Online Discussion Research Articles

‘So much for the prattling of sages’: D&D gaming paratexts, Fan(nish) distribution of knowledge, and Drow

This article investigates gaming paratexts related to the popular tabletop roleplaying game Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) as heuristics. Gaming paratexts are accessible communication and media artifacts that influence what new players learn about games as cultural and ludic texts. In this work we examine ‘official' and ‘unofficial' gaming paratexts about drow, D&D’s dark elves. We highlight authorship, circulation, and accessibility as key impact factors, then identify common themes such as insider knowledge, transmission of expertise, and knowledge acquisition. This analysis reveals how – beyond information about the game itself – gaming paratexts can lead players to receive biased or incomplete impressions of issues with D&D, such as racism within the game system. We find that this specific form of online discourse about TTRPGs influences popular conceptions about D&D and often parallels forms of fannish practise through its affective connections, citational politics, and modal variety.

Bridging the conversational gap in epilepsy: Using large language models to reveal insights into patient behavior and concerns from online discussions.

This study was undertaken to explore the experiences and concerns of people living with epilepsy by analyzing discussions in an online epilepsy community, using large language models (LLMs) to identify themes, demographic patterns, and associations with emotional distress, substance use, and suicidal ideation. We analyzed 56 970 posts and responses to them from 21 906 users on the epilepsy forum (subreddit) of Reddit and 768 504 posts from the same users in other subreddits, between 2010 and 2023. LLMs, validated against human labeling, were used to identify 23 recurring themes, assess demographic differences, and examine cross-posting to depression- and suicide-related subreddits. Hazard ratios (HRs) were calculated to assess the association between specific themes and activity in mental health forums. Prominent topics included seizure descriptions, medication management, stigma, drug and alcohol use, and emotional well-being. The posts on topics less likely to be discussed in clinical settings had the highest engagement. Younger users focused on stigma and emotional issues, whereas older users discussed medical treatments. Posts about emotional distress (HR = 1.3), postictal state (HR = 1.4), surgical treatment (HR = .7), and work challenges (HR = 1.6) predicted activity in a subreddit associated with suicidal ideation, whereas emotional distress (HR = 1.5), surgical treatment (HR = .6), and stigma (HR = 1.3) predicted activity in the depression subreddit. Substance use discussions showed a temporal pattern of association with seizure descriptions, implying possible opportunities for intervention. LLM analysis of online epilepsy communities provides novel insights into patient concerns often overlooked in clinical settings. These findings may improve patient-provider communication, inform personalized interventions, and support the development of patient-reported outcome measures. Additionally, hazard models can help identify at-risk individuals, offering opportunities for early mental health interventions.

A mediated discourse analysis of self-disclosure in online self-help groups for anxiety and depression

Loneliness has emerged as a significant precursor to anxiety and depression, prompting a growing interest in the role of self-disclosure as a potential mitigating factor. Previous research has suggested that self-disclosure may play a critical role in reducing feelings of loneliness, thereby alleviating symptoms associated with these mental health conditions. Studies have highlighted self-disclosure as a prevalent social practice within online support groups, indicating its potential to foster relationship development through participant interaction. However, there remains a notable gap in the literature regarding the interplay between self-disclosure and the discursive and complex context of online self-help groups. The nuanced effects of self-disclosure are often overlooked. This study seeks to address this gap by employing Mediated Discourse Analysis (MDA) to investigate the ramifications of self-disclosure in post messages within online self-help groups for anxiety and depression (OSGADs). Specifically, it views self-disclosure as a social action, elucidating its interrelationship with OSGADs. The findings reveal several key effects of self-disclosure in post messages, including distancing of individuals from their problems, enhancement of self-disclosure exchange, receiving and expressing empathy and understanding, and normalization of experiences. The results suggest that the digital environment of OSGADs facilitates self-disclosure, and the effects of self-disclosure contribute to the continuum of social support exchange. This study concludes by offering implications for the application of MDA in studies of online discourse and the role of OSGADs in alleviating anxiety and depression.

Online communities as arenas of "amateur expertise": examples from the social media activity for justice for Roman Zadorov.

