The impact of 151 learning designs on student satisfaction and performance: social learning (analytics) matters

An increasing number of researchers are taking learning design into consideration when predicting learning behavior and outcomes across different modules. This study builds on preliminary learning design work that was presented at LAK2015 by the Open University UK. In this study we linked 151 modules and 111.256 students with students' satisfaction and performance using multiple regression models. Our findings strongly indicate the importance of learning design in predicting and understanding performance of students in blended and online environments. In line with proponents of social learning analytics, our primary predictor for academic retention was the amount of communication activities, controlling for various institutional and disciplinary factors. Where possible, appropriate communication tasks that align with the learning objectives of the course may be a way forward to enhance academic retention.