Online Discussion Boards Research Articles

Unpacking the complexity of online incivility: an analysis of characteristics and impact of uncivil behavior during the Hong Kong protests

PurposeThis study seeks to establish a new framework for categorizing incivility, differentiating between explicit and implicit forms, and to investigate their respective abilities to proliferate and mobilize conversations, along with behavioral outcomes in various social contexts.Design/methodology/approachEmploying computational techniques, this research analyzed 10,145 protest-related threads from the HK Golden Forum, a prominent online discussion board in Hong Kong.FindingsOur analysis revealed divergent effects of explicit and implicit incivility on their diffusion, influences on deliberative discussions, and user participation. Explicit incivility was found to impede deliberative conversations, while implicit incivility tended to provoke more responses. Explicit uncivil expressions encouraged the propagation of incivility but reduced the likelihood of individual involvement. In contrast, implicit incivility had a stronger dampening effect on further uncivil comments and achieved greater thread popularity. The results showed strong associations between uncivil expressions and the contextual norms surrounding social movements.Originality/valueTheoretically, this research introduced a classification of incivility and underscored the importance of differentiating between implicit and explicit incivility by examining their effects on deliberation and engagement. Although previous studies have extensively covered explicit incivility, this study goes further by analyzing implicit incivility and comparing both forms of uncivil discourse in a less-studied context. Methodologically, the study developed a Cantonese dictionary to differentiate between two types of incivility, providing a practical reference for more nuanced analyses. By revealing how varying movement norms moderate the interplay between deliberative and uncivil expressions, the study drew attention to the highly situational nature of incivility.

Linguistic discrimination and diversity: the pivotal role of linguistics in the University of Pennsylvania’s writing program

Abstract This paper outlines a unit on linguistics in the curriculum of the writing seminar taken by all undergraduate students at the University of Pennsylvania. The linguistic unit introduces undergraduates to key concepts from linguistic scholarship, and compels students to engage with these language issues in order to advance their consciousness of linguistic inequity and their appreciation of linguistic diversity. Taking our cue from linguists, the unit focuses on the descriptive and contrasts it with the prescriptive approach with which they are typically accustomed. It introduces foundational ideas about language, languaging, and linguistic discrimination through readings and videos. Students write guided reflections in response to the readings and screenings, culminating in a personal narrative and questions they share with their peers on an online discussion board, exploring their own and others’ language use or language attitudes. Upon completion of this unit, many students confirm one of the unit’s learning outcomes by expressing a new awareness of a linguistic climate that they had previously assumed was neutral. Our goal, in part, is to render the campus’s linguistic climate more equitable by advancing students’ consciousness of linguistic inequity and appreciation of the rich diversity of their voices.

Colonial methodologies: a discourse analysis of medical students’ talk about psychology

The historical tension between the natural and social sciences, and the associated discourses of superiority and inferiority, remains prevalent today in academia and practice. This study analyses the discourses that medical students at a South African university employ in their talk about psychology. The analysis demonstrates the function of these discourses and locates them within historical debates surrounding the social and natural sciences. More importantly, it identifies how psychology is locked into Eurocentric assumptions of rigour and empiricism. We use discursive psychology to examine five online discussion board entries detailing medical students’ understanding of psychology. The findings suggest that definitions of psychology subvert the discipline under the guise of bolstering its value in ways that are comparable to colonial methodologies, thereby reconstituting and reinforcing historical notions of othering in social scientific discourses. This research therefore contributes to debates on the current role and position of psychology in South Africa and helps to destabilise dominant scientific discourses within and against which psychology is enacted in the academy. Through a critical interrogation of such hegemony, this study aims to forge new ways of doing and thinking psychology in South Africa.

Re: Qualitative analysis of online discussion boards for male urinary incontinence after prostate treatment

Re: Qualitative analysis of online discussion boards for male urinary incontinence after prostate treatment

It Takes Two: Online and In-person Discussions Offer Complementary Learning Opportunities for Students.