This study examines online communities as arenas where diverse forms of expertise converge to influence discourse and public opinion. Using the case of social media activism advocating for justice in the wrongful conviction of Roman Zadorov for the murder of Tair Rada, it highlights how these communities serve as platforms for "professional amateurs" and demonstrates their similarities and differences from participants in the formal legal arena. The study employs a netnographic approach to analyze seven years of social media activity across 15 Facebook groups comprising over 300,000 members. Data collection included participant observation, interviews with 25 group administrators, and thematic content analysis of posts and interactions. This methodological triangulation provides a comprehensive understanding of the discourse and dynamics within these activist communities. Six categories of experts were identified in the online discourse: 1. Court-admissible experts, including People directly connected to the case, people who are knowledgeable about the involved parties and the surrounding area, expert witnesses who are professionals testifying based on their field-specific expertise, and circumstantial witnesses who have experienced relevant events firsthand. 2. Non-court-admissible experts, including people with deep, self-taught expertise and people relying on nonrational sources, such as supernatural insights. The findings highlight the unique character of online activism as a dialogic space where conventional and unconventional forms of expertise coexist, contributing to public narratives around justice. The study offers a novel conceptualization of online communities as platforms for expert-driven discourse. It underscores the importance of "pro-am" expertise and symbolic capital in shaping public understanding of contentious issues. While focused on a specific legal case, the study provides broader insights into the dynamics of expertise in online activism, emphasizing the duality of court-admissible and non-court-admissible expertise. Future research should explore these dynamics across varied contexts to further understand the role of online communities in social discourse and activism.

Developing generative AI functionalities in a social LMS

Artificial intelligence (AI) has experienced exponential growth in recent years, profoundly transforming various aspects of life, particularly in education. As a team of educational technology innovators, we have developed a series of generative AI features within our social learning management system, CourseNetworking, to boost student engagement in online discussions and enhance instructor efficiency. This article introduces three key features: automated hashtagging, automated post reflection, and AI-driven quiz question generation. We examine the goals and technical implementation of each feature, present solutions to challenges encountered during development and deployment, and share the best practices we have accumulated. Additionally, we outline our plans for future advancements. This paper seeks to foster understanding and collaboration among developers, educators, institutional leaders, and researchers, with the aim of using AI technology to improve educational products and services, ultimately elevating learning experiences and outcomes.

Persistent Identifiers for Instruments and Facilities: Current State, Challenges, and Opportunities

Objective: Persistent Identifiers (PIDs) are central to the vision of open science described in the FAIR Principles. However, the use of PIDs for scientific instruments and facilities is decentralized and fragmented. This project aims to develop community-based standards, guidelines, and best practices for how and why PIDs can be assigned to facilities and instruments. Methods: We hosted several online and in-person focus groups and discussions, cumulating in a two-day in-person workshop featuring stakeholders from a variety of organizations and disciplines, such as instrument and facilities operators, PID infrastructure providers, researchers who use instruments and facilities, journal publishers, university administrators, federal funding agencies, and information and data professionals. Results: Our first-year efforts resulted in four main areas of interest: developing a better understanding of the current PID ecosystem; clarifying how and when PIDs could be assigned to scientific instruments and facilities; challenges and barriers involved with assigning PIDs; incentives for researchers, facility managers, and other stakeholders to encourage the use of PIDs. Conclusions: The potential for PIDs to facilitate the discovery, connection, and attribution of research instruments and facilities indicates an obvious value in their use. The lack of standards of how and when they are created, assigned, updated, and used is a major barrier to their widespread use. Data and information professionals can work to create relationships with stakeholders, provide relevant education and outreach activities, and integrate PIDs for instruments and facilities into their data curation and publication workflows.

Secular procreation: Metaphysics of birth in the 21st century

This article examines how modern anti‐natalist movements have emerged in Japan, India, China and the United States. Drawing on interviews, online discussions and public protests, it explores these movements' distinctive secular understanding of human procreation. While traditional societies interpreted birth using religious or spiritual frameworks, anti‐natalists consider procreation an ethical decision shaped by legal reasoning, scientific knowledge and existential philosophy. They portray birth as a random event subject to calculation, raise questions about consent to life and position parents as ethically responsible ‘small gods’. These movements, which have found resonance among urban youth, point to deep changes in how people think about family ties and social obligations. Questions about having children have become more complex as reproductive technologies multiply and environmental pressures mount. What was once taken for granted now prompts serious ethical reflection.

