Engagement Analysis of Speech Text from Activity Reports of a Distance Project-Based Learning

This study aims to support Project-Based Learning (PBL) in a distance environment in which teachers provide feedback to learners to facilitate learning. However, in distance PBL, it is difficult for teachers to grasp learners’ learning status, and it is difficult for them to provide appropriate feedback. In this study, to assist teachers in providing feedback to learners whose learning status is not good, we estimate engagement, which is one of the mental indicators of their positive attitude toward learning, using activity reports submitted by the learners. In this paper, we analyzed the content of activity reports from perspectives other than the occurrence of negative words, which has been reported on previously. The results of the analysis suggest the possibility of estimating learner engagement and learning status through sentiment estimation using a widely used sentiment analysis program, indicating that activity reports are useful in assisting teachers in providing feedback.