Archive for the ‘Discussion Forum’ Category

Professional Networking: Exploring Differences Between Offline and Online Networking

Professional networking has mostly been researched in offline contexts. With professional social networking sites (SNS), such as LinkedIn or the German platform XING, professional networking can be extended to online contexts. Therefore, this study examines if people differ in the intensity of offline and online networking and if influence factors differentially predict offline and online […]

Using Innovative and Scientifically-Based Debate to Build e-Learning Community

The research described in this article explored the efficacy of a novel approach to recreating classroom debates online. Using a structured approach and collaborative group work, the researcher developed an approach that students found very useful in six different dimensions. The research also explored possible differences in perceptions stemming from students’ familiarity with online learning […]

8 Ways to Improve Group Work Online

Guiding students in effective collaboration is one of the best ways to mentor them in this crisis, Cathy N. Davidson and Christina Katopodis argue, offering advice for how to do so successfully. Inside Higher Ed

The effects of a visible-annotation tool for sequential knowledge construction on discourse patterns and collaborative outcomes

This study aimed to explore learners’ discourse patterns and outcomes while using a visible-annotation tool as a collaborative representation tool. The tool used in this study introduced two types of sharing activities before the problem-solving phase to support sequential knowledge construction. Forty participants were randomly assigned to one of three groups according to two variables: […]

Download Report: The Missing Metrics: Emerging Practices for Measuring Students’ relationships and networks

Young people need the right resources at their disposal to navigate uncertain times and to pursue their evolving interests and passions. All too often, however, a critical resource in the opportunity equation repeatedly goes unmeasured: students’ social capital. Social capital describes students’ access to, and ability to mobilize, relationships that help them further their potential […]

From Discussion Forums to eMeetings: Integrating High Touch Strategies to Increase Student Engagement, Academic Performance, and Retention in Large Online Courses

Student engagement and group work are critical to developing competencies, deeper learning, and attributes that align with 21st-century skills. Group work is particularly important for future employment in an increasingly competitive and dynamic workforce. A new capstone group work assignment using Online Human Touch (OHT) strategies was integrated into an Information Systems course at a regional […]

Facilitation Matters: Instructor Perception of Helpfulness of Facilitation Strategies in Online Courses

Online course facilitation is critical to the success of online courses. Instructors use various facilitation strategies in online courses to engage students. One hundred instructors were surveyed on their perception of helpfulness of twelve different facilitation strategies used in online courses to enhance instructor presence, instructor connection, engagement and learning. Instructors’ timely response to questions […]

Students’ Perspectives on the Impact of Blackboard Collaborate on Open University Australia (OUA) Online Learning

Blackboard Collaborate (BC), a synchronous, multimodal platform, has been incorporated into Open University Australia (OUA) students’ online learning experiences. This study sought to investigate the perspectives of 134 interdisciplinary OUA students via an online survey and follow-up interviews. Findings revealed students’ positive perceptions about BC as an engaging, real-time medium for feedback exchange, knowledge sharing, […]

From Discussion Forums to eMeetings: Integrating High Touch Strategies to Increase Student Engagement, Academic Performance, and Retention in Large Online Courses

Student engagement and group work are critical to developing competencies, deeper learning, and attributes that align with 21st-century skills. Group work is particularly important for future employment in an increasingly competitive and dynamic workforce. A new capstone group work assignment using Online Human Touch (OHT) strategies was integrated into an Information Systems course at a regional […]

From confounded to common ground: Misunderstandings between tertiary teachers and students in online discussions

Drawing on findings from two studies, this article focuses on the expectations of students and teachers in higher education, when learning via asynchronous online discussions. In particular, this synthesis highlights a divergence of expectations. The first study investigated how students and teachers experienced asynchronous online discussion within initial teacher education at undergraduate level. The second […]