Discussions play a significant role in facilitating student learning through engagement with course material and promotion of critical thinking. Discussions provide space for social learning where ideas are deliberated, internalized, and knowledge is cocreated through socioemotional interactions. With the increase of internet-based and hybrid courses, there is a need to evaluate the degree to which online discussion modalities facilitate quality discussions and enhance student achievement. We assessed the effectiveness of asynchronous online discussion boards and traditional face-to-face discussions via qualitative (thematic coding and discussion network analysis) and quantitative (Bloom's taxonomy) techniques and evaluated student perceptions via precourse and postcourse surveys. We found differential strengths of the two formats. Online discussions increased response complexity, while in-person discussions fostered improved connections with course material. Themes related to sharing of personal identity, humanity and verbal immediacy were more frequent throughout in-person discussions. Survey responses suggested that a sense of community was an external motivator for preference of in-person discussions, while anxiety was a factor influencing online discussion preference. Our findings suggest that online and in-person discussions are complementary, and work in tandem to facilitate complex student thinking through online environments and social learning within the classroom.

Artificial intelligence and computer-mediated communication: the text analysis and undergrad’s class observation

The term “computer-mediated communication” (CMC) describes the transmission of messages and information using computer technology. With the extensive use of email, instant messaging, social media, and other digital platforms in Nepal in recent years, this style of communication has grown in popularity. The article examines how computer-mediated communication (CMC) and artificial intelligence (AI) have grown in significance in Nepal’s undergrad English education. This article allows students to collaborate on projects and tasks, which improves their learning experience, by examining the potential of AI and CMC. The facts of Nepal’s education have been examined using the four different basic literature reviews. Despite the need for further literature on artificial intelligence and computer-mediated communication in Nepal’s English classes for undergrads between 2018 and 2023, the studies reviewed shed light on the possibilities of technology and AI in language acquisition. Undergraduate class observation, self-administered text analysis, social information processing theory and experimental research, which involves adjusting variables to see how they affect learning results, were used to gather data. The study’s findings also demonstrate how using CMC platforms encourages students to practice their digital literacy. They gain knowledge on how to move through online spaces, efficiently communicate with a variety of digital tools, and assess the reliability of information sources. Students can communicate with their teachers outside of the classroom via video conferencing software and online discussion boards. This may result in more in-depth discussions and debates as well as greater student engagement.

EMPOWERING LANGUAGE LEARNING: THE CRITICAL ROLE OF MODERATORS IN DUOLINGO’S GERMAN DISCUSSION BOARDS

Asynchronous discussion boards provide learners with an online platform to collaborate and communicate. This study aims to investigate the pivotal role of moderators in managing and enhancing the dynamics of asynchronous discussion boards in Duolingo’s German language learning environment. There are nearly nine million individuals who use Duolingo to learn German. This study implemented netnography to examine six moderators on Duolingo German language discussion boards. From an initial potential pool of 12 participants, two participants were chosen at random from three levels of engagement: high, moderate, and lower, for a total of six moderators. Moderators who commented at least 150 times were considered highly engaged; those with at least 25 comments were moderately engaged, and those with fewer than 25 comments were lower engaged. Data collection involved analyzing comments posted between 2013 and 2022. The study examined the frequency of comments, number of language badges, German course level, total posts, and years using Duolingo. However, activities occurring ‘behind the scenes,’ such as deleting inappropriate comments and providing feedback to developers, were not analyzed. The analysis covered 26 discussion boards, with five boards per participant, except for one user. Thematic analysis was used to identify patterns in moderator behavior and its impact on learner engagement. This methodology supported the investigation of how Duolingo German moderators oversee asynchronous discussion boards, allowing us to analyze and understand the evolving needs and engagement levels of learners within this online community. The results of the netnography showed that there were three themes. The findings support past research, which suggests the moderator role extends beyond mere oversight, providing management of online discussion boards, contributing significantly to the success of language learning programs, and enhancing the overall learning experience.

“Take a Deep Breath and Re-Center the Student's Perspective”: Partnering Instructors and Disabled Students for Accessible Teaching

Background Because accessible and anti-ableist teaching is rarely prioritized in instructional development programs, a new initiative was developed at a large, public university. Launched in January 2022, it piloted strategies for shifting instructors’ mindsets about and pedagogical approaches to accessibility. Using a professional learning community model, disabled students served as course consultants to instructors, working closely together in a semester-long partnership. Objective The purpose of this study was to research the program's effects on the participating instructors. Method Multiple raters coded qualitative data collected over a period of five months from meeting notes spanning 30 instructor–student partnership meetings, four all-team meetings, two student focus groups, three instructor focus groups, and six online discussion boards. Results The results showed the mindset shifts and teaching strategies that emerged through this semester-long initiative. They also revealed the program elements that had the greatest impact on instructors. Conclusion This study demonstrates the role that disabled students can play in helping instructors learn about accessibility and how learning community models support substantive changes in teaching. Teaching Implications The results of this study should help psychology teachers and departments improve their courses and engage in ongoing development to improve access and equity in their courses.

