Jamie Costley

In online learning, instructors often use video analytics to determine student engagement. Metrics such as time-on-video and the number of clicks on a video player are commonly used as indicators of engagement. But do these indicators show meaningful engagement, or merely activity?

From 11–18 April, Anna Korchak, a Junior Research Fellow at the International Laboratory for Research and Design in e-learning and a Doctoral Student at the IOE, completed a research internship at East China Normal University (ECNU) in Shanghai. The visit focused on the role of generative AI in collaborative academic writing.

Online learning promises flexibility. In asynchronous courses, students can decide when, how, and in what order to engage with learning materials. Yet this freedom comes with new challenges. Without a prescribed learning sequence, students must design their own pathways, and these choices can shape not only how much they learn, but how difficult learning feels.

Is “pre-training” the unsung hero of effective learning—or just an unnecessary hurdle for already smart students? That’s the research quest Anna Gorbunova, Anastasiia Kapuza, Ouhao Chen, and Jamie Costley embark on in their recent study, Rethinking Pre-training: Cognitive Load Implications for Learners with Varying Prior Knowledge. Published in Frontiers in Psychology, their work dives into how priming your mind before tackling complex material can transform the learning experience, challenging long-held beliefs about how we actually absorb knowledge.

Researchers at the Institute of Education and the Faculty of Economic Sciences at HSE University have studied what factors determine the success of student group projects when they are completed with the help of artificial intelligence (AI). Their findings suggest that, in addition to the knowledge level of the team members, the size of the group also plays a significant role—the larger it is, the more efficient the process becomes. The study was published in Innovations in Education and Teaching International.

In the ever-evolving world of education, where Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) have become a beacon of accessibility and innovation, a team of researchers—Muhammed Shittu, Anna Gorbunova, Christopher Lange, and Jamie Costley—embarked on a quest to decode a peculiar phenomenon: Why do students re-watch video lectures? Their study, published in the Electronic Journal of e-Learning, dives deep into the intricate dynamics of video lecture design and its impact on student engagement. With insights drawn from over 1,500 surveys conducted at South Korea’s Open Cyber University (OCU), the researchers uncover the hidden forces that compel learners to hit the replay button.

In an era where the demand for innovative educational strategies is paramount, the effectiveness of teaching methods in fostering student learning has come under scrutiny. A recent study by Evgeniy Terentev, Irina Shcheglova, Denis Federiakin, Yuliya Koreshnikova, and Jamie Costley delves into the contrasting realms of active and passive teaching approaches within the context of economics and management education at a leading Russian university. By examining how these teaching methodologies influence student performance across various cognitive levels, the authors aim to shed light on the vital role of instructional practices in preparing students for success in an increasingly complex and competitive knowledge economy.

Student satisfaction is crucial for universities aiming to improve education and keep students engaged. Irina Shcheglova, Jamie Costley, Elena Gorbunova, and Christopher Lange delve into whether tasks that require higher-order thinking skills (HOTS) make students more satisfied with their academic experiences.

The third issue of 2021 presents interviews about HSE University's new Master's standard.