Article 2025

MSC-Trans: A Multi-Feature-Fusion Network With Encoding Structure for Student Engagement Detecting

IEEE Transactions on Learning Technologies
Journal · Vol. 18 · pp. 243-255
Abstract

Classroom engagement is a critical factor for evaluating students' learning outcomes and teachers' instructional strategies. Traditional methods for detecting classroom engagement, such as coding and questionnaires, are often limited by delays, subjectivity, and external interference. While some neural network models have been proposed to detect engagement using video data, they generally rely on fixed feature combinations, which fail to capture the logical connections and temporal dynamics of engagement.To address these challenges, this article introduces the MSC-Trans Engagement Detecting Network, a temporal multimodal data fusion framework that integrates a convolutional neural network (CNN) and a multilayer encoder–decoder structure. The proposed network includes two key components: first, a multilabel classifier based on ResNet and Transformer, which embeds labels into image features extracted by the CNN for high-precision classification through background inference, second, a temporal feature fusion module, which leverages an encoder–decoder structure to integrate multimodal features over time, enabling stable tracking of classroom engagement. Meanwhile, this open framework allows users to freely select feature combinations for temporal fusion based on specific scenarios and needs.The MSC-Trans Engagement Detecting Network was validated on the DAiSEE dataset, augmented with real classroom data. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method achieves state-of-the-art performance in continuous engagement tracking metrics, with flexible and scalable feature selection. This work offers a robust and effective approach for advancing engagement detection in educational settings. © 2008-2011 IEEE.

Keywords

Author Keywords

Student engagement Multilabel classification temporal feature fusion

Index Keywords

Teaching Students student engagement Data fusion convolutional neural network Video Recording Convolutional neural networks Feature Selection Image coding Multilayer neural networks Network coding Decoder structures Encoder-decoder Feature combination Features fusions Multi-feature fusion Multi-label classifications Temporal feature fusion Temporal features
Author Affiliations
Tongji University, Shanghai, China, Shanghai Institute for Pediatric Research, Shanghai, Shanghai, China
Institute of Vocational Education, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
Shanghai Institute for Pediatric Research, Shanghai, Shanghai, China
Tongji University, Shanghai, China
Funding & Acknowledgements
Tongji University
Grant: tjdxsr2025012
This work involved human subjects or animals in its research. Approval of all ethical and experimental procedures and protocols was granted by the Academic Ethics Committee of Tongji University under Application No. tjdxsr2025012, and performed in line with the 1964 declaration of HELSINKI.
Tongji University
This work involved human subjects or animals in its research. Approval of all ethical and experimental procedures and protocols was granted by the Academic Ethics Committee of Tongji University under Application No. tjdxsr2025012, and performed in line with the 1964 declaration of HELSINKI.
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