Asynchronous Online Discussion Research Articles

Enhance adult students' online knowledge construction: Exploring effective instructional designs and addressing barriers

AbstractBackground StudyAsynchronous online discussions are vital venues for collaborative knowledge construction. However, the lack of appropriate instruction designs poses challenges in promoting deep and substantive engagement with the core subject matter. This paper explores how to enhance adult students' knowledge construction in the context of asynchronous online discussions at an open university in Taiwan.ObjectivesThis study explores instructional designs aimed at promoting online knowledge construction among adult students and overcoming barriers to this process.MethodsThis study used a convergent parallel mixed methods design to collect concurrently both quantitative data from the students' online discussion postings for content analysis and qualitative data from the focus group and individual interviews, the online open‐ended questionnaire, and the instructor's observation logs for thematic analysis. Then the results were merged in the interpretation stage.Results and ConclusionThe research highlights the significance of instructional designs in influencing students' level of knowledge construction during online discussions. The findings suggest that instructional designs that provide teacher‐led interim summaries, pose Socratic questions, and incorporate problem‐solving projects can promote higher‐level knowledge construction. However, time constraints, cultural influences, and unfamiliarity with peers negatively affected higher‐order knowledge construction. To address these challenges, culturally responsive and technologically inclusive instructional designs that take into account the specific challenges faced by adult learners are proposed to enhance learning outcomes through active participation.LimitationThe study's limited sample size warrants further research with a larger and more diverse cohort to validate the effectiveness of the proposed instructional designs. Another limitation is the lack of a robust theoretical base for the instructional strategies presented by the current action‐research study. Further examination and broader exploration in online education are needed to prop up proposed pedagogical approaches.

Augmenting assessment with AI coding of online student discourse: A question of reliability

Currently, many generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools are being integrated into the educational technology landscape for instructors. Our paper examines the potential and challenges of using Large Language Models (LLMs) to code student-generated content in online discussions based on intended learning outcomes and how instructors could use this to assess the intended and enacted learning design. If instructors were to rely on LLMs as a means of assessment, the reliability of these models to code the data accurately is crucial. Employing a diverse set of LLMs from the GPT family and prompting techniques on an asynchronous online discussion dataset from a blended-learning bachelor-level course, our research examines the reliability of AI-supported coding in educational research. Findings reveal that while AI-supported coding demonstrates efficiency, achieving substantial, moderate agreement with human coding for specific nuanced and context-dependent codes is challenging. Moreover, the high cost, token limits, and the advanced necessary skills needed to write API scripts might limit the usability of AI-driven coding. Finally, implementation would require specific parameterization techniques based on the class and may not be feasible for widespread implementation. Our study underscores the importance of transparency in AI coding methodologies and the need for a hybrid approach that integrates human judgement to ensure data accuracy and interpretability. In addition, it contributes to the knowledge base about the reliability of LLMs to code real, small datasets using complex codes that are common in the instructor's practice and explores the potential and challenges of using these models for assessment purposes.

An Evaluation of Asynchronous Online Discussion Board Formats in Interteaching

An Evaluation of Asynchronous Online Discussion Board Formats in Interteaching

Understanding cognitive engagement in virtual discussion boards

Cognitive engagement is an essential component in student learning. With the increase of more asynchronous virtual educational tools in classrooms, there is a need to understand how students are engaging with classroom content in these formats. Several studies have examined student and teacher perceptions of cognitive engagement in virtual discussion boards, but prior research has not analyzed the responses themselves. This study explores higher education students’ cognitive engagement when posting to asynchronous online discussions, investigating the levels and types of engagement for both written and video responses. Student responses were qualitatively coded based on themes that aligned with the ICAP framework of cognitive engagement. Descriptive and quantitative analyses were used to understand the types of cognitive engagement observed in online discussions, differences in video and written posts or when they had a choice in how to respond, and if patterns existed throughout the course. Results suggest that students do show deep levels of cognitive engagement in asynchronous discussions, in both written and video posts. Students exhibited deeper levels of cognitive engagement when they were given the choice in how to respond. There were no patterns over time in the course in cognitive engagement within students across the written and video posts. The structure and instructions of the prompts themselves may be important for eliciting deeper levels of responses. More explicit prompting for students to engage in deeper reflections or abstract thinking may help students engage with course content at a deeper level.

