Examining Sources of Variation in Student Confusion in College Classes

Abstract

Students often experience confusion while learning, and if promptly resolved, it can promote engagement and deeper understanding. However, detecting student confusion and intervening in a timely and scalable manner challenges even seasoned instructors. To understand when and where students are most likely to be confused, we study the systematic occurrence of confusion in college classes among 29,511 students in twelve universities. We use a novel method for affect detection that allows students to self-report confusion on individual presentation slides during their classes. Across 1,366 class presentations, we find that confusion arises at different times during class and depends on class duration, class size, type of institution, and academic discipline. Confusion is most prevalent during short presentations, in small classes, low-tier institutions, and scientific disciplines.