Effects and mechanisms of analytics-assisted reflective assessment in fostering undergraduates' collective epistemic agency in computer-supported collaborative inquiry

BackgroundUndergraduates' collective epistemic agency is critical for their productive collaborative inquiry and knowledge building (KB). However, fostering undergraduates' collective epistemic agency is challenging. Studies have demonstrated the potential of computer-supported collaborative inquiry approaches, such as KB-the focus of this study, and reflective assessment to foster collective epistemic agency.ObjectivesThis study used a quasi-experimental design to examine the impact of reflective assessment on undergraduates' collective epistemic agency and the mechanisms of this impact.MethodsAn experimental class, comprising 40 undergraduates, engaged in KB inquiry enhanced by analytics-assisted reflective assessment, while a comparison class, comprising 41 undergraduates, engaged in portfolio-supported reflective assessment in KB inquiry. Classroom observations, audio recordings of group discussions and reflections, and student artefacts were collected in both conditions.Results and ConclusionsThe experimental class demonstrated significantly higher levels of collective epistemic agency than the comparison class, as indicated by their collective knowledge advancement and epistemic and metacognitive actions. Qualitative thematic analysis revealed that reflective assessment enhanced the undergraduates' collective epistemic agency through their collective monitoring and regulation of inquiry and ideas, negotiation and synthesis of the community's ideas, conceptualization of collective theories and identification of collective inquiry trajectories with an internal reflective structure.Major TakeawaysHigher-level metacognitive actions are critical for productive collaborative inquiry and higher-level epistemic agency that does not often occur naturally and should be promoted by appropriate scaffolding strategies. Students need data from learning analytics and accompanying prompt sheets to help them develop the internal metacognitive structure for agency and learning. What is currently known about this topic?Implications for practice/or policyUndergraduates' collective epistemic agency (CEA) is critical for productive KB.Analytics-assisted reflective assessment (AARA) are promising in fostering CEA.What does this paper add?AARA has positive influences on students' CEAAARA helps students develop CEA through the following mechanisms.AARA supports students' collective regulation and negotiation of collective ideas.AARA enhances conceptualization and deepening of collective trajectories with an internal reflective structure.Higher-level metacognitive actions are critical for collaborative inquiry and CEAAnalytics-assisted RA can enhance students' higher-level metacognitive actions.Students should be provided with learning data and appropriate scaffolding strategies.These data and strategies can develop students' internal metacognitive structure crucial for agency and learning.