Rubric to Determine a Quality Online Discussion Posting

Author(s):  
Linda L. Larson ◽  
Paul Boyd-Batstone ◽  
Carole Cox

When teachers integrate online discussions into courses, they are faced with the challenge of deciding how to evaluate the postings. This chapter discusses a study that used a discussion board rubric to evaluate online discussions. The study tested the reliability of the instrument (rubric) to assess the quality of the content of Web-based discourse. To obtain the rubric interrater reliability, researchers used the rubric to evaluate the discussion postings of preservice teachers’ enrolled in six different sections of an English language arts methods course. Six hundred sixty two (662) postings from 165 preservice teachers were analyzed using the rubric. The study utilized the scorings from six judges. When measured with Cronbach’s alpha intraclass coefficient, the findings indicated substantial agreement between judges in two of the four rubric criteria: evocative (.8742) and reference-resource (.8209). The other rubric criteria rumination (.7256) and storytelling (.5984) scored at the moderate and fair levels respectfully.

2020 ◽  
Vol 201 (1) ◽  
pp. 19-27
Author(s):  
Amani Zaier ◽  
Ismahan Arslan-Ari ◽  
Faith Maina

This study explored the quality of preservice teachers’ self- and peer-academic feedback using video annotation tools to capture their teaching practices. They were also provided with an informal online discussion board as part of the peer support system. Twenty-five preservice teachers at a large university in the Southwestern United States volunteered to participate in this study. Data revealed a striking difference between self-evaluation and peer-evaluation. Preservice teachers rated themselves considerably higher compared with their peer-evaluation. The quality of the academic feedback and evaluation remained at the surface level with a mismatch between areas of refinement and areas of reinforcement. Evidence-based feedback and constructive criticism for areas of refinement were openly given during the informal discussion forums. Despite the inconsistency, preservice teachers perceived online communication through discussion posts as a valuable source of building relationships and providing support system.


Author(s):  
Alexandra Davidson ◽  
Lisa Romkey ◽  
Allison Van Beek

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.  


SAGE Open ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 215824401668139 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark W. Aulls ◽  
Diana Tabatabai ◽  
Bruce M. Shore

This nonexperimental, exploratory, mixed-design study used questionnaires with 167 preservice secondary teachers to identify prior educational experiences associated with student-teachers’ inquiry understanding. Understanding was determined through content analysis then open coding of definitions of inquiry and descriptions of best-experienced inquiry instruction, in terms of 23 potential learner-inquiry outcomes. Only two of seven educational-context variables related to understanding: prior experience doing a thesis or research—especially to definition quality and having taken a research-methods course—especially to description quality. How definitions and descriptions of inquiry are different and similar was analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively. Implications for methodology, theory, and practice were presented, for example, research opportunities and research-methods training during teacher education.


2011 ◽  
pp. 3285-3292
Author(s):  
E. Benrud

This article examines the performance of students in a Web-based corporate finance course and how the technologies associated with communication on the Internet can enhance student learning. The article provides statistical evidence that documents that the online discussion board in a Web-based course can significantly enhance the learning process even in a quantitative course such as corporate finance. The results show that ex ante predictors of student performance that had been found useful in predicting student success in face-to-face classes also had significant predictive power for exam performance in the online course. However, these predictors did not have predictive power for participation in the online discussion. Yet, online participation and exam performance were highly correlated. This suggests that the use of the online discussion board technology by the students enhanced the performance of students who otherwise would not have performed as well without the discussion.


Author(s):  
Erik Benrud

This article examines the performance of students in a Web-based corporate finance course and how the technologies associated with communication on the Internet can enhance student learning. The article provides statistical evidence that documents that the online discussion board in a Web-based course can significantly enhance the learning process even in a quantitative course such as corporate finance. The results show that ex ante predictors of student performance that had been found useful in predicting student success in face-to-face classes also had significant predictive power for exam performance in the online course. However, these predictors did not have predictive power for participation in the online discussion. Yet, online participation and exam performance were highly correlated. This suggests that the use of the online discussion board technology by the students enhanced the performance of students who otherwise would not have performed as well without the discussion.


