Discussion Forums and Student Engagement: A Social Network Analysis Perspective

Autor/in	Kumi, Richard
Titel	Discussion Forums and Student Engagement: A Social Network Analysis Perspective
Quelle	In: Decision Sciences Journal of Innovative Education, 21 (2023) 4, S.197-207 (11 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Zusatzinformation	ORCID (Kumi, Richard)
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1540-4595
DOI	10.1111/dsji.12299
Schlagwörter	Undergraduate Students; Discussion (Teaching Technique); Discussion Groups; Online Courses; Learner Engagement; Social Networks; Interaction; Social Status; Student Role; Interpersonal Relationship + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Online course; Online-Kurs; Social network; Soziales Netzwerk; Interaktion; Sozialer Status; Interpersonal relation; Interpersonal relations; Interpersonelle Beziehung; Zwischenmenschliche Beziehung
Abstract	Online courses frequently use discussion forums to enhance student engagement, an approach that is critical to fostering positive student learning outcomes. Because discussion forums are common in online classes, many instructors rely on summary statistics and self-reported measures to assess student engagement. However, these metrics overlook the structural and relational dimensions of student interactions in discussion forums. To complement those other metrics, this study uses social network analysis to examine interactions in a discussion forum to expose the structural and relational dimensions of student interactions. We aggregated data on student interactions in a discussion forum for an undergraduate class with 31 enrolled students. The graphical representation of student interactions in the discussion forum revealed the social positions and roles of students and exposed the strengths and weaknesses in the structural and relational ties. Mathematical analysis accurately measures student interactions in the forum using measures of centrality. Both of those analyses enabled the description and comparison of interactions at the group and individual levels. Social network analysis is a practical method that adds another perspective to our understanding of student interactions in discussion forums. The outcomes of social network analysis can help instructors design courses, devise appropriate teaching interventions, and effectively use forums to engage students to improve learning outcomes. (As Provided).
Anmerkungen	Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2024/1/01