Online Discussion Forums:

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• Online Discussion Forums
• Student Perspective

MRC Presentation Nov 15, 2001

Norm VaughanJim Zimmer
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Overview

• Research Purpose
• Conceptual Framework
• Methodology
• Results
• Conclusions
• Discussion

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Research Questions

• What are the training and support needs for
  students using online discussion forums?
• How are MRC instructors using online discussion
  forums with their students?
• What teaching and learning strategies are being
  employed to encourage effective integration of
  these online discussion forums into the course?
• What is the perceived impact of these online
  discussion forums on student learning?
• How satisfied are students in courses using
  online discussion forums?

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Conceptual Framework

• Flashlight Model (Ehrmann)
• Seven Principles of Effective Undergraduate
  Teaching (Chickering and Gamson, 1987)
• Good practice is characterized by
• frequent student-teacher contact
• cooperation and collaboration among students
• active learning pedagogies
• increasing time on task
• provision of rich and rapid feedback
• communicating high expectations
• respect for different learning styles

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Study Population Methodology

• Eligible for study students in courses in which
  Blackboard discussion forums were used
• 57 item in-class survey
• 12 sections of students in courses of 10
  instructors
• majority of students campus-based
• Focus groups x 2
• cross-section of students
• Survey and focus group items drawn from the
  Flashlight Current Student Inventory

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(No Transcript)
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Study Results
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Demographics

• 243 survey respondents 9 focus group
  participants
• Arts Education, Psychology, History, Philosophy
• Health Community Studies Undergraduate
  Nursing, Child Studies, Disability Studies
• Science and Technology - Chemistry
• Center for Communications - Journalism
• Gender
• Female 72.9, Male 27.1
• Age
• 17 to 19 24.8, 20 to 24 55.2, 25 to 54
  20.0
• Enrollment Status
• Full time 89.8, Part time - 10.2

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Computer Skills and Access

• Computer Skills - Self Rating
• Novice Intermediate Advanced No Answer
• 20.2 63.4 16.5 0.7
• Home Internet Access
• Yes - 82.3 No 17.3 No Answer - 0.4
• Where Online Discussions Forums Accessed
• Off-campus On-campus Both,equally
• 46.2 19.1 34.7
• Frequency of Use
• gtonce/day once/day few times/wk once/week
  ltonce/week no answer
• 0.4 5.3 29.6 34.6
  26.7 0.4

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Student training and support needs
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Ease of Use of Online Forums

• Strongly agreed/agreed
• 83.9 - easy to access via web browser
• 82.3 - instructor gave enough info about using
• 80.7 - intuitive and easy to use
• 11.1 - needed lots of help from instructor or
  peers

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Training and Support NeedsComments

• I used the discussion board in another course
  last year and I think that made it a lot easier.
• Online discussion forum tool within Blackboard
  was very intuitive to use.
• The discussion board was fun and easy to use. It
  was a good way to keep in touch with classmates
  during the time periods between classes.

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Training and Support NeedsConcerns

• I found it hard to access at school due to the
  shortage of computers.
• I havent been able to log on since our first
  class. It says invalid password. This stupid
  program is affecting my grade in a negative way!
• Was able to access it at school but not at home.

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Teaching-Learning Strategies
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What Kind of Learning Activities Took Place in
Your Discussion Forum?

• 71.6 - Issue based discussion
• 37.0 - Small group discussion
• 24.3 - Question and answer sessions
• 20.6 - Debates
• 16.9 - Critiquing a paper or article
• 15.2 - Problem solving activity
• 6.6 - Social space
• 6.2 - Discussion with content experts outside
  our College
• 2.1 - Technical trouble shooting
• 12.3 - No answer

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Learning Activities - Comments

• Different views about questions vast amount of
  sources, opinions and information
• Networking and sharing of information
• Lets me look at something through someone elses
  eyes
• Really good way to review course material
• Discussion grew rather than diminished over
  time. Frequency, length and depth of posts
  increased over the semester.