Students’ and facilitators’ experiences with synchronous and asynchronous online dialogic discussions and e-facilitation in understanding the Nature of Science

AbstractThe existing literature lacks a precise understanding of how online facilitation and dialogic discussions can positively impact students’ comprehension of the Nature of Science (NoS). This study delves into the experiences of students and facilitators engaged in synchronous and asynchronous online dialogic discussions and e-facilitation to enhance our understanding of NoS. An innovative experiment employed a digital dialogue game to engage postgraduate students in a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) secondary science course. The participants included sixty-five PGCE science students and three lecturers specializing in different science disciplines (Physics, Chemistry, and Biology). Qualitative data collection methods and analysis, including transcripts of online discussions about NoS topics, were followed by critical event recall interviews to identify specific online dialogue events that significantly contributed to the comprehension of NoS. The findings contribute significantly to comprehending students’ processes in grasping complex and debatable topics such as Nature of Science (NoS) within online dialogic discussions supported by e-facilitation. They emphasize the importance of establishing an open and expansive dialogic space, with a focus on the crucial roles of e-facilitators. The results also highlight a tension between active and passive roles in both synchronous and asynchronous online discussions. Additionally, the study sheds light on the influence of space, time, and texts in understanding NoS through e-facilitated online dialogic discussions. Notably, the research emphasizes the live chat room’s significance within Interloc, accentuating its role as a social space fostering a sense of community and a safe environment for inquiry in online dialogue which supported understanding NoS.

Using an integrated probabilistic clustering approach to detect student engagement across asynchronous and synchronous online discussions

Using an integrated probabilistic clustering approach to detect student engagement across asynchronous and synchronous online discussions

Investigating the combined effects of role assignment and discussion timing in a blended learning environment

Asynchronous online discussion (AOD) is an essential component of blended learning, and role assignment and timing are two important discussion design considerations. With the purpose of improving blended learning through effective AOD design, this study conducted a two-level factorial experiment to explore the main effects and interaction effects of role assignment and timing on blended learning outcome and experiences. In addition, this experiment examined the influence of role assignment and timing on participants' social communication in AOD and the effects of timing on individual role performance in role-based discussion. A total of 114 participants in a blended course were randomly assigned to four experimental conditions: role-based pre-class discussion (n = 29), role-free pre-class discussion (n = 29), role-based post-class discussion (n = 28), and role-free post-class discussion (n = 28). The results showed that the role assignment strategy featured by initiator, supporter, and arguer has led to improved learning experiences in terms of affection, sense of community, and forum experiences, as well as enhanced social communication in AOD; while timing affected the enactment, contribution, and participation of assigned roles in role-based discussions. However, there was no significant interaction between the two AOD strategies. In general, role-based post-class AOD is recommended after face-to-face lesson because of the better learning experience and role performance.

Learning Analytics: A View on the Design and Assessment of Asynchronous Online Discussions for Better Teaching Performance

In recent years, the impact of learning analytics has been investigated and explored in higher education contexts. This article aims to show how their application in online educational contexts is providing great support for teaching performance, especially in relation to the methodology applied, the monitoring of students’ interactions and participation, and the evaluation of activities, and how it can favor improvements in student performance and satisfaction. We therefore present the results obtained from use of the DIANA (DIAlog ANAlysis) tool designed for the research project “Use of learning analytics in digital environments: impact on the improvement of university teaching practice” (LAxDigTeach-21085GE). This study followed a mixed methodology (qualitative and quantitative) to better complement the data provided by learning analytics, given that the numerical data must be meaningful in the specific context in which they are collected. The results obtained are in line with previous research and show that the use of learning analytics have helped to improve teaching performance in relation to monitoring student interactions, participation, and evaluation, but are limited in terms of improving their performance and satisfaction. No generalized conclusions can be drawn as yet in light of the fact that the research project of which this study is a part has recently completed the pilot stage and we have only analyzed the information obtained in one of the participating subjects.

Incorporating Intersectionality of Gender and Race Into an Assignment: Students Interviewing Their Grandparents

ABSTRACT Via an asynchronous online discussion forum, 186 college students narrated a life history, as one of their grandparents, making “I” statements. The aim of this mixed method study was to further examine the intersectionality of race and gender revealed in these narratives. Thematic analyses were conducted to identify themes related to lived experiences of the grandparents, and how experiences were interpreted by students in their narratives. Differential vulnerability was reported based on gender and race. More women than men, and more persons of color than white narrators, reported greater life challenges and hardships in all major themes that emerged from the narratives. The intersectionality of race and gender and double jeopardy hypothesis were supported by the study findings.

