Physiological evaluation of a student in e-learning sessions by hemodynamic responses

In this study, a novel approach towards the evaluation of students in e-learning sessions is regarded; the physiological responses of the students who were engaged in e-leaming materials were investigated. Among a full battery of physiological signals, we focused on human hemodynamic activity, which is represented by the blood pressure. The past hemodynamic studies on mental stress showed that the difference in subject's stress coping style, i.e., active and passive coping, induced different hemodynamic responses. Such a variety of stress coping styles is also anticipated to be prevailing in attendees of e-learning course. In the experiment, the hemodynamic responses of the students who were engaged in the e-leaming session were investigated with two considerably contrasting e-leaming materials, one is characterized by an interactive material and the other is by non-interactive material. As a developing result, a particular hemodynamic pattern, which is involved in the subject's active coping, was observed in the interactive condition, and that of passive coping was observed in the non-interactive condition, whereas there was no significant difference in the score of questionnaire on the materials. These results thus led to an idea of the objective evaluation of the attendees of e-leaming courses.