Comparative Study of Learning Outcomes for Online Learning Platforms

TL;DR

This study compares two online learning platforms, finding that personalized, active learning environments significantly improve learning outcomes and metacognition over traditional content delivery methods.

Contribution

It provides empirical evidence that personalized and active learning features enhance educational effectiveness in online platforms.

Findings

Platform B shows significantly higher learning gains.

Participants report improved metacognition with Platform B.

Active, personalized learning boosts online education outcomes.

Abstract

Personalization and active learning are key aspects to successful learning. These aspects are important to address in intelligent educational applications, as they help systems to adapt and close the gap between students with varying abilities, which becomes increasingly important in the context of online and distance learning. We run a comparative head-to-head study of learning outcomes for two popular online learning platforms: Platform A, which follows a traditional model delivering content over a series of lecture videos and multiple-choice quizzes, and Platform B, which creates a personalized learning environment and provides problem-solving exercises and personalized feedback. We report on the results of our study using pre- and post-assessment quizzes with participants taking courses on an introductory data science topic on two platforms. We observe a statistically significant increase in the learning outcomes on Platform B, highlighting the impact of well-designed and well-engineered technology supporting active learning and problem-based learning in online education. Moreover, the results of the self-assessment questionnaire, where participants reported on perceived learning gains, suggest that participants using Platform B improve their metacognition.