Analysis of Students’ Online Learning Engagement during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Case Study of a SPOC-Based Geography Education Undergraduate Course

Xuemei Zhu, Qian Gong (), Qi Wang, Yongjie He, Ziqi Sun and Feifei Liu ()
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Xuemei Zhu: School of Teacher Education, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China
Qian Gong: School of Teacher Education, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China
Qi Wang: School of Teacher Education, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China
Yongjie He: School of Teacher Education, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China
Ziqi Sun: School of Teacher Education, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China
Feifei Liu: School of Teacher Education, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 5, 1-15

Abstract: With the long-lasting impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, online learning has gradually become one of the mainstream learning methods in Chinese universities. The effectiveness of online learning is significantly influenced by learning engagement, and studies into this topic can help learners by providing them with process-based learning support and focused teaching interventions. Based on the online learning environment, this research constructs an online learning engagement analysis model. Additionally, this study explores the relationship between students’ online learning engagement and their online learning performance by taking the Secondary School Geography Curriculum Standards and Textbooks Research , a small-scale private online course (SPOC) of the geography education undergraduate course at Nanjing Normal University, as an example. The findings are as follows: In the cognitive engagement dimension, only “analyze” is significantly positively correlated with learning performance; in the behavioral engagement dimension, the “number of question and answer (Q&A) topic posts,” the “replies to others,” and the “teachers’ replies” are all significantly positively correlated with learning performance. In terms of the emotional engagement dimension, “curiosity” and “pleasure” are positively correlated with learning performance; as for the social engagement dimension, “point centrality” and “intermediary centrality” are positively correlated with learning performance. The findings of this case study reveal that the student’s engagement in higher-order cognitive learning is obviously insufficient. Students’ online learning performance can be enhanced both by behavioral engagement in knowledge reprocessing and positive emotional engagement. Further research should be focused on finding ways to increase students’ enthusiasm for social engagement.

Keywords: online learning; learning engagement; learning performance; analysis model; COVID-19 pandemic (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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