Qualitative analysis of online discussion boards for male urinary incontinence after prostate treatment

AbstractIntroductionThough urinary incontinence (UI) after prostate treatment often contributes to emotional distress and significantly impacts quality of life, many patients do not discuss this condition with their physicians. We analyzed the patient perspective by examining online support group posts to gain insight into specific challenges associated with different UI management methods.MethodsWe examined discussion board threads from multiple patient‐focused forums on experiences of UI due to prostate treatment (threads from January 2016 to January 2022). Principles of grounded theory in thematic analysis were used to analyze the threads.ResultsThree hundred and eighteen posts from 84 unique users were analyzed. Among users, 47 (56%) reported UI following radical prostatectomy (RP), 5 (6%) secondary to radiation therapy (RT), 12 (14%) after a combination of RP and RT, and 20 (24%) were ambiguous. UI management methods included pads/diapers/liners, condom catheters/external clamps, Kegels/pelvic floor physiotherapy, and surgical treatment (artificial urinary sphincter or sling placement). We identified challenges common to all management methods: “requires trial and error,” “physical discomfort,” and “difficult to be in public.” Factors influencing management choices included the ability to “feel normal” and the development of a management routine.ConclusionThe current study identifies opportunities for improved expectation‐setting and education regarding post‐procedural UI and its management. These findings can serve as a guide for providers to counsel patients on the advantages and disadvantages of UI management devices.

A Case Study Investigating the Utilization of ChatGPT in Online Discussions

This study explored the impact of integrating ChatGPT into asynchronous online discussions. The analysis encompassed students’ log data from Canvas and their perspectives on using ChatGPT. Results revealed a significant enhancement in overall discussion participation when ChatGPT is encouraged, emphasizing its potential as a catalyst for constructive conversations and the development of generic skills. Students also acknowledge ChatGPT’s positive influence on critical thinking and knowledge exploration. In summary, integrating ChatGPT not only enhances participation and engagement but also fosters a sense of community, promotes online interaction, and cultivates essential skills. This study concluded by discussing issues associated with using ChatGPT for online discussions and highlighting implications for its appropriate integration into online discussion boards.

Effectively teaching cultural competence in a pre-professional healthcare curriculum

BackgroundThere has been research documenting the rising numbers of racial and ethnic minority groups in the United States. With this rise, there is increasing concern over the health disparities that often affect these populations. Attention has turned to how clinicians can improve health outcomes and how the need exists to educate healthcare professionals on the practice of cultural competence. Here we present one successful approach for teaching cultural competence in the healthcare curriculum with the development of an educational session on cultural competence consisting of case-based, role-play exercises, class group discussions, online discussion boards, and a lecture PowerPoint presentation.MethodsCultural competence sessions were delivered in a pre-dental master’s program to 178 students between 2017 and 2020. From 2017 to 2019, the sessions were implemented as in-person, case-based, role-play exercises. In 2020, due to in-person limitations caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, students were asked to read the role-play cases and provide a reflection response using the online Blackboard Learn discussion board platform. Evaluation of each session was performed using post-session survey data.ResultsSelf-reported results from 2017 to 2020 revealed that the role-play exercises improved participant’s understanding of components of cultural competence such as communication in patient encounters (95%), building rapport with patients (94%), improving patient interview skills (95%), and recognition of students own cultural biases when working with patients (93%).ConclusionsStudents were able to expand their cultural awareness and humility after completion of both iterations of the course session from 2017 to 2019 and 2020. This session can be an effective method for training healthcare professionals on cultural competence.

Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR) and the Functions of Consciousness.

"Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response" (ASMR) refers to a sensory-emotional experience that was first explicitly identified and named within the past two decades in online discussion boards. Since then, there has been mounting psychological and neural evidence of a clustering of properties common to the phenomenon of ASMR, including convergence on the set of stimuli that trigger the experience, the properties of the experience itself, and its downstream effects. Moreover, psychological instruments have begun to be developed and employed in an attempt to measure it. Based on this empirical work, we make the case that despite its nonscientific origins, ASMR is a good candidate for being a real kind in the cognitive sciences. The phenomenon appears to have a robust causal profile and may also have an adaptive evolutionary history. We also argue that a more thorough understanding of the distinctive type of phenomenal experience involved in an ASMR episode can shed light on the functions of consciousness, and ultimately undermine certain "cognitive" theories of consciousness. We conclude that ASMR should be the subject of more extensive scientific investigation, particularly since it may also have the potential for therapeutic applications.

