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Title: Who are My Peers? Learner-Controlled Social Comparison in a Programming Course
Studies of technology-enhanced learning (TEL) environments indicated that learner behavior could be affected (positively or negatively) by presenting information about their peer groups, such as peer in-system performance or course grades. Researchers explained these findings by the social comparison theory, competition, or by categorizing them as an impact of gamification features. Although the choice of individual peers is explored considerably in recent TEL research, the effect of learner control on peer-group selection received little attention. This paper attempts to extend prior work on learner-controlled social comparison by studying a novel fine-grained peer group selection interface in a TEL environment for learning Python programming. To achieve this goal, we analyzed system usage logs and questionnaire responses collected from multiple rounds of classroom studies. By observing student actions in selecting and refining their peer comparison cohort, we understand better whom the student perceives as their peers and how this perception changes during the course. We also explored the connection between their peer group choices and their engagement with learning content. Finally, we attempted to associate student choices in peer selection with several dimensions of individual differences.  more » « less
Award ID(s):
1822752
PAR ID:
10482975
Author(s) / Creator(s):
; ;
Editor(s):
Hilliger, Isabel; Muñoz-Merino, Pedro J.; De Laet, Tinne; Ortega-Arranz, Alejandro; Farrell, Tracie
Publisher / Repository:
Springer
Date Published:
Journal Name:
European Conference on Technology Enhanced Learning (EC-TEL 2022)
ISBN:
978-3-031-16289-3
Subject(s) / Keyword(s):
e-learning programming social-comparison user-control
Format(s):
Medium: X
Location:
Tolouse, France
Sponsoring Org:
National Science Foundation
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