Frequency of participation in student response system activities as a predictor of final grade: An observational...

The purpose of this study was to determine whether frequency of participation in activities offered in a student response system was associated with students' final course grades in four different nursing courses and to explore whether that effect was dependent on the specific pedagogical context of each course.

An observational approach with a predictive model was used to examine the effect of a student's frequency of responses to prompts in a student response system (Nearpod) on final grade.

This investigation was carried out in four high-enrollment nursing courses in a large Midwestern university in the United States.

Students who participated in this study were enrolled in one of four core nursing courses: Pathophysiology, Health Assessment, Nursing Care of the Adult at the undergraduate level, and Pathophysiology at the graduate level.

Multiple regression analysis was conducted to examine the association between a student's frequency of Nearpod use and their final grade.

The regression model explained 25.42% of the variance in final grade when controlling for course differences. The key finding from this study is that the more a student responded to prompts in Nearpod, the more likely they were to earn a higher final grade, but this effect was statistically significant only in undergraduate Pathophysiology.

The positive association between more frequent Nearpod use and higher final grade appears to be dependent on contextual factors. These factors may include consistent use of Nearpod in class, detailed feedback and elaboration on student responses, and required participation in Nearpod activities.