ENGAGIUM: A Real-Time Participation Tracking System for Synchronous Online Learning in Higher Education

Abstract

The rapid adoption of synchronous online and blended learning environments has intensified the need for fair and consistent monitoring of student participation during virtual class sessions. However, instructors frequently encounter difficulties in capturing participation across multiple interaction channels such as chat messages, microphone activity, reactions, and hand-raise events while simultaneously facilitating instruction. This study designed, developed, and evaluated ENGAGIUM, a real-time participation tracking system intended for professors conducting synchronous online classes through Google Meet and Zoom. The system integrates a browser-based participation tracking extension, instructor-facing dashboards, and real-time analytics mechanisms to automate the collection and visualization of participation events.
The study employed a quantitative-descriptive developmental research methodology utilizing sequential pre-development and post-development evaluation phases. Pre-development findings revealed that instructors experienced difficulty consolidating participation records manually, resulting in concerns regarding grading consistency and participation visibility. The developed system was evaluated using descriptive statistical analysis, weighted mean computation, thematic analysis, and the System Usability Scale (SUS). Evaluation results demonstrated positive faculty perceptions regarding usability, effectiveness, transparency, and reliability. ENGAGIUM achieved a System Usability Scale score of 72.88, indicating above-average usability and acceptable system readiness for instructional use. Findings further showed that automated participation logging improved perceived fairness in participation-based assessment by reducing dependence on fragmented manual observation.
The study concludes that ENGAGIUM provides a practical and privacy-aware approach for synchronous participation monitoring through automated event capture and analytics visualization. The system contributes to educational technology by supporting transparent participation assessment while preserving user privacy through metadata-based tracking without audio or video recording.