Assessing Learner Engagement beyond the Classroom with Snapshots

Abstract

Over the past 20 years, research on engagement in learning and its potential impact on language learning has gained significant attention. Various methodological approaches exist, including student self-reports, observations, experience sampling, and interviews, each with its own strengths and limitations. The feasibility of each approach varies depending on the type of engagement data to be collected (e.g., descriptive or inferential). Student self-reporting is a common method for collecting descriptive and detailed engagement data based on learners’ perceptions. However, this approach often relies on records like learning activity logs, which can lead to vague memories and superficial records. To address this issue, the present study investigates the potential of using smartphone snapshots taken by learners to capture specific instances of their out-of-classroom learning. Snapshots offer a more immediate and context-rich way to capture learning experiences as they occur, helping to overcome limitations of memory-dependent self-reports. Seven university students from a private university in Japan participated in photographing their out-of-class learning activities over a six-month period. After taking the snapshots, they reflected on their out-of-class learning through semi-structured interviews once every two months. Combining multiple methods may be desirable to complement the shortcomings of individual approaches. The photos were visually analyzed, and the interview data underwent thematic analysis. The findings revealed that snapshots are an effective means of recording specific learning experiences and enhance memory recall in a context-rich and detailed manner. Furthermore, by combining snapshots with semi-structured interviews, learners were able to deepen their understanding of multi-dimensional autonomous learner engagement beyond the classroom.