Introduction

In the academic year 2023-2024, LearnLoop took part in a pilot study within the “Een Slimmer Collegejaar” initiative (Slimmer collegejaar zorgt voor meer rust, 2023, April 18), launched by the Ministry of Education, Culture, and Science. This initiative, based on a 2021 report by De Jonge Akademie (Een Slimmer Academisch Jaar, 2022), aims to create more rest and space for teachers and students by organizing educational activities more efficiently. LearnLoop was developed to make studying more efficient, reducing workload and increasing student performance.

LearnLoop was implemented in the Cell Biology course  (Celbiologie Psychobiologie, 2023), part of the Psychobiology program at the University of Amsterdam (UvA), taught by Michel Haring.

The pilot aimed to evaluate students’ experiences with LearnLoop and measure the usage and participation.

Description of the tool

LearnLoop is an educational tool designed to support students in practicing and reviewing the material from lectures. The tool divides the lecture material into manageable theoretical parts and questions, providing students with immediate feedback. Additionally, both students and teachers receive early detailed insights into progress and knowledge gaps, allowing them to respond to learning needs in a timely manner.

Methodology

For this pilot study, 240 students enrolled in the Cell Biology course were given access to LearnLoop. Students could use the tool voluntarily to practice the lecture material. No adjustments were made to the curriculum for the pilot. During the pilot, we collected quantitative data, such as the number of questions per student and the number of users per day, both stored anonymously. Additionally, we gathered qualitative feedback through 10 student interviews and provided a feedback box within the tool for students to share their input.

Results

Usage and participation:

The tool was mainly used to practice with knowledge from the lectures and prepare for the exam. Despite students initially being unfamiliar with the tool, the participation rate was high, with 228 (95%) of the students using the tool voluntarily.

Qualitative feedback:

A total of 118 feedback submissions were made in the anonymous feedback box within the tool. Here are some examples of messages from the feedback box [translated from Dutch]:

• “Hi, the program is really super handy and makes the learning process so much easier. However, I would like a mode where I only do the questions.”
• “Really a perfect tool, super handy.”
• “Really nice this LearnLoop!”
• “I miss a theory overview where I can navigate to the topics. Otherwise, really a super handy tool!”
• “I find this learning environment very handy and nice; what I especially like is that it’s so clean and neat. Please keep it that way and don’t add unnecessary features.”

Additionally, we received several messages via WhatsApp from enthusiastic students, including [translated from Dutch]:

• “I heard from someone that LearnLoop was very nice to study with, so I started using it too.”
• “LearnLoop is super relaxed!”
• “What a fantastic tool! I find it really nice.”
• “With such a tool, you are very actively engaged with the material, and you remember everything much better, which is great.”
• “Really compliments on developing LearnLoop because it’s super handy!”

During the 10 interviews, students predominantly provided positive feedback about LearnLoop, appreciating the active learning style and immediate feedback. They found it convenient that the tool divides the material into manageable parts and tracks their progress. Students suggested using LearnLoop weekly as part of the curriculum to reduce stress.

Quantitative data:

The pass rates for the course changed over time. The year before LearnLoop was introduced, the pass rate was 51%. After its introduction, the pass rate was 71%, reflecting a notable difference compared to previous years [updated, see note below].

Discussion

Analysis of results:

The high participation rate and positive feedback indicate that LearnLoop is a valuable addition to traditional learning methods. While the increase in the pass rate from 51% to 71% is promising, it does not establish a direct causal relationship, as no randomized trial was conducted and the teaching methods were also adjusted. Specifically, the format of the end-of-module tutorials was changed, which might have made them more useful, though this remains uncertain. Additionally, lecturers regularly adjust their slides and teaching methods based on feedback and results from the previous year. These adjustments could have also influenced the pass rate. To better understand the factors behind the increase in the pass rate, we are currently investigating the effects of LearnLoop through a randomized trial.

Lessons and improvements:

An important improvement concerns the timing of the tool’s use. Many students started late with LearnLoop because they were unfamiliar with the tool and its effectiveness. This suggests that students want to use the tool earlier once they are aware of its benefits. We believe that regular practice and early insights into progress are major advantages of LearnLoop. This can reduce peak stress and lower stress levels. Therefore, in future implementations, we will integrate LearnLoop into the curriculum of other courses, either by making the tool mandatory weekly or by awarding bonus points.

Conclusion

The pilot study has shown a strong indication that LearnLoop is an effective tool to support students in their studies. With these positive results, we plan to deploy the tool more widely within the UvA and other universities to help more students and teachers create more rest and space. Additionally, we will further develop the integration of LearnLoop into the curriculum of various courses so that students can complete weekly modules and reduce stress from peak workloads. With the planned randomized trial, we hope to gain more insights into the effects of LearnLoop in reducing stress and improving academic performance.

References