scholarly journals Impact of using learning analytics in asynchronous online discussions in higher education

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Juan Pedro Cerro Martínez ◽  
Montse Guitert Catasús ◽  
Teresa Romeu Fontanillas
Keyword(s):  
Learning Analytics ◽  
Participatory Design ◽  
Online Discussion ◽  
Learning Processes ◽  
Online Discussions ◽  
Communication Process ◽  
Control Groups ◽  
Implementation Phase ◽  
Design Based Research ◽  
Asynchronous Online Discussions

Abstract Following asynchronous online discussion activities as a complex communication process is a demanding task for teachers. In this paper, the authors have explored the potential in supporting such activity through learning analytics. From the beginning, the authors acknowledged the limitations of technology to support the complexities of a pedagogical activity. Therefore, the methodology used was participatory design-based research (DBR) divided into two main stages. The first design phase dealt with the engagement of teachers and pedagogical experts in defining the data and metrics to be used to support the pedagogical concepts. The second consisted of an implementation phase including pilots with students and with crucial engagement of teachers in commenting their understanding over students’ learning processes and the feedback the teachers could offer to them. Overall, the students shown improvements in their performance as monitored through the learning analytics group in contrast with control groups. The discussion over the design and its results could be potentially extrapolated to other educational contexts.

scholarly journals Using Design-Based Research to Develop Meaningful Online Discussions in Undergraduate Field Experience Courses

2017 ◽  
Vol 18 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Carol Johnson ◽  
Laurie Hill ◽  
Jennifer Lock ◽  
Noha Altowairiki ◽  
Christopher Ostrowski ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Deep Learning ◽  
Organizational Design ◽  
Field Experience ◽  
Online Discussion ◽  
Online Discussions ◽  
Task Completion ◽  
Discussion Forums ◽  
Design Based Research ◽  
Online Discussion Forums ◽  
Group Structures

<p class="3">From a design perspective, the intentionality of students to engage in surface or deep learning is often experienced through prescribed activities and learning tasks. Educators understand that meaningful learning can be furthered through the structural and organizational design of the online environment that motivates the student towards task completion. However, learning engagement is unique for each student. It is dependent on both how students learn and their intentions for learning. Based on this challenge, the design of online discussions becomes a pedagogical means in developing students’ intentionality for the adoption of strategies leading to deep learning. Through a Design-Based Research (DBR) approach, iterative design of online learning components for undergraduate field experience courses were studied. For this paper, the focus of the research is on examining factors that influenced deep and surface levels of learning in online discussion forums. The results indicate that design factors (i.e., student engagement, group structures, and organization) influence the nature and degree of deep learning. From the findings, two implications for practice are shared to inform the design and scaffolding of online discussion forums to foster deep approaches to student learning.</p>

"Cross Talk"

2010 ◽  
pp. 209-225 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susan J. Wegmann
Keyword(s):  
Cross Talk ◽  
Online Discussion ◽  
Online Discussions ◽  
Online Course ◽  
Discussion Boards ◽  
Online Instructors ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Computer Mediated ◽  
Asynchronous Online Discussions ◽  
College Classes

Asynchronous online discussions can be complex and fruitful, mimicking their face-to-face counterparts in undergraduate college classes. However, some researchers note a discrepancy in substance and interest levels between online and face-to-face discussions. This chapter describes the interactions of one thriving student in an asynchronous online course. It analyzes the student’s interactions with his peers, and uses these interactions to provide ways that online instructors can structure courses to optimize genuine and engaging online discourse. Additionally, it suggests that students and instructors who assume a Connected Stance show a depth of learning within the computer-mediated framework. Finally, it provides a unique format for analyzing online discussion boards.

scholarly journals Enhancing online protocols through design-based research to improve cognitive presence in a large enrolment course

2021 ◽  
pp. 53-68
Author(s):  
Janet Zydney ◽  
Aimee DeNoyelles ◽  
Baiyun Chen ◽  
Kerry Patton
Keyword(s):  
Online Discussions ◽  
Cognitive Presence ◽  
Shared Cognition ◽  
Large Classes ◽  
Design Based Research ◽  
Large Numbers ◽  
Group Members ◽  
Asynchronous Online Discussions ◽  
Effective Design ◽  
Careful Design

Instructors face challenges in facilitating higher levels of shared cognition in large enrolment classes. One strategy to foster shared cognition is the use of asynchronous discussions; however, these can be difficult to support with large numbers of students. Online protocols have been found to help students take more ownership of the discussion, reducing the workload of instructors and thus may be helpful in this context. The purpose of this study was to determine the most effective design of online protocols in large enrolment classes. The study used a design-based research methodology to iteratively design, assess and refine the online protocols and the design principles of its underlying protocol pedagogy. Participants for this study were 1,286 students enrolled in a blended undergraduate class in business that used online protocols for discussions over three semesters. The paper describes how iterative changes in the design of protocol-based discussions influenced students' cognitive presence. Students’ perceptions of cognitive presence were significantly higher in the second and third iterations, and the concepts shared by group members were significantly more integrated by the third iteration. Findings suggest that with careful design, these enhanced protocols are a potentially useful strategy to facilitate asynchronous online discussions in large classes. Implications for practice or policy: Students need additional incentives to actively participate in large enrolment courses. Instructors can use peer questioning to increase shared cognition in large enrolment courses. Instructors should create concise directions with modelling of exemplary posts to help reduce confusion. Students in large enrolment courses benefit from additional scaffolding of norms to foster a sense of trust. Design-based research provides an effective methodology to examine both theoretical and practical implications of online protocols on cognitive presence.

scholarly journals It is about timing: Network prestige in asynchronous online discussions

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bodong Chen ◽  
Tianhui Huang
Keyword(s):  
Social Network ◽  
Online Discussion ◽  
Closeness Centrality ◽  
Online Discussions ◽  
Eigenvector Centrality ◽  
Student Activities ◽  
Depth Analysis ◽  
Asynchronous Online Discussions ◽  
Micro Level ◽  
Probe Potential

Asynchronous online discussions are broadly used to support social learning. This paper reports on an undergraduate class’s online discussion activities over one semester. Applying Social Network Analysis, this study revealed a participation gap among students reflected by their varied levels of network prestige. The low-prestige group initiated equivalent volumes of interactions but were less reciprocated. In-depth analysis found the high-prestige group also advantageous in other network measures such as closeness centrality and eigenvector centrality, as well as the strength, persistence, and reciprocity of their ties. To probe potential explanations of the revealed gap, we further contrasted post content and posting behaviors between two groups. Results did not identify any significant differences in post content but found low-prestige students’ participation less timely and more temporally compressed. This paper calls for attention to the participation gap in online discussions, micro-level temporal patterns of student activities, and practical means to scaffold student participation in asynchronous onlinediscussions.

scholarly journals The Influence of Group Size in the Asynchronous Online Discussions on the Development of Critical Thinking Skills, and on Improving Students’ Performance in Online Discussion Forum

2019 ◽  
Vol 14 (05) ◽  
pp. 132 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammed Kamal Afify
Keyword(s):  
Critical Thinking ◽  
Group Size ◽  
Online Discussion ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
Critical Thinking Skills ◽  
Online Discussions ◽  
Computer Application ◽  
Online Discussion Forum ◽  
Asynchronous Online Discussions ◽  
Learning Management

Asynchronous Online Discussions (AOD) are considered as one of the most ma-jor tools in learning management systems which are used in universities. The ex-ploitation of AODs forums offer students the possibility to teach and learn any-time and anywhere. They also provide students with the time needed to process learning, share ideas and points of view on e-course topics. The group size in the AODs is a substantial variable that affects the interaction and the participation of students. The purpose of our research lays in understanding the influence of the group size participating in the AODs on the development of critical thinking skills in information technology for students of the Faculty of Education, and im-proving students’ performance in online discussion forums. In this research, 103 university students from the bachelor's degree have participated in the study. The participating students are studying the Computer Application in Education Course, and the Education Technology Course on the Blackboard e-learning Management System, during a 15-week semester. The findings of the research have revealed very significant conclusions; and the researcher has come up with various recommendations and suggestions for future studies and further research.

