryland in 2016 and his PhD in Engineering Education from Utah State University in 2020. He currently works for zyBooks, A Wiley Brand creating interactive content for online mechanical engineering textbooks. His current research focuses on online engineering assessment, accessibility in online textbooks, and studying the effectiveness of online textbooks in engineering courses.

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Abstract

Interactive textbooks commonly engage students by embedding questions within the reading exposition to help students review concepts and identify misconceptions. While these questions often allow the students to view the correct answer, the assumption is that students will only view the correct answer after having unsuccessfully attempted the question. How many students actually try the question before clicking to see the answer? A well-designed question set should encourage students to attempt the questions. A successful attempt provides positive reinforcement. An unsuccessful attempt can help students discover misconceptions or shortcomings in their understanding of the material. A poorly constructed question may discourage students and decrease engagement.

In this study, student responses are evaluated from multiple classes across multiple universities to unique questions embedded in an interactive control systems textbook. The study addresses three questions. First, do students make an earnest attempt at answering the questions when the answer is available with a click? Responses are considered earnest if the student made at least one attempt at answering the question before revealing the solution. Second, do specific characteristics of the interactive textbook or course correlate with increased or decreased student earnestness in answering questions? These include characteristics such as: point of progression within the course and within a chapter, class size, question difficulty, number of questions in the exercise set, and length of the online textbook section. Third, are these student behaviors consistent between students in an upper-level course like control systems, and students in an introductory-level course like circuit analysis? We compare the results for control systems to an earlier investigation in a similar online interactive textbook for circuit analysis.

Through this study, we expect to improve understanding of students’ engagement with online interactive learning materials, and factors that correlate with different levels of student engagement, to inform the further evolution of interactive textbooks.

Welter, J., & Sarraf, M., & Barlow, R. (2024, June), Student Earnestness in an Interactive Online Controls Textbook When Answers are Available Paper presented at 2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Portland, Oregon. https://peer.asee.org/48007

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