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The Use of Social Proof and Learning Strategies in Digital Learning Environments How can social proof and learning strategies affect students in a Digital Learning Environment?
Bont, A.P.V. de (2023) The Use of Social Proof and Learning Strategies in Digital Learning Environments How can social proof and learning strategies affect students in a Digital Learning Environment?
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| Abstract: | This research was conducted to gain insight into how social proof can induce students’ performance of tasks in a digital learning environment (DLE). It was expected that social proof affects students’ views of learning-strategy assignments in a DLE. Additionally, the effect of students’ completion of learning-strategy assignments on their uses of cognitive and motivational learning strategies in a DLE was investigated. It was expected that once students completed an assignment, this would affect their motivation. A mixed-method design was used to examine the motivational effects and the viewing effects. First, a controlled experiment in a blended programming course was set up with questionnaires on two occasions for 105 students (an experimental group and a control group). Both questionnaires contained relevant MSLQ motivation scales. Subsequently, semi-structured interviews were held with 14 participants to gain insight into the students’ awareness of their behaviours concerning the social-proof-persuasion intervention. No causal relationship has been found between the social-proof intervention and the assignments viewed. Furthermore, the results show that the students did not remember any social-proof notifications, were unaware of receiving notifications during the experiment, and did not recognize pictures of the social-proof messages. However, the completion of learning-strategy assignments was positively related to motivation and learning strategies for both high- and low-scoring students on the initial motivation test. Future research on social-proof effects in educational settings is necessary because gaining insight into social-proof effects might help students develop learning strategies that, in the long term, can improve motivation and academic achievement. |
| Item Type: | Essay (Master) |
| Faculty: | BMS: Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences |
| Subject: | 81 education, teaching |
| Programme: | Educational Science and Technology MSc (60023) |
| Link to this item: | https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/94232 |
| Export this item as: | BibTeX EndNote HTML Citation Reference Manager |
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