Mental Health Self-Tracking Preferences of Young Adults With Depression and Anxiety Not Engaged in Treatment: Qualitative Analysis.

Despite the high prevalence of anxiety and depression among young adults, many do not seek formal treatment. Some may turn to digital mental health tools for support instead, including to self-track moods, behaviors, and other variables related to mental health. Researchers have sought to understand processes and motivations involved in self-tracking, but few have considered the specific needs and preferences of young adults who are not engaged in treatment and who seek to use self-tracking to support mental health. This study seeks to assess the types of experiences young adults not engaged in treatment have had with digital self-tracking for mood and other mental health data and to assess how young adults not seeking treatment want to engage in self-tracking to support their mental health. We conducted 2 online asynchronous discussion groups with 50 young adults aged 18 years to 25 years who were not engaged in treatment. Participants were recruited after indicating moderate to severe symptoms of depression or anxiety on screening surveys hosted on the website of Mental Health America. Participants who enrolled in the study responded anonymously to discussion prompts on a message board, as well as to each other's responses, and 3 coders performed a thematic analysis of their responses. Participants had mixed experiences with self-tracking in the past, including disliking when tracking highlighted unwanted behaviors and discontinuing tracking for a variety of reasons. They had more positive past experiences tracking behaviors and tasks they wanted to increase, using open-ended journaling, and with gamified elements to increase motivation. Participants highlighted several design considerations they wanted self-tracking tools to address, including building self-understanding; organization, reminders, and structure; and simplifying the self-tracking experience. Participants wanted self-tracking to help them identify their feelings and how their feelings related to other variables like sleep, exercise, and events in their lives. Participants also highlighted self-tracking as useful for motivating and supporting basic activities and tasks of daily living during periods of feeling overwhelmed or low mood and providing a sense of accomplishment and stability. Although self-tracking can be burdensome, participants were interested and provided suggestions for simplifying the process. These young adults not engaged in treatment reported interest in using self-tracking to build self-understanding as a goal in and of itself or as a first step in contemplating and preparing for behavior change or treatment-seeking. Alexithymia, amotivation, and feeling overwhelmed may serve both as barriers to self-tracking and opportunities for self-tracking to help.

Cultivating Critical Thinking, Social Justice Awareness and Empathy Among Pre-service Teachers Through Online Discussions on Global Citizenship Education

There is a paucity of research on the efficacy of online asynchronous discussion forums in fostering critical thinking, social justice awareness and empathy in pre-service teachers. This study adopted a case study design rooted in the social constructivist/interpretive paradigm. South African university pre-service teachers comprised the study’s sample. To examine how online discussions about Global Citizenship Education (GCE) affected the critical thinking and social justice awareness of a group of pre-service teachers ( n = 31), a questionnaire based on Andreotti’s (2006) Soft vs Critical GCE framework was used. To further understand how their involvement in online discussions on global issues influenced their sense of social justice awareness, empathy and critical thinking, certain pre-service teachers’ ( n = 9) reflective essays were used. The findings revealed that pre-service teachers’ responses were more consistent with the soft GCE approach. The Soft vs Critical GCE framework was useful for identifying which aspects of online interactions require a more critical understanding of GCE. The findings showed that pre-service teachers who participated in the online GCE conversations had increased social justice awareness, critical thinking skills and empathy.

Developing One Health capacity and networks through virtual training

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Virtual Learning Centers (VLCs) deliver online tutored courses with the aim of developing field capacity to integrate wildlife and ecosystem elements to approach One Health challenges. These courses also aim to create networks of professionals under the One Health umbrella. These courses cater to professionals from a variety of organizations and with a wide range of expertise, including animal health, public health, wildlife and natural resource management. The courses combine self-directed interactive modules with virtual workshops focusing on problem-based learning case studies (PBLs). Additionally, participants are encouraged to participate in an online asynchronous discussion forum. Each course is delivered for multiple countries within a FAO region and is tailored to cover specific One Health topic areas. Once the topic area is defined, subject matter experts and the regional VLC build the training activities by developing course-specific PBLs and selecting up to five self-directed modules that introduce concepts related to those PBLs from the course catalog of training materials. The development of the training materials and the delivery of each course involves a multidisciplinary team of professionals from different countries and backgrounds. The course was piloted for the Pacific Islands in 2021 and then run for other regions such as Southern Africa and Eastern Africa. In the future, this training activity could also be delivered in a blended format, combining virtual learning with face-to-face workshops.

