Reading Anytime: Do Students Complete Missed Readings After the Due Date When Using an Interactive Textbook for Material and Energy Balances?

Abstract:
Big data is driving decision making in many industries, and similar, quantitative assessments can be applied to engineering education when appropriate tools are deployed. In this study, a fully interactive online textbook, Material and Energy Balances zyBook, has been used to quantify reading and homework scores. In total, three cohorts of data representing over 280 students and almost 300,000 reading interactions are aggregated in this work. Recently presented results found median reading rates as high as 99% for over 1,300 interactions per student. However, all previously reported reading data was taken when reading assignments were due throughout the semester. New reading data taken at the conclusion of the semester found that many students completed reading without the incentive of earning a course grade. Both 1st quartile (capturing 75% of the class) reading rates and the fraction of the class completing 100% of the reading participation increased significantly after the due date. Additional reading after the due date encompassed 30 to 50 clicks by median and over 400 interactions for some students.

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