What can instructors and policy makers learn about Web-supported learning through Web-usage mining

• Published in: The Internet and higher education 2011-03, Vol.14 (2), p.67-76
• Main Authors: Cohen, Anat, Nachmias, Rafi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Attitudes; Campus-wide; College Instruction; Computational measures; Computer Software; Cost Effectiveness; Course Content; Course Evaluation; Data Collection; Educational Policy; Evaluation Methods; Feedback; Feedback (Response); Foreign Countries; Israel; Learning; Measurement Techniques; Mining; Outcomes of Education; Policy makers; Program Effectiveness; Program Implementation; Student Attitudes; Use Studies; Web Based Instruction; Web Sites; Web-supported learning; Web-usage mining
• ISSN: 1096-7516; 1873-5525
• DOI: 10.1016/j.iheduc.2010.07.008

This paper focuses on a Web-log based tool for evaluating pedagogical processes occurring in Web-supported academic instruction and students' attitudes. The tool consists of computational measures which demonstrate what instructors and policy makers can learn about Web-supported instruction through Web-usage mining. The tool can provide different measures and reports for instructors at the micro level, and for policy makers at the macro level. The instructors' reports provide feedback relating to the pedagogical processes in their course Websites in comparison to other similar courses on campus. The policy makers' reports provide data about the extent of use of course Websites across the campus, the benefits of such use, and the return on investment. This paper describes the tool and its computational measures as well as its implementation, first on a sample course and next on 3453 course Websites at Tel-Aviv University.