Examining the Relationships of the Students’ Participation Patterns with their Learning Satisfaction and Learning Achievement in Asynchronous Online Discussions

Examining how people learn in various learning environments is at the core of the science of learning. The more we understand how students learn from different dimensions and aspects, the better equipped we are to support their learning. This study aims to expand our understanding of how learning occurs within the context of an asynchronous online discussion. Several studies have investigated and reported on how to effectively structure and facilitate an asynchronous online discussion to promote high-quality discourse from an interventionist perspective. From the situative, participatory perspective on knowing and learning, this study aims at examining the quality of participation in an asynchronous online discussion. This includes the examination of students’ participation patterns in asynchronous online discussions and the analyses of how these patterns explain their learning satisfaction and achievement. The present study identified the following participation patterns: Efficientist, Facilitator, Synthesizer, and Slacker found that there was a strong relationship of the participation patterns with learning satisfaction and learning achievement. The results indicate that participation patterns could be an important factor influencing student learning experience in an asynchronous online discussion. Future directions for research are discussed, including the analysis of social dynamics that could have an impact on participation patterns

Asynchronous Online Discussion Forums: Effective Undergraduate and Graduate Course Approaches

Asynchronous Online Discussion Forums: Effective Undergraduate and Graduate Course Approaches

Sexual decision making of Ugandan young adults: findings from national online discussions

ABSTRACT Fifty-one 18–22-year-old Ugandans took part in asynchronous online discussions about sexual decision-making. To increase generalizability and variability of experience, youth were recruited across the country using social media advertising. Participants were stratified into 8 groups by sex and sexual experience (e.g., women who had not had sex). Participants were asked questions such as, “What role do you think [men/women] play in deciding when a couple is going to play sex?” Several themes emerged. Both young men and women articulated social pressures to be abstinent, particularly to avoid STIs and pregnancy moreso than saving oneself for marriage. That said, women noted pressures to be seen as “pure”. There also were pressures to have sex: Men were expected to have sex to demonstrate their virility. Women were expected to have sex if they accepted gifts or other commodities from their partners. It seemed that the specter of HIV and other STIs, as well as unwanted pregnancy, served to mitigate these expectations however, resulting in self-efficacy to use condoms among both men and women. Nonetheless, both men and women acknowledged that it could be hard for women to negotiate condoms. Implications for HIV prevention are discussed.

“How are you getting on?”

This research evaluates the use of asynchronous online discussion boards in assessment of work-based placement in a social care degree programme. Owing to a scarcity of educational technologies in the programme at the time (pre-COVID), discussion boards were introduced in a pilot endeavour to assess students' reflections on placement experiences. Individualised feedback was pledged from the programme instructors with a view to enhancing their reflective skills and their engagement with their work placement.
 Staff and learners’ attitudes and experiences were investigated to identify the effectiveness of using discussion boards for work-based placement. The components of discussion boards for this purpose are identified, and the considerations to be made when implementing discussion boards to support the development of reflection skills are presented.
 Using a mixed methods sequential complementarity research design, two student focus groups were held following the distribution of an online survey. Four staff instructors were interviewed about their experiences of and attitudes towards the experience. Finally, a hybrid code adapted from Henri’s (1992) computer mediated conferencing framework and Kolb’s (1984) learning cycle was created to analyse the reflectivity and interactivity in the group discussions.
 Whilst discussion boards are useful as a digital platform to foster collaboration and discursive activities, in practice this assessment as delivered fell short of maximising their efficacy. Despite this, four components of discussion boards were identified and key considerations when using discussion boards to encourage reflective activity in social care work-based placement are proposed and discussed.

Asynchronous Posting and Reading both Reflect Communities of Inquiry

This descriptive case study explored the presence of a community of inquiry among 4492 secondary learners enrolled in four asynchronous online discussion forums over a full year. The forums (Ethics and Philosophy, Reading, Astronomy and Space, and General Debates, among others not studied) were external to the students’ schools across England. The data had been archived by the sponsoring organisation. We coded 3,113 transcribed messages posted or read by students using Garrison’s Community-of-Inquiry model and coding tools--addressing social, cognitive, and teaching presence within the interactions, plus 307 online questionnaire responses from a cross-section of participants about reasons for posting or not and overall participation plus representative quotes were also presented. Of the 4,492 enrollees, 1,523 (34%) posted messages, 1,748 (39%) only read or viewed posts, and 1,222 (27%) never logged in. This posting rate was almost quadruple the rate previously reported for online communities. Participation was also wider. The largest numbers of messages reflected community-of-inquiry social presence, especially following-up others’ messages. Cognitive presence particularly reflected sharpening thinking skills and knowledge. Teaching presence included asking stimulating questions and providing encouragement. Students who only viewed others’ messages logged in frequently, reported stimulation and strong benefits in learning skills, and only occasionally reported shyness or intimidation. Active student participation and engagement include more than posting messages; they also include reading or viewing others’ posts. Community of inquiry was highly evident in the asynchronous, secondary, online setting. An asynchronous platform, with effective teaching presence, can support important qualities of a community of inquiry.

