Intentional Use of the Learning Management System: A Case Study in Self-Regulatory Behaviors in a Blended Undergraduate Thermodynamics Course

Abstract

In a blended undergraduate thermodynamics course, affordances within the learning management system (LMS) were used to highlight student learning outcomes, require foundational course content to be completed before attempting more complex topics, provide mastery-oriented feedback, allow students to track their progress, and promote metacognitive reflection. This paper describes the use of these options within the Canvas LMS. Additionally, this study investigated whether student self-regulatory behaviors changed during the course. Students were asked to complete a survey about their metacognitive self-regulatory activities related to studying for this course. The first survey was completed during the fifth week of the course, after most students had completed two reflection assignments. The same survey questions were administered a second time, during the final two weeks of the course. Survey results suggest some increase in student self-regulatory behaviors during the course. These results suggest that, near the end of the course, students were more likely to change how they studied to fit the course and the instructor’s style and to set goals for themselves for studying.