A qualitative analysis of patient and caregiver experiences with myelomeningocele through online discussion boards.

Patients and caregivers impacted by myelomeningocele (MMC) use online discussion board forums to create community and share information and concerns about this complex medical condition. We aim to identify the primary concerns expressed on these forums with the goal of understanding gaps in care that may merit investment of resources to improve care received by this population. Anonymous posts from online MMC discussion boards were compiled using internet search engines. Posts were then analyzed using an adaptation of the Grounded Theory Method, a three-step system involving open, axial, and selective coding of the data by two independent researchers to identify common themes. Analysis of 400 posts written primarily by parents (n = 342, 85.5%) and patients (n = 45, 11.25%) yielded three overarching themes: questions surrounding quality of life, a lack of support for mothers of children with MMC, and confusion with a complex healthcare system. Many posts revealed concerns about management and well-being with MMC, including posts discussing symptoms and related conditions (n = 299, 75.75%), treatments (n = 259, 65.75%), and emotional aspects of MMC (n = 146, 36.5%). Additionally, families, especially mothers, felt a lack of support in their roles as caregivers. Finally, in 118 posts (29.5%), patients and families expressed frustration with navigating a complex healthcare system and finding specialists whose opinions they trusted. MMC is a complex medical condition that impacts patients and families in unique ways. Analysis of online discussion board posts identified key themes to be addressed in order to improve the healthcare experiences of those impacted by MMC.

An Evaluation of Asynchronous Online Discussion Board Formats in Interteaching

An Evaluation of Asynchronous Online Discussion Board Formats in Interteaching

Patient and caregiver perceptions of Chiari malformation: a qualitative analysis of online discussion boards.

Patients and their caregivers utilize online discussion board forums as a means to seek and exchange information about their or a loved one's condition. It is important for providers to be aware of such concerns and experiences. The goal of this study was to identify the primary concerns expressed on these discussion boards regarding Chiari malformation type I (CM) and to help guide clinicians in understanding patient challenges in the treatment of CM. The authors performed thematic analysis of anonymous online discussion board posts as identified through internet search engines. They then adopted a previously developed grounded theory method that utilizes a three-tiered coding and grouping process of posts based on commonly discovered content themes. Analysis of 400 discussion board posts identified four distinct themes raised by CM patients and their caregivers: the path to diagnosis, symptoms experienced, surgical intervention, and high emotional burden. Although each individual experience was unique, the path toward a CM diagnosis was expressed as a journey involving multiple physicians, alternative diagnoses, and feelings of dismissal from providers. The most common reported symptoms included dizziness, headaches, neck and back pain, sensory issues, weakness and paresthesias of the extremities, speech issues, and general fatigue. Additionally, there was an overall sense of uncertainty from patients seeking advice regarding surgical intervention, with users expressing diverse sentiments that included both positive and negative outcomes regarding surgical treatment. Lastly, a wide range of emotions was expressed related to a CM diagnosis, including concern, worry, anxiety, depression, stress, fear, and frustration. CM is a frequent imaging diagnosis identified in patients presenting with a wide range of symptoms, and as a result this leads to a diverse set of patient experiences. Analysis of CM patient and caregiver discussion boards revealed key themes that clinicians may address when counseling for CM.

Post-marketing surveilance study of creatine-guanidinoacetic acid safety in healthy adults.

A post-marketing surveillance study assessed the adverse events and possible risk of elevated homocysteine levels after the supplementation with creatine-guanidinoacetic acid mixture in apparently healthy adults. The participants were recruited through social media platforms and online discussion boards, with side effects and total plasma homocysteine (T-Hcy) levels evaluated regularly during a supplementation period of 6 months. Thirthy eight individuals (n = 38, 34.2% female) completed the evaluation period and were included in the final analyses. Serious side effects were absent. Two participants (5.3%) reported transitional nausea during the introductory weeks of the supplementation; no participants stopped the treatment. Baseline T-Hcy levels were 11.6 ± 3.1 μmol/L (95% confidence interval [CI], from 10.6 to 12.6). The intervention induced a mild reduction in T-Hcy levels across the monitoring period (p = 0.028), with T-Hcy levels after 1, 2, 3, and 6 months were 10.4 ± 3.0 μmol/L, 10.6 ± 2.9 μmol/L, 10.1 ± 2.7 μmol/L, and 9.3 ± 2.8 μmol/L, respectively. These findings suggest the overall tolerability of creatine-guanidinoacetic mixture in healthy adults, with homocysteine-increasing risk of no concern.

