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Title:  Stated Briefly An analysis of student engagement patterns and online course outcomes in Wisconsin
Description: This "Stated Briefly" report is a companion piece that summarizes the results of another report of the same name. The purpose of the study was to identify distinct patterns—or trajectories—of students' engagement within their online courses over time and examine whether these patterns were associated with their academic outcomes in the online course. The study used data collected by Wisconsin Virtual School's learning management system and student information system, including 1,512 student enrollments in 109 online elective, core, and Advanced Placement high school courses. Group-based trajectory modeling was employed to estimate the number and shapes of engagement patterns evident in the sample, and hierarchical linear modeling assessed the associations between engagement group membership and course outcomes, controlling for demographic characteristics. Analyses revealed six distinct patterns of student engagement in online courses. Students with relatively low but steady engagement had better outcomes than students with similar initial engagement that diminished throughout the course. Overall, students engaging two or more hours per week had better online course outcomes than students who engaged less than two hours per week.
Online Availability:
Cover Date: July 2016
Web Release: July 6, 2016
Print Release:
Publication #: REL 2016157
General Ordering Information
Center/Program: REL
Associated Centers: NCEE
Authors:
Type of Product: Stated Briefly
Keywords:
Questions: For questions about the content of this Stated Briefly, please contact:
Amy Johnson.