# Enhancing Online Learning Through Multi-Agent Debates for CS University Students
## 2 Literature Review
### Online Learning Environment  
The online learning environment is a diverse and digital educational ecosystem that provides learners with flexible educational platforms that transcend geographical, temporal, and cultural boundaries through the Internet, cloud computing, and advanced digital interaction technologies [43]. This complex learning ecosystem is not merely a technological medium but an innovative paradigm that integrates education, cognitive science, and information technology, with the core value of offering highly personalized, adaptive, and inclusive learning experiences [44]. Educational theories provide the essential theoretical foundation and normative guidance for the cognitive framework and practical paradigms of online learning. Self-Determination Theory (SDT) extensively analyzes the inherent mechanisms of learners' basic psychological needs--autonomy, competence, and relatedness--regarding learning motivation and performance, offering significant theoretical insights into learner agency in online learning contexts [45]. The Cognitive-Affective Immersive Learning (CAMIL) model deconstructs the immersive experience of learners in digital learning environments in various dimensions, elucidating the complex dialectical relationships between cognitive engagement, emotional involvement, and interaction experiences throughout the learning process [46]. The Inquiry-Based Learning (IBL) framework provides a structured methodology for online learning, emphasizing the cultivation of learners' autonomy in exploration, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills within the knowledge construction process [47]. Self-Regulated Learning (SRL) strategies reveal the complex pathways through which learners regulate their behaviors and achieve goals during autonomous learning [48,49]. Deeper investigations indicate that learners' emotional trajectories and levels of interaction critically influence learning outcomes, not only impacting cognitive knowledge acquisition but also reflecting the development of learners' metacognitive skills and learning adaptability [50]. This study demonstrates that cognitive presence, social presence, and teaching presence are significantly correlated with autonomy, competence, relevance, and perceived learning in the context of online educational settings in China [51]. The COVID-19 pandemic, in particular, has accelerated the application of digital technologies in education, leading to a growing number of technological innovations in online learning platforms. For example, virtual reality (VR) technology provides a revolutionary learning paradigm for disciplines that require high levels of practicality and interactivity by creating highly immersive, interactive learning environments [46,52]. At the same time, artificial intelligence (AI) optimizes learning processes and dynamically adapts learning paths through intelligent algorithms tailored to the individual needs of learners [53]. By breaking the structural limitations of traditional education, online learning environments achieve global sharing of educational resources, promote learner autonomy, and implement the concept of lifelong learning, thereby advancing educational equity and knowledge democratization in a globalized context. Despite advancements in technology, online education environments still face significant structural challenges. First, traditional online courses primarily rely on one-way lecturing models, which closely mirror conventional classrooms by simply transferring content to the Internet, thus lacking substantial pedagogical innovation. As a result, students remain in a highly passive state during the learning process, hindering their ability to think independently and explore knowledge actively. Second, the lack of interactivity leads to substantial declines in student satisfaction and learning outcomes due to insufficient opportunities for immediate questioning and deep communication [54].