Undergraduate students’ engagement: a case of Padlet / Noryanne Amer ... [et al.]

Student engagement plays a critical role in shaping students’ educational experiences and outcomes. It refers to the degree of attention, interest, curiosity, and emotional connection displayed by students while learning, whether in the classroom or independently. Ultimately, student engagement serves as a cornerstone of effective education, impacting student achievement, motivation, and overall well-being. This study explores the use of Padlet, a collaborative on-line tool widely employed to enhance student engagement in on-line learning. We investigate a total of 170 undergraduate students’ perceptions of Padlet’s ease of use and their preferences for utilizing it, aiming to understand its effect on student engagement. Students from UiTM enrolled in three different courses were selected to be the respondents of this study. Data distribution was assessed using Structural Equation Modeling-Partial Least Squares (SEM-PLS) to examine the relationship between Padlet’s ease of use, student’s preferences, and their engagement levels. The research findings reveal that the first hypothesis has a significant positive effect, indicating that an easy-to-use interface positively influences student engagement with a moderate impact. The second hypothesis findings demonstrate a significant positive association, implying that when students have a preference for utilizing Padlet, their engagement levels increase, with the effect size indicating a moderate effect. Notably, both ease of use and student preference for Padlet emerged as significant predictors of higher student engagement. These results hold valuable implications for educators and institutions, emphasizing the benefits of incorporating user-friendly tools and understanding student preferences to foster more effective on-line learning experiences. By leverage such insights, educators can better support students’ engagement and create a more enriching and productive learning environment.