How do students learn?
Exploring how students collaborate, communicate, and study to uncover pain points and guide smarter product decisions.
Research Focus
Understanding student’s mental models of group learning to help inform future design
Studies have consistently shown that students learn more effectively in collaborative environments than when studying alone. Nuubi is a mobile app designed to foster peer-to-peer support through Q&A forums and group chat, using gamification to boost engagement.
I joined Nuubi as a UX Research Intern, where I worked alongside two other interns to support the UX design team. Drawing from my neuroscience research background, I helped lead early discovery efforts to identify student needs and behaviors.
Although Nuubi’s product was grounded in academic research, the company lacked direct data from its users. Recognizing this gap, our team initiated both quantitative and qualitative research to better understand students’ motivations, pain points, and engagement patterns.
This case study will go over my research process that I used to understand the problem.
Research Process
It was imperative that we understand how students feel about collaborative learning. Studies may report that group learning is highly beneficial but if students have a negative feeling towards it, they may feel less motivated to do so.
Using a survey to reveal the unknown
To better understand student’s mental models, we began with an online survey (Google Forms) that explored their learning preferences, study habits, and attitudes toward group learning. For projects in the early discovery phase, I often start with a survey to uncover high-level patterns and themes worth exploring further.
The insights gathered from the survey not only help validate assumptions but also serve as a foundation for crafting more focused and meaningful interview questions. In this way, surveys act as a directional tool, shaping the next phase of qualitative research.
Analyzing survey results
We collected responses from approximately 90 students, including those currently enrolled in universities or bootcamps, as well as recent graduates.
Participants rated their agreement with statements about studying using a Likert scale. To uncover patterns, I segmented the responses by study preference (Always study in a group, Always study alone, Mostly in a group, Mostly study alone) and used Python to clean, organize, and visualize the data.
While the small sample size limits the generalizability of findings, we still observed meaningful trends suggesting that study preferences shaped how students responded to various statements.
Interviewing students to better understand their study habits
Our survey responses revealed a clear difference in responses between students who prefer to study alone or groups. We wanted to understand the reasons behind these differences. Why some students prefer studying alone while others thrive in groups, and how they interact with peers and instructors.
To explore these questions, our team developed a set of questions around three main themes: study habits, communication, and course platforms. Rather than strictly following a script, we used these questions as a guide to encourage open-ended conversations. When interviewees mentioned something unexpected or insightful, I asked follow-up questions to dig deeper.
This flexible approach is one of the reasons I always advocate for user interviews when time allows as they often uncover rich, nuanced insights that quantitative methods can easily miss.
Affinity mapping to identify key themes
After completing our interviews, the team used FigJam to organize insights and standout quotes from each participant onto digital sticky notes. We then collaboratively grouped similar observations to identify common themes across interviews.
This process helped us uncover key pain points, which we used to develop student point-of-view statements and generate How Might We (HMW) questions to guide the next steps in our design process.
Consolidating our findings to present to the UX design team
Our team compiled key insights from the research and synthesized them into a clear, actionable presentation for the UX design team. The goal was to ensure our findings could directly inform design decisions and align the product direction with students’ needs and behaviors.
Lessons Learned
Applying my research background to UX
This was my first role at a company since completing my UX/UI design bootcamp, and I wasn’t sure what to expect. Would I enjoy it? Would my academic research background translate to the real world?
Although the research methods were different, I found myself comfortable identifying what needed to be done, gathering insights, and analyzing results. The positive feedback I received from the CEO reaffirmed that my neuroscience background gave me a strong foundation for UX research.
User interviews are invaluable
This project reaffirmed something I’ve always believed...there is no substitute for talking directly to users. Everyone has unique experiences, and I genuinely enjoy learning about them. Through interviews, I was able to uncover meaningful insights and identify pain points that wouldn’t have surfaced through surveys alone.
I’ve said this before, but I’ll say it again. User interviews are essential. They reveal the “why” behind behaviors and insights that no metric or dataset can fully explain.