Fourth Annual Workshop on A/B Testing and Platform-Enabled Learning Research

Abstract

Learning engineering adds tools and processes to learning platforms to support improvement research. One kind of tool is A/B testing-common in large software companies and also represented academically at conferences like the Annual Conference on Digital Experimentation (CODE). A number of A/B testing systems focused on educational apps have arisen recently, including UpGrade and E-TRIALS. A/B testing can help improve educational platforms, yet challenging issues in education go beyond the generic paradigm. In response, a number of of digital learning platforms is opening their systems to learning-improvement research by instructors and/or third-party researchers, with specific supports necessary for education-specific research designs. This workshop will explore how A/B testing in educational contexts is different, how learning platforms are opening up new possibilities, and how these empirical approaches can be used to drive powerful gains in student learning. It will also discuss forthcoming opportunities for funding to conduct platform-enabled learning research.