An Analysis of Discussion Forum Participation and Student Learning Outcomes

Autor/inn/en	Wikle, Jocelyn S.; West, Richard E.
Titel	An Analysis of Discussion Forum Participation and Student Learning Outcomes
Quelle	In: International Journal on E-Learning, 18 (2019) 2, S.205-228 (24 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1537-2456
Schlagwörter	Student Participation; Discussion Groups; Outcomes of Education; Difficulty Level; Correlation; Asynchronous Communication; Online Courses; Scores; Writing Skills; Microeconomics; College Students; Multiple Choice Tests + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Schülermitarbeit; Schülermitwirkung; Studentische Mitbestimmung; Lernleistung; Schulerfolg; Schwierigkeitsgrad; Korrelation; Online course; Online-Kurs; Writing skill; Schreibfertigkeit; Mikroökonomie; Collegestudent; Multiple choice examinations; Multiple-choice tests, Multiple-choice examinations; Multiple-Choice-Verfahren
Abstract	Each year students spend thousands of hours participating in discussion forums. Yet there has not been sufficient scholarship on the observable effects of discussion forums on learning outcomes, and there is not a clear understanding of the role discussion forums play in transmitting knowledge of course concepts to students. This study investigates associations between participation in online discussion forums and learning performance on discussion forum topics by tracking involvement in discussions as well as student mastery of discussion topics. Furthermore, the level of difficulty of discussion topics was evaluated. In some instances, discussion forum participation associated with better learning outcomes, while in other instances no associations were found. Although discussion forums did not aid learning for an easy concept, discussion forums associated with better learning outcomes for students participating in a moderately difficult topic. For a high difficulty topic, participation alone in a discussion forum did not correlate with improved learning outcomes; however, high quality involvement in a discussion forum of a highly difficult concept was associated with improved learning outcomes. (As Provided).
Anmerkungen	Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education. P.O. Box 719, Waynesville, NC 28786. Tel: 828-246-9558; Fax: 828-246-9557; e-mail: info@aace.org; Web site: http://www.aace.org
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2020/1/01