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Learning Activities - Concerns

• I found the messages on the discussion board
  were more individual statements than responses to
  each others comments.
• I would love to see it used more for course
  content questions (e.g. example problems,
  questions students have about specific problems,
  formulas, specific study tips).
• What learning activities?

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How were these learning activities used in your
discussion forum?

• 46.9 - Continue classroom discussion after
  class
• 35.4 - Preparatory activity for class
• 24.7 - Stand-alone activity, not directly
  related to the classroom
• 5.3 - Other
• 11.1 - No Answer

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Instructor Participation in Online Discussions

• 51.4 - Yes
• 32.9 - No
• 15.6 - No answer

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Instructor Participation in Online Discussions -
Comments

• Only in giving initial instruction and
  direction
• At least once a week, there would be a comment
• Comments made when clarification is needed on an
  article we are discussing.
• Opinion wasnt given but supplied articles to
  comment on and questions to answer. In
  opinion-based discussion, instructor should
  refrain
• Forum was set up by instructor but students were
  assigned a specific week to be in control of the
  discussion.

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Required Levels of Participation

• No participation required
• Had to participate in one discussion board
  activity
• 5 entries over the semester
• Critique and respond to 4 articles throughout the
  semester
• Had to participate in 2 segments of a discussion
  topic read article, comment on article later
  comment on someone elses comment
• We would receive 15 for 5 responses submitted
  to discussion board throughout the semester
• Participation (in class online ) is worth 10
  all together
• Participation optional 1 given for each
  discussion topic as incentive

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Student Marks Associated with Online Discussion
Activities

• 55.1 - Yes
• 31.3 - No
• Range 0 - 15
• Most common 10 or 15
• Marks for participation /- Content
• Global participation marks (classroom online)

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Student-Instructor Contact

• In comparison with similar courses in which
  online discussion forums were not used, I was
  somewhat to much more likely to . . .
• 41.2 interact with the instructor
• 40.3 discuss the ideas and concepts taught in
  this course with the instructor
• 42.8 tell the instructor when you have a
  complaint or suggestion about the course
• 42.8 ask for clarification when you didnt
  understand something

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Student-Student Cooperation / Collaboration

• In comparison with similar courses in which
  online discussion forums were not used, I was
  somewhat to much more likely to . . .
• 49.0 discuss ideas and concepts taught in the
  course with your classmates
• 35 work on assignments with other students
• 31.3 ask other students for comments on your
  course work
• 7.8 feel isolated from other students

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Active Learning

• In comparison with similar courses in which
  online discussion forums were not used, I was
  somewhat to much more likely to . . .
• 44.8 use the Internet as a source of
  course-related information
• 42.0 actively participate in in-class
  discussions
• 39.5 apply what you are learning in the course
  to the real world
• 27.2 communicate with content experts outside
  our College

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Time-on-Task / Use of Time

• Because of the way this course used online
  discussion forums . . . (agree/strongly agree)
• 52.6 I spend more time on course-related work
• 46.5 I am better able to juggle my course and
  home responsibilities
• 16.8 I spend too much time trying to access to
  a computer workstation
• 12.3 I waste too much time sorting through my
  messages to find the few that are useful

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Individual Learning Preferences

• Because of the way this course used online
  discussion forums . . . (agree/strongly agree)
• 49.0 I feel more comfortable participating in
  discussions in this course, than I do in other
  courses
• 46.9 I feel more comfortable asking awkward
  questions
• 37.4 I feel more comfortable disagreeing with
  the instructor
• 16.4 I am at a disadvantage because I do not
  have Internet access at home

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Perceived Impact on Learning
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Conceptual Understanding and Skill Development

• Because of the way this course used online
  discussion forums . . . (agree/strongly agree)
• 62.9 I am better able to critically analyze
  issues and concepts related to my course
• 62.6 I am better able to understand the ideas
  and concepts taught in this course
• 58.9 I am acquiring skills that will be useful
  in my chosen profession
• 58.8 I am better able to communicate my ideas
  to others
• 58.0 I am better able to appreciate how others
  differ from me
• 57.2 I put more thought into my discussion
  comments in class

