Full paper

Download the paper [PDF]

Paul Wiseman
University of Melbourne
@pauljwiseman

Jason Lodge
University of Melbourne
@jasonmlodge

Amaël Arguel
Macquarie University
@AmaelArguel

Gregor Kennedy
University of Melbourne

Catch this session

Wednesday 6 December, 11.30am – 12pm
Stream 1
Room H102

Abstract

The construct of student engagement has been useful in understanding student’s motivation in digital learning environments where they are required to show increased autonomy and independence in learning. Increasing clarity around this construct has allowed researchers to more accurately describe the nature of student engagement and the context in which it is being investigated. At a task-level, psychological states of engagement have been shown to be beneficial for student’s positive learning experience, and performance. Despite this, we still lack knowledge of how these engaged states unfold or sustain during a learning task. In this paper we report on a qualitative study that investigated undergraduate student’s experiences of psychological states of engagement in a digital learning task. Findings revealed that the three dimensions of engagement – cognition, affect, and behaviour – changed in intensity, with the subject experiencing both times of engagement and of not being engaged through the course of a digital learning task.

About the authors

Paul Wiseman

Paul Wiseman is a PhD Candidate with the Melbourne Graduate School of Education at the University of Melbourne, working within the Educational Technology Research Group at MCSHE, and is affiliated with the ARC funded Science of Learning Research Centre, and the Melbourne Science of Learning Research Hub.
Paul’s research is focused on psychological engagement in digital learning environments. His research is aimed at furthering our understanding of students’ motivation in digital and online learning in higher education, and offering insight into motivational research as well as instructional practice and learning design in digital and online learning environments.
Paul teaches for the Faculty of Business and Economics at the University of Melbourne where he is the subject coordinator for Management Consulting, a third year level capstone work-integrated learning subject.
Melbourne Centre for the Study of Higher Education (MCSHE)
Science of Learning Research Centre (SLRC)
Department of Management and Marketing, FBE, University of Melbourne

Jason Lodge

Dr Jason Lodge is a Senior Lecturer in Higher Education and an experienced educator in psychology and higher education. He is also Convener of the University of Melbourne Science of Learning Research Hub and is currently serving as an associate editor for AJET. Jason’s areas of expertise are in the learning sciences, educational psychology, higher education and educational technology. His research focuses on the cognitive and emotional factors that influence student learning and the student experience in adult educational settings. He is currently investigating misconceptions, misinformation, uncertainty and conceptual change in digital learning environments. Jason is part of the Educational Technology Research Group within the Melbourne Centre for the Study of Higher Education at The University of Melbourne. In collaboration with Dr Rachel Searston, he produces and co-hosts the Beyond the Lectern podcast.
Melbourne Centre for the Study of Higher Education (MCSHE)
Science of Learning Research Centre (SLRC)
Melbourne Science of Learning Research Hub

Gregor Kennedy

Gregor Kennedy is Pro Vice-Chancellor (Teaching and Learning) at the University of Melbourne and Director of the Melbourne Centre for the Study of Higher Education.
Gregor is an international leader in educational technology research and development, particularly in the context of higher education. He has longstanding research interests in contemporary learning design and emerging technologies, educational technology research and evaluation, interactivity and engagement in digital learning, 3D immersive virtual environments, and the use of learning analytics in digital learning environments. He has published widely in these areas and is a regular keynote and invited presenter at local and international conferences.
As Pro Vice-Chancellor (Teaching and Learning) Gregor leads the University’s strategy in teaching, learning and assessment, curriculum innovation, and the use of learning technologies and learning analytics.
Melbourne Centre for the Study of Higher Education (MCSHE)
Science of Learning Research Centre (SLRC)

Amaël Arguel

Dr Amael Arguel is a psychological scientist, based at Macquarie University, specialised in learning from new technologies. Besides of teaching Cognitive Psychology and Statistics, his previous research topic was on the learning of procedures (e.g., first aid techniques) from multimedia presentations. He is now a research fellow at the Science of Learning Research Centre (a Special Research Initiative of the Australian Research Council), and a member of the research group on understanding confusion in digital environments. His current researches focus on the use of behavioural and physiological data for building predictive models of the occurrence of confusion in digital learning environments.
Department of Educational Studies, Macquarie University.
Science of Learning Research Centre (SLRC)