#366: Linking Physiological Data and Self-Reports: Exploring Engagement in Collaborative Learning

This study investigated the relationship between physiological synchrony and engagement in an authentic collaborative learning context. Heart rate data and self-reported engagement surveys were collected from 32 postgraduate students during a semester-long collaborative writing course. Data were analyzed using Monte Carlo shuffling, Spearman correlation, and Welch's t-test. Spearman correlation revealed no significant associations between heart rate-based physiological synchrony and any dimension of self-reported engagement. However, pairs exhibiting significant physiological synchrony reported notably higher socio-emotional engagement compared to non-synchronous pairs, with this difference approaching statistical significance. These findings suggest that in authentic learning environments characterized by dynamic complexity, a direct linear relationship between physiological synchrony and engagement may not always be evident. Nevertheless, when physiological synchrony reaches a statistically significant threshold, it appears to serve as a sensitive indicator of the socio-emotional dimensions of collaboration, highlighting its value for uncovering complex dynamics of student engagement in naturalistic educational settings.