Confronting controversial content: Examining online narratives and frames in #CancelSpotify and #NetflixWalkout

In 2021, Netflix and Spotify became the center of debate over controversial content. As a form of protest, Twitter (X) users engaged in hashtag activism using #NetflixWalkout and #CancelSpotify. Hashtag activism provides online activists and organizers a mechanism to produce and disseminate (counter)narratives quickly. In both cases, users employed the hashtags to support the streaming services’ stances or pressure them to alter their activities. While previous studies have examined the use of hashtag activism in constructing narratives, particularly in larger social movements, much of this extant work focuses on one narrative, even though divergent and conflicting narratives emerge in these situations. To better understand how participants cultivate online discourse surrounding corporate connections to social issues, we analyze the primary competing narratives and supporting frames that emerged in #CancelSpotify and #NetflixWalkout. While the intended narrative reflected the organizers’ intentions, a counter narrative that challenged these intentions also emerged. Critically, the intended narrative was the primary driver of content and social media user engagement, suggesting that although hashtag activism has limitations and challenges, it also provides an avenue through which individuals can foster a narrative and reach audiences. In addition, findings revealed that individuals contributing to the intended narrative were more apt to provide mobilizing information than those participating in the counter narrative. However, mobilizing frames still featured less frequently than commentary-driven frames.

How Does Social Support Detected Automatically in Discussion Forums Relate to Online Learning Burnout? The Moderating Role of Students’ Self-Regulated Learning

Engaging students in online discussion forums with social support holds significant potential for preventing and alleviating student burnout. However, the mechanisms by which different types of social support influence learning burnout remain poorly understood. Additionally, existing methods for detecting social support detection are limited in both practical application and theoretical advancement. This study addresses these gaps by developing a robust text classification model for social support and examining its effects on online learning burnout among learners with varying levels of self-regulated learning. We first developed a robust natural language processing model based on bidirectional encoder representations from transformers - bidirectional long short-term memory (BERT-Bi-LSTM) framework, trained on 11226 manually labeled posts from various course forums. This model was then applied to classify forum posts from an educational technology course over one semester. Multiple regression analysis revealed that informational support was negatively associated with two dimensions of learning burnout: emotional exhaustion and improper behavior, and emotional support was negatively correlated with emotional exhaustion and a low sense of achievement. Moreover, a moderating effect analysis indicated that self-regulated learning moderated the negative associations between informational support and improper behavior, as well as between emotional support and emotional exhaustion, with stronger effects observed among learners with lower self-regulated learning. These findings contribute to advancing automated content analysis of social support and provide actionable insights for mitigating student burnout through targeted social support.

The Impact of Different Instructor Participation Approaches in Asynchronous Online Discussions on Student Performance

Instructor participation plays a crucial role in asynchronous online discussions, with the approach taken potentially impacting student performance. This study compared two instructor participation approaches: replying to student posts on public discussion boards and commenting on student posts on private grade pages. It examined the impact on both the quantity of student participation and the quality of student posts. The findings revealed that students had more interactions with each other when the instructor replied on discussion boards than when the instructor commented on grade pages, despite both approaches leading to an interconnected social network. The number of student posts and the overall quality of student posts did not show a significant difference between the two approaches. Nonetheless, both approaches contributed to a gradual improvement in the quality of student posts over time. Additionally, when the instructor commented on grade pages, students gradually focused more on knowledge construction in their posts rather than social communication.

Assessing the role of social media in shaping career aspirations among lecturers in Nigeria: A quantitative analysis

The study deployed a self-administered questionnaire via Google forms to generate data from a sample of 237 lecturers working in various tertiary institutions across Nigeria. The questionnaire was used to collect data on the use of social media by lecturers, their perceptions regarding the influence of such use on their career goals, and demographic data and other characteristics. First, descriptive statistics such as frequencies and percentages were used to summarize the data, supported by measures of central tendency. These analyses were done using the SPSS software. From the survey result, all the responded lecturers had ticked the "high extent" option, which means that social media affects their career aspirations to a great extent. Correspondingly, based on the response, it can be stated that all the respondents believe that social media platforms can be used for the purpose of career development as well as increasing recognition related to their professional outcomes. In addition, related to the responsibility of staying updated with the latest trends and best practices of the relevant business sectors as well as participating in online communities and discussions associated with their teaching disciplines in order to learn from others in the same field, responses were found to be highly unanimous. Correspondingly, based on the research questionnaire regarding the challenges faced by the Lecturers in Nigeria while using social media for career development purposes, there have been a number of common challenges that have come into view.

