A Comparative study on the influence between interaction and performance in postgraduate in-class and distance learning courses based on the analysis of LMS logs

Abstract

Learning Management Systems' use has been rapidly increasing during the last ten years, mainly in online distance learning courses but also in in-class courses. In parallel, technological advances have made it possible to track and store all the activity taking place in the LMS, and therefore to register the participation and interaction of students. This paper addresses two key questions: a) Is student interaction in the LMS an indicator of the final academic performance in a course?; and b) Is this interaction carried out in a different way in distance and in-class education, with different final results?. In order to answer this question, different types of interaction have been classified and extracted from Moodle LMS activity record logs during two years in one master program with online distance learning and in-class learning modalities at the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid. The results show partial or no evidence of influence between interaction indicators and academic performance. The last section of this study covers a discussion of results and implications. © 2010 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.