Learning Analytics to study the use of virtual tutorials for teaching university general educational subjects

The COVID-19 pandemic with social distancing converts most of the face-to-face (F2F) classes to online/hybrid mode of class delivery. To better facilitate online/hybrid teaching and learning, pre-class or after-class learning activities, online videos/pre-class or post-class recordings, self-learning modules in Learning Management System (LMS) as well as interactive technologies, can enhance students’ learning during the time.Our preliminary evaluation about the use of virtual tutorials to assist the teaching and learning for two of our General Educational Subjects ("ABCT1D09 Greenhouse Gases and Life" & "ABCT1D10 Food Color, Taste and Smell") was reported in this paper. To understand the learning behavior and students’ engagement, we applied learning analytics (LA) and the ICAP (Interactive/Constructive/Active/Passive) model in this study.Voluntary online survey about our students’ learning experience was conducted and system data of our students’ "click" number within the platform Blackboard Collaborate Ultra (BB) with uRewind (empowered by Panopto) was collected. In this study, we discovered that our students welcome the use of virtual tutorials with rating average >3.5 for the voluntary online survey. The number of "click" for recorded videos and online teaching materials within LMS reached highest values near the assessment due date. In general, students performed better with more frequent usage of LMS teaching materials and videos. This observation revealed by a better performance of ABCT1D10 students with respect to ABCT1D09 students. The online materials may help students’ learning and maintain their performance although they encountered a sudden change of study mode.