Reading Anytime: Do Students Complete Missed Readings After the DueDate 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.