Cognitive Engagement in Digital Learning Environments: A Learning Sciences Perspective on Student Interaction with Educational Technologies

Abstract

The high-speed development of online learning platforms, learning management systems, and artificial intelligence-driven educational technologies have all turned the digital learning environments into one of the leading aspects of the contemporary education. The success of these technologies, however, is mostly determined by their ability to foster valuable cognitive aspects of learners. This paper examines how interaction with technologies in education correlates with cognitive participation in digital learning environments with a learning sciences approach to the problem. The research design that was used is a mixed-method research design with 120 undergraduate students undertaking technology-based courses. A cognitive engagement questionnaire, semi-structured interviews and digital interaction logs of learning in a digital context were used to collect data. The analysis of the quantitative data were conducted with the help of descriptive statistics and correlation analysis, and the answers were analysed with the help of the thematic analysis to define the pattern of interaction among students and their engagement. The results show that interactive teaching characteristics, adaptive feedback systems, and learner-learner collaboration to use digital tools benefit cognition and learning engagement of students to a great extent. On the other hand, poorly designed online interfaces and the overload of information can be counterproductive to the student as it will suppress engagement and decrease the rate of learning. The research points to the significance of the combination of the concepts of learning sciences, such as self-regulated learning approaches and cognitive scaffolding as the key elements to consider in designing digital learning spaces. The results are helpful to teachers, instructional designers, and educators who want to enhance interactions with students and their performance in the digital education environment.