Visceral literacies of marginalized adolescents in digital spaces: A cross‐case synthesis exploring affect and dialogue with texts

AbstractTextual consumption in digital spaces has come under scrutiny by educators who worry about youth's surface‐level comprehension of such texts as well as the polarizing nature of online discourse. This paper synthesizes affective concepts of critical witness and glimmers of care to explore two cases in which adolescent writers in digital OST programs engage with digital communities surrounding texts like comics, movies, and video games. We trace how focal youth across the programs engage in critical witness around issues of marginalization in digital spaces outside of class in order to produce advocacy‐focused compositions addressing issues they encountered and discussed across informal digital learning spaces. We identified a common trajectory across both cases for these youth advocates: (1) experiencing and witnessing marginalization in digital spaces outside of class; (2) bringing critical witness to (digital) class; leading to (3) constellations of advocacy produced through compositions. Teachers can support such adolescents through affectively attuned instructional practices like framing spaces to center youth voices, providing multiple channels for peer conversation, inviting youth to co‐design expansive and creative assessments, and cultivating reciprocal understanding of power and vulnerability through practices of critical witness.

University Students’ Perceptions and Practices of Online Co-construction of Digital Citizenship Competencies

Preparing students to engage in global discussions is essential in today’s world. As a result, instructors are increasingly interested in developing ways to enhance university students’ digital citizenship skills. This qualitative study explores methods to foster these skills through asynchronous online discussion activities, focusing on students’ behavior and feedback during and after the activities. Thematic analysis was used to evaluate data collected from the posts of 64 students in 10 groups and the transcript of focus groups and interviews. The findings highlight instructional strategies that enhance students’ digital citizenship, showcasing how they interact with instructors and peers. Students developed key skills such as resilience in handling conflicts, self-motivation, peer learning, and professional communication, including justifying claims and providing evidence. The study also reveals that students demonstrated a deeper understanding of digital citizenship and were eager to apply their skills in various digital contexts. These results offer important insights for higher education institutions on promoting digital citizenship and guiding instructors in integrating it into curricula.

PACMNET, V2, CoNEXT4, December 2024 Editorial

The Proceedings of the ACM on Networking (PACMNET) series showcases top-tier research in emerging computer networks and their applications. We welcome submissions introducing new technologies, innovative experiments, creative applications of networking technologies, and fresh insights gained through analysis. Supported by the ACM Special Interest Group on Communications and Computer Networks (SIGCOMM), the journal is backed by a distinguished Editorial Board composed of leading researchers in the field. This issue concludes the second volume of PACMNET which in total published 32 articles, with a growth of 25% compared to the first volume. This issue features 18 articles, all submitted by the June 2024 deadline when a total of 121 submissions were received. Each submission underwent a thorough review process involving over 80 Editors, coordinated by two Associate Editors. In the initial phase, every article received a minimum of three reviews. Following an online discussion, roughly half of the submissions were rejected, while the other half advanced to a second review phase. In this phase, Editors produced at least two additional reviews per article. After a further discussion and remote Editors' meeting, 18 articles were chosen for publication and appear in this issue. Topics include network measurement, security, and privacy of both traditional and novel networking technologies. From a methodological perspective, machine learning and artificial intelligence-based solutions are predominant. All papers include a thorough set of experiments to validate the proposed solutions. We would like to express our gratitude to all those who contributed to this issue of PACMNET, especially the Authors for submitting their finest work and the Associate Editors for offering valuable feedback in their reviews and engaging in the discussions. Our thanks also go to the SIGCOMM Executive Committee Chair and the CoNEXT Steering Committee members for their continued support and guidance, providing essential suggestions and insights throughout the article selection process.

Unlocking the potential of social media on food additives for effective science communication

Ultra-processed foods dominate modern diets, often containing numerous additives to enhance flavor, texture, and shelf life. Concerns about the potential health risks of daily or excessive consumption have sparked online discussions. This study analyzed perceptions of food additives on Zhihu, a popular Chinese social platform. The findings revealed no significant difference in attitudes between experts and non-experts (p > 0.05), with experts relying on statistical data and non-experts drawing from personal experiences. An independent t-test indicated no significance in comment engagement (p > 0.05) among them. However, a chi-square test showed that experts were significantly more interactive, frequently replying directly to original posts and commenters (p < 0.05). This suggests that experts actively facilitate discussions, moving away from reliance on influencers and instead prioritizing high-quality, accessible scientific communication. The findings highlight the crucial role of interactive online platforms in bridging the gap between science and the public.

