Learning analytics dashboard design: Workplace learner preferences for reference frames in immersive training in practice

Timothy Gallagher, Bert Slof, Marieke van der Schaaf, Michaela Arztmann, Sofia Garcia Fracaro, Liesbeth Kester

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

Background
Learning analytics dashboards are increasingly being used to communicate feedback to learners. However, little is known about learner preferences for dashboard designs and how they differ depending on the self-regulated learning (SRL) phases the dashboards are presented (i.e., forethought, performance, and self-reflection phases) and SRL skills. Insight into design preferences for dashboards with different reference frames (i.e., progress, social, internal achievement and external achievement) is important because the effectiveness of feedback can depend upon how a learner perceives it.

Objective
This study examines workplace learner preferences for four dashboard designs for each SRL phase and how SRL skills relate to these preferences.

Methods
Seventy participants enrolled in a chemical process apprenticeship program took part in the study. Preferences were determined using a method of adaptive comparative judgement and SRL skills were measured using a questionnaire. Preferences were tested on four dashboard designs informed by social and temporal comparison theory and goal setting theory. Multinomial logistic regressions were used to examine the relationship between dashboard preferences and SRL.

Results and Conclusions
Results show that the progress reference frame is more preferred before and after task performance, and the social reference frame is less preferred before and after task performance. It was found that the higher the SRL skill score the higher the probability a learner preferred the progress reference frame compared to having no preference before task performance. The results are consistent with other findings, which suggest caution when using social comparison in designing dashboards which provide feedback.
Original languageEnglish
JournalJournal of Computer Assisted Learning
Volume40
Issue number6
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Dec 2024

Funding

This project has received funding from the Horizon 2020: The EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation 2013 under Grant Agreement No. 812716.

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