Nudge Messages for E-Learning Engagement and Student’s Personality Traits: Effects and Implication for Personalization

Abstract

The educational use of nudges has received much attention. However, individually optimized nudge interventions have not been well studied. In order to determine which nudge messages are effective for learners with what profiles based on personality inventories, we examined two nudge message interventions that promote the use of learning systems during the summer vacation period to see if they promote use. During summer vacation, students were divided into two groups and sent different types of nudges to each. One is a deadline notification: a notification with the number of days remaining in the summer vacation, and the other is a peer notification: a notification of other students’ achievements. We analyzed the frequency of each student’s reaction to the notification based on their personality traits. The results show that there was a significant negative correlation between frequency of response to peer notifications and conscientiousness (R=-0.43), and a slight positive correlation between frequency of response to deadline notifications and conscientiousness (R=0.32), peer notifications and neuroticism (R=-0.35) and peer notifications and openness to experience (R=-0.31). These results suggest the possibility of individually optimized nudge interventions by personality.