Using academic analytic tools to investigate studying behaviours in technology-supported learning environments

Abstract

Increasing flexibility in higher education is being provided to meet the needs of a diverse student body. Technologies such as lecture-capture systems have been employed by many universities to provide on-demand access to recorded lectures. This paper describes research into how students engage with lecture-capture technologies such as Lectopia as they study in blended learning environments. It reports on the development of an academic analytic tool to examine Lectopia usage logs to identify usage patterns among students in three units across two universities. A theoretical model of usage patterns has been developed to tentatively explain studying behaviour. Preliminary results suggest that patterns of use of Lectopia vary greatly across the student cohorts studied.