Capturing User Behavior in E-Learning Environments

Abstract

In this paper we describe a proposal for embedding hidden marks in the web pages of a complex web site with the aim of simplifying the process of collecting and analyzing users' behavior. Usually, server log files are used for tracking user actions, but these files present typical drawbacks due to their huge size and the lack of discrimination between user actions and automated responses. We propose two different strategies for embedding usage marks into web server log files, action-oriented and content-oriented. Action marks are button-oriented and keep track of user behavior oriented to perform tasks thorough system buttons and menus. Content marks keep track of page loads and navigation thorough links pointing to contents that act as traps. Both strategies are complementary and can be used at once. A simple experiment designed to capture user behavior once the initial web site page has been loaded is described as a real example of such proposal usage, showing the advantages of reducing the number of relevant log entries and focusing on specific user actions.