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Comments

• I like the online discussion - benefits my
  learning in the course.
• allowed me time to think about my answers fully
  and respond as needed (short and concise or long
  and detailed).
• The discussion forums were helpful because the
  course content was difficult - required
  analytical thinking.
• ...it allows me to express my opinion and be
  open-minded to others opinion, but sometimes I
  found it a nuisance to try and find time to get a
  work station at the College.
• The discussion board gave me a whole new
  perspective on studying history.
• Electronic communication is an important skill
  to develop

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Learner Satisfaction
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Student Satisfaction

• Agree/Strongly Agree
• 69.6 I would take another course that used
  online discussion forums in the future
• 64.2 I would recommend courses that use online
  discussion forums to other students
• 63.7 Overall, I thought the use of online
  discussion forums enhanced this course

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Student Satisfaction Comments

• I do like the discussion board and the fact that
  the course is semi-web based but I really enjoy
  our discussions in class.
• I liked the flexibility
• It worked awesome.
• If you dont like to speak in class, having to
  speak on the Internet can be quite successful.
• Its nice to be able to make suggestions without
  being face to face with the instructors because
  some just dont want to listen to any
  suggestions.

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Student Satisfaction Concerns

• People seem less skillful at expressing and
  interpreting thoughts online. Non-verbal language
  is essential but not possible online.
• I found there was no in-class discussion, which
  is disturbing. Its one thing to write your ideas
  anonymously, but another to speak your mind in
  class and be accountable for that.
• Having to share thoughts with other classmates
  can leave one quite worried as to what others
  think of your intelligence level.
• Student workload can be high depending on how
  its used. Could replace some aspect of the
  course (e.g. some class time or other
  assignments)

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Student Satisfaction Concerns

• Integrating technology into post-secondary is
  great, provided there are enough labs. This is
  my second semester here and finding a computer
  terminal can be next to impossible.
• I dont really feel anything one way or the
  other in the way of discussion groups. I have
  another class where part of our grade is
  discussion group, and I dont mind doing it, but
  I dont feel obligated when no mark is attached.
• Okay already, I didnt know there was online
  forums.

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Conclusions and Study Limitations
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Conclusions

• Significant percentage of students felt that
  online discussion forums added value to the
  learning experience
• Ability to hear multiple perspectives or
  different voices
• Reflective contribution to discussion
• Gave voice to reserved students
• Conceptual understanding / skill development

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Conclusions

• Concerns were expressed about the use of online
  discussion forums
• Access to computers and the Internet at the
  College and home
• Lack of non-verbal communication cues
• Accountability for posts
• Some technical problems persist unsure whether
  training-related or system-related

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Key Issues

• Connection to coursework rationale for forum
• Clarity of expectation
• Marks and grading
• weighting, and use of rubrics?
• Varying the learning activities
• Workload for students
• Instructor participation in discussion
• Training / Faculty Development
• students technical and etiquette
• faculty pedagogical possibilities

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Study Limitations

• Non-representative sample
• Self-report measures
• Halo effect?
• Cross-sectional design no cause-effect
  relationships

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Questions, Comments, Discussion
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Reference

• Implementing the seven principles technology as
  a lever. Chickering, A. Ehrmann, S. (1997)
• http//www.aahe.org/technology/ehrmann.htm
• Using Asynchronous Conferencing to Promote
  Critical Thinking
• http//crlt.indiana.edu/publications/crlt99-8.pdf
• Handbook for Instructors on the use of Electronic
  Discussions
• http//www.osu.edu/education/ftad/Publications/ele
  cdisc/pages/index.htm
• Computer Mediated Communication
  Resourceshttp//www2.mtroyal.ab.ca/nvaughan/cmc/

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Satisfaction and Gender
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Satisfaction by Age
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Satisfaction by Internet Access
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Satisfaction By Use of Marks