Primary supervisor

Ee Hui Lim

Co-supervisors

Online learning environments provide students with access to a wide range of learning resources, including learning management systems (LMS), discussion forums, recorded lectures, assessments, and AI-supported learning tools. However, relatively little is known about how students navigate between these resources, how knowledge shared in one platform is transferred to another, and which patterns of engagement are associated with effective learning.

Within the Faculty of Information Technology at Monash University, students interact extensively with Moodle and Ed Discussion throughout the semester. These platforms generate rich learning interaction data that can help researchers better understand how students seek information, engage with course materials, participate in discussions, and apply knowledge during project and assessment activities.

This project will investigate student engagement across digital learning environments and explore how knowledge is shared, reused, and transferred between online discussions, learning resources, and assessment-related activities.

Aim/outline

The aim of this project is to understand how students engage with online learning platforms and how knowledge is transferred across different components of the learning environment.

Depending on the student's interests, the project may involve:

  • analysing student engagement patterns across Moodle and Ed Discussion
  • examining how students discover, revisit, and use information shared in discussion forums
  • investigating the relationship between forum participation and engagement with LMS resources
  • identifying common knowledge-seeking and problem-solving behaviours
  • exploring how information provided by teaching teams is disseminated and reused throughout a semester
  • studying the role of peer interactions in supporting learning and knowledge sharing
  • analysing learning analytics data to identify effective engagement strategies
  • developing recommendations for improving digital learning environments and student support

The project combines Learning Analytics, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Educational Data Mining, and Computing Education research.

 

Required knowledge

Students should have an interest in one or more of the following areas:

  • Learning Analytics
  • Computing Education
  • Educational Data Mining
  • Human-Computer Interaction (HCI)
  • Data Science
  • Artificial Intelligence in Education

Experience with one or more of the following would be beneficial:

  • Python
  • Data analysis and visualisation
  • Statistics
  • SQL or database analysis
  • Qualitative research methods
  • Educational technology