Design an adaptive e-learning environment based on personalized factors and its impact on the development of students' metacognitive thinking skills

Introduction Modern e-learning platforms are increasingly using personalized elements to better address diverse learners and enhance learning outcomes. To investigate the effects on the development of students' metacognitive thinking, this study develops an adaptive e-learning environment based on two personalized factors: learning styles and knowledge levels. Methods The study, which used a quasi-experimental design with undergraduate students, revealed that there was no obvious effect on metacognitive growth when content was personalized for learning styles. Results This reflects the increasing concern among academics about the usefulness of learning styles in personalized learning. On the other hand, metacognitive engagement was found to be strongly influenced by prior knowledge. Discussion The findings imply a shift to evidence-based adaptive design, arguing that to successfully promote higher-order cognitive abilities, e-learning environments should give priority to empirically verified factors like knowledge expertise.