Student perceptions of personalized check-in messaging in an asynchronous online course

The rapid rise of online learning creates an imperative for teaching strategies that support student success. Research consistently shows that students’ self-regulatory skills are suboptimal (DiFrancesca, 2016). Online students in particular often lack skills to effectively self-regulate their academic behavior such as time management (Broadbent, 2015).

Fortunately, students’ self-regulating behaviors may change through intervention (Cazan 2013). Interventions address intention-action gaps, such as when learners set goals without achieving them (Yeomans & Reich, 2017) or when they procrastinate (van Eerde, 2018). One strategy for addressing intention-action gaps is the use of nudges (Thaler, 2009), which help individuals make decisions in their own best interest without coercion (Hargreaves, 2011). Nudges, such as reminders, feedback, and warnings have been shown to promote behavior change (Weinmann, 2016) and improve student outcomes (Damgaard, 2018).

This presentation will share findings from a survey of 455 undergraduate students in an asynchronous online course. The survey gauged student perceptions of personalized, informational nudges delivered in the form of “progress check-ins.” Check-ins were sent by instructors via email throughout the semester and provided students with current course progress and suggestions for actions to improve their grades.

Implications will be discussed and a discussion period will encourage attendees to share their relevant experiences.