Technology for sustainability in the educational context: A portrait of the Italian universities

This paper aims to investigate the topic of sustainability within the educational context, specifically the link between the adoption of digital and smart technologies, including AI applications, and sustainability within higher educational institutions. Starting from the consideration that digital and smart technologies play a crucial role in supporting any organizational processes, including educational and training processes, we aim to provide a portrait of the Italian universities and their way to be much more sustainable adopting digital and smart technologies (water dispensers; waste recycling; accessible website; visual content in PowerPoint slides; studentfacing online tools, such as, clickers, discussion boards, chat bots, and WIKIs accessible, etc.). Starting from a deep review of the literature on the topic, we investigate the Italian universities mapping them considering some specific main features (i.e. the development and adoption of sustainability practices and solutions also through digital and smart technologies, the adoption of e-learning solutions, etc.). This qualitative research, through a multiple case study, provides possible interesting insights for the future, investigating one specific country, where some factors, such as cultural, contextual, geographic, and organizational factors, should significantly impact the way universities try to be much more sustainable through the adoption of digital and smart technologies, and, consequently, becoming ‘smart and sustainable’ universities.

Best Practices for Online Discussion Boards

Best Practices for Online Discussion Boards

Characteristics promoted in order to develop student's critical thinking disposition in online discussions during a fully online course

Online discussion boards were organised to develop the critical thinking disposition of students and their attitude toward disaster mitigation during a fully online course. In order to promote participation in the discussions, an incentive was provided to all discussants. Assessment of the effectiveness of the lecturer’s invitation to join the discussion was conducted to extract which participants posted once, and the learning activity and characteristics of these students was evaluated. In the results, the levels of participation in online discussions affected some factor scores for personality and learning performance. Also, the causal relationships of the development of literacy of critical thinking disposition were analysed, and the factor of participation level in online discussions was examined.

Problematic online anime (animation) use: It's relationship with viewers' satisfaction with life, emotions, and emotion regulation

Although there are numerous studies on problematic technology use, such as problematic video game use and problematic smartphone use, little is known about problematic online anime use. However, problematic online anime use warrants further examination because of anime's popularity and commercial importance. Furthermore, how emotion strategies and emotions (such as pleasure and arousal) invoked upon watching the online anime are associated with problematic online anime use is not examined in previous studies. To bridge these literature gaps and to contribute to the fields of emotion regulation and media psychology, this study adopts the emotion regulation theory and considers the relationships among viewers' satisfaction with life, feelings of pleasure and arousal arising from watching a particular online anime, cognitive emotion regulation strategies activated because of anime viewing, and potential to exhibit problematic behavior related to online anime use, which is operationalized as viewers' inability to control or reduce watching online anime. Data was collected from viewers who have watched the popular romantic comedy anime Kaguya-sama: Love Is War online via a major online discussion board in Taiwan through the purposive sampling method. Data analysis on the 190 online questionnaire returns (mostly from males and students) through the partial least squares analysis reveals that the emotion regulation theory can be used to examine viewers' perceptions of anime. In the online anime context, the emotion regulation strategy most likely to be invoked is positive refocusing (mean value of 3.68, measured through a 5-point Likert scale) which is in line with how people typically watch anime for immersion and escapism. Satisfaction with life demonstrates its robustness and flexibility in invoking the positive refocusing (path coefficient = 0.17) and refocus on planning (path coefficient = 0.13) strategies. It also lowers the adoption of the maladaptive strategy of catastrophizing (path coefficient = −0.18). While catastrophizing strategy (path coefficient = 0.31) and arousal (path coefficient = 0.24) add to problematic online anime use, pleasure (path coefficient = −0.27) lowers problematic online anime use. Thus, when viewers keep magnifying the severity of a bad situation they are in while watching online anime, instead of making them better, could lead them to the undesirable outcome of problematic online anime use. Although this study has provided several interesting insights, this study has only considered Kaguya-sama: Love Is War and used survey respondents' perception of their extent of problematic online anime use. To increase generalization, future studies could consider other types of anime and alternative means to measure problematic use, such as frequency of online anime viewing.