ERIC Number: EJ965542
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2012
Pages: 26
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0158-7919
EISSN: N/A
Evaluating the Quality of Interaction in Asynchronous Discussion Forums in Fully Online Courses
Nandi, Dip; Hamilton, Margaret; Harland, James
Distance Education, v33 n1 p5-30 2012
Fully online courses are becoming progressively more popular because of their "anytime anywhere" learning flexibility. One of the ways students interact with each other and with the instructors within fully online learning environments is via asynchronous discussion forums. However, student engagement in online discussion forums does not always take place automatically and there is a lack of clarity about the ideal role of the instructors in them. In this article, we report on our research on the quality of discussion in fully online courses through analysis of discussion forum activities. We have conducted our research on two large fully online subjects for computing students over two consecutive semesters and used a grounded theoretic approach for data analysis. Our results reveal what students and instructors consider as quality interaction in fully online courses. We also propose two frameworks based on our findings that can be used to ensure effective online interaction. (Contains 6 tables.)
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Learner Engagement, Electronic Learning, Online Courses, Interaction, Evaluation Criteria, Teacher Role, Facilitators (Individuals), Teacher Effectiveness, College Faculty, Open Universities, Student Participation, Asynchronous Communication, Integrated Learning Systems, Distance Education, Web Based Instruction, Grounded Theory, Instructional Effectiveness, Evaluation Methods, College Students, College Instruction, Computer Mediated Communication, Computer Science Education, Discussion, Discourse Analysis, Content Analysis, Qualitative Research, Case Studies, Guidelines
Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 325 Chestnut Street Suite 800, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Fax: 215-625-2940; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Australia
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A