A computer design method of an effective educational trajectory in blended learning based on students’ assessment

Abstract

The problem of students’ motivation to learn an ever-increasing amount of knowledge (especially in the field of information and communication technologies) is more relevant than ever. This problem can be solved on the basis of students’ active involvement in the educational process. This paper surveys modern approaches to motivate students to participate actively in the educational process. A method of involving students in the process of developing a scenario for taking blended learning courses in the university digital educational environment is proposed. The paper provides a detailed description of the method used to design the most preferred educational trajectory with the participation of students, teachers and the university administration. This method was tested by students in the Computer Systems and Networks master’s program at the National Research University Higher School of Economics (Russia). The paper provides the methodology and the results of a student survey to assess the preference for various educational trajectory components (educational elements). These elements are ranked according to the criteria set by three sides of the educational process (students, teachers and the university experts). Thus, three possible educational trajectories are constructed according to each group’s preferences. The final educational trajectory is formed according to the ranking method and the Kemeny-Snell median method. A comparison of learning outcomes before and after introducing the design method of an educational trajectory confirms the effectiveness of the proposed method. The diagram of changes in the average grade in the discipline illustrates the positive results of the method’s usage.