Examining the necessary condition for engagement in an online learning environment based on learning analytics approach: The role of the instructor

This study analyzes the impact of an instructor on the students' engagement using learning analytics approach by tracking one university's log data of teaching and learning activities in a web-based learning platform. Based on the tracking data and theoretical analysis, this study builds a teaching and learning interaction activity model to show how the instructor's course preparation and assistance activities affect different dimensions of student engagement activities and the relationship between these activities. The results reveal that an instructor's course preparation is significantly positively related to the students' viewing activities, while instructor's guidance and assistance has a significant impact on the students' completing learning tasks. The study also indicates that the students' viewing activities have a direct positive influence on their completing learning tasks activities. Students' completing learning tasks exert direct positive influence on their interaction for learning, while their viewing activities have an indirect impact on their interaction activities. (C) 2014 Elsevier Inc All rights reserved.