Learning paths design in personal learning environments: The impact on postgraduates’ cognitive achievements and satisfaction

This study designed and pilot-tested a learning path in Personal Learning Environments (PLEs) to facilitate learners’ Self-regulated Learning. 122 postgraduates who joined an International English Language Testing System (IELTS) course at a comprehensive university in China were evenly divided into two groups. The experimental group used PLEs with a learning path design, while the control group used PLEs without a learning path design. The pre-and-post-tests of IELTS were conducted to assess participants’ cognitive achievements. The results indicated that both groups improved cognitively, with the experimental group indicating significantly better improvements than the control group. Further, a questionnaire on participants’ satisfaction with the PLEs platform was administered. The results showed that the experimental group was highly satisfied with the path-controlled PLEs, while the controlled group expressed their need for scaffoldings in PLEs. The study could provide learning platform designers with useful guidance to improve learners’ learning performance and satisfaction.