Towards Connectivism: Exploring Student Use of Online Learning Management Systems During the COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic precipitated a global shift to fully remote learning via learning management systems (LMS). Despite this significant shift, there has been a paucity of research exploring how students of varying academic performance engage with online learning resources. This study investigates the utilization of LMS among students with different academic performances at an Australian public research university. Utilizing a dataset of 129,567 activity logs from 313 students, we examined their interactions with the course files, discussion forums, grade book, and online quizzes, underpinned by self-regulated learning theory and connectivism theory. Our methodology entailed a granular analysis of LMS log data to identify engagement patterns, using the Kruskal-Wallis H Test to detect variations in resource utilization across performance levels - above-credit, credit, and below-credit. The findings revealed significant disparities in the frequency of engagement with course files and online quizzes and participation in forums between students of varying academic standings, with higher engagement associated with superior academic performance. In addition, our results suggest no significant difference in gradebook views. These insights have profound implications for the design and implementation of online learning strategies. They suggest the necessity of fostering active engagement with learning materials and collaborative platforms for improved educational outcomes. In addition, these findings improve our understanding of online learning engagement during an unprecedented educational disruption and lay the groundwork for future inquiries into the intricate dynamics of student interaction with digital learning tools post-pandemic. The limitations of our study are also discussed.