Peer attention enhances student learning
This research addresses how peer effects modulate attention in online learning, offering insights for designing adaptive interventions to optimize student attentiveness and success, though it is incremental in applying known social influence concepts to a specific educational context.
The study tackled the problem of unclear peer influence on attention in education by showing that displaying peer visual attention regions during online video learning enhances student focus and engagement, with an experiment involving 311 participants demonstrating improved learning experiences and outcomes.
Human visual attention is susceptible to social influences. In education, peer effects impact student learning, but their precise role in modulating attention remains unclear. Our experiment (N=311) demonstrates that displaying peer visual attention regions when students watch online course videos enhances their focus and engagement. However, students retain adaptability in following peer attention cues. Overall, guided peer attention improves learning experiences and outcomes. These findings elucidate how peer visual attention shapes students' gaze patterns, deepening understanding of peer influence on learning. They also offer insights into designing adaptive online learning interventions leveraging peer attention modelling to optimize student attentiveness and success.