Adaptive Learning in Psychology: Wayfinding in the Digital Age

Authors

  • Charles Dziuban University of Central Florida
  • Patsy Moskal University of Central Florida
  • Jeffrey Cassisi University of Central Florida
  • Alexis Fawcett University of Central Florida

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.24059/olj.v20i3.972

Keywords:

Adaptive learning, online learning, course design, educational technologies

Abstract

This paper presents the results of a pilot study investigating the use of the Realizeit adaptive learning platform to deliver a fully online General Psychology course across two semesters. Through mutual cooperation, UCF and vendor (CCKF) researchers examined students’ affective, behavioral, and cognitive reactions to the system. Student survey results indicated that students found the system easy to use and were generally positive about their seamless transition to adaptive learning. While the majority of students were successful, learning outcome metrics utilizing Realizeit indices indicated a potential for early prediction of students who are likely to be at risk in this environment. Recommendations are presented for the benefits of cooperative research between users and vendors.

Author Biography

Patsy Moskal, University of Central Florida

Patsy D. Moskal is the Associate Director for the Research Initiative for Teaching Effectiveness at the University of Central Florida (UCF). Since 1996, she has served as the liaison for faculty research of distributed learning and teaching effectiveness at UCF. Patsy specializes in statistics, graphics, program evaluation, and applied data analysis. She has extensive experience in research methods including survey development, interviewing, and conducting focus groups and frequently serves as an evaluation consultant to school districts, and industry and government organizations. She has also served as a co-principal investigator on grants including the National Science Foundation, the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation and Gates-Foundation-funded Next Generation Learning Challenges (NGLC). She frequently serves as a reviewer for conferences and journals and also for Department of Education and National Science Foundation SBIR/STTR proposals. Patsy has co-authored numerous articles and chapters on blended and online learning and frequently presents on these topics. In 2011 she was named a Sloan-C Fellow “In recognition of her groundbreaking work in the assessment of the impact and efficacy of online and blended learning.” Patsy’s most recent book, with co-authors, Dziuban, Picciano and Graham, Conducting research in online and blended learning environments: New pedagogical frontiers was published in 2015.

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Published

2016-07-08

Issue

Vol. 20 No. 3 (2016)

Section

Invited Papers / 2015 OLC Conference Special Issue

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