Longitudinal Learner Participation Profiling in Online Learning: Heterogeneous Consensus Clustering under Unequal Observation Windows
The study investigated how to profile learner participation over time using Moodle data while accounting for unequal observation windows caused by varying course lengths. By adjusting participation measures, researchers found that profile membership accounted for only 2.87% of the variation in duration, significantly reducing its impact from 38.18%. This led to a four-profile consensus: Gradually declining, Early-concentrated, Cyclical variable, and Sustained active.