The document describes the development and evaluation of a web-based information system to support live online lectures. The system provides different methods of interaction like questions and polls to help sustain student attention. In a study, the system was used in a live broadcast lecture, and student attention levels were initially low but increased to over 75% after improvements like adding more content-related questions and pausing between questions. The system was found to have positive effects on student attention in online courses.

1. S C I E N C E P A S S I O N T E C H N O L O G Y
www.tugraz.at
Introducing an Information
System for successful
support of selective
attention in online courses
Andreas Holzinger, Josef Wachtler and Martin Ebner
Graz, University of Technology
July 15, 2013

2. 2
LIVE Interaction in Virtual learning Environments
Index
1. Goal
2. Motivation
3. Implementation
4. Study
5. Conclusion
Andreas Holzinger, Josef Wachtler and Martin Ebner, Graz, University of Technology
July 15, 2013

3. 3
LIVE Interaction in Virtual learning Environments
Graz, University of Technology
Europe, Austria, Graz
http://www.tugraz.at
Andreas Holzinger, Josef Wachtler and Martin Ebner, Graz, University of Technology
July 15, 2013

4. 4
Goal
Goal
Development and evaluation
of a web-based information system
to support a live stream of a lecture
with different forms of interactions like an
Audience-Response-System.
Sustain and enlarge Students’ attention.
Andreas Holzinger, Josef Wachtler and Martin Ebner, Graz, University of Technology
July 15, 2013

5. 5
Motivation
Attention and Communication
Selective attention is the most crucial resource for
human learning
Enhances both behavioral and neuronal performance
Interaction and communication between all groups of
participants in all sorts and directions
are key features for an increased attention.
Andreas Holzinger, Josef Wachtler and Martin Ebner, Graz, University of Technology
July 15, 2013

6. 6
Motivation
Audience-Response-Systems
ARSs are well known for face-to-face education in
standard classroom-situations
presenting questions to students
answering with a special handset
answers are shown to the lecturer
ARS has the power to enhance the attention and the
participation of the students (reported by many
studies)
Andreas Holzinger, Josef Wachtler and Martin Ebner, Graz, University of Technology
July 15, 2013

7. 7
Implementation
Implementation
Andreas Holzinger, Josef Wachtler and Martin Ebner, Graz, University of Technology
July 15, 2013

8. 8
Implementation
Overview
Andreas Holzinger, Josef Wachtler and Martin Ebner, Graz, University of Technology
July 15, 2013

9. 9
Implementation
Lecturer GUI
Andreas Holzinger, Josef Wachtler and Martin Ebner, Graz, University of Technology
July 15, 2013

10. 10
Implementation
Lecturer GUI
1. Metadata of the event
2. Calculated degree of attention of all students
3. Free space for occurring interactions
4. Control-elements to invoke interactions
Andreas Holzinger, Josef Wachtler and Martin Ebner, Graz, University of Technology
July 15, 2013

11. 11
Implementation
Student GUI
Andreas Holzinger, Josef Wachtler and Martin Ebner, Graz, University of Technology
July 15, 2013

12. 12
Implementation
Student GUI
1. Foreign web-content (e.g. the live-stream)
2. Metadata of the event and calculated degree of
attention
3. Free space for occurring interactions
4. Control-elements to invoke interactions
Andreas Holzinger, Josef Wachtler and Martin Ebner, Graz, University of Technology
July 15, 2013

13. 13
Implementation
Three Interaction-Types
1. Automatically started
The interactions of an interaction-method of this type
are automatically presented to the attendees in a
random way.
2. Started by the attendees
This type represents interaction-methods which could
be started by the attendees.
3. Invoked by the lecturer
With interaction-methods of this type the lecturer is
able to invoke them.
Andreas Holzinger, Josef Wachtler and Martin Ebner, Graz, University of Technology
July 15, 2013

14. 14
Implementation
Showing Interactions
Three Models are used to schedule interactions
1. showing interactions to students
2. presenting interactions to the lecturer
3. error messages
If a model reaches its scheduled time
a special view is shown in the reserved space.
Andreas Holzinger, Josef Wachtler and Martin Ebner, Graz, University of Technology
July 15, 2013

15. 15
Implementation
Interaction-Methods
Simple Questions
General questions are automatically shown to the
students.
Solve Captcha
Students are prompted to solve a captcha randomly.
Report Problem
A technical problem could be reported to the lecturer
by the students.
Andreas Holzinger, Josef Wachtler and Martin Ebner, Graz, University of Technology
July 15, 2013

16. 16
Implementation
Interaction-Methods
Set Attention-Level
Students could set their current level of attention
through a slider.
Ask Lecturer
Questions could be asked to the lecturer by the
students.
Ask Students
Also the lecturer could ask questions to the students.
Andreas Holzinger, Josef Wachtler and Martin Ebner, Graz, University of Technology
July 15, 2013

17. 17
Implementation
Degree of Attention
A value between 0% and 100%
Every interaction-method calculates its own value
Most of them are using a reaction-time based
approach
Overall attention-level: the mean of all
interaction-methods
Andreas Holzinger, Josef Wachtler and Martin Ebner, Graz, University of Technology
July 15, 2013

18. 18
Implementation
Reaction-Time based Attention-Level
For every interaction:
Attention-level of the interaction-method: the mean of
all interactions
Andreas Holzinger, Josef Wachtler and Martin Ebner, Graz, University of Technology
July 15, 2013

19. 19
Study
Study
Andreas Holzinger, Josef Wachtler and Martin Ebner, Graz, University of Technology
July 15, 2013

20. 20
Study
Setting and Observations
Live broadcasting of the lecture Cleanroom
Technology
Five Units
Seven to twelve attendees
Lecture 1 and 2: very low attention-level (less than
40%)
Attendees felt very uncomfortable with their low
attention-level and
they liked content-related questions more than
general questions.
Andreas Holzinger, Josef Wachtler and Martin Ebner, Graz, University of Technology
July 15, 2013

21. 21
Study
Improvements and Observations
Some improvements:
more content-related questions
pauses during questions
. . .
After that the attention-level stabilized at 75% and
more
Also the attendees felt satisfied with this
improvements.
Andreas Holzinger, Josef Wachtler and Martin Ebner, Graz, University of Technology
July 15, 2013

22. 22
Conclusion
Conclusion
A web-application which provides different methods of
interaction
Calculation of the degree of attention
Positive effects on the attention under the mentioned
circumstances
Andreas Holzinger, Josef Wachtler and Martin Ebner, Graz, University of Technology
July 15, 2013

23. 23
Conclusion
Thanks
for your attention!
Social Learning
Computer and Information Services
Graz University of Technology
tugtc@tugraz.at
http://elearning.tugraz.at
Slides available at http://elearningblog.tugraz.at
Andreas Holzinger, Josef Wachtler and Martin Ebner, Graz, University of Technology
July 15, 2013