As part of the EU-funded VITAL project on learning analytics and online
language learning you are all invited to a free webinar with Dr Bart
Rienties from the UK Open University today (10 June) at 11am UK time.

Further information here on the VITAL project website:
http://www.project-vital.eu/en/2016/03/10/upcoming-webinars/
<https://mail.uclan.ac.uk/owa/redir.aspx?C=PVlnXdrr3Eqs_5jbhA97HXUJx7VtldMIU
3kcjUKu3j6sFzMMLNrZaIaX4Aldzel22vC7QFUWF9Q.&URL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.project-vit
al.eu%2fen%2f2016%2f03%2f10%2fupcoming-webinars%2f>

Dr Bart Rienties, Reader in Learning Analytics:
http://www.open.ac.uk/people/bcr58
<https://mail.uclan.ac.uk/owa/redir.aspx?C=PVlnXdrr3Eqs_5jbhA97HXUJx7VtldMIU
3kcjUKu3j6sFzMMLNrZaIaX4Aldzel22vC7QFUWF9Q.&URL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.open.ac.uk%
2fpeople%2fbcr58> 

To access the Adobe Connect webinar room:
https://connect.uclan.ac.uk/r8nkvlsjdp5/
<https://mail.uclan.ac.uk/owa/redir.aspx?C=PVlnXdrr3Eqs_5jbhA97HXUJx7VtldMIU
3kcjUKu3j6sFzMMLNrZaIaX4Aldzel22vC7QFUWF9Q.&URL=https%3a%2f%2fconnect.uclan.
ac.uk%2fr8nkvlsjdp5%2f>

Abstract
The impact of learning design on student behaviour, satisfaction and
performance: a cross-institutional comparison across 151
modules²Pedagogically informed designs of learning are increasingly of
interest to researchers in blended and online learning, as learning design
is shown to have an impact on student behaviour and outcomes. Although
learning design is widely studied, often these studies are individual
courses or programmes and few empirical studies have connected learning
designs of a substantial number of courses with learning behaviour. In this
study we linked 151 modules and 111.256 students with students¹ behaviour
(<400 million minutes of online behaviour), satisfaction and performance at
the Open University UK using multiple regression models. Our findings
strongly indicate the importance of learning design in predicting and
understanding Virtual Learning Environment behaviour and performance of
students in blended and online environments. In line with proponents of
social learning theories, our primary predictor for academic retention was
the time learners spent on communication activities, controlling for various
institutional and disciplinary factors. Where possible, appropriate and well
designed communication tasks that align with the learning objectives of the
course may be a way forward to enhance academic retention.