The effects of instructor participation in asynchronous online discussions on student performance: A systematic review

AbstractAsynchronous online discussion is a learning activity commonly used in online teaching. The way instructors participate in asynchronous online discussions significantly impacts students' learning outcomes. This systematic review aims to determine the effects of instructor participation in asynchronous online discussions on student performance by analysing 25 relevant studies in the past twelve years (2011–22). The findings show that the research was focused on the presence, frequency and type of instructor participation. The effects of instructor participation on student performance were mixed and concentrated in five main aspects: the quantity of student participation, the quality of student participation, student achievements, student emotions and student learning time. Not only the teaching experience of instructors but also course content, learning objectives, class sizes and learner characteristics influenced the effects. Based on the findings, several recommendations were made to help instructors effectively participate in asynchronous online discussions, thereby contributing to improving the quality of online education. Practitioner notesWhat is already known about this topic Asynchronous online discussion is a learning activity commonly used in online teaching. The way instructors participate in asynchronous online discussions significantly impacts students' learning outcomes. What this paper adds Previous research on instructor participation in asynchronous online discussions and student performance primarily focuses on the presence, frequency and type of instructor participation. The impact of instructor participation on student performance is mixed and concentrated in the following main areas: Quantity of student participation Quality of student participation Student achievements Student emotions Student learning time The effects of instructor participation are influenced not only by the teaching experience of instructors but also by: Course content Learning objectives Class sizes Learner characteristics Implications for practice and/or policy Instructors should participate in asynchronous online discussions based on the class sizes, more in small classes (within 15 students) and less in large classes (more than 30 students). If it is possible, divide the large classes into small discussion groups. Instructors should initiate discussions with heuristic and interesting open‐ended questions, gradually release control and give the central position to students and intervene only when necessary (eg, keep discussions on track, provide correct information, extend discussions, mediate conflicts, etc). Instructors should apply appropriate facilitation strategies (eg, establish detailed discussion rubrics, grade student posts and provide regular individual feedback). Instructors should use more instructional comments and supplement them with sincere rather than perfunctory social comments.

Mitigating Conflict in Asynchronous Online Discussions: Strategies for instructors in higher education

Organized asynchronous discussions are a common feature in online, formal higher-education courses. Discussions can take place learner to learner or instructor to learner and are situated in small group projects, processing content in message boards, and games. Within these learning settings, conflict can emerge. Conflict may foster deeper learning about ideas, or it may be destructive and create a negative learning environment. The purpose of this article is to identify conflict challenges present within asynchronous online discussions and to present evidence-based strategies to mitigate conflict within these higher education instructional settings. Conflict challenges may involve navigating effective online collaboration, participating in small group discussion, and developing discernment for health conflict. Strategies to mitigate conflict include: providing support throughout the course for student ownership; creating points for class and group cohesion; incorporating relevant small group facilitation strategies; integrating leadership concepts in team development; and structuring purposeful instructor monitoring. Although conflict cannot be avoided, understanding ways to categorize conflict challenges within discussions can support practitioners? use of related evidence-based strategies to mitigate conflict.

Investigating the Design of an Asynchronous Online Discussion (AOD) in Distance Education: A Cooperative Learning Perspective

An asynchronous online discussion (AOD) is considered a commonly used cooperative learning activity in distance education. However, few studies have explored whether AODs are designed in accordance with the conditions of cooperative learning and whether students are able to achieve higher levels of cognitive learning through interactions in AODs. This case study explored if an AOD was designed to meet cooperative learning conditions and whether students generated interactions and accomplished higher levels of cognitive learning. The results suggested that in an AOD where cooperative learning conditions were rarely met, students barely interacted and only manifested lower levels of cognitive learning. The researchers proposed that an AOD may not achieve the expected cooperative learning outcomes unless it is well-structured with a systematical integration of cooperative learning theory.