The Ephemeral Power of Analytics: Tracing Multi-Dimensional Engagement in Social Annotation Over Time

• In Event: Rethinking Learner Engagement in the Age of Intelligent Systems

Abstract

This study examines the temporal effects of analytics-based feedback on students' multidimensional engagement in social annotation environments, focusing on reading, annotation, and discussion activities. Conducted in an asynchronous undergraduate course using a within-subject, phased design, the study analyzed behavioral, textual, and network data from 87 students across pre-, during-, and post-intervention phases. Results showed that analytics-based feedback significantly boosted all of the different engagement metrics during the intervention. However, these effects declined after feedback was withdrawn, revealing limitations in long-term impact. Findings underscore the dual potential and constraints of analytics-informed scaffolding in sustaining social annotation engagement, emphasizing the need for designing interventions that balance short-term gains with enduring student autonomy to support engagement in computer-supported collaborative learning environments.

Authors

• Yeonji Jung, Texas A&M University

• Sophia Soomin Lee, University of Florida

• Alyssa Wise, Vanderbilt University