An Exploratory Study of Fraud Examination Education in Preparing Accounting Students to Combat Fraud: Evidence from COVID-19

ABSTRACT This study aims to assess the ability of accounting students to identify fraud symptoms, analyze prevention and detection controls, and determine legal consequences during the COVID-19 pandemic. The research data were collected from an online discussion forum completed by accounting students in the “Fraud Examination” course at a public university in the United States. Adapting to the framework of experiential learning theory, we assessed students’ performance using a rubric based on five learning objectives over three semesters from Spring 2020 to Spring 2021. The results indicate that most of the students, regardless of the semester, demonstrated proficiency in applying fraud examination concepts and performing fraud analyses in the pandemic setting, meeting the expected learning objectives. JEL Classifications: K42; I20.

Effects of Facial Recognition and Text Semantic Recognition on Affective Tutoring System

Facial recognition is the fastest method to detect emotions, and it can be combined with text semantic recognition to increase the accuracy of emotion detection. Emotions and creativity have often been discussed in recent years. A student will be interested in learning as long as he or she enjoys learning. Mind mapping is an active and simultaneous use of the left and right brains to stimulate the creativity and imagination of the learner, which is complementary to positive emotion. This study constructed an affective adaptive learning system that combines text emotions and facial clues in chatbot conversations to understand the emotional responses of learners during the learning process. The system is tailored to accommodate diverse learners through modules of varying difficulty scales, the incorporation of mind maps to support teaching and learning, and the implementation of asynchronous online discussion forums for discourse and feedback on course-related topics. The results revealed significant differences in critical thinking, reflective thinking, and problem-solving skills between the experimental and control groups, and students in the experimental group outperformed those in the control group on the creation of mind maps.

Importance of Showing Up (Virtually)

Although online discourses about dissertation writing (i.e., you should be writing memes) offer students levity, they function in stark contrast to how dissertation writing is treated in real life. Canadian education scholars with PhDs have examined the student-supervisor relationship (McAlpine &amp; Weis, 2000), collaborative writing spaces (Eaton &amp; Dombroski, 2022; Ens et al., 2011), and the overall difficulties of the dissertation process (Bayley et al., 2012; Walter &amp; Stouk, 2020), but we have yet to locate literature on the perspectives of Canadian education PhD students who have generated online communities of practice to engage in their dissertation writing. To obtain better understanding of our personal relationships to writing and virtual communities of practice, we established an online writing group during the summer of 2023 where we wrote our respective candidacy proposal and dissertation chapters while also reflecting on and responding to prompts about the process of writing. This reflection on our writing practice concludes that if PhD students feel un(der)supported by institutional writing communities, or if said communities are not available, constructing their own community will be beneficial to their writing goals

Thematic analysis of X (Twitter) users’ experiences of Hyperemesis Gravidarum (HG)

ABSTRACT Hyperemesis Gravidarum (HG) is a debilitating condition characterized by severe nausea and vomiting during pregnancy, yet its severity is often misunderstood or underestimated by both the public and healthcare providers. This lack of understanding can lead to misdiagnosis, inadequate treatment, and undue suffering for individuals experiencing HG. This study explores the online discourse surrounding HG to identify key themes related to patient experiences and perceptions. Using the Twint0 application, we collected 5,856 relevant posts from the X social networking site over a 12-month period. A thematic analysis revealed four major themes: (1) misconceptions about severity of symptoms, (2) emotional and psychological toll of HG, (3) experiences with healthcare and treatment, and (4) impact on pregnancy and maternal health. The findings highlight the urgent need for greater awareness and understanding of HG, particularly within healthcare settings, to improve diagnosis and treatment. Additionally, the study emphasizes the importance of patient-centered care and mental health support to address the emotional challenges faced by women with HG.

A systematic review of TERF behaviour online in relation to sociopsychological group dynamics

ABSTRACT The increasing presence of Trans-Exclusionary Radical Feminists (TERFs) in the media raises questions about their rhetoric and convictions, particularly on platforms like X (formerly Twitter), where contentious debates unfold. Given the limited existing research on TERFs, this study aims to deepen our understanding of the TERF movement’s dynamics. Two document analyses were conducted to uncover insights into their online behaviour and its interplay with sociopsychological group dynamics. The first analysis scrutinized feminist journals and diverse X platform posts to delineate TERFs’ categories and belief systems. The objective of this analysis was to provide a comprehensive overview of recent online discourse concerning gender criticism directed at trans individuals from a feminist perspective. In a second analysis, a literature review compared the identified categories, belief systems, and group dynamics with empirical findings, revealing alignment with recent literature. It was shown that TERFs exhibit typical group dynamics that can also be found in other conservative and authoritative ideologies. Nonetheless, further analyses are needed to fully grasp TERFs’ group dynamics and elucidate their online behaviours and belief structures.