WIP: SEmi-Automated Second-Order Incentive Driven Engagement of College Students

This innovative practice WIP paper introduces a new method, which we call SEASIDE: SEmi-Automated Second-order Incentive-Driven Engagement to improve class attendance and participation of college students. Class attendance significantly impacts college students' academic success and personal development. To combat low participation, educators have tried various methods, however, these approaches often bring administrative challenges and need to accommodate students with disabilities. Our proposed strategy, SEASIDE, employs a mostly hands-off automated system with indirect rewards that do not alter grades in a straightforward fashion but offer benefits like assignment extensions or flexible exam options, which can potentially influence course grades. Implemented in an introductory Embedded Systems course with 240 students, this system allows students to trade participation points for assignment extensions, addressing common issues like procrastination and unexpected personal challenges. Our findings indicate that nearly 75% reported that these incentives motivated regular attendance and active participation. This approach not only enhances student engagement without directly impacting grades but also simplifies administrative processes for educators.