Interactions in the LMS: exploring teacher-student dynamics across multiple courses and a large dataset
摘要
This study examines teacher-student interactions within online learning management systems (LMS) using data from multiple colleges and courses. Quota sampling was employed to select data from four colleges—School of International Studies, School of Computer Science and Technology, School of Mathematics Sciences, and School of Marxism—spanning 816 valid courses, 468 teachers, and 29,403 students. Descriptive Data Analysis and Canonical Correlation Analysis were conducted to explore six key teaching and learning activities: roll call, online discussions, in-class quizzes, examinations, assignments, and feedback. The results reveal that roll call and online discussion boards are associated with patterns of teacher-student activity alignment, particularly in relation to student engagement and assignment-related behaviors. Furthermore, notable variations were identified in teachers’ assessment practices across colleges, which were associated with differences in students’ engagement with LMS-supported learning. However, these associations should be interpreted with caution, as they may partly reflect the structural organization and affordances of LMS features rather than necessarily meaningful teacher–student interaction. These findings provide insights for institutional policymakers and educators seeking to better understand how platform design and instructional practices jointly shape observable interaction patterns in LMS environments.