Abstract: We test our hypothesis that student in-class Internet actions reflect their engagement levels. We predict that an engaging learning environment will result in students performing a higher number of on-task Internet activities. To test our hypothesis, we compare student behaviors during two types of instructional episodes. Students participate in either a traditional, lecture-based lesson or an interactive simulation exercise. To measure student engagement levels, we develop a Classroom Behavioral Analysis System (CBAS) that records all student computer actions during the observed class periods. We then count and label these actions as on-task or off-task, depending on relevance to the classroom activity. We find that students attending the simulation class perform a significantly higher number of on-task actions. These findings support our hypothesis that engaging lessons result in higher levels of on-task Internet activities. Equally important, CBAS accurately reflects student engagement levels and is therefore a promising tool for studying engagement. While engagement and learning seem innately linked, there is little research to quantify relations among classroom activity, student engagement, and positive learning outcomes (Fredricks, et. al., 2004). Part of the difficulty in determining this relation lies in the challenge of measuring student engagement. In a typical classroom situation, at any given time, some students are paying attention to varying degrees and

The coherence principle states that all non-essential information in multimedia messages should be eliminated to minimise demands on cognitive resources. This assertion has been empirically verified in controlled laboratory studies with learners who have little prior knowledge and limited interest in the domain of instruction. It has not been investigated, however, whether the coherence principle generalises to real learning environments. In this study, 104 students from year 10, year 11, and first year university viewed either a concise or an extended online multimedia treatment on stellar spectra. The extended treatment included additional interesting information about the formation of black holes, galaxy collisions and the observation of dark matter. Following the multimedia, participants completed a retention and transfer test that covered only the material common to both treatments. Results showed students in both treatment groups achieved similar performance. This suggests that in authentic learning settings, interest may mitigate the effects of the coherence principle. Difficulties involved in measuring differences in learning within the constraints of a real learning environment are also addressed.

Although engagement and learning appear linked, quantitatively measuring this relationship is challenging. New technologies offer a window into studying the interactions among classroom activity, student engagement, and positive learning outcomes in computer-equipped classrooms. A Classroom Behavioral Analysis System (CBAS) was developed to measure student engagement in a college writing class, and to test the hypothesis that an interactive lesson would increase student engagement levels in a computer-equipped classroom. Student computer-based behaviors (off-task and on-task internet visits) were compared during a traditional, lecture-based lesson (no-simulation condition) and an interactive simulation-based lesson (simulation condition). The dependent variable was student engagement as measured by the number of off-task and on-task internet activities during the lesson. Offtask

This study validates a pedagogical framework, which integrates a mainstream game to teach the technology supporting that game. Technologies in learning games can engage students and make the learning contents interesting to them. However, technologies themselves are seldom the subject of learning in the game they support. In addition, learning activities in a gaming context usually engage students temporarily in the subject. As soon as the game is over, students ’ desire for learning may cease. The framework tries to achieve the transition of students ’ interests from the initial interest motivated by the game to the later-developed cognitive and personal interests in the subject. Based on the framework, this study designs and experiments a practice to evaluate the proposed framework. Participants ’ subjective responses show their satisfaction about the practice of learning and developing interest of the subject matter. This study not only provides a dual aspect of game technology adoption for motivating students, but also proposes a pedagogical framework for students ’ lasting learning. It is expected to provide a new and valuable idea about the use of technologies and games in education.