What the user log shows based on learning time distribution

What the user log shows based on learning time distribution W-Y. Hwang & C-C. Li Information and Computer Education Institute, National Kouhsiung Normal University, Taiwan This research uses database technology to record the learning status and timing of asynchronous learners from the log file, and uses these records to obtain the time distribution of learning activities (Jonassen, 1996). This short note first discusses the interval of access to the courseware, that is, the interval of login into the asynchronous teaching material server, and then, the reading duration of each login. The reading duration is studied in detail, including material selection and detailed time distribution. A combination of the above two studies, provides the learning characteristics of the asynchronous learner. The time and status of login and the selection of content are recorded in the log file. (Jones & Jones, 1997). It appears that there is always a pattern to learner behaviour over time and it is possible to identify characteristics of the learner. The course, ‘Basic Computer Concepts’ was studied over 12 weeks with a certain topic each week. Three weeks of face-to-face teaching, in the first, sixth and twelfth week, were included in the 12 weeks, the other nine weeks being asynchronous study. The learning progress was monitored through homework. Student could only move to the next topic after handing in homework. There are 43 students involved in the experiment and all of them were teachers in senior or elementary schools. For some students, logged-in for short periods and the reading time was short during each login between the second and third face-to-face session. This reveals that the progress of learning was stimulated by the pressure of the face-to-face sessions. Consequently, the mechanism of face-to-face sessions in an asynchronous curriculum is quite indispensable. However, some students followed a regular pattern with a batch of intensive learning every three or four days before the due day of homework. Therefore, the mechanism of week-by-week learning control mentioned above is indispensable. According to the data, more than a half (22/43) students kept to the study schedule and finished the homework every week. With appropriate supervision, they kept up with the schedule and didn’t fall behind by more than one week. About a third of the students hurriedly handed in the homework just before the face-to-face sessions. Also, there were a few students (four) who abandoned the course. Various kinds of encouragement and support need to be provided. For instance, the system should pay attention to the passive students and provide them with adequate support immediately. This can be provided by email when the students who fall behind the schedule are off-line and by the technique of pop-up messages when they are online. Hardworking students should be given additional materials or references at the right moment to inspire intellectual curiosity and promote learning. The data show that the reading period is a critical one. The asynchronous learning time can be used as a basis to modify the learning material and to develop