Exploring Conditions for Enhancing Critical Thinking in Networked Learning: Findings from a Secondary School Learning Analytics Environment

Abstract

Networked learning provides opportunities for learners to develop their critical thinking, an important 21st century competency, through dialogue with fellow learners to consider other perspectives and negotiate and critique ideas and arguments. However, much extant literature has not examined networked learning environments among younger learners nor the optimal conditions for enhancing critical thinking. Therefore, a study was carried out to investigate these conditions. A learning analytics networked learning environment was designed and 264 secondary three students participated in the 10-week long intervention as part of their English curriculum. Individual and collective social network metrics, critical reading scores, and self-reported survey data were used to quantitatively evaluate students’ critical reading performance in relation to their participation in networked learning. Results highlight several optimal conditions, notably that it is not just participation of the learner that enhances critical thinking but the learners’ reciprocity in replying and the distance of those posts in the network. Discussions and implications of the findings follow to provide insightful understanding of how the rich and complex settings of networked learning can enhance critical thinking capacities in secondary schooling.

Designing an Online Discussion Strategy with Learning Analytics Feedback on the Level of Cognitive Presence and Student Interaction in an Online Learning Community

“…One possible explanation for this result is that learning analytics data may make students aware of their contribution in the discussion forum and allow them to evaluate themselves. Koh, Jonathan, and Tan (2019) found that learning analytics can increase critical thinking. This implies that students may find that learning analytics feedback helps them to reflect on their participation and improve the quality of their contribution in the discussion forum.…”

“…Learning analytics can be described as gathering, analysing, and reporting data related to learners' activities in an online learning environment (Siemens & Gašević, 2012). Learning analytics can be used as feedback to enhance the student learning process (Koh et al, 2019). Studies have found that learning analytics encourage student reflection, increase understanding and recognition of the learning process, and improve academic outcomes and achievements (Arnold et al, 2012).…”

“…Previous literature found that a teacher's use of discussion strategies such as open-ended and elaborated feedback can influence the level of cognitive presence and social interaction (Van Der Kleij et al, 2015;Lee & Recker, 2021). Prior studies also have found that incorporating learning analytics into learning activities can improve students' reflection and awareness of academic outcomes (Koh et al, 2019;Arnold, 2012). Several studies recommend incorporating learning analytics as feedback to increase students' awareness of knowledge building, cognitive presence, and learning behaviour (Kovanović, 2017).…”

Conducting a Formative Evaluation on a Course-Level Learning Analytics Implementation Through the Lens of Self-Regulated Learning and Higher-Order Thinking

“…A small number of recent studies have explored the intersection of HOTS and LA. For example, visual LA tools have been used to investigate students' activities annotating reading materials and commenting on other annotations, which positively impact critical reading achievement (Koh et al, 2019). Learning assisted by visual LA tools also influences students' higher-order thinking (Zhang & Chan, 2020).…”

Participación en las redes sociales del alumnado de Educación Secundaria

“…Como recomendación final consideramos que, ante la participación del alumnado en las redes sociales la educación no debe mirar para otro lado y asumir una labor orientadora para garantizar un buen uso de las tecnologías (Colás et al, 2018;Plaza de la Hoz, 2018;Vázquez y Cabero, 2015;Koh et al, 2019) reconociendo que debe realizar una actividad enfocada a la prevención educativa para el consumo de medios digitales ante una gran diversidad de alumnos y alumnas, con distintas necesidades educativas, procedentes de diversas culturas y situaciones socio-económicas, donde se tiene que garantizar la igualdad de oportunidades y su papel compensador, de las desigualdades (Livingstone et al, 2019;Martínez-Piñeiro et al, 2018).…”