2019 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 78-93
Author(s):  
Ann Y Kim ◽  
Ian Thacker

We examined asynchronous online discussion boards, specifically those that are unmediated by teacher figures, to identify characteristics of these spaces that support or constrain students as they seek help in mathematics. We analyzed 86 questions and 114 associated responses posted to two Khan Academy discussion boards centered around two related trigonometry lessons. The platform created a space where students could ask a variety of questions ranging from those requesting math definitions and explanations of math procedures to justifications for why formulas are true. However, crowdsourced replies to questions were delayed, sometimes taking more than one year for a reply to be posted; content of student replies did not always match the content of the questions posed; and the quality of the replies varied considerably, some replies were helpful or resourceful while others were incorrect or vague. These challenges seemed connected to the unmediated nature of this type of asynchronous online discussion board. We argue that this online learning environment demands additional self-regulated learning strategies such as awareness of one’s needs and the timeframe in which they must be met. We also discuss implications for research and practice.


2019 ◽  
pp. 379-400 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qunyan Maggie Zhong ◽  
Howard Norton

Whilst peer facilitation is deemed to be a beneficial alterative strategy in an asynchronous online discussion, a review of the literature indicates that previous studies have primarily focused on the instructor as the facilitator. Inquiries into the roles that student facilitators perform and strategies they deploy to promote meaningful dialogues and participation in a student-led online discussion board have not been widely explored. Using posted messages of seven student facilitators in a peer-moderated online discussion forum, this study aimed to address the gap in the literature. Content analysis of the data revealed that the student moderators played four major roles during the discussions: 1) a knowledge constructor who actively engaged in a collective inquiry and contributed to a deeper understanding of a subject matter; 2) a team builder who expended considerable efforts to create group cohesion to achieve their learning objectives as a team; 3) a motivator who encouraged and inspired team members to engage in and contribute to the discussion; 4) an organiser who managed and monitored each phase of the discussion and orchestrated the subsequent group oral presentation. The findings suggest that assigning students to lead online discussions is an effective strategy to foster learner autonomy and nurture student leaders. The paper concludes with pedagogical implications and directions for future research.


Author(s):  
Hyesun Cho ◽  
Debby J. Adams

This chapter explores ways in which preservice content-area teachers were engaged in service-learning as part of a teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL) methods course at a public research university in the U.S. Midwest. It describes the reflections of 26 undergraduate students majoring in English Language Arts, Math, Science, Foreign Languages, and Social Studies Education, who were involved in service-learning as a medial field experience. Findings reveal that the experience contributed tremendously to their understanding of the backgrounds of English language learners as well as the challenges these learners faced in and out of school. As a result of this “eye-opening” experience, teacher candidates reported a commitment to valuing diversity and equity in their future classrooms, as well as a responsibility to advocate for their culturally and linguistically diverse learners. The chapter concludes with suggestions for implementing service-learning for preservice teachers across content areas in a teacher education program.


Author(s):  
Suzanne Knight

In this chapter the author takes up the use of narrative inquiry within a secondary English language arts methods course. She focuses on two discrete moments that took place during one class session, where she and her students shared and discussed personal narratives. In particular, she explores the pedagogy that might be required to support a group of pre-service teachers’ work to become a connected knowing group, including the disruptive nature of vulnerability and risk taking.


Author(s):  
Paricia Danyluk ◽  
Amy Burns

Throughout northern and rural locations across Canada, school boards struggle to attract and retain teachers. A community-based pathway program in Alberta was designed to address this challenge by providing opportunities for local residents to pursue a Bachelor of Education degree. Through blended delivery, students complete courses on campus and through synchronous and asynchronous learning. This chapter examines the adaptation of a course assignment for an introductory teaching methods course. By examining the course design, instructor facilitation, and four composite online discussion postings by students, the authors demonstrate how students were able to improve their writing skills and increasingly engage in critical thinking through the practice of weekly postings.


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