The three-iterative design and implementation of a student-facing social learning analytics tool

2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 0-0
Keyword(s):  
Social Learning ◽  
Learning Analytics ◽  
Online Discussions ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Design Based Research ◽  
Iterative Design ◽  
Interview Methods ◽  
Cognitive Information ◽  
Critical Feedback ◽  
Social Learning Analytics

The design of social learning analytics (SLA) tools has become a practical means to make available learning information with a goal to improve students’ regulation, reflection, and engagement in online learning. This design-based research uses the multi-method analytics to iteratively design, implement, and modify the SLA tool that makes available social, topic, and cognitive information to students in online discussions. This tool demonstrates students’ online discussions from social, sematic, and cognitive aspects. This research further uses online questionnaire and interview methods to investigate students’ perceptions about the tool’s usefulness and usability. After experiencing this tool, students proposed critical feedback for tool improvement from the network visualization, peer reference, and explanation support perspectives. Overall, the SLA tool is a beneficial tool to foster students’ awareness of their own learning and peer learning process, to improve students’ regulation and reflection of learning, and eventually improve student engagement in online discussions.

scholarly journals Learning Analytics for Online Discussions: Embedded and Extracted Approaches

2014 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 48-71 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alyssa Wise ◽  
Yuting Zhao ◽  
Simone Hausknecht
Keyword(s):  
Learning Environment ◽  
Research Program ◽  
Learning Analytics ◽  
Online Discussions ◽  
Digital Space ◽  
Asynchronous Online Discussions ◽  
Affective Components ◽  
Real Time Information ◽  
Future Work ◽  
Time Information

This paper describes an application of learning analytics that builds on an existing research program investigating how students contribute and attend to the messages of others in asynchronous online discussions. We first overview the E-Listening research program and then explain how this work was translated into analytics that students and instructors could use to reflect on their discussion participation. Two kinds of analytics were designed: some embedded in the learning environment to provide students with real-time information on their activity in-progress; and some extracted from the learning environment and presented to students in a separate digital space for reflection. In addition, we describe the design of an intervention though which use of the analytics can be introduced as an integral course activity. Findings from an initial implementation of the application indicated that the learning analytics intervention supported changes in students’ discussion participation. Five issues for future work on learning analytics in online discussions are presented. One, unintentional versus purposeful change; two, differing changes prompted by the same analytic; three, importance of theoretical buy-in and calculation transparency for perceived analytic value; four, affective components of students’ reactions; and five, support for students in the process of enacting analytics-driven changes.

CASE STUDY OF ONLINE DISCUSSION BOARD USE IN AN ENGINEERING EDUCATION GRADUATE COURSE

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandra Davidson ◽  
Lisa Romkey ◽  
Allison Van Beek
Keyword(s):  
Engineering Education ◽  
Online Discussion ◽  
Discussion Board ◽  
Online Discussions ◽  
Asynchronous Learning ◽  
Discussion Boards ◽  
Graduate Course ◽  
Post Secondary ◽  
Online Discussion Board

Due to the increasing prevalence of asynchronous learning platforms, the development and implementation of online discussion boards have become important considerations in the design of post-secondary learning environments. This research is conducted as a case study of the online discussion board use in a small engineering education graduate course, consisting of in-class and online discussion components. By varying the structure of the online discussion board to allow different types of student interaction, the study identifies trends in discussion board use, specifically pertaining to student participation, student collaboration, and the integration between in-class and online discussions. As a result, the study provides insight into the utility and limitations of online discussion